CC3 / Vista Issues and Solutions FAQ

[Hoseman]

---Last Update: June 10, 2007 9:30pm---

I am starting an FAQ thread (currently unofficial) regarding the issues that Vista CC3 users might encounter and the known solutions and workarounds. As we add more issues and solutions to the thread, I'll add them to the FAQ here on top. If this thread takes off, perhaps it'll get stickied. The list is not hyperlinked to the solutions (yet) because I don't think BBCode can handle page anchors. I'll work with Arcana to see what we can do about that.

Here is the list so far:

1. Cannot select a pre-defined template
2. Error when opening CC3 Help (Help, Quickstart Guide, and Tech Support)

SOLUTIONS

1. Cannot select a pre-defined template

This is a known problem and there is no current workaround to allow you to select pre-defined templates from the Open menu. However, you can locate the pre-defined template (FCT file) you want to use (in the /CC3/Templates/ folder), then copy it to some other location. MAKE SURE to make a copy...don't move it. Once you've made your copy, change the extension from FCT to FCW. You can rename the file at the same time as well. This is what the Open dialog does, except us Vista guys get to do it manually!

2. Error when opening CC3 Help (Help, Quickstart Guide, and Tech Support)

You might see the following errors when opening up CC3 help files (Help, Quickstart Guide and Tech Support links under CC3's Help menu).

"Internet Explorer cannot download / from Windows. Internet Explorer was not able to open this Internet site. The requested site is either unavailable or cannot be found. Please try again later."

You might not see the above errors, but the help window will say something about the help file is an unsupported version (if someone has the exact text, let me know).

The first half of this problem (if you see the download error) is not CC3 related (Help will also fail in IE7...try it). It is a problem with how XML, which underlies the new help system, is associated in Vista. You can read more on about the problem and the fix on Kristan Kenney's Blog. You'll need to run this registry patch, which will fix the association and allow Help to open...sort of. (I have attached the zip file to this thread in case the link goes down - Fix_Help_and_Support.zip)

That problem is fixed, but now you'll find out CC3 help STILL won't open (if your association above wasn't broken, then you'll be starting here). Its because CC3 uses the Windows Help program (WinHlp32.exe) which is no longer included in Vista! According to some Microsoft Knowledgebase article,

"Windows Help (WinHlp32.exe) is a Help program that has been included with Microsoft Windows versions starting with the Microsoft Windows 3.1 operating system. WinHlp32.exe is required in order to display 32-bit help content files that have the ".hlp" file name extension.

However, the Windows Help program has not had a major update for many releases and no longer meets Microsoft standards. Therefore, starting with the Windows Vista operating system release, the Windows Help program will not ship as a component of the Windows operating system. Also, third-party programs that include .hlp files are prohibited from redistributing the Windows Help program together with their products."

You can, however, download and install Windows Help program (WinHlp32.exe) for Vista from Microsoft. Once you've done that, CC3 Help files (and others that use the older system) will work fine.

---Last Update: June 10, 2007 9:30pm---

[RPMiller]

Thanks! Since this is a common issue that I have seen in the email list and this information is extremely helpful, I've made the thread sticky.

[jaerdaph]

On October 15, 2007, Profantasy released CC3 Patch 4 which fixes many Vista-related issues:

Hi folks,

we've just released the next patch for CC3, resulting in version 3.12. Log in to
your registration page at www.profantasy.com to download it from the right-hand
side.

The patch is mainly aimed at Vista users. All but one of our Vista testers have
reported that the patch fixes the Open/File dialog crash occurring under Vista.
Please let us know, if you should still be unfortunate enough to experience the
problems.

For non-Vista users, the patch fixes a minor menu problem and provides the files
necessary to create your own encrypted bitmap artwork. You'll find the necessary
files and instructions in the "Encryption" folder of your CC3 install.

At the same time we've released the remaining bitmap artwork (for SS1 and SS2)
in encrypted format for CC3 View (the free viewer). Check out the Viewer page
for the downloads: http://www.profantasy.com/library/dpv.asp

CC3 View now has the same Vista fix as CC3 v3.12, so if you're using the viewer
under Vista, download the new version and reinstall it.

Ciao,
Ralf

--
Ralf Schemmann
ProFantasy Software
ralf@...
--
ProFantasy Software Ltd is registered in the UK at Spectrum House, Bromell's
Road, London, SW4 0BN. No. 2843515

If your CC3 version number is less than 3.12, you need this patch. If you are not running Vista but are running Windows XP, you still need it because it fixes a minor menu problem. It is available from your registration page at www.profantasy.com.

[jaerdaph]

FYI: On December 3, 2007, Profantasy released Patch 5 for CC3:

http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=1244

This is a cumulative patch so it includes all the Vista fixes found in Patch 4 (and all other fixes in patches prior to that) that I mentioned in the post above this one. However, see the FYI below:

FYI: the "DD3 Vista Fix" and "DD3 Random Dungeons" updates listed on your profantasy.com registration page are NOT included in Patch 5 and still need to be installed separately.

Sat Dec 8, 2007 6:10 am
Re: [cc2-l] CC3 v3.18 released


No, these are not included in CC3 Patch 5. PLease install them separately.

Ciao,
Ralf

On Sat, 08 Dec 2007 04:49:27 +0100, John Martinsen <geir@...> wrote:

> Are the "DD3 Vista Fix" and "DD3 Random Dungeons" updates listed on the
> registration page also included in Patch 5, or do those still need to be
> installed separately?
>
> Thanks

--
Ralf Schemmann
ProFantasy Software
ralf@...
--
ProFantasy Software Ltd is registered in the UK at Spectrum House, Bromell's
Road, London, SW4 0BN. No. 2843515

[ProFantasy]

FYI: On December 3, 2007, Profantasy released Patch 5 for CC3:

http://www.cartographersguild.com/showthread.php?t=1244

This is a cumulative patch so it includes all the Vista fixes found in Patch 4 (and all other fixes in patches prior to that) that I mentioned in the post above this one. However, see the FYI below:

FYI: the "DD3 Vista Fix" and "DD3 Random Dungeons" updates listed on your profantasy.com registration page are NOT included in Patch 5 and still need to be installed separately.

As of this patch (version 3.20), there are no known Vista issues with CC3.

Simon

[RPMiller]

Thanks for the info Simon!