Protel 99 SE and MS Vista library problem?

[Rodo]

Hi all,

I thought Protel 99 SE was working fine in my Windows Vista laptop (I'm new
to Protel) but after reading the manual I realized I can't load any
schematic libraries. I read in the net that this is a known issue with
Protel with Vista. Does anyone know if there is a way to fix this problem?

Thanks

 

[David Brown]

Hi all,

I thought Protel 99 SE was working fine in my Windows Vista laptop (I'm new
to Protel) but after reading the manual I realized I can't load any
schematic libraries. I read in the net that this is a known issue with
Protel with Vista. Does anyone know if there is a way to fix this problem?

Protel has always had problems with schematic libraries if you have the
"hide file extensions for known file types" option in explorer. As this
is the default (for W2K and later), you have to turn that off to be able
to see schematic libraries. Of course, that option should always be
turned off anyway - it's an incredible security gaff, even by
Microsoft's standards.

 

[Rodo]

Thanks but that didn't fix the problem.

Protel has always had problems with schematic libraries if you have the
"hide file extensions for known file types" option in explorer. As this
is the default (for W2K and later), you have to turn that off to be able
to see schematic libraries. Of course, that option should always be
turned off anyway - it's an incredible security gaff, even by Microsoft's
standards.

 

[Den]

Hi all,

I thought Protel 99 SE was working fine in my Windows Vista laptop (I'm
new to Protel) but after reading the manual I realized I can't load any
schematic libraries. I read in the net that this is a known issue with
Protel with Vista. Does anyone know if there is a way to fix this problem?

Thanks

You said "your" laptop so the following may not be relevant at all but is
along the lines of the suggestion from Peter.

I had similar problems with 99SE when the sys admin guys inflated their egos
by restricting write permissions to different file locations. Getting full
R/W admin control fixed the problem after months of hassles.

 

[TT_Man]

Hi all,

I thought Protel 99 SE was working fine in my Windows Vista laptop (I'm
new to Protel) but after reading the manual I realized I can't load any
schematic libraries. I read in the net that this is a known issue with
Protel with Vista. Does anyone know if there is a way to fix this problem?

Thanks

Do you need to set properties so that it runs in WIN98 compatibility mode?
( if that option exists in VISTA - it does in XP)

 

[Rodo]

I changed the settings under my user to "Full Control" and still no luck.

Thanks

 

[Rodo]

I tried changing this setting before and no luck. In general I've found this
"compatibility mode" in Vista to be pretty useless.

Thanks

 

[Rodo]

I couldn't find the setting for the folder library in Protel so I'm tring to
change the permission but ... there are sooooo many of them is ... annoying.
So far I've changed the Protel security settings inside Program Files and no
luck. The folder is set to read-only. I changed that but it keeps defaulting
to read-only.... ARGH! ... as I said .... annoying. I'll let you know what
happens later.

Thanks

 

[Jamie]

I couldn't find the setting for the folder library in Protel so I'm tring to
change the permission but ... there are sooooo many of them is ... annoying.
So far I've changed the Protel security settings inside Program Files and no
luck. The folder is set to read-only. I changed that but it keeps defaulting
to read-only.... ARGH! ... as I said .... annoying. I'll let you know what
happens later.

Thanks

You need to be in Admin mode and turn off the UAC "User Access control"
There are couple of other things that can be done in the reg but I
don't think that'll protein to you.

Vista has screwed up so many people in companies all over trying to
upgrade and use existing software. Even new software coming out does not
perform on it worth a shit.

In any case, The performance of Vista has really took a nose dive on
software that does run on it. .NET programs have become yet another
large crutch for windows and putting Vista on top of that really places
the icing on the cake.

You need to strip down Vista as much as possible.

 

[Brad Velander]

Rodo,
Seems you are not trying Peter's suggestion even though you think you
may be. By Peter's advice you would have to move the pertinent files to a
suitable location, not just try to change the permissions on the individual
files. Moving the libraries is no problem, you simply have to reload the
libraries after restrating the program. I don't use Vista but I have heard
the same issue/explanation/rumor that Peter recited. Moving just the
libraries will probably not solve all issues because there are many Protel
files that are constantly written to by the program in the WINDOWS
directory.

 

[Rodo]

Well, I moved the libraries outside of "Program Files" and try to reload
one. No luck. I also renamed the library folder to something else like
"LibraryZZZ" and somehow Protel kept telling me that it was reading the
library (it always has one loaded) from the original "Library" folder which
didn't exist since I renamed it... I'm seriously confused as what it is
doing.

Oh ... I'm doing this top-posting again aren't I .

Thanks

 

[Rodo]

You need to be in Admin mode and turn off the UAC "User Access control"
There are couple of other things that can be done in the reg but I don't
think that'll protein to you.

Vista has screwed up so many people in companies all over trying to
upgrade and use existing software. Even new software coming out does not
perform on it worth a shit.

In any case, The performance of Vista has really took a nose dive on
software that does run on it. .NET programs have become yet another large
crutch for windows and putting Vista on top of that really places the
icing on the cake.

You need to strip down Vista as much as possible.

Let's see, control panel, user accounts , clear check box, restart, wait for
reboot .... run Protel, add library and .... ARGH!... Nope, that didn't
work either.

Thanks

 

[Jamie]

Let's see, control panel, user accounts , clear check box, restart, wait for
reboot .... run Protel, add library and .... ARGH!... Nope, that didn't
work either.

Thanks

really, Maybe you're over looking something because i know it works.
Did you go and check to make sure the folders were not read only
afterwards ?
Did you check the UAC to make sure the took place after reboot ?

P.S.
It's very possible a install that went bad when the access was
set to read only .?
Or you need to reconfigure the program?

Are we really trying hard enough?

 

[Brad Velander]

Hi Peter,
What about all of the ini and rcs files that reside in the WINDOWS
directory? I would think that Vista would restrict them also and you can't
very well move them. Just wondering if you have heard anything about them or
are they okay because it's the program accesses/writes them?
From everything I have heard or read I certainly hope to never upgrade
to Vista.

 

[Rodo]

[snip]

really, Maybe you're over looking something because i know it works.
Did you go and check to make sure the folders were not read only
afterwards ?

Yeap. They're not read-only.

Did you check the UAC to make sure the took place after reboot ?

Yeap. There is an icon in the tray bar warning me about it.

P.S.
It's very possible a install that went bad when the access was
set to read only .?
dunno!

Or you need to reconfigure the program?

Not fun.

Are we really trying hard enough?

???

Thanks

 

[Rodo]

As far as I know, Protel doesn't have any setting for file locations -
whenever I want to open a file of any sort, Protel just starts looking
in the last directory I used. If the last file I opened was a drawing
in c:\My Documents\Projects\ and I want to open a library, I have to
navigate from that directory to C:\Program Files\Protel\Libraries\Sch.

From my very limited understanding of Vista, you _will_ have to move
the library files out of C:\Program Files\...

I did. I put them under my user name account "Documents". It didn't work.

Thanks

 

[Rodo]

Hi Peter,
What about all of the ini and rcs files that reside in the WINDOWS
directory? I would think that Vista would restrict them also and you can't
very well move them. Just wondering if you have heard anything about them
or are they okay because it's the program accesses/writes them?
From everything I have heard or read I certainly hope to never upgrade
to Vista.

Try to get a new computer without Vista. Not impossible but it would cost
you a few more bucks for the XP installation if available. I bought this
laptop in the summer of 2007 and the only place I found offering WinXP was
Gateway2K ... for an extra $200 of course. I imagine now is nearly
impossible.

 

[David Brown]

I did. I put them under my user name account "Documents". It didn't work.

Thanks

I don't use Vista (we tell our computer supplier to stick to XP for
desktops and blank for servers (I prefer to set up Linux myself), so
it's their problem to find a manufacturer that provides XP. There are
actually more that provide XP now than about six months ago.)

However, I had the same problem years ago when I tried to install a
single copy of Protel on a server. It's not the schematic library files
that are the problem - its parts of the program files themselves that
need to be writeable. Don't ask me why - Protel doesn't actually write
to the files, but it opens some in writeable mode.

Try installing the whole suite again, but this time to a directory
completely outside of Program Files, Documents and Settings, or any
other windows-specific directory (I put virtually nothing inside these
directories).

 

[Brad Velander]

David,
Not sure if you are talking about the same files I mentioned but Protel
does definitely write to the .ini and .rcs files in the Windows directory.
That is where they store all of their configuration and options details for
each particular functional module, i.e. schematic, pcb, router, synthesis,
etc.. Just run a search for *99SE.* and you will find them, approx. 17 files
in the Windows directory and approx. 4 other config/ini type files scattered
elsewhere.
But no matter where you install the software, the install will put these
files right into the Windows directory everytime. And it wouldn't know where
they are if they could be put elsewhere.

 

[David Brown]

David,
Not sure if you are talking about the same files I mentioned but Protel
does definitely write to the .ini and .rcs files in the Windows directory.
That is where they store all of their configuration and options details for
each particular functional module, i.e. schematic, pcb, router, synthesis,
etc.. Just run a search for *99SE.* and you will find them, approx. 17 files
in the Windows directory and approx. 4 other config/ini type files scattered
elsewhere.
But no matter where you install the software, the install will put these
files right into the Windows directory everytime. And it wouldn't know where
they are if they could be put elsewhere.

Yes, the ini and rcs files always go in the windows directory. I'm
talking about the program files themselves - the exe and dll files, and
other files in those directories. Protel needs write access to those
files and directories (don't ask me why).