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Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
- Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
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Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
sjohn > 2022-06-19 16:16
I added the following path to open an Excel file as shortcut to QAP menu. But when I try to open it from QAP menu, I get the error message "An error occurred while trying to open this favorite. Please try again....". What can I do to make this file shortcut to open from QAP menu?
C:\Data\My Documents\____Pers Entries & Exits\Compare.com (DRAFT)\Exit Comparison v1-0 (dtd 26apr2022).xlsm
Info on my QAP Installation:
QAP version: 11.5.7
Installed using: Setup program
Default file manager: Windows Explorer
Info on Windows version:
Edition Windows 10 Enterprise
Version 20H2
Installed on 19/03/2021
OS build 19042.1706
Experience Windows Feature Experience Pack 120.2212.4170.0
Thanks in advance for your help.
Best Regards,
SJohn -
RE: Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
Jean Lalonde > 2022-06-19 20:39
Hi SJohn,
> I added the following path to open an Excel file as shortcut to QAP menu.
Please tell us more about your QAP favorite. Did you create a "Document" favorite?
> C:\Data\My Documents\____Pers Entries & Exits\Compare.com (DRAFT)\Exit Comparison v1-0 (dtd 26apr2022).xlsm
If you enter this path in the Windows "Run" dialog box (Windows + R), is the file open correctly in Excel?
Jean -
RE: Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
joeNOR > 2022-06-20 14:40
@sjohn
This is a long shot but xlsm-files are Excel spreadsheets containing macros/VBS code.
(Spreadsheets without macros have the xlsx file type)
Is your security software maybe blocking launch from "within" QAP because it contains macros?
(Given that you use a favorite of type Document as Jean says.)
Regards,
joeNOR -
RE: Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
sjohn > 2022-07-04 17:02
(2022-06-19 20:39)Jean Lalonde Wrote: Hi SJohn,
> I added the following path to open an Excel file as shortcut to QAP menu.
Please tell us more about your QAP favorite. Did you create a "Document" favorite?
> C:\Data\My Documents\____Pers Entries & Exits\Compare.com (DRAFT)\Exit Comparison v1-0 (dtd 26apr2022).xlsm
If you enter this path in the Windows "Run" dialog box (Windows + R), is the file open correctly in Excel?
Jean
Hello Jean,
Thanks for your reply.
Yes, I did add the QAP favorite as a "Document" favorite.
Yes, if I enter the folder path suffixed with file-name, it does open the .XLSM file without any issues.
Best Regards,
SJohn
(2022-06-20 14:40)joeNOR Wrote: @sjohn
This is a long shot but xlsm-files are Excel spreadsheets containing macros/VBS code.
(Spreadsheets without macros have the xlsx file type)
Is your security software maybe blocking launch from "within" QAP because it contains macros?
(Given that you use a favorite of type Document as Jean says.)
Regards,
joeNOR
Hello joeNOR,
As I mentioned in my reply to Jean's message above, the .XLSM file does open without any issues if I enter the folder path suffixed with file-name in Windows Run command box. So it is no issue related to security software blocking the launch from within QAP.
Thanks,
SJohn
(2022-07-04 17:02)sjohn Wrote:
(2022-06-19 20:39)Jean Lalonde Wrote: Hi SJohn,
> I added the following path to open an Excel file as shortcut to QAP menu.
Please tell us more about your QAP favorite. Did you create a "Document" favorite?
> C:\Data\My Documents\____Pers Entries & Exits\Compare.com (DRAFT)\Exit Comparison v1-0 (dtd 26apr2022).xlsm
If you enter this path in the Windows "Run" dialog box (Windows + R), is the file open correctly in Excel?
Jean
Hello Jean,
Thanks for your reply.
Yes, I did add the QAP favorite as a "Document" favorite.
Yes, if I enter the folder path suffixed with file-name, it does open the .XLSM file without any issues.
Best Regards,
SJohn
(2022-06-20 14:40)joeNOR Wrote: @sjohn
This is a long shot but xlsm-files are Excel spreadsheets containing macros/VBS code.
(Spreadsheets without macros have the xlsx file type)
Is your security software maybe blocking launch from "within" QAP because it contains macros?
(Given that you use a favorite of type Document as Jean says.)
Regards,
joeNOR
Hello joeNOR,
As I mentioned in my reply to Jean's message above, the .XLSM file does open without any issues if I enter the folder path suffixed with file-name in Windows Run command box. So it is no issue related to security software blocking the launch from within QAP.
Thanks,
SJohn
Hello Jean and joeNOR,
Finally, I found a way to make the shortcut for .XLSM open the file effortlessly from QAP.
What I did was to help QAP by adding the full-path to launch Microsoft Excel 365 application (see the screenshot attached herewith). To be honest, I don't understand in technical terms how QAP is now able to open the file.... because .XLSM files are anyway associated with Excel application that should already be known to Microsoft Windows
Anyway, as it does work now with the workaround (which surely is a long-cut and not a shortcut), I thought of sharing this info with you.... hoping that it may eventually give QAP developers to get some clue on possible programming changes that may need to be done (on QAP). I am eager to hear from you whether you are getting any clue
Best Regards,
SJohn -
RE: Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
Jean Lalonde > 2022-07-05 10:57
> I thought of sharing this info with you.... hoping that it may eventually give QAP developers to get some clue on possible programming changes that may need to be done (on QAP).
Thanks for sharing your solution. It is really strange. QAP is using (internally) the "Run" command to launch documents. So if the .xlsm file extension association works with the Win+R command, it should work with QAP...
Another solution of type "longcut" that would probably work would be to create an Application favorite for the XL .exe file and enter the path to the document in the "Parameters" in Advanced settings. But this is just another way to bypass the problematic .xlsm association issue.
Happy that you found a solution because, at this time, I have no explanation for this issue. -
RE: Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
joeNOR > 2022-07-05 17:00
I agree with Jean on this, really strange problem.
I use the Document favorite on a range of different files, and have zero problem.
A couple of examples here:
https://forum.quickaccesspopup.com/showt...p?tid=1280
The only thing I can think of is a pretty far out scenario where Win-R is triggered with the logged in user, and QAP actually runs in f.ex admin context, and that context is missing the XLSM assoc.
Regards,
-jN -
RE: Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
sjohn > 2022-07-06 11:30
(2022-07-05 17:00)joeNOR Wrote: I agree with Jean on this, really strange problem.
I use the Document favorite on a range of different files, and have zero problem.
A couple of examples here:
https://forum.quickaccesspopup.com/showt...p?tid=1280
The only thing I can think of is a pretty far out scenario where Win-R is triggered with the logged in user, and QAP actually runs in f.ex admin context, and that context is missing the XLSM assoc.
Regards,
-jN
Thank you, joeNOR.
I had a look at the examples you shared. Would you please try adding a favorite to launch a sample .XLSM document? I would like to hear from you on its outcome.... as at least it will help in isolating whether the root cause is something to do with my laptop environment or something specific to QAP.
Best Regards,
SJohn -
RE: Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
joeNOR > 2022-07-07 12:04
Did a quick test.
1.
C:\Test\Book1.xlsm
Opens without a problem.
2.
Duplicated your folder names/structure and file name.
QAP barfs an error.
To me it seems that QAP gets confused by ".com" in your fourth level folder.
Changed the name from "Compare.com (DRAFT)" to "Compare.test (DRAFT)" and the file opens.
Please verify, I tested this very quickly.
Jean:
Maybe a tiny bug in QAP?
Regards,
joeNOR -
RE: Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
sjohn > 2022-07-07 17:12
(2022-07-07 12:04)joeNOR Wrote: Did a quick test.
1.
C:\Test\Book1.xlsm
Opens without a problem.
2.
Duplicated your folder names/structure and file name.
QAP barfs an error.
To me it seems that QAP gets confused by ".com" in your fourth level folder.
Changed the name from "Compare.com (DRAFT)" to "Compare.test (DRAFT)" and the file opens.
Please verify, I tested this very quickly.
Jean:
Maybe a tiny bug in QAP?
Regards,
joeNOR
Hip Hip Hurray!! The tweak you suggested above did do the trick :-) Thanks once again for giving a nice try.
When I renamed the folder by removing ".com", QAP successfully launched the favorite (shortcut) and opened .XLSM file i.e. even after removing the full-path that I had earlier added to "Launch with this application" field under "Advanced Settings" tab as a workaround to help QAP launch Microsoft Excel 365 application.
So the conclusion is as follows..... ".COM" that was part of folder-name was confusing QAP. It may be useful to trace QAP's programming code to spot which lines are causing such confusion. From teh little that I know about programming from yester years, it could be that there's some programming code in QAP that takes the string value entered in "Document (path and file name)" field, parses the string value and tries to run it as-is.... and when QAP comes across the first .COM, it considers it as part of an executable file-name.
It will be good if you could enhance QAP in a way that it overcomes such a bug or limitation. -
RE: Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
joeNOR > 2022-07-07 17:50
Cool that it solved your problem.
This is probably (I would guess) a parsing bug in QAP.
QAP is a complex beast, handling a lot of different scenarios.
Jean (the developer of QAP) is, as far as I know, on vacation right now.
Give it some time, he probably going to look in to this when he's back.
Regards.
-jN -
RE: Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
dr Winchell > 2022-07-10 16:13
(2022-07-07 12:04)joeNOR Wrote: Did a quick test.
1.
C:\Test\Book1.xlsm
Opens without a problem.
2.
Duplicated your folder names/structure and file name.
QAP barfs an error.
To me it seems that QAP gets confused by ".com" in your fourth level folder.
Changed the name from "Compare.com (DRAFT)" to "Compare.test (DRAFT)" and the file opens.
Please verify, I tested this very quickly.
Jean:
Maybe a tiny bug in QAP?
Regards,
joeNOR
Nice troubleshooting! -
RE: Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
Jean Lalonde > 2022-07-11 18:04
Yes, good catch, joeNOR. This is a bug only occurring when the path includes ".com " or ".exe " (.com or .exe followed by a space).
This will be fixed in the next release. -
RE: Error while opening File shortcut from QAP menu
Jean Lalonde > 2022-07-13 15:49
This issue has been fixed in release v11.5.7.1.