Jim Smith Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 So I maybe dumb but I would like to know what is happening. I load samples onto a portable drive, VW 10 files, PDF's, JPEG's. I take the drive to a prospective new client, the drive mounts via USB in the G5's keyboard, the files are all there but; everything is grey! I load the VW files onto the desktop, they don't launch! I try to open the files from the programme (VW11 on a G5 OSX): nothing! try a batch convert; NOTHING!!!! What the %+@# is going on? I have never been so stuck in the eye by a computer problem. Files made in VW10 on a G3 with OS 9, try to open in VW11 on a G5 OSX. Quote Link to comment
Kevin Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 I am guessing here, but I vaguely remenber Katie saying something about VW not being able to open a file off of a CD. The solution is to copy the file to the computer's hard drive and then open it. Quote Link to comment
arubaarch Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Yes, I had the same problem. Try copy them to the HD it should work. Did not find another work around as yet Quote Link to comment
Jim Smith Posted December 2, 2004 Author Share Posted December 2, 2004 Thanks, but I did load the files to the desktop; is this an OSX thing or a VW11 thing? I was not able to launch the PDF's or the JEPG's either. Quote Link to comment
Guest Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 How are you trying to open the files on the desktop? Are you goinig to File>Open, double clicking on them, dragging them over the VW icon in the dock, etc. ? Do the files have a VW icon on them ? Quote Link to comment
Jim Smith Posted December 3, 2004 Author Share Posted December 3, 2004 Once the file was loaded on the desktop I double clicked. I do think there was a VW icon, nor was there a PDF or JEPG logo. I also attemped to open the file from the programme, without success. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment
matto Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Jim, Simple question. Did you eject the Keydrive from your desktop before removing it from the the computer you loaded the information on to the drive? Sometimes if you just unplug before ejecting it the directory data isn't writen properly, and the files won't work. Quote Link to comment
Kevin Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Jim; There is a difference between a portable drive mounting on the desktop and the contents of that drive being copied to the computers hard drive. It sounds like you have not copied the VW files to the hard drive. Selecting the Icon on the desktop will direct you to the contents of your portable drive. If you drag the contents of your portable drive to the hard drive icon, those files will copy to the hard drive. Quote Link to comment
jan15 Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 quote: Originally posted by Kevin: ...something about VW not being able to open a file off of a CD... Wasn't that a matter of not being able to open a read-only file (as all files on CD's are)? And is Jim talking about a portable CD drive? That seems unlikely, since nearly all computers have built-in CD drives. It sounds like he's talking about a USB flash drive -- a memory chip inside a case the size of a chewing gum pack, with a USB connector on the end. As far as opening a file on a USB flash drive, I do that all the time (on PC's). The only problem with it is that you can't remove the USB drive until you quit VectorWorks. Of course, if the file on the flash drive is tagged as read-only, or if the drive itself has a lock on it or write protection, then it would be just like trying to open a file on a CD. In any case, your point about the difference between copying files to the hard drive and just setting up a shortcut (is it called an "alias" on the Mac?) on the desktop is well-taken. That would solve Jim's problem if the flash drive is locked. Quote Link to comment
Kevin Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 As I originally said, "I am guessing". Since Jim is not having sucess here, it seems a logical step to try and copy the files directly to the same drive that VW resides on. It can't hurt and may end up being the solution. If it is not the solution, then at least you can cross that off of the list of possibilites. Quote Link to comment
Jim Smith Posted December 4, 2004 Author Share Posted December 4, 2004 OK, so here?s the deal: a ?Lexar? 35mg USB drive is what I used. The files were saved in OS9 . I have moved files to and from other systems in the past (both OS8 and OS9). From both of these old systems one can open files from the drive. The files were not available in OS X. The drive?s contents were saved to the hardrive and moved to the desktop on the OS X machine; still no work. So is it the drive, or is it some ?issues? between VW10 and 11? My suspicion is the drive & OS X; but then why would it mount and show ?greyed? files? Confusion, thy name is Jim. Quote Link to comment
Petri Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 Permissions? What does 'Get Info' say about ownership and permissions, Jim? Quote Link to comment
Kees W Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 jim, try adding .mcd at the end of the file name. I know this sounds like a windows solution, but I've seen OS X get pretty picky about those extension too. Quote Link to comment
domer1322 Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 I use a 64M flash drive to move files between a MAC OS9 beige g3 desktop, a G3 powerbook in OS X and a Dell PC Pentium IV all the time and never noticed any of the problems mentioned above. I have VW 10 at home on Mac and VW 11 Windows on my work PC .... again.... never noticed any problems ..... just lucky I guess. Quote Link to comment
LarryAZ Posted December 8, 2004 Share Posted December 8, 2004 Jim, I have problem with weird icons once in a while and can't get a file to open. The solutions is to "get information" > "open with" and select the correct program. If it's not listed go to other and navigate to it. Quote Link to comment
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