I can only get a few parts of Active Desktop working

[djwhite]

Just wondering if you had UT2003 installed, because when I installed it, I could only get the links to programs that came with windows to work. For everything else the cpu usage would go through the roof and nothing would happen.

 

[Lithium]

first off are you making new shortcuts to link the vbs files to or are you just right clicking then making the shortcut that way ya need to make new shortcuts by right clicking then go to new then new shortcut

 

[PC-Dude]

Lithium : I'm creating the shortcuts correctly.

djwhite : Yes I do have UT2003 Installed, same thing here usuage goes up but nothing happens. Hope to find a way around it

 

[djwhite]

The only way I could get them all to work after playing UT2003 was to format and install UT2003 on my ME partition.

 

[PC-Dude]

Originally posted by djwhite
The only way I could get them all to work after playing UT2003 was to format and install UT2003 on my ME partition.

Screw that, I guess me and active desktops have to part ways lol. I would like to have it working however it's no worth a format and reinstall. Thanks for your help.

 

[djwhite]

I know it's a crappy solution, but I could not get vbs files to work even after unistalling UT2003, and for some reason, after installing UT2003 all of my restore points disappeared.

 

[PC-Dude]

My restore points were fine after the install, so far this is the only problem I have had with UT2003. I wonder what UT2003 would change in the OS to create this problem? Kinda weird that a game install would create a bug like this.

Maybe when Matt gets up he can help us out more.

 

[djwhite]

Maybe when Matt gets up he can help us out more.

We can only hope

 

[PC-Dude]

Hey Matt you got any idea how to work around this problem?

 

[madmatt]

okay, there are a few things you can try.

A.) Instead of linking the .VBS file to your shortcut name, try inserting the path directly into the .VBS file.

Example:

Dim oShell
Set oShell = WScript.CreateObject ("WScript.shell")
oShell.run "C:\WINDOWS\notepad.exe"
Set oShell = Nothing

B.) If A doesn't work for you, try using classic 8.3 filename format (i.e. C:\PROGRA~1\BLAH\BLAHSE~1.EXE) in your .VBS file in place of the shortcut name.

 

[PC-Dude]

Originally posted by madmatt
okay, there are a few things you can try.

A.) Instead of linking the .VBS file to your shortcut name, try inserting the path directly into the .VBS file.

Example:

Dim oShell
Set oShell = WScript.CreateObject ("WScript.shell")
oShell.run "C:\WINDOWS\notepad.exe"
Set oShell = Nothing

B.) If A doesn't work for you, try using classic 8.3 filename format (i.e. C:\PROGRA~1\BLAH\BLAHSE~1.EXE) in your .VBS file in place of the shortcut name.

Your are awesome man!!! The classic 8.3 filename format worked! Thanks so much for your help

 

[djwhite]

Didn't work when I tried that, Oh well, never mind.

 

[madmatt]

np PC-Dude.

What's the problem djwhite? I don't recall. I'll try and help...

 

[djwhite]

I had the same problem as PC-Dude, started when I installed UT2003. Fixed it by moving UT2003 to my ME partition. Had to format XP to get the vbs files to work again though.

 

[Rob16299]

I have the same prob as pcdude, but what is the classic 8.3 format of say: eg. C:\Games\GTA3\Gta3.exe.

I tried C:\Games~1\GTA3\Gta3~1.exe, did i do it wrong? very confused.

When i try just C:\Games\GTA3\Gta3.exe it looks like it loads and when i ctrl+alt+del it shows gta3.exe but the game doesnt load, any ideas?

 

[PC-Dude]

Originally posted by Rob16299
I have the same prob as pcdude, but what is the classic 8.3 format of say: eg. C:\Games\GTA3\Gta3.exe.

I tried C:\Games~1\GTA3\Gta3~1.exe, did i do it wrong? very confused.

When i try just C:\Games\GTA3\Gta3.exe it looks like it loads and when i ctrl+alt+del it shows gta3.exe but the game doesnt load, any ideas?

I have that same problem with that game. It's the only one I can't use with the 8.3 format.

 

[Rigsta]

Originally posted by PC-Dude
I have that same problem with that game. It's the only one I can't use with the 8.3 format.

You only need to alter the folder/file name if it's longer than 8 characters, not inlcuding the file extension (eg .txt), or if the filename contains a space. To convert a folder/file name to 8.3 format, take the first 6 characters and add "~1", followed by the file extension. That should work for the purposes you're using it for.

Examples:

"C:\games\12345678.exe" will not need to be converted.

"C:\games\123456789.exe" will need to be changed to: "C:\games\123456~1.exe"

"C:\My Games\12345678.exe" will need to be changed to: "C:\My~1\12345678.exe" (For names with a space, use "~1" in place of the space and all the characters after it).


Hope that helps.

 

[Rob16299]

yep, thanks

Ive got it to work for every game except GTA3, that seems to be the only one that doesnt work, but it probably has to do with the game, as it does open gta3.exe, but the game doesnt load,

any ideas?

 

[Rigsta]

If it's succesfully loading the program file then it's almost certainly the game. Does the game run properly when you use an alternative shortcut? The only thing I can suggest now is looking at the game's website or contacting their support centre :-/

The old "If all else fails, read the manual" thing...