VideoPad? Where?

[rlw]

I'm at my wits end trying to get this program to install in such a way as to do anything. Since I'm on the verge of exhaustian trying to get anywhere with it (even while being unable to find a user interface for it anywhere), rather than trying to describe everything again here, I'm going to just copy below the message I sent the company about this problem over a week ago, to which of course I've received no reply. Would appreciate any light anyone might be able to shed on why I may be having this problem. Of course, if anything in what follows is unclear, or further information may be helpful, I'll be glad to try to better clarify or provide any further information as may be helpful.

 

When I first tried to install the program, it first spent awhile downloading a file called ffmpeg3 (or something like that), then, after finishing that, nothing happened. That is, there was no sign of the installation program or the installed program on my system.

 

So I tried to reinstall but was told it was already running (I think). I searched in the Windows Task Manager, where I found videopad.exe as a PROCESS, but it was not shown as a running application in the task manager. Nor could I see anything that looked like a user interface anywhere.

 

Somehow or other, I eventually found the program under C:\programs\NCH\videopad, and tried running the .exe file from there (after "killing" the videopad.exe process in the Task Manager), but only received a repeated error message that:

 

"The procedure entry point IsThreadDesktopComposited could not be located in the dynamic link library USER32.dll"

 

I found the uninstall program in the program folder and ran that, which also led to the above error message popping up repeatedly, although it did seem to remove the program from my Programs folder. However, now when I attempt to reinstall it, I also get the same error message repeatedly (which didn't happen the first time I tried to install it) and it doesn't attempt to download the ffmpeg3 (or whatever) file on subsequent attempts to install. However, the result is the same every time, after installing it. That is, the videopad.exe file appears in the Task Manager processes (actually, two processes with that same name, with different amounts of memory used), but not listed as an application and there's no user interface anywhere that I can see, nor any new programs listed under Start > All Programs.

 

So what can I do to get rid of the above error message and get the program to work? I can now neither install, uninstall, or attempt to run the program without seeing the above error message repeatedly. The same thing happens when I redownload the installation program from your site, so it's not a corrupt installation file unless both separately downloaded copies are similarly corrupt.

 

I'm using Windows XP with 640 MB of RAM, by the way.

 

Since writing the above, I did a system restore and ran through the entire above procedure again, with the same result, except that I do now see the program listed in my Programs in my Start Menu but although I'm able to open the Help file there in Internet Explorer, clicking on VideoPad Video Editor there, in order to try to run the program, does nothing, no kind of user interface appears anywhere, nor any icons in the Windows System Tray. Again, it appears as a PROCESS, but NOT as an application, in the Task Manager.

 

If anyone has any idea what might be wrong, I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

[bmoffatt]

I'm at my wits end trying to get this program to install in such a way as to do anything.

[snip]

I'm using Windows XP with 640 MB of RAM, by the way.

 

Since writing the above, I did a system restore and ran through the entire above procedure again, with the same result, except that I do now see the program listed in my Programs in my Start Menu but although I'm able to open the Help file there in Internet Explorer, clicking on VideoPad Video Editor there, in order to try to run the program, does nothing, no kind of user interface appears anywhere, nor any icons in the Windows System Tray. Again, it appears as a PROCESS, but NOT as an application, in the Task Manager.

 

If anyone has any idea what might be wrong, I'd appreciate any feedback. Thanks.

 

Probably can't help, but can try if you like...

 

So as the process is apparently running based on what you see in the process table, we can deduce that the install has succeeded at some level and the program is executing at some level. That's a start, but no help to you yet. Can you check whether you are running Win XP with either SP2 or SP3 (or neither??). Is there anything unusual about the system, e.g. are you running an unusual graphics system, or are you running XP in a 'virtual machine' environment like VMWare (if this question doesn't mean anything you, the answer is no.) Actually any and all system info would potentially help.

 

Bruce [i used to work on a help desk once. When I get to the stage of asking you to check if it's plugged in, feel free to swear at me :-) ]

[videodad]

Hi dear software programmers,

 

same problem at Windows 2K. No user interace visible.

But a process in the task manager. After killing the process and restart

a input box asking for bug report ...

 

So dear software programmers : recompile the software and first show the UI.

Do initialisation later (timer triggered, data triggered, user triggered, ...).

 

Best regards Videodad

[rlw]

Probably can't help, but can try if you like...

 

So as the process is apparently running based on what you see in the process table, we can deduce that the install has succeeded at some level and the program is executing at some level. That's a start, but no help to you yet. Can you check whether you are running Win XP with either SP2 or SP3 (or neither??).

 

I've never updated to SP2, since I'm still on dialup and the download would be prohibitively large. Nor have I ever seen any good reason to update, as almost everything I want to do works fine with the system as it is (with very rare exceptions such as this program) and I've noticed no security problems/issues as a result of not doing so in the 5+ years I've been using this system. So does that mean I'm running with XP SP1?

 

Is there anything unusual about the system, e.g. are you running an unusual graphics system...

 

Not that I know of, and I'm using many other graphics/video related programs with few if any issues, including Windows Movie Maker (version 1, I haven't updated to 2 because I've used it on others' systems and I like the way version 1 works much better), and numerous other video-related freeware programs and players. In fact, the only other program I can recall ever having a similar issue with was another from this same company, Debut, which had a similar problem when I first installed, but shortly afterward did finally begin showing the user interface. But no such luck with this one. All the other video-related programs work fine as far as I can recall. Just, unfortunately, none seem to have the features which this one advertises, and which was the reason I tried to install it -- that is, the ability to adjust the color and brightness, etc., of my videos. Everything else I want to do I've found another freeware solution for that works well.

 

...or are you running XP in a 'virtual machine' environment like VMWare (if this question doesn't mean anything you, the answer is no.) Actually any and all system info would potentially help.

 

No, I'm not running XP in a 'virtual machine' environment. It's just a basic Home XP system on which I'm the sole user. So, of course, it's an Administrator account. I'm not sure what other system info might be relevant, but I'll be glad to try to provide any which anyone might specifically suggest.

 

Bruce [i used to work on a help desk once. When I get to the stage of asking you to check if it's plugged in, feel free to swear at me :-) ]

 

!@#!$$$%&!!! Just kidding. Thanks for trying.

 

 

Hi dear software programmers,

 

same problem at Windows 2K. No user interace visible.

But a process in the task manager. After killing the process and restart

a input box asking for bug report ...

 

So dear software programmers : recompile the software and first show the UI.

Do initialisation later (timer triggered, data triggered, user triggered, ...).

 

Best regards Videodad

 

Thanks to this similar complaint, in conjunction with the fact that I've had no similar issues with any other programs except for Debut, which is produced by the same company, I'm pretty convinced that this is merely a program bug thanks to the program being released with insufficient testing with different common system configurations, one which will manifest itself only on some systems and not others.

 

For those of us for whom the program simply does not/will not work on our systems, the only question is whether there is any way humanly possible to make the program work on our systems other than simply waiting for when/if a more fully debugged version may be released. Since I have no idea when or if that may occur, since I simply can't do anything with this program as it is, for now I guess I can only try to keep an eye out for a similar program to accomplish what I need. In the meantime, any further thoughts or suggestions anyone may have are welcome, although, as suggested above by videodad, I strongly suspect that I'm just out of luck for now with this version of this program.

[bellfam1]

Hi there

 

tkd & videodad, can you leave me a message, I may be able to help you

[videodad]

Hi belfam,

 

very good, so post it here.

 

Videodad

[rlw]

Hi belfam,

 

very good, so post it here.

 

Videodad

 

Did you also receive a PM from belfam recommending a different editing program? Given that it's a paid program, not free, I think it's a safe assumption that belfam is probably basically just a spammer.

[bellfam1]

No I am NOT a spammer.

 

I didn't want to "step on any toes" at NCH. That is why I went private. If anyone from NCH wants to know about what I have posted, I would be willing to tell them. It's just that I'm a satisfied user, however, I am always on the lookout for new software.

 

I originally came across NCH when I was looking for a program that I could use for converting my vinyl LPs to CD. (Golden Recods). I was impressed with their range of software.

 

Hope that clears up any misconceptions.

 

Regards.

 

BTW the name is bellfam1

[rlw]

No I am NOT a spammer.

 

I didn't want to "step on any toes" at NCH. That is why I went private. If anyone from NCH wants to know about what I have posted, I would be willing to tell them. It's just that I'm a satisfied user, however, I am always on the lookout for new software.

 

I originally came across NCH when I was looking for a program that I could use for converting my vinyl LPs to CD. (Golden Recods). I was impressed with their range of software.

 

Hope that clears up any misconceptions.

 

Regards.

 

Sorry if your intentions were just to be helpful, and if so, I appreciate the intention. But when one privately messages about a paid alternative in a forum dedicated to discussion of a free software, I think most people might reasonably conclude that they look like they're spamming, since I think most people with interest in such a program are likely well aware that there are many paid alternatives. But again, I apologize if I may have misread your intentions nonetheless.

 

BTW the name is bellfam1

 

Sorry about that, but I had simply copied and pasted it from videodad's post, to which I was replying.