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Zeus Tech Note
Trouble-Shooting Applications

This TechNote identifies possible sources of errors when working with applications. The first step towards fixing a problem is to determine its exact nature. Refer to the TechNote, "Trouble-Shooting and Debugging" for an overview of the trouble-shooting process.

Q. Why doesn't my application work?

An application may fail to run because:

• The file is not actually an application. For example, some installer documents appear to be applications, whereas the real application is a different file.
  
  
• The application is corrupted. Try re-downloading or re-installing it.
  
  
• There is a driver or extension conflict. Try upgrading or disabling the problematic extension(s) or driver(s).
  
  
• There may not be sufficient RAM to run the application. Some PCs are configured to automatically start up frequently used programs, such as Microsoft Office, every time the computer boots. Quit all other running applications. Increase the Virtual Memory settings, or preferably, install more RAM.
  
  
• The application requires some component or driver that is not installed, such as QuickTime, Adobe Type Manager or ActiveX. Re-install if necessary.
  
  
• Some programs require temporary drive space, often on the boot drive. If this drive does not have sufficient available space, the program may not run. You may be able to configure the application to use a different drive for temporary storage, but you may need to free up space on the boot drive.
  
  
• If you are specifying the path to application, refer to the Zeus TechNote, "Path and File Specifications" for details on specifying a Windows or Macintosh file path, and likely sources of error.

Windows-Specific Issues

• Ensure that the file has an EXE extension.
  
  
• It is a 32-bit application and you are trying to run it under Windows 3.1. Many 32-bit applications will not run even if Win32s is installed.
  
  
• Make sure that your C (boot) drive has sufficient space (say at least 10 MB) for temporary files. You can move the swap file to a different drive if necessary.
  
  
• Try running the application from the Windows "Run" dialog box. This is located under the Windows 3.1 Program Manager menu, or the Windows 95 Start Menu. Specify the command line in the form:
  
  applicationPath documentPath
  
  Such as:
  
  c:\acroread\acroread.exe c:\mydoc\test.pdf
  
  

Q. Why can't I open my document?

• It is not actually a document. Some installer applications appear to be documents, whereas the real document is a different file.
  
  
• The document is corrupted. Try re-downloading or re-installing it.
  
  
• The application may not be able to open that particular document type. Some application will fail to launch if they cannot open the specified document. Try launching the application without a document
  
  
• The document's extension may not be associated with the correct, or any, application. Refer to the Zeus TechNote, "File Types, Creator Codes and Extensions".
  
  
• The document's type or extension is not correct. Many applications interpret a document's format based on its three letter extension, such as ".TXT". Be sure to use the correct extension. Refer to the Zeus TechNote, "File Types, Creator Codes and Extensions".
  
  
• The required application or some of its components are not installed. Re-install if necessary.
  
  
• If you are specifying the path to document, refer to the Zeus TechNote, "Path and File Specifications" for details on specifying a Windows or Macintosh file path, and likely sources of error.
  
  
• Accessing hidden files when they are not support by a particular application.

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