Invalid root in registry key

[annetteh88942768]

Hello Everyone,

I loaded a script that create math equations and received this error:

[Invalid root in registry key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Pilot Software\JMathEdit\2\InstallDir\]

What does it mean and how do I fix it?  Thanks

Hawkins

[Peter Spier]

I'm not famioliar with the software, but the error looks like it could be that the software was not instaslled whre expected, or you tried to install it without administrator privileges.

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

I'm leery of a script that has to make registry modifications. AFAIK, that's an app/active installer practice only.

Messing with the Windows registry is like jamming a screwdriver in your car's ECU to see if that will make it start.

[Joel Cherney]

It looks like JMathEdit is a commercial Java app; an equation editor that comes with an InDesign plugin, not a script. I think that Peter's suspicion that it's an installation issue is correct. Either the app or the plugin had some kind of installation issue, and we can't know whether the solution is to uninstall and reinstall the app and plugin, or to go do some Windows Registry hacking. 

As someone who edits my Windows Registry regularly, and as someone who reprograms my little EV's ECU without negative consequence, I can't endorse James' comment all the way. But for the most part he's right on the money; it's totally true that if you don't know what you are doing, messing about in the Registry is a fast & efficient way to ruin your install of Windows. It makes more sense that a .exe installer would make changes to the Registry. (I don't believe that an InDesign script would even be able to make changes to the Registry. It sounds like it'd be a mile-wide security hole. But an app installer absolutely can change the Registry.) 

Since we don't know anything at all about how your plugin works, we really can't make any Registry-editing suggestions to resolve your error. But you can contact your vendor's support at support@pilotltd.com, and they ought to be able to tell you how to fix it.  

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Exactly that, Joel — it's all context here. Registry editing is a valuable tool, especially to those of us that write code or tinker with advanced system features... but to the average app user who says "I'm getting this [registry-related] error..." my analogy was kind and gentle. Bad reg editing can brick a Windows system, and cause cacades of faulty operation even when it's done "almost right."

That an ID script was mucking with the registry at all set off doomsday warning signals in my mind. That it's part of an actual, y'know, app answers part of that, but that it corrupted or miswrote reg info is quite troubling and not the direction to search for an answer.

[annetteh88942768]

Thanks everyone,

I emailed the company and they did send me a file to use, but I am still wary.  I installed a calendar script with no issues.  So, this concerns me. 

[James Gifford—NitroPress]

Note, though, as it evolved: installing an ID script is a small-scale thing, simply placing some code where the app can run it to do advanced operations.

The tool you're having problems with is a full app on its own, installed at the OS level and making changes to the system (which is usual and appropriate), with an InDesign extension that runs as a script.

Takeaway: there's no need to worry about ID scripts you get from a reliable source and install directly. The worst case is that they won't work; the next-worst case is that they won't quite work the way you need them to. But the odds are you will MUCH appreciate the automation and "canned expertise" they bring.

[Robert Tkaczyk]

Try to run installer with RUN AS ADMIN - right click:

And like others said - editing registry is a "black magic" so rather "don't try this at home"...