Edit Original (or Edit With...)

[AdminFC]

Hi all.  I am very new to InDesign.  I am trying to open/edit a PNG file directly in InDesign CC using the Edit Original command and I get an error message "No editor found for this link".  I have checked that my PNG files are set to open with Paint by default.  I get the same error if I use the Edit With... command and choose 'Paint' from the selection list that appears.  Is there a way to fix this, or will it just never work?  Very frustrating as I know this function worked flawlessly in FrameMaker.

Thank you.

[BobLevine]

Sounds like an operating system issue with file associations.

[AdminFC]

Ok, so how do I check or fix that?  If I double click on a PNG file in Windows Explorer, it opens correctly????

[winterm]

Are you sure InDesign looks for mspaint executive in a correct location? Try Edit With... but instead choosing Paint from the list click Other.. and locate mspaint.exe manually. In Win7 64 bit the path is Windows > System32 > mspaint.exe. Is it the same executive you invoke from Explorer?

[AdminFC]

Thank you winterm.  I'm thinking that InDesign is not looking for mspaint in the correct place.  If I do Edit With... , click Other and then go to the actual location of Paint (Windows > System32 > mspaint.exe), it can open the file.  But I shouldn't have to do that every time I want to edit a PNG graphic.  How can I change where InDesign is looking for Paint??  Here is the selection list when I choose Edit With...

[vinny38]

In Windows Explorer, right click on any PNG file, Open with > Choose default program.

Make sure "always use the selected app to open this kind of file" (or something like that) is checked.

This will associate file type to the right app, even through Indesign Link Panel.

[BobLevine]

This is not an InDesign issue, it is an operating system issue. You need to set the file associations properly.

[winterm]

InDesign doesn’t have its own associations list, it just uses your OS associations, so you can’t do much in InDesign to fix the problem. And your problem is, for somewhat reason it reads OS associations wrongly.

If you believe OS associations are OK, you can trash your prefs, and this is the only thing you can do in ID, I'm afraid.

If you already did it or want to try other solutions, maybe it worth to try re-set associations on OS level. Associate png files with, say, Photoshop, reboot, see how it works from Explorer and if it works from InDesign (it should). The re-set back to Paint, reboot again, check. InDesign's Edit Original... must follow OS settings

Changes can be made from here:

Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > Default Programs > Set Associations.

Or, if you dare to edit the registry, try removing mspaint key entry from Open With... list manually (here's how, handle carefully!). Reboot and set Paint as the default program for png files again, in OS. Reboot again. Normally, InDesign should catch it.

[AdminFC]

Thank you. 

1. Tried setting association to Photoshop and reboot.  The PNG file opened as expected with Photoshop using Edit Original.  Then changed association back to Paint and rebooted.  Back to getting the same error as before:

2.  Trashed my preferences (per your link), still getting the message.

3.  Checked the OS again for proper file associations for PNG - see screen capture below.

And if I double click on a PNG file in Windows Explorer, it opens in Paint.

I did not try editing the registry (our IT guy frowns heavily on that).

????Anything else to try????

Thanks again.

[BobLevine]

Do you have admin rights?

[AdminFC]

Not sure.  I'll have to check with our IT guy who is currently out of the office and is due back Thursday.  Will let you know.  Thank you.

[winterm]

Working with InDesign not having admin rights is like dancing on thin ice. IMHO.

Maybe it makes your IT guys' life easier, but not yours.

[AdminFC]

Yes, I do have admin rights.

[BobLevine]

A couple of things to try.

1. Trash your prefs (Troubleshooting 101: Replace, or "trash" your InDesign preferences )

2. If that doesn't work, uninstall/reinstall.

[Srishti Bali]

Hi AdminFC,

I would like to know if the steps suggested above worked for you, or the issue still persists.

Kindly update the discussion if you need further assistance with it.

Thanks,

Srishti