Unable to edit HTML File

  • Thread starter Thread starter WebEnabledSvcs
  • Start date Start date
W

WebEnabledSvcs

Hi,

I have a really strange problem on my VISTA home premium PC. I have a
number of HTML files stored in documents folder, but when I try to
edit the HTML file in notepad I get the following error message:

Cannot create the <<path>> file.
Make sure that the path and file name are correct.

File and path are correct because I just opened it from the documents
folder.
What makes it strange is that if I change the extension from HTML to
TXT I can edit and save without any issue, but once I change back to
HTML I lose the ability to save any edits. Also, if I copy the HTML
file to another folder such as desktop or C: root, I can edit without
any issues.

I've checked the properties of the folder and file and haven't found
anything out of the ordinary. Searched the MS KB and haven't turned up
anything.

Any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks
 
Hostile,

Are you trying to be helpful, or are you in need of counseling? What
corrective action should be taken in response to your comment?

Roy
 
WES,

I have the exact same problem. I was just about to post it when I saw your
post.

Here's a brief history of my problem: After purchasing a Vista computer and
using it to edit HTML on a daily basis for 2 years without problems,
suddenly in July 2009 the problem first appeared. If the problem was
strange, the fix was even more strange (discovered by sheer trial & error);
by customizing the folders containing the HTML files from "All Items" to
"Documents", the problem went away (for two months.) In mid-September the
problem returned, and I posted it here in this newsgroup. Several
suggestions were offered as fixes, including a reset of IE, none of which
worked. Finally, I did a system restore to a point about 2 weeks earlier,
and the problem was solved (for two weeks.) The problem has now returned yet
again, and none of the previous fixes is working.

I do have one suggestion for you as a temporary work-around (not a fix): You
will be able to edit in Firefox without the problem. It seems to be strictly
an IE issue.

A question: Have you by chance recently installed or updated QuickTime? The
second occurrence of my problem followed closely on a QuickTime upgrade.

I am going to hold off on posting my identical problem separately, and hope
that a "veteran newsgrouper" will read this and advise as to whether it
might work best for you and me to "pool" our resources into one thread. The
fact that we now have more than one instance of this problem (and it is a
serious problem for someone doing lots of HTML editing) raises the "stakes"
considerably. I really do hope some of the "big guns" in this newsgroup will
see this and take a serious interest in it.

Roy
 
WebEnabledSvcs said:
Hi,

I have a really strange problem on my VISTA home premium PC. I have a
number of HTML files stored in documents folder, but when I try to
edit the HTML file in notepad I get the following error message:

Cannot create the <<path>> file.
Make sure that the path and file name are correct.

File and path are correct because I just opened it from the documents
folder.
What makes it strange is that if I change the extension from HTML to
TXT I can edit and save without any issue, but once I change back to
HTML I lose the ability to save any edits. Also, if I copy the HTML
file to another folder such as desktop or C: root, I can edit without
any issues.

I've checked the properties of the folder and file and haven't found
anything out of the ordinary. Searched the MS KB and haven't turned up
anything.

Any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Start up Regedit and go to these keys. Export them before making changes.

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad.exe\shell\edit\command
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\notepad.exe\shell\open\command

%SystemRoot%\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE %1

Add quotes to %1 so it looks like this...

%SystemRoot%\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE "%1"
 
Song,

After following your instructions, I was unable to open Notepad as an HTML
editor, so I changed the registry back to its original state.

Roy
 
I assume the purpose of this program is to help diagnose a software problem.
If I am not able to interpret and act upon the information that this program
generates (highly likely), what is my next step?
 
C. Roy Blye said:
I assume the purpose of this program is to help diagnose a software problem.
If I am not able to interpret and act upon the information that this program
generates (highly likely), what is my next step?
Click to expand...

It's well worth playing around with Process Monitor, if only just
to get a feel of what's going on.

When you first run Process Monitor you get deluged with information
overload, as you have probably seen.
I find the best way to start is to filter out a lot of the processes,
you can always add them back anytime.

If you click on the 'Clear' icon, 5th from the left, the display will clear
and then probably rapidly fill up with Vista's constant background tasks.
Just moving the mouse generates hundreds of entries.

Process Monitor is a combination of several earlier Sysinternals tools
like FileMon and RegMon. The last 5 icons on the toolbar allow you to
toggle any of these on/off. So you can turn off Network Activity, Process
and Thread activity and Profiling Events leaving just Regmon and Filemon.

Try selecting an entry, say svchost.exe, right-click and 'Exclude > svchost.exe'
Do the same for any processes that you think are irrelevant.
I have excluded Sidebar(I'm on Win7), svchost, taskhost etc.

Eventually you will have a stable/clear display with not much happening.

To monitor an event, clear the display, create the event, i.e. try and edit
an html file, when you get the error stop monitoring by clicking on the
monitoring icon - third from the left.
Now you can study the output without creating more entries.
You can filter out registry entries and/or file entries from the display
by Clicking on the Filemon or Regmon icons.
You can also save the display for future reference.

Just to muddy the waters while I was writing this I tried editing an html
file on my Desktop ( right-click the file > Edit).
For some reason msohtmed.exe, part of Microsoft Office, was accessed before
Notepad. This may not apply to your situation.
Good luck with Process Monitor.
 
Dave,

Thanks for all the info. I'll give your suggestions a try to see if I can
get somewhere with it. It will probably take a while, though, so you
probably shouldn't stay up waiting for the results. :)

I'm wondering if this topic should maybe be posted on the IE newsgroup, as
the problem does appear to be related to IE. Just a thought.

Roy
 
OK, but I'll have to see what it yields to know if it will lead to a
solution to my problem. I think MS should take a keen interest in this
problem as it obviously isn't just me. If lots of people start having
problems saving their web pages, the sh*t is gonna hit the fan.
 
OK, but I'll have to see what it yields to know if it will lead to a
solution to my problem. I think MS should take a keen interest in this
problem as it obviously isn't just me. If lots of people start having
problems saving their web pages, the sh*t is gonna hit the fan.






- Show quoted text -
Click to expand...

Hi,
I tried some of the suggestions noted above, without any luck.
my bad on the software it will work with Vista just read it
wrong.haven't tried it yet though.

As of now I have just store the files on my desktop and all appears to
be working.
 
Back
Top