Cannot launch saved VNC files

[mediaman09]

Using 1.0.9.6.1

When I was on Vista Home Premium, I had no issue connecting to my remote PC, saving config files (Save Connection Info as .... into a .VNC file) , and then simply one-clicking on those config files to remotely connect thereafter. Worked like a charm.

I am now on Windows 7 Home Premium. I have no issue connecting to my remote PC, saving config files (.VNC files) , but now, the VNC files dont work. See errors below. As well, while they are assoicated with the VNC viewer, note that the icons dont show the UVNC icon.

Any suggestions???

[YY]

If the operation of the vncviewer is normal, then the problem should be the error of file association.

There is a tool called Types that can help to check/change of file assocication easily. Try if it can fix your problem

For your reference, the command that the vncviewer associates with a .vnc file is as below:

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"...path\vncviewer.exe" -config "%1"

[a_crook]

I'm seeing a simular problem, I think the issue is related to the user not the machine. In my case we have also migrated to windows 7 and on one users account I get the same error as you see "invalid vnc server specified", however login into the same pc with a different account the problem is not seen for a simular "host.vnc" file. I'm assuming that the user has some reg keys that is casusing this issue? I hope someone can help here.

[B]

Yes, it seems it's possible to have per-user file associations, at least in XP.

http://www.pcreview.co.uk/forums/differ ... 46227.html

It could, of course, also be related to one user having administrative privileges and one not having them...

[a_crook]

B, thanks for your reply. In this case it does not appear to be the case that admin levels are the issue. I have tested this with two users who are not members of any elevated groups (admin, power users etc).

A little more back ground for you the user that is having the problem previously ran windows XP (with a copy of VNC installed) and we used the windows migration tool to port to Windows 7. The new user is new and as such has only logged in as a Windows 7 user to this machine, I myself have tested on this box and it also works for me but unlike the other two users I do act as a admin on this machine.

If you have any other hints I would be most grateful.

Andy

[B]

You're going to see issues running any kind of remote control software as a non-administrator. I don't think you can even install GoToMyPC or LogMeIn that way.

The other obvious thing is to not rely on the migration tool, uninstall everything related to VNC for that user (including cleaning out the registry), and reinstall.

[a_crook]

Can you list the keys I should be looking for I have already tried looking for and removing anything relating to vnc, but this has not helped so far. I have not hit any issue with many other users running vnc as non admins. I install it for them but once installed I have found no issues todate with this product so I'd love to stick with ultra vnc. Andy

[B]

Sorry, I don't have a comprehensive list -- they include a lot of "ORL" hives based on the original AT&T / Olivetti Research Labs syntax.

TightVNC lists its usage at http://www.tightvnc.com/faq.php#uninstall

I have both the HKLM and HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ORL, but I also have both Tight and UltraVNC installed.


...ah here we go. Talk about a blast from the past. I finally found a copy of the original AT&T VNC documentation (NOT the RealVNC port) with the original description of the confusing-even-at-the-time multiple registry structure:

WinVNC - Advanced Settings
Extra options have been added to WinVNC for use primarily by system administrators, to tailor the server's behaviour to meet their particular needs. The options are DWORD values which can be set in the system registry, and tools such as the Windows Policy Editor can be used to apply these settings across a large number of machines.

Versions 3.3.2 R5 and later use a more sophisticated organisation of these options to allow more flexibility. It also makes it rather complex, so we're thinking about alternative ways of doing this. WinVNC will currently look for settings in the following places:

1. Local machine-specific settings. Options specified here are not overridable. Location:

2. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\ORL\WinVNC3\ Local default user settings. Location:

3. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\ORL\WinVNC3\Default Local per-user settings. These override the local default user settings. If there is no current user, the username SYSTEM will be used. Location:

4. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\ORL\WinVNC3\<username> Global per-user settings. These are only read if AllowProperties has not been set to zero (see below) Location:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ORL\WinVNC3

Most options can only be specified in a subset of these places, as specified in each option's description below.

Again, I don't know how closely modern UltraVNC adheres to this. (It's supposed to treat the registry as a legacy method and use ultravnc.ini instead.)

[coopenic]

I had the same problem on a box that was previously working. After clicking "OK" on the info box the small connection launch box showed for about a second, usually with a blank server name, but, depending on how I edited the .vnc file, sometimes a few rubbish characters. This is not a user or file association problem.

Following a lead from another discussion on this site I found that the problem was fixed by inserting /config in the registry entry HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/vnc_auto_file/shell/open/command. Mine previously read "C:\Program Files\uvnc bvba\UltraVNC\vncviewer.exe" "%1" and now reads "C:\Program Files\uvnc bvba\UltraVNC\vncviewer.exe" /config "%1". Interestingly one of my other boxes doesn't have this registry entry but instead has HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT/VncViewer.Config/shell/open/command instead. I don't know enough about VNC or windows to know why this is, but the first box is 32 bit W7 and the second is 64 bit W7. All ultraVNC installations are version 1.1.9.6 I hope this saves somebody else the time it took me to stumble on this. Cheers.

[Zahi738]

hi ))))))))))

save as "UltraVNC_associations.reg" and hit ENTER

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Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

REM Created For ultravnc.net By TazMAN

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.vnc]
@="VncViewer.Config"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VncViewer.Config]
@="VNCviewer Config File"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VncViewer.Config\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\Program Files (x86)\\UltraVNC\\vncviewer.exe\\vncviewer.exe,0"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VncViewer.Config\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VncViewer.Config\shell\open]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VncViewer.Config\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files (x86)\\UltraVNC\\vncviewer.exe\" -config \"%1\""

[purpleque]

Code: Select all

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VncViewer.Config\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Progra~1\\TightVNC\\tvnviewer.exe\" -optionsfile=\"%1\""

i got mine working in windows 7 32-bit by changing C:\\Program Files\... to C:\\Progra~1\... years ago messing with batch files and such led me to the knowledge that sometimes windows does not recognize the file path unless its the short version (truncated to Progra~1)

[nux]

On Windows 7, rather then messing up with registry, you might want to use a program for setting file associations:
https://superuser.com/questions/136133/ ... 200#136200

Just change "Open" action in "Context menu" settings for ".vnc" files. The command for "Open" action should be something like:

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"C:\Program Files (x86)\ultravnc\vncviewer.exe" -config "%1"