Book Designer

[Strether]

I'm probably going to hate myself when someone provides the answer. But. Working on a project in BD, I suddenly lost the ability to minimize the page. I finished the project OK, and loaded another manuscript, but the problem persists. Anyone know how to fix this?

Thanks, Jim

[Strether]

Would re-installing the latest update to BD correct the problem? Would rather not do that if there's another option.

Jim

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Strether

Would re-installing the latest update to BD correct the problem? Would rather not do that if there's another option.

Jim

Cannot hurt to try the 07/30/2007 update. It is a lot more stable then 05/30/2007. I've not heard of anyone having the problems they have with the latest version.

[Strether]

Didn't work, alas. Still only available in full-page version, though the icon changes in the corner, and you get the "please wait" message. Only difference between the two full-page versions is you can move the "real" full-page version by dragging the top bar, but not the "minimized" page. If it helps at all, the problem developed right after I performed a cut and paste operation with the full page on the screen.

Jim

[JSWolf]

What you cannot do with BD is to close it while it is minimized. Try uninstalling it and reinstalling it and see what happens.

[Strether]

Sorry to be thick, Jon. Uninstall what? Surely not the whole BD program? And I don't understand what you mean by not being able to close BD when it is minimized. Always have closed it that way.

Jim

[JSWolf]

If you have BD minimized and then roght click on the taskbar icon to close it, it saves the window size as minimized. It's not easy to get it to be back to normal. All you can do is maximize or minimize without jumping through hoops to get it fixed. That that does include mucking about with your computer's screen resolution to try to get BD fixed.

And yes, fully uninstall BD and then reinstall it as well.

[Strether]

Well, thanks anyway, Jon, but that exceeds my propensity for bravery, born out of a long history of making things worse when I don't know what I'm doing. Will muddle along with it as it and hope that maybe when the new update comes along, that'll correct the problem.

Jim

[JSWolf]

I've uninstalled and and reinstalled BD once when I was having a problem with it. It was no big deal to do so.

[Strether]

And I probably could do that as well, except:

1. What do I do with the folder containing the books that I've already developed using BD so that they're accessible to a new version of BD?
2. What did I do to cause the problem? Want to avoid having it happen again.
3. Why not close BD in minimized form? It installed so that it opened up that way and I've always minimized the screen when closing it.
4. What does screen resolution have to do with anything?

All of which is another way of saying I'm not sure I understand enough to mess around with it. I'm not trying to be argumentative, Jon; I'm just confused.

Jim

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Strether

And I probably could do that as well, except:

1. What do I do with the folder containing the books that I've already developed using BD so that they're accessible to a new version of BD?
2. What did I do to cause the problem? Want to avoid having it happen again.
3. Why not close BD in minimized form? It installed so that it opened up that way and I've always minimized the screen when closing it.
4. What does screen resolution have to do with anything?

All of which is another way of saying I'm not sure I understand enough to mess around with it. I'm not trying to be argumentative, Jon; I'm just confused.

Jim

1. Just copy the html0 files and any created books out of the Book Designer directory tree before uninstalling it. I have BD make books in a totally seperate directory as I hate the defaults.

2. You closed it while BD was minimized.

3. Because it's very difficult to get BD to open other then either minimized or full screen.

4. Because BD is maximizing at your current full screen resolution, you have to set your computer's screen to a different size (not sure if smaller or larger) while it's full screen to be able to fiddle with it to reduce it to a size other then full screen or minimized.

The answer is NEVER close BD while it is minimized. In fact, never minimize BD at all just to be sure.

[The Alternative]

This is an easy fix but drove me crazy for days...same thing has happened numerous times. To fix: Click on the task bar then click "show open windows." This will show the minimized version of BD "lost" in the window and there is no reason to reinstall any software.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by The Alternative

This is an easy fix but drove me crazy for days...same thing has happened numerous times. To fix: Click on the task bar then click "show open windows." This will show the minimized version of BD "lost" in the window and there is no reason to reinstall any software.

Where do you see "show open windows"? I don't see that in XP Pro.

[Strether]

This is an easy fix but drove me crazy for days...same thing has happened numerous times. To fix: Click on the task bar then click "show open windows." This will show the minimized version of BD "lost" in the window and there is no reason to reinstall any software.

I'd be interested in the answer to Jon's question, too. Something only available in Vista? I have the regular version of XP and you don't get that option by clicking on the task bar, whether BD is loaded or not.

After I reinstalled BD, I had the true minimalized screen for about two days and then it disappeared and since then I only have a full-screen version, even if the minimalized icon is showing. Of course this means I can't use the corrector palette at all, but you can work around that using the keyboard. It would be nice, though, to be able to see an approximate version of what the finished book would look like.

Jim

[The Alternative]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Where do you see "show open windows"? I don't see that in XP Pro.

I'm running Windows XP Media Center...
Right click on the task bar, if you don't see it click "Show the desktop" then right click again. "Show open windows" should be in the dropdown menu.

I should also mention that BD should be opened but minimized (and missing from the desktop) with no other programs running. When you "show open windows" you'll get a contracted version of BD which you can then resize with the corrector pallet intact.