Does not display PDF preview

[Horst]

I fixed my problem by running the PDF-XChange tool XCShInfoSetup.exe.
I've set the thumbnail provider to PDF-XChange, it was shown as none.
All is fine again, including MDBU and Hover box.

I think the Culprit in my case was an SumatraPDF update.
SumatryPDF is not configured to show thumbnails or previews.
It looks like the update has changed some settings which are used by XY
but are not importand for Explorer.

[RalphM]

Horst, thanks for the tips, tried this as well, even followed some regedit advice from Tracker Software to enable the shell extensions but still no joy.
When I open that XCShInfoSetup.exe, I get the following screen now:

PicPick_825.jpg (46.1 KiB) Viewed 4269 times

The "Blocked PDF-X shell" seems intriguing but the button underneath does nothing to change this state (even logged in as Admin).

[highend]

Did you try to unregister + reregister that dll manually?

command prompt with admin privileges

Code: Select all

regsvr32 /u "<path to that .dll>"
regsvr32 "<path to that .dll>"

[RalphM]

Thanks highend, just tried that as well but still no change to hover/MDBU and the DLL it is still showing as blocked.

[Horst]

May be a strange idea but did you try to see the properties of the DLL
in Windows Explorer and may be unblock it from its General tab ?

[jupe]

Check this reg key and see if its CLSID is in there:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked

Since that is an x86 dll it might be in here instead/additionally:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Blocked

[RalphM]

@Horst: The properties of the DLL have no (obvious) way of unblocking it, see screenshot below:
Advanced just shows some archive/compression options.

PicPick_826.jpg (46.65 KiB) Viewed 4235 times

@Jupe: The WOW6432Node you mentioned has no /Blocked substructure.

[FluxTorpedoe]

Whenever there is a new tip posted on this, I give it a go, only to be disappointed again and again.
I haven't been able to get a bigger MDBU or Hover preview or PDF's any bigger than about 30x40mm for quite some time now, which unfortunately doesn't help much.

Hi Ralph,

I struggled (an awful lot!) with the exact same problem between Preview and Hover/MDBU (= Thumbnails) before I found a reliable solution…
I wanted to make a How-To but didn’t find the time… I’ll try to give a quick run-down here.
⚠ It’s been a while, so I hope I’m not forgetting too much, but it will probably have to be edited…

———————————————————————————

❖ Problem (Windows 10 x64):
   — PDF-XChange Editor: Preview OK, Thumbnails too small
   — SumatraPDF: Thumbnails OK, Preview not scrollable
⮚ (convoluted) Solution:
   — Mix both, and force each handler to only do its part

❖ Summary of steps:
   1. System: Install SumatraPDF x64 with shell extensions
   2. System: (re)Install PDF-XChange Editor (no need to uninstall)
      Optional
      1b. System: (re)Register PDF Handler DLL Path - PDF-XChange
      2b. System: (re)Register PDF Handler DLL Path - SumatraPDF
   3. Registry: Register PDF Handler Preview - PDF-XChange
   4. Registry: Register PDF Handler Thumbnail - SumatraPDF

⚠ Notes:
   — IIRC, the order of steps 1. and 2. was important (I hope it was this one…)
   — To enforce system registration if it fails (or changes after an update…), redo steps 1b. > 2b. > 3. > 4.
   — Here if I run XCShInfoSetup.exe, I only have Thumbnail handler: SumatraPDF, and IFilter Handler: PDF-XChange, and it works!
      (AFAIK, the “Blocked PDF-X Shell" isn’t a info but the title of the empty box below! So you’re good.)

———————————————————————————
REGISTRY

3. Registry: Register PDF Handler Preview - PDF-XChange

Code: Select all

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.pdf\shellex\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}]
@="{9B68BDF7-95F9-4A1F-851C-27D822F8E3E9}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PDFXEdit.PDF\Shellex\{8895b1c6-b41f-4c1c-a562-0d564250836f}]
@="{9B68BDF7-95F9-4A1F-851C-27D822F8E3E9}"

4. Registry: Register PDF Handler Thumbnail - SumatraPDF

Code: Select all

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.pdf\shellex\{e357fccd-a995-4576-b01f-234630154e96}]
@="{3D3B1846-CC43-42AE-BFF9-D914083C2BA3}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PDFXEdit.PDF\Shellex\{e357fccd-a995-4576-b01f-234630154e96}]
@="{3D3B1846-CC43-42AE-BFF9-D914083C2BA3}"

———————————————————————————
SYSTEM (may not be necessary)

0. For each program, search the handler files and copy them in a dedicated folder:
   • PDF-XChange:
XCShInfo.x64.dll
XCShInfoSetup.exe
XCShMain.x64.dll
   — Optional (?)
PDFProperties.propdesc
XCShellMenu.x64.dll
XCShellMenu.x86.dll
XCShInfo.x86.dll
XCShMain.x86.dll

   • SumatraPDF:
libmupdf
PdfFilter
PdfPreview

Then in each directory register the DLL handlers with the following commands (run as admin):

1b. System: (re)Register PDF Handler DLL Path - PDF-XChange

Code: Select all

regsvr32 "XCShInfo.x64.dll"

2b. System: (re)Register PDF Handler DLL Path - SumatraPDF

Code: Select all

regsvr32 "PdfPreview.dll"

———————————————————————————

PS: I also register CBR CBZ EPUB at the same time (via registry), but I skipped this, let’s not get too greedy too soon…

Hope this works for you too!
Have a nice day,

    Flux

Edit:
- Fixed name inversion in last step
- Added my system info

[FluxTorpedoe]

[Reserved place-holder]
In case I need to post the information to unregister DLLs and reverse/restore the registry.

[RalphM]

Hi Flux
Thanks for the detailed description.
You might have mixed up the file names in 1b and 2b at the bottom of your post for Sumatra and PDF-X.

For today I'm over the whole preview thing, so will not try your steps until a few day's time.

However, I'm still flabbergasted that other XY users apparently have managed to get this working w/o installing separate programs for thumbs and preview?

Other XY & PDF-XChange Editpr users: Could you please confirm that the hover/MDBU previews (which use thumbnails) are bigger than just 30x40mm for you w/o a separate thumbnail preview handler installed?

[admin]

PDF-XChange only and always. Never had anything else on my system (apart from Adobe for quick testing, uninstalled on the same day). Everything worked out of the box as it should. Never had to do the slightest further configuration.

[Horst]

Other XY & PDF-XChange Editpr users: Could you please confirm that the hover/MDBU previews (which use thumbnails) are bigger than just 30x40mm for you w/o a separate thumbnail preview handler installed?

Here MDBU and Hover are working fine.
PDF-XChange is registered and enabled as shown in the screenshot.
The hovering over an icon is as shown on the 2nd screenshot
MDBU fills the whole height of the screen and half of the wide of a pane.

Screenshot - 15.04.2023 , 11_58_37.png (19.74 KiB) Viewed 4190 times

Screenshot - 15.04.2023 , 11_53_05.png (264.81 KiB) Viewed 4190 times

[highend]

Every user has a different experience with this

I'm only using Sumatra PDF since years and my thumbnail size is fine and the preview (pane) shows non-convoluted previews which are fully scrollable...

[gggmmm]

My pdf preview is broken. It used to work using Sumatra, but recently says "Cannot Preview"
Sumatra itsself works fine and I have Acrobat Reader installed and need it to stay installed.
Where do I start to troublehshoot?

[highend]

Execute this script from e.g. the address bar and show the output:

Code: Select all

text "Prev. handler: " . <crlf> . get("previewhandler", "pdf") . <crlf> . "UD prev. handler(s): " . getkey("UserDefinedPreviewHandlers", "Settings") . <crlf 3> . "Associated app: " . get("assoc", "pdf");