?Poor Quality Preview > Images

[matewo]

Hi All,

just wanted to drop in the info, that Pdf-XChange (Editor) offers a tool named XCShInfoSetup.exe (in ...\Tracker Software\Shell Extensions), with which you can check / change Explorer (PDF) shell extensions.

Don't know the tool itself nor, if it helps in this regard.

Good luck!

Markus

Ref: https://help.pdf-xchange.com/pdfxe10/sh ... ns_ed.html

[jupe]

Currently I think if you want it to work in XY, you'll need to install the x64 version of PDF XChange (at least just the shell extension) instead of ARM64,

[Zardoz2293]

UPDATE * WORKAROUND *

Only appears to occur in AArch64 (aka ARM64) Windows with the AArch64 preview handler in Tracker Software --> "PDF-XChange (Editor) Pro". It is specifically related to a defect in the msi installation process on AArch64 builds of v10.8.5, Build 410 and before (of PDF-XChange Pro). I've contacted Tracker Software and await feedback.

Workaround: If you need or want the Track Software kit (AArch64), Install. Reboot. Install the identical kit for AMD64 with ONLY the Shell Extensions enabled (do not install any other components). Reboot. Now, you will have full beautifully scaled PDF displayed in XYplorer 64-Bit's Preview Pane. NOTE: This process WILL NOT correct the defect with the inability to execute without errors the Tracker Software Shell Extensions AArch64.

XY NOTE: The problem could also be related to the Tracker Software handlers being AArch64 and XY being AMD64... When the AMD64 version of Tracker Software is installed it also installs AMD64 and AMD32 so there might be glue there that otherwise doesn't exist in the pure-AArch64 installation.

[RalphM]

Don't know if it is the same problem but here goes my workaround for full scale preview in XY.
Whenever I update the PDF-XChange Editor (only the free version here), I re-install their free viewer after that and make it the standard app for PDF preview (PDF_XChange_Viewer_v2.5.322.10, a bit dated from 2018 but still works).

[Zardoz2293]

Don't know if it is the same problem but here goes my workaround for full scale preview in XY.
Whenever I update the PDF-XChange Editor (only the free version here), I re-install their free viewer after that and make it the standard app for PDF preview (PDF_XChange_Viewer_v2.5.322.10, a bit dated from 2018 but still works).

Not sure why you would not use v10.8.5.410 -- it's available in "free" mode. Works perfectly (just tested on clean W11 install, only tested with XYplorer64 AMD64 on W11 Pro AArch64). I suspect you'd have to install PDF-XChange Pro with the associated OS architecture.

I'd also highly recommend caution using that outdated version due to CVE-2025-0902, CVE-2025-6661, CVE-2026-2040, et al?

[RalphM]

With just the Editor installed and set as default, the hover previews are just tiny blobs and don't blow up at all when clicked, whereas with the Viewer the hover preview is reasonably large and blows up even bigger when clicked.
There are quite a few threads in this forum about this issue and so far the only solution for me was this approach.
Believe me, I test whenever I update the Editor to see whether the problem has finally been solved but to no avail so far.

[Zardoz2293]

With just the Editor installed and set as default, the hover previews are just tiny blobs and don't blow up at all when clicked, whereas with the Viewer the hover preview is reasonably large and blows up even bigger when clicked.
There are quite a few threads in this forum about this issue and so far the only solution for me was this approach.
Believe me, I test whenever I update the Editor to see whether the problem has finally been solved but to no avail so far.

What exactly are you referencing? The installation of one of the variants of the "PDF-XChange Editor" (standard or pro) with the Shell Extensions? The non-supported PDF-XChange Viewer? Only the Shell Extension for PDF-XChange installed? Free? Licensed? Architecture? Combination? What OS Version and Architecture? It makes a huge difference. (Example: You cannot install PDF-XChange Editor Pro 32-Bit on a Windows 11 AArch64, etc.) I say this as there's clearly some msi script installation code defects from one installer / architecture / 32-64-bit. Tracker Software is clear they don't support anything other than Windows Explorer and the Administrative Setup Configuration for the Shell Extensions, is, well, IMO, poorly supported and maintained. I've had issues with it more than a few times over the past decade and their desire to enhance the program's reliability appears low. Lots of assumptions being made on system level software and poor error reporting.

My general focus in this original posting is PDF files. I just check some images and I am getting the desired results. (all of this on a test system).
MacOS Tahoe v26.4.1
VM (Client): Windows 11 Pro (AArch64), 25H2.26200.8246 (10.0)
Display: Main=MacBook 4112 x 2658 @200%; Not being used during this testing, powered off-- External 3840 x 2160 @125%

[RalphM]

Okay, I gave it another try.
Installed PDF_XChange_Editor_v10.8.5.410 Standard Free incl. Shell Extensions as a standard user after providing admin password for UAC.
Win 11 Home 25H2.26200.8246 (don't know where to find AArch? or 10.0).

Most Hover previews of PDF's seemed to work as expected bar one which might have some internal problem.

However, after signing in as admin, the old problem was back (small hover preview which doesn't blow up when clicked).
I thought it might be a user problem so I ran the same installer with the same settings again as admin but still no change.

Signed in as standard user again and the hover preview still works there.

Haven't installed the old Viewer on top of it yet but am pretty confident that this would solve the problem again for both admin and standard user.

[Zardoz2293]

Installed PDF_XChange_Editor_v10.8.5.410 Standard Free incl. Shell Extensions.

I'm assuming the AMD64 .msi and not the 32/64 zip file, correct?

Win 11 Home 25H2.26200.8246 (don't know where to find AArch? or 10.0).

a) The (10.0) for Windows 11 is the non-sense marketing with Microsoft, as internally at the OS-level it reports not a Build of 11 but 10; As usual, Microsoft goes out of its way to create noise-- example: Windows 11 25H2 using base system components which are versioned on the prior 24H2 release.

b) AMD64 (aka x86_64, x64 = Intel,AMD a CISC-based CPU) vs. ARM64 (arm64, AArch64 = Apple,Qualcomm RISC-based CPU). I use AArch64 for the ARM64 as it's easy to mistake AMD64 for ARM64 when dealing with many files or just being human. The AArch64 stands out over AMD64 and clearly defines what x64 means as I've seen many binaries with mixed usages.

Most Hover previews of PDF's seemed to work as expected bar one which might have some internal problem.

What exactly do you mean "hover previews"? In the List or Preview Panel or something else? What it automatically or you have to keypress/button?

However, after signing in as admin, the old problem was back (small hover preview which doesn't blow up when clicked).
I thought it might be a user problem so I ran the same installer with the same settings again as admin but still no change.

When you say "after signing in as admin" you mean a different account which is an administrator (meaning you use a non-administrator account and otherwise elevate to administrator to perform some admin action)? In other words using two different accounts?

Haven't installed the old Viewer on top of it yet but am pretty confident that this would solve the problem again for both admin and standard user.

If we are talking about two different accounts the problem you are describing could be related to the installer installing for one account and not for the machine (all accounts).

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I believe there is a specific issue with Windows 11 (AArch64) with Tracker Software (AArch64) Shell Extensions within XYplorer (AMD64). On clean installation: Install XYplorer (AMD64), reboot, then Tracker Software (AArch64), reboot:

• XY displays the LIST VIEW Thumbnail ICONS in HIGH-RESOLUTION for PDFs (as desired), BUT the Preview Pane is LOW-RESOLUTION (undesired).

Unload XY, install Tracker Software (AMD64) Shell Extensions ONLY, reboot. Then things swap on me:

• XY displays the LIST VIEW Thumbnail ICONS AS APP ICONS for PDFs (undesired), BUT the Preview Pane is HIGH-RESOLUTION (desired).

[Zardoz2293]

AArch64 Windows OS Only---

In short the AMD64 and ARM64 .msi installers of PDF-XChange incorrectly install Shell Extensions. There are many combinations and different effects.

As of PDF-XChange Editor v10.8.5.410 and before:

If you desire XY to be able to display Thumbnails in the List View of PDFs AND you desire High-Resolution PDF images in the Preview View-- You must only install the AMD64 version. DO NOT INSTALL the ARM64 (AArch64). After installation, you must configure PDF-XChange Shell Extension Setup to use PDF-XChange. There's bug, and at least one of the extension settings will not be correct -- set to "PDF-XChange" for all, then apply. Reboot. XY64 will now display PDF correctly in List View and Preview Pane. HOWEVER, Windows Explorer now be broken. It is not possible to get both working due to whatever defects exist in the AMD64/ARM64 PDF-XChange Shell Extensions due to the identical CLSID (UUID/GUID) values being used across architectures. Hopefully the defects will be corrected.

If you install the ARM64 version of PDF-XChange then at best you can get Windows Explorer fully, and XY64 List View, but Preview Pane only low-resolution (I suspect there is some AArch64 anomoly that could be programmatically set in XY64 to cause the handler to load and execute correctly since it does in Windows Explorer).

[RalphM]

Installed PDF_XChange_Editor_v10.8.5.410 Standard Free incl. Shell Extensions.

I'm assuming the AMD64 .msi and not the 32/64 zip file, correct? - Yes

Most Hover previews of PDF's seemed to work as expected bar one which might have some internal problem.

What exactly do you mean "hover previews"? In the List or Preview Panel or something else? What it automatically or you have to keypress/button?
Hover the cursor over an icon in the file list opens a preview, if you then click on that preview, it blows it up even further.

However, after signing in as admin, the old problem was back (small hover preview which doesn't blow up when clicked).
I thought it might be a user problem so I ran the same installer with the same settings again as admin but still no change.

When you say "after signing in as admin" you mean a different account which is an administrator (meaning you use a non-administrator account and otherwise elevate to administrator to perform some admin action)? In other words using two different accounts?
Yes, one administrator account and my standard user account.

Haven't installed the old Viewer on top of it yet but am pretty confident that this would solve the problem again for both admin and standard user.

If we are talking about two different accounts the problem you are describing could be related to the installer installing for one account and not for the machine (all accounts).
But as stated, I installed the same version from both accounts.
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