Cannot make HELP work in Elements 3.0

[Nelson]

I cannot make the 'help' function work. I have Adobe's bulletin from the Knowledge Base referencing Windows XP with SP2, which I am running. I am unable to find the "Allow blocked content" choice as they suggest in Solution #1. Furthermore, I cannot find any "help.pdf" files on the original CD as Adobe suggests in Solution #3.

Any specific help would be greatly appreciated.

[MikeH]

Nelson,

The "Allow blocked content" choice comes up in the Internet Explorer Information Bar. This appears under the address window at the top of the screen. It will only appear when you try to do things such as install an ActiveX control, open a pop-up window or download a file.

You have to click on ithe Information Bar to allow whatever XP has blocked - in this case access to Adobe Help files.

On the CD, there is a Getting Started Guide. If you go to My Computer, right click and select Explore, you will see this file.

Hope this helps.

Mike

[Nelson]

MikeH,

Thanks for prompt reply, but I'm unable to make either of your suggestions work. For the life of me, I cannot find an "information bar" beneath my address window in IE, and the .PDF file in the Getting Started Guide appears to be nothing more than a copy of the very thin pamphlet entitled " Getting Started" that came with the software. I was expecting/hoping to find a much more detailed help system. What am I missing?

[MikeH]

Nelson,

The Information Bar only appears when XP tries to block an action, it isn't there all of the time. When you try to load Help, does the Information Bar appear?

If not what security level are you using in XP, plus what firewall, anti adware or pop up blocking software are you running?

Mike

[Nelson]

Mike,

The information bar never appears. When I try to start Help, nothing happens on the main part of the screen. I get a block at the bottom of the screen showing Photoshop Elements help, but clicking on it does nothing. I am able to make the block go away by right clicking and then choosing close.

I'm not sure where to find the 'security level' I'm using in XP, so I don't know the answer to that one.

I know I use the following:
Norton Antivirus 2004 Professional
Popup KIller
Yahoo Antispy

I'm not sure what firewall if any is in use. I must sound pretty dumb, but I was more comfortable with DOS than I am with Windows.


Nelson

[kipp99]

Nelson - - I'm having your same problem.

You said:

"The information bar never appears. When I try to start Help, nothing happens on the main part of the screen. I get a block at the bottom of the screen showing Photoshop Elements help, but clicking on it does nothing. I am able to make the block go away by right clicking and then choosing close."

I'm getting very frustrated - - like you I've tried everything that Adobe said but HELP does not work. If you find a solution, please let me know.

And Mike - - thanks for trying to help.

My Windows XP security setting is set at MEDIUM
Firewall - - XP Service Pack 2 Firewall
Anti-Virus: AVG Free Edition
Pop-up: AOL blocking Pop-up

Shelley :)

[MikeH]

OK... the fact that the XP security warning isn't loading suggests that something on your computer may be blocking access.

It could be that your firewall is preventing PE3 from accessing the internet and / or the anti spyware / pop up programs you have installed are preventing it from loading.

If you know how to grant PE3 the necessary permissions in these programs, do that and then try Help again. If you don't know how to do this then disable the anti spware and pop up blocking software - then try to load Help.

If this doesn't work it could be the firewall - with most firewalls programs need permisson to access the internet and send email etc. Also, some firewalls will block pop ups, animation etc unless you authorise it for that program. If you can enable PE3 within your firewall try that. If you can't do that I guess the ulimate test would be to disable the firewall temporaily (:shock:) to see if PE3 can access help via the internet.

Let me know how you get on. :)

Mike

[kipp99]

Hi Mike! :)

I turned off my firewall and turned off my pop-ups on both AOL and IE - - still doesn't work.

How do I disable "Spybot" and "Ad-Aware"?

Also, how can I set my Security on "Low"?

Shelley

[MikeH]

Shelley,

Are you running Ad Watch with Ad Aware- or just Ad Aware?

Mike

[kipp99]

Just Ad-Aware

Shelley

[kipp99]

Just installed the Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 try out on my daughter's notebook and the HELP works!!

She has XP Service Pack 2 installed, has all her pop-ups working, also has Ad-Aware and Spybot like me and has her Firewall ON. Why does it work on her computer and not mine? :cry:

Shelley

[MikeH]

Shelley

Firstly it would be Ad Watch that would cause this rather than Ad Aware - so on this occasion it's not the firewall or spyware software restricting PE3... :?

Also, I now know that the Adobe Help files don't send information over the Internet, so while other users have had problems with the firewall preventing updates, it is unlikely to have caused this. Sorry :oops: .

I'm not currently running SP2 (since reformatting my PC) because of situations like this... I was running SP2 before Christmas and I too installed the trial version of PE3 and yes the Help files worked for me.

I have just looked at the Elements forum on the Adobe forum - there are a number of posts about this but no-one seems to have a definitive answer... The only person to solve it deleted the Help Cache, but it didn't work for others...

It seems this is a fairly common Adobe problem. Sorry I can't be of more help in resolving this for you. :oops:

Mike

[Wendy]

Few thoughts about this:

Did you disable your virus software before you installed PSE3?

Have you tried deleting the prefs file yet?

To do that close down Elements then click on the start up icon and quickly hold down the Control, Alt and Shift keys. Continue to hold down all three keys until you get a screen asking if you want to delete Settings ... just say Yes.


Wendy

[kipp99]

Mike - - thanks for trying to help. I appreciate it.

Wendy:

"Did you disable your virus software before you installed?"

I'm not sure if it was on or off. Do you think I should uninstall and reinstall with the virus off?

"Have you tried deleting the prefs file yet?To do that close down Elements then click on the start up icon and quickly hold down the Control, Alt and Shift keys. Continue to hold down all three keys until you get a screen asking if you want to delete Settings ... just say Yes."

When you say start up icon do you mean the icon that I click on to start Elements?

Shelley :)

[Wendy]

Shelley,

Yes the icon you click on to start Elements .....

Some virus software (especially Norton) can cause all sorts of problems when installing Elements ...

But try deleting the prefs file first ...


Wendy

[mane]

I had the same problem. Finally called Adobe. Here is what you do. The Help that shows in your taskbar (on the botton) just RIGHT click it and choose MAXIMIZE and that will bring it up or should. After that it works every time. Not sure why, but this is what the tech had me do and it works great now. Hope it works for all you.......

[Nelson]

Mane,

You are a problem solver of the first order! I started with this problem a couple of days ago and many people have offered their assistance, but to no avail. Your simple solution fixed the problem. Thanks to you and all who tried to help!
Nelson

[kipp99]

I also want to thank all of you for your help! I tried the above and it worked! I am now happily using HELP. :D

Shelley

[Wendy]

Shelley,

You sound really happy !!


Wendy

[tourretired]

Thank you Mane. I struggled for hours with this before reading your post.
Mistery is that it had been working and probably because of something I did, it just disappeared.

[jessmjones]

I can't make HELP work either, & it certainly worked in P/Shop Elements 3, & I have the same system. I just went to the HELP dropdown list & systematically worked through it. Here's what do work: About Photoshop Elements; System Info; Online Support; Updates (but it says no updates, & clearly there should be one to fix the HELP glitch); Photoshop Elements Online. BUT here's what get no glimmer of a response--i.e. no attempt to open any new window, or a browser window, or a pop-up blocked sound: Photoshop Elements Help F1; Glossary of terms; tutorials; (Registration is grayed out).

I too did the usual install (not a custom pick-and-choose install), from a disk they sent me when I paid for the upgrade.

HELP doesn't work whether I hit F1, or use dropdown, or type into the "type a question for help" field.

I am traveling for 3 weeks & this is a really urgent issue for me because I'll be using PE4 almost every day and can't schlep books or access Internet easily. (Is HELP available only by the Internet? Isn't there anything that loads onto your computer with the product?)