(Solved) Error: Application cannot be started. Contact the application vendor.

[Koskee]

This message is intended for Zax, but I'm posting it for future reference in case others have the same issue. I did a quick once over of the threads in this category and found nothing similar, please excuse if it has been discussed before.

I was just using T2 last night, < 24 hrs ago, and it was fine, i had a temporary issue where the control laser dialogue refused to be visible, but that was solved with a reboot. Tonight, I tried to open T2 and I get the above error. I've tried rebooting, same result. So, as instructed, I am contacting said vendor.

Ahem. Here goes. Zax,
AHHHH!!11!!!1!1! WHAT DO I DO NOW?

I can't remember what the terms of the licence were, but I bought one and it has been working fine so far.. Is it only good for a year or something ?

[Koskee]

Here is an excerpt from the text file it presents with the error (Trimmed for relevance):

PLATFORM VERSION INFO
   Windows          : 10.0.17134.0 (Win32NT)
   Common Language Runtime    : 4.0.30319.42000
   System.Deployment.dll       : 4.7.3056.0 built by: NET472REL1
   clr.dll          : 4.7.3260.0 built by: NET472REL1LAST_C
   dfdll.dll          : 4.7.3056.0 built by: NET472REL1
   dfshim.dll          : 10.0.17134.1 (WinBuild.160101.0800)

SOURCES
   Deployment url         : file:///C:/Users/Koskee/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft/Internet%20Explorer/Quick%20Launch/User%20Pinned/TaskBar/T2Laser.appref-ms%7C

ERROR SUMMARY
   Below is a summary of the errors, details of these errors are listed later in the log.
   * Activation of C:\Users\Koskee\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar\T2Laser.appref-ms| resulted in exception. Following failure messages were detected:
      + The requested operation requires elevation. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x800702E4)

... (bunch of nonsense) ...

ERROR DETAILS
   Following errors were detected during this operation.
   * [1/18/2019  9:38:31 PM] System.Runtime.InteropServices.COMException
      - The requested operation requires elevation. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x800702E4)
      - Source: System.Deployment
      - Stack trace:
         at System.Deployment.Application.NativeMethods.CorLaunchApplication(UInt32 hostType, String applicationFullName, Int32 manifestPathsCount, String[] manifestPaths, Int32 activationDataCount, String[] activationData, PROCESS_INFORMATION processInformation)
         at System.Deployment.Application.ComponentStore.ActivateApplication(DefinitionAppId appId, String activationParameter, Boolean useActivationParameter)
         at System.Deployment.Application.SubscriptionStore.ActivateApplication(DefinitionAppId appId, String activationParameter, Boolean useActivationParameter)
         at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.Activate(DefinitionAppId appId, AssemblyManifest appManifest, String activationParameter, Boolean useActivationParameter)
         at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.ProcessOrFollowShortcut(String shortcutFile, String& errorPageUrl, TempFile& deployFile)
         at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.PerformDeploymentActivation(Uri activationUri, Boolean isShortcut, String textualSubId, String deploymentProviderUrlFromExtension, BrowserSettings browserSettings, String& errorPageUrl, Uri& deploymentUri)
         at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.PerformDeploymentActivationWithRetry(Uri activationUri, Boolean isShortcut, String textualSubId, String deploymentProviderUrlFromExtension, BrowserSettings browserSettings, String& errorPageUrl)
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
         at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
         at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.PerformDeploymentActivationWithRetry(Uri activationUri, Boolean isShortcut, String textualSubId, String deploymentProviderUrlFromExtension, BrowserSettings browserSettings, String& errorPageUrl)
         at System.Deployment.Application.ApplicationActivator.ActivateDeploymentWorker(Object state)


Also, I haven't changed/updated anything since last night.

[Zax]

It looks like a COM error, check your Device Manager and see what driver you have for the COM port... my guess is Windows did an update and replaced the correct (wch.cn) one with something else and now it won't work.

If that doesn't work, completely remove T2Laser (uninstall from Control Panel) and reinstall from my server.

If you e-mail me I can provide some further instructions.

[Stonemull]

I had this once but I can't remember what I did to fix it, it was something simple, either I was using a dodgy usb port I have on the front of my pc or I had Cura open as well, my Cura likes to snaffle all the com ports though I only generated to sd card, it seems a bit evil about it too, had it mess up realterm as well, not just grab the port but cause issues.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Koskee]

Sweet, I'll try that and let you know how it goes.

[Koskee]

Solved. I had a look at the driver, it still had "wch.cn" installed. I went to go uninstall the software, and was presented with a repair/remove dialogue.

Usually those repair routines never seem to work IME, but I figured what the he**, would be worth a try if it saves me having to hunt down my licence code or whatever. I selected it, it told me it was making a previous version available. I guess it must have reverted some settings, because it just started working. It didn't even ask me for my licence key or anything. Perfect.

Side note: I gotta say Zax, for claiming to be on a sub-expert level (or that's the way I remember it anyway) in terms of software development, your implementation of licencing/pirate thwarting has got to be one of the more robust systems I've ever come across. The web is full to the tits with companies that for whatever reason seem to just outright fail any and all of their attempts at preventing piracy, so for you to have seemingly outdone them is quite remarkable.
Perhaps it is simply because of a somewhat limited amount of exposure in a niche market that nobody with the right skills has given it any attention yet, but from over here it seems like you've done pretty well locking everything down, and with a very elegant, seamlessly implemented system no less. Nice work and thanks for the help.

[Zax]

I'm happy to hear you got it working again and thank you for the kind words.

I have no idea what that "repair" does either, but since I use Microsoft deployment (ClickOnce for the install) it must be able to replace any missing or damaged files from my Azure server. I do know the roll-back feature (restore) works, so you can always drop back to the previous version. It makes it look like I know what I'm doing when I actually have no part in it whatsoever, the "security" is the same. It's stored in the encrypted ClickOnce cache which is an unusual method and tampering with it just locks T2Laser although I am sure it's easy to bypass if you know what you're doing.

I still claim not to be a programmer