About three weeks ago I suddenly could no longer open jpeg files - always had in the past - haven't changed anything on the computer - downloaded Adobe Reader 9.0 still can't open - running Vista on new Dell XPS laptop - any ideas?

robertva

Clarify "could no longer open jpeg files". Nothing happening? Error message (write down the error text and forward the text to this board on a further post on this thread)? Is the computer uncertain about which program to use opening the jpeg file type?

Do you have an "Open with>" option on the jpeg file's context menu? The context menu appears when you use the right mouse button to click on the file's icon. The "Open with" fly out should list programs that are able to display the file and offer the option to use that program to open jpeg files in the future.

Usually you can open a document by dragging a document's icon, in this case your jpeg file's icon, from a Windows Explorer file list to the open window of a program that is capable of displaying or editing that file type. With jpeg, jpg or gif files compatible programs should include Microsoft Paint and Internet Explorer. If your viewer/editor program is hidden behind your windows Explorer window you can drag it over the editor/viewer program's task bar button on the way (Don't let go of the mouse button until you can drop it onto your viewer/editor).

You should also be able to open a graphic editing program and use the "Open..." option on the program's "File" menu to load the jpeg image.

Please report back which of these procedures works or don't work.

BTW, Adobe Reader is normally used to view pdf files as a Internet Explorer plug-in or as a stand alone Windows compatible program. In addition to the rather spartan Paint that comes with many versions of Windows, many flatbed scanners, printer/scanner combinations and digital cameras come with programs compatible with jpeg files. there are also jpeg editors like IrfanView available for download from the Internet.

diantha

To clarify - jpg files that I could open a few weeks ago that are store in my computer as well as new jpg files will not open - I get the message "Adobe reader could not open xxxjpg because it is either not a supported file type or because the file has been damaged(for example, it was sent as an email attachment and wasn't correctly decoded)

I understand the message - what I don't understand is that how files that I was able to open a few weeks ago suddenly won't open. I didn't have to go to any other file to open them like paint (which I have used lately while I'm experiencing this problem) - I also have a jpg to pdf conversion software that I can use to open them. I deal with a lot of jpg files in my business (a lot!) and it's a pain to have to convert everyone of them before viewing.

robertva

I'm not sure why you're trying to open jpeg/jpg files with Adobe Reader. Adobe Reader is for files with a .pdf extension, and for most purposes is a read only application (not suitable for editing or creating new documents/images).

I'm not at all surprised when Adobe Reader version 8 presents me with the same message when I insist on asking it to open a jpeg image (I'm running it on Windows XP). JPEG files just aren't what Adobe Reader was intended for.

If you're merely wanting to view the jpeg images try using one of the viewers that came with your OS like Internet Explorer or the slide show available when you open the image preview (also on the image icon's context menu). You can also use some other photo/bitmap viewer like IrfanView available at IrfanView - Official Homepage - one of the most popular viewers worldwide (includes a slide show program you can install on a CD-R or flash drive). Unlike the slide show that comes with Windows XP, the Irfanview slide show is able to display the file names on the screen during the slide show.

If you're wanting to create or edit PDF files you would need to invest in Adobe Acrobat (widespread use of the free Reader acts as an incentive for content providers to purchase the expensive Acrobat editor/creator) or edit your documents in another editor (like Microsoft Word, OpenOffice Write or Microsoft Publisher) and use a printer substitute like CutePDF.

seahwk83

-Right click on a jpg file and choose Open with...
and then hit Choose program on bottom of list

-now choose the program you want to open the jpg with by clicking "once" so that it is highlighted, preferably the one you are used to using

-Now put check mark in the box that states:
Always use select program to open this kind of file

And click OK at bottom - should be good to go now

JBeaucaire

IrfanView is the picture viewer/manipulator of choice for many, many people here on the forum. Add my name to that list.

If you install IrfanView, you will be given the chance during install to associate all picture extensions with it (.jpg, .bmp, .gif, etc...) so that would fix your issue, too.

seahwk83

I agree, I have used infranview for years now

Bill-K

FWIW, I have set my default JPEG viewer as the viewer I got with my old Lexmark X1130 printer/scanner. I just liked it. BUT - I get a message like this sometimes, and I've found that it is because the COMPLETE filename is too long for the viewer to handle. This has been because I have used so many folders and sub-folders to hold the file in, that the path is too long (Is this called the 'parse tree' ??)
So, if my JPEG pic is called "JVC001.jpg" - but it is embedded in the following folders: "My Documents/My Pictures/Family Album/Our Holidays/Timbuctoo 2009/Second Week/Third Day/Bills Camera/" - then the filename seen by the viewer is: "My Documents/My Pictures/Family Album/Our Holidays/Timbuctoo 2009/Second Week/Third Day/Bills Camera/JVC001.jpg" - and it can't open it. And because it can't read the final ".jpg" exension of the path, it thinks it's in an alien format as well, as it thinks it's something other than a JPEG file.
To test this, make a copy of one of these unopenable files and paste it to "My Documents" - then try and open it.