TechNote

Error when you view online Help or use Adobe Online (Illustrator 10.x and CS)

Issue

When you try to view the online Help or use Adobe Online in Adobe Illustrator, one of the following errors occurs:

-- "An Adobe Online error has occurred."

-- "An unknown Adobe Online error occurred in the contents of this media."

-- "An unknown Adobe Online error has occurred."

-- "The Adobe Online Software could not be found. . ."

-- "[Browser name] is unable to find the file or directory named: /[drive]/Adobe Illustrator[version]/help/help.htm."

-- "The file may not be supported by AOL. AOL will try to open it as a text file if you choose to continue."

-- "This file is too large to open using AOL. Please open this file using another application."

-- "Cannot find 'file:[drive]:PROGRAM%20FILESIllustrator%206.0HelpHelp.htm. Make sure the path or internet address is correct."

Solutions

Do one of the following:

Solution 1: Use Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.x or later or Netscape Navigator 4.75 or later.

If America Online is the default web browser, use Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.x or later or Netscape Navigator 4.75 or later as the default instead. For information about changing the default web browser, see the online Help in Internet Explorer or Navigator.

Solution 2: Log into Windows as a Power User or Administrator.

For instructions, see Windows Help.

Solution 3: Open the Help.htm file in a web browser.

To view the online Help, locate the Help.htm file in the Help folder in the Adobe Illustrator application folder, and then open the Help.htm file in a web browser. Bookmark the page for easy access later.

Solution4: Reinstall online Help and Adobe Online. (10.x only)

Delete the web folder in the Adobe folder, and then reinstall online Help and Adobe Online from the Illustrator CD-ROM for Illustrator.

On Windows:

1. Exit from all applications.

2. Delete the web folder and its contents in the [startup drive]:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe folder.

3. Insert the Illustrator application CD into the CD-ROM drive. Autoplay starts. (If Autoplay does not start, open Windows Explorer, right-click the CD, and select Autoplay from the pop-up menu.)

4. Follow the on-screen instructions until the Illustrator Setup dialog box appears.

5. Select Custom.

6. For Destination Folder, select the folder where Illustrator is installed, and click Next.

7. Scroll through the list of components, and select Help and Adobe Online; then click Next.

8. Click Next in the screen that displays the Current Settings list.

9. Follow the remaining on-screen instructions.

10. Restart the computer when the installation is complete.

On Mac OS:

1. Quit all applications.

2. In Mac OS X, delete the web folder in the Library: Application Support: Adobe folder. In Mac OS 9.x or earlier, delete the web folder in the System Folder: Application Support: Adobe folder.

3. Insert the Illustrator application CD into the CD-ROM drive, and double-click the Install Illustrator icon.

4. Follow the on-screen instructions until the Install dialog box appears.

5. Choose Custom Install from the pop-up menu.

6. Scroll through the list of components, and select Online Help and Adobe Online.

7. For Install Location, select the folder where Illustrator is installed, and click Install.

8. Restart the computer when the installation is complete.

Note: If the message "Some required Adobe Online files are missing. Would you like to download them now?" appears after you reinstall online Help and Adobe Online, click Yes, and follow the on-screen instructions.

Solution 5: Edit the value of the AdobeHome key. (Windows only)

Use the Windows Registry Editor to make a backup copy of the Windows registry and to edit the value of the AdobeHome key:

Disclaimer: The registry contains system-related information that is critical to the computer and applications. Adobe does not provide support for problems that arise from improperly modifying the registry. Adobe recommends you have experience editing system files before you modify the registry. Make sure that you make a backup copy of the registry before modifying it. For information on the Windows Registry Editor, refer to the Windows online Help, or contact Microsoft.

1.Exit from all applications.

2. Choose Start > Run.

3. Type regedit in the Open text box, and click OK.

4. In the Registry Editor, choose Registry > Export Registry File.

5. In the Export Registry File dialog box, choose a location and a name for the backup file, and then click Save.

6. Select the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Adobe\Common Files folder in the left side of the Registry Editor window.

7. In the right side of the Registry Editor window, double-click the AdobeHome key.

8. In the Edit String dialog box, change the Value Data to X:, where "x" designates the startup drive.

Note: The startup drive is the hard disk where Windows is installed. Make sure that you specify the correct drive (for example, C).

9. Choose Registry > Exit.

10. Restart Illustrator.

Background information

When you install Illustrator, files for online Help (10.x or CS) or Adobe Online (10.x) are added to the hard disk. The online Help and tutorials include documentation in an HTML-based help system. When you try to view online Help, view a tutorial, or use Adobe Online, an error can occur for one or more of the following reasons:

-- America Online is the default browser. To view online Help or a tutorial from within Illustrator, you need to set Navigator 4.75 or later, or Internet Explorer 5.0 or later, as the default browser.

-- You are logged into Windows 2000 as a Restricted User, which doesn't have access to the Windows registry. Some Adobe Online features require access to the registry.

-- You performed a custom installation of Illustrator 10.x and didn't install online Help or Adobe Online.

-- The files for Adobe Online are damaged. Reinstalling the online components in Illustrator 10.x ensures the integrity of the files.

-- An incorrect drive or multiple drives are designated in the AdobeHome key in the registry.

Additional Information

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: Error "An error occurred while attempting to download a file...AWEXfiles.txt..." Using Adobe Online in Mac OS

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