XTND Translation Issues

Claris applications are able to translate a variety of file formats using the Claris XTND System and Claris translators. These auxiliary files must be installed correctly to work. In addition, the Claris XTND System acts like an INIT or extension, and can conflict with other extensions.

If your Claris applications experience any of the following symptoms, it may be time to troubleshoot the XTND system:

* When choosing Open, Place File, Insert, Import or Save As from a Claris application, translators are not listed in the pop-up menu (MacDraw II, MacWrite II, TIFF, EPSF, etc).
* When opening a file in another format, you get the message "File not found."
* When you get error -43.
* When you use the Open command to try to translate a file, you don't see it in the Open dialog, although you can see it when you look in its folder in the Finder.
* When you are importing a graphic into FileMaker Pro and get an "out of memory" message. (In this case, skip directly to step #3 below.)

Solutions
Troubleshoot the issue systematically. The nature and severity of the XTND error determines what kind of solution is necessary. Below are six solutions you may try to trouble-shoot the issue. Each of the six solutions builds on the last, with the very last solution addressing the most severe system issue.

1. Verify that the translator files are installed properly.

There should be a Claris folder in the System folder. Within the Claris folder you need the Claris XTND System and Claris Translators folder (which holds all the individual translators). If you have ClarisWorks 1.0 you need an additional file called ClarisWorks Translators in the Claris folder. This file contains database and spreadsheet translators. If you have everything installed properly and the issue persists, go to step 2.

2. Check the System Folder and Claris application folder for duplicate copies of the Claris XTND
System file and/or any translator files.

If multiple copies of the XTND System are found, delete them, then try to open or save a file. If you still can't open or save, go to step 3.

3. Quit the application, then delete the XTND Translator List file (System 6: in the Claris folder; System 7: in the Preferences folder).

Relaunch the application, choose Save As and see if the translators are listed. If the translators are not listed, go to step 4.

4. Check for a possible conflict with an INIT or extension.

Restart the computer with the shift key held down to turn off extensions in System 7. If you are using System 6, create a new folder on your hard drive, drag System, Finder and the Claris folder into it and restart the computer. Then, launch the application, choose Save As and see if the translators are listed; if not, then go to step 5.

5. Create a new folder on your hard drive at the same level as the System Folder (in the main hard drive window) [System 7 only].

Move everything, EXCEPT the Preferences Folder, from the System Folder to the Untitled Folder and restart your computer. If this solves the issue, then move any required preferences files (QuickMail, etc) from the old System Folder's Preferences Folder into the new Untitled Folder's Preferences Folder. Note: you will not be able to copy the Finder Preferences.

To clean up, after you've created the new System folder, throw away the old System Folder as well as the old Preferences Folder; then change the name of the Untitled Folder to "System Folder." If this still does not solve the issue, go on to step 6.

6. Rebuild the desktop (hold down the command and option keys while restarting the computer), then run Disk First Aid or Norton Disk Doctor.

Disk First Aid is included on your System disks. Instructions are included in your computer's owners manual.