Can't Download Filters from Filter Forge

I have windows 7 and am using Google Chrome and when I click on "Filter Forge: Download more Filters it works just fine and opens the Filter Forge filter page. But when I find a filter I want and click on Download Filter nothing happens. I know the problem is in the browser setting but I don't know how to make it work. I was hoping that someone else understands this better than myself could help walk me through the process on getting this to work in my browser. I do have the newest Filter Forge on my computer.

I might also mention before I upgraded Filter Forge I was using Internet Explorer and it does work using this server because this was the initial browser used in the set up process.

Thanks

Thanks for the idea. I did follow these steps you mention from reading on some other forums. The problem I found that others were having is when I get to he Manage handlers there is nothing there. There is no pull down menu no way to choose another handler. In short it is just an open box that won't let me do any action whatsoever. If I could figure out how to get this to work I could us Google Chrome as I like it better than my other browsers.

But do to the fact I am working on a project and need a couple of filters for it I might have to use the other browser.

I spent more time than I would like to talk about trying to figure out why the Manage handler on my computer does not follow the simple steps given on Google Chromes site. They say there should be a pull down menu ha I certainly don't have one. Thanks again.

Allen

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Dark Rayden wrote: How can this be disabled

This cannot be disabled: you always need to have the latest update to be able to download filters. Just click Ok in this dialog box, and the latest version will be downloaded automatically.

Hmmm back to the topic. Are there anyone that can help with my problem mentioned in the first post?

I really would like for the filters to download directly back to my Filter Forge program using Google Chrome. There must be others that have Google Chrome that use Filter Forge. What does you Manage Handlers looks like under the settings. Mine is blank and not functional.

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Big Al wrote: Are there anyone that can help with my problem

I can suggest you switch to the built-in library viewer: select Tools > Options > Online > Use the built-in library browser (obsolete).

After this, the 'Download more filters' link will be replaced by a button that opens the built-in viewer, so you won't need a browser to download filters.

Sorry for being not clear. Please run Filter Forge, and in the main menu select Tools > Options > Online > Use the built-in library browser (obsolete).

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You are not forced to upgrade to FF5, you can stay on FF4 as long as you wish.

But your comment was:

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This cannot be disabled: you always need to have the latest update to be able to download filters.

So, either I have to update (and pay) or I can't download filters. Both options are negative afflicted.
In other words: the (actually) granted access to the filters when buying FF ends with every (single) update. Not very appealing ...

Any words to that?

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Yeah but that's not forcing to buy something, there's still a choice not to buy the latest version anyway.

Please read again what I wrote.
If the latest update is needed to download filters, how is that _not_ a force?

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You can still make filters with the program if you have the standard version and above.

Nobody said something about creating filters, but downloading them. Big difference.
And if I contribute filters to the community, I expect that everybody can download them. So I expect for myself also that I can download every filter I want from the community. Denying the download of filters (that I would see as an core argument for FF) with no real reason is not the way how to treat buying users.

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And this type of thing is standard throughout the software industry. It's obvious you can't open newer versions of a file with an old program given the new version always new functionality.

Sure, but again, read what I wrote: I can't download a 2.0 filter with FF 4.0. I also mentioned that it's logic, that one probably can't use filters made with a higher version. But it's _not_ logic, why lower version filters can't be downloaded. In fact, why denying the download alltogether? I'm pretty sure, some higher version filters can work on lower version FF, if no "new" option is involved. So it would better that the download is done everytime, and then FF decides if it can be opend or not. Or better, FF tells the user "If you open this filter, you maybe lose option x ... Open Yes/No?".

That's approximately how your rather bad example with Illustrator works. A higher Illustrator version can be saved for lower versions. It tells you then, that this or that option will be not available. And in most cases, that's OK. But the important thing to that is: you can open and use it, and the user decides if he want's that, not Illustrator/Adobe.

So I would _highly_ recommend to change the system in that way, so that users can download filters based on their installed version of FF and _not_ on what's the latest FF version is. That's how it has to be.

@Mardar
Thanks for clearification, this would make sense. And yes, from the message itself I would belive that the "newer version" would be 5.
Can this be verified? I'm running here 4.014, so what's the latest version 4?

OK, if the update is really just for version 4, then I will give it a try. Thanks.

Glad you got everything working again. I agree the messages do need to be more specific. This still confuses me on occasion and I have been using FF for several years. My good deed for the day.

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madderhatter wrote: Likewise I do find the inprogram browser to be very nice, but it's not a solution to the problem and shows something may be wrong with my main system that I use in other areas..I'd be curious to figure out how to fix this if anyone has a solution.

Here you go...Windows 8 File Associations

If you can not set the file association in Chrome because of Windows 8, do the following:

Content type: filterforge
File Type: ffxml
Program: Filter Forge 6


Change file associations. To set File Associations in Windows 8 / 7, Open Control Panel > Control Panel Home > Default Programs > Set Associations. Select a file type in the list and click Change Program. You will be displayed a list of Programs along with a Description and the Current Default.

It is possible that an earlier version (or some other program) has interfered with the file associations. Try looking at the Windows 8 file associations on the machine that works to compare.

Find this under Settings...Then at the bottom click "show advanced settings"....Then go up to the Privacy section and click the button that says content settings...Put a tick on the one that says "Allow local data to be set"....Then close the browser and then try the button again on the Filters webpage....

I downloaded some filter ffxml files manually, and associated them with the app, filterforge in the x64 folder which is the exe that's linked to the shortcut I can open the filter with, there are actually 6 filterforge.exe files. Still when I click on a ffxml file nothing happens on this system.....and of course the download button still does nothing, but at least the association should be there.

I tried ie, and firefox, both result in errors. I'm not reinstalling chrome for what appears to be an isolated case, and the other browsers are effected as well. I might reinstall filter forge though, but I dont think that's getting at the root cause.

So here is the way to add this protocol to windows8...Involves some editing in the registry...
Protocol Handler

One other thing to note is that if your other system that does work is also windows8 you could always export the associated registry keys and install them on the non-working system instead of doing it manually....

This adds handlers to windows8...If your other machine that works is also windows8 you could export those associated keys and then add them to the system that does not work...