Troubleshooting - Frequently Asked Questions

When activating my serial number the message System Problem Code: -7 (or -8) appears. How do I fix that?

2011-08-09T11:39:28.728-07:00

Please see this tech note.

Why don't my Panorama icons look right?

2010-09-09T23:16:38.471-07:00

This is a known incompatibility between Panorama 5.5 (and earlier) and OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. The solution is to upgrade to Panorama 6, which is 100% Snow Leopard compatible.

General Troubleshooting

2010-09-09T18:10:41.786-07:00

answer

I'm using Snow Leopard with Panorama 5.x, why don't the Panorama icons appear?

2010-09-01T10:08:22.045-07:00

The short answer is that due to a change in the way OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard handles icons, the icons Panorama 5.5 and earlier versions are not compatible. The only solution is to upgrade to Panorama 6 or later. (Panorama 6 will also run 5 times faster than Panorama 5.x on Snow Leopard, and there are other compatibility benefits as well. We highly recommend Panorama 6 for all OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard users.)

How do I do a clean install of Panorama?

2010-09-01T09:41:55.107-07:00

The information below assumes that the previous copy of Panorama was installed in the default location.

Macintosh OS X

In the Finder, open the Applications folder. Find the Panorama folder, drag it to the trash and empty the trash. Then re-install Panorama.

WIndows XP

Using the Windows Explorer, open the C:\Program Files folder. Find the Panorama folder, drag the folder to the recycle bin, then re-install Panorama.

Windows Vista/Windows 7

First, delete the C:\Program Files\Panorama folder as described above for Windows XP.

Next, find this folder (replace with your user name on this computer)

C:\Users\\AppData\Local\Panorama

Drag the folder the recycle bin, then re-install Panorama.

Why did an error message appear when I installed Panorama?

2010-09-01T09:38:28.715-07:00

The most common problem is that the previous version of Panorama is still running. You must quit all running versions of Panorama before you install a new version.

Another possible problem, especially with OS X, is that the permissions of your previous copy of Panorama are incorrect. The simplest way to fix this is to do a clean install (see the next question for instructions).

If you are installing on an OS X system, you must install directly from the DMG disk image. Do not drag the installer application from the DMG to another location on your hard drive.

On Windows systems, sometimes a Registry Error appears near the end of the installation process. If this occurs, rebooting the computer and re-installing will resolve the issue.

I just upgraded from Panorama 4.0 to 5.5 or 6.0, why can't I print?

2010-09-01T09:32:29.496-07:00

Most commonly this is caused by an incompatibility in the page setup from the previous version. To fix this, open the view you want to print (data sheet or form), then choose Reset Page Setup from the Setup menu. Then use the Page Setup command to set up the printing options (or just Print). You may need to use Reset Page Setup once for each form you need to print, but if you save your database after using this command you shouldn't need to use it twice for a given form.

How do I uninstall Panorama?

2009-09-22T23:44:00.245-07:00

There is no special uninstall tool necessary to remove Panorama from your system, you can simply move it to the Trash (Mac) or Recycle Bin (Windows). (If this computer has a copy of Panorama with an activated serial number, be sure to de-activate the serial number before removing the software.)

On a Mac, Panorama is normally installed in a folder named Panorama inside the Applications folder. To remove Panorama, drag this folder to the trash and empty the trash.

On Windows systems, Panorama is normally installed in a folder named Panorama inside the C:\Program Files folder. To remove Panorama, simply move this folder to the recycle bin.

If you are using Vista, Windows 7 or later, Panorama 5.5 or later also has an additional folder you need to delete Panorama folder inside your Application data folder, which you'll find at:

C:\Users\YOURNAME\AppData\Local\Panorama

Will Panorama 5.0 run on Tiger (10.4), Leopard (10.5) and Snow Leopard (10.6)?

2009-09-22T23:36:15.582-07:00

Panorama 5.0 will run on these systems, but there are some reported problems with procedures and printing. We recommend using Panorama 6.0 on Tiger, Leopard and Snow Leopard.

Will Panorama 5.5 run on Panther (OS X 10.3)?

2009-09-22T23:33:38.402-07:00

Panorama 5.5 will run on OS X 10.3.9, but the DMG format used to download Panorama will not mount on OS X 10.3 systems. If you have a 10.4 or newer system you can install Panorama on that and then copy the Panorama folder (inside the Application folder) to your OS X 10.3 system, otherwise, there is no way to install Panorama 5.5 on Panther.

Will Panorama 5.5 run on Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6)?

2009-09-22T23:29:54.376-07:00

Panorama 5.5 will run on OS X, but it is not Intel native and is not 100% compatible with Snow Leopard. We recommend Panorama 6 for Snow Leopard.

If you do want to use Panorama 5.5 on Snow Leopard it does require that Rosetta be installed before it can be run. This can be either be done when you install Snow Leopard or later. In fact, if Rosetta is not installed when you launch Panorama the operating system will offer to automatically install it for you. Many Panorama users have reported problems with Panorama's database and/or application icons when running under Snow Leopard. This is due to a bug in the Snow Leopard Finder. Panorama 6 bypasses this bug and there are no problems with icons between Panorama 6 and Snow Leopard.

Issues concerning older versions of Panorama

2009-09-22T23:29:41.106-07:00

answer

How can I submit a file or screenshot to technical support or to the QNA list?

2009-09-22T13:16:53.744-07:00

When you want to pass along files, images or movies we recommend a web utility named DropBox. This service allows you to share files (much like Apple's iDisk) and is free up to 2 Gigabytes (works on both PC and Mac systems). Your "DropBox" appears as a local folder on your hard drive. The contents of this folder are automatically synchronized to the "cloud". You can have multiple copies of your DropBox on different machines and they will all be synchronized. Very cool.

Inside your DropBox there is a "Public" folder. Files in that folder can be accessed by anyone with a web browser. To get the URL for an item in your public folder, right click on the file. You can then share that item with anyone by giving them the link. So if you want to post a screenshot or share a file with the QNA list or with ProVUE technical support staff, just copy it to the public folder in your dropbox, get the URL, and include the URL in your message.

If you use the link below to sign up you'll get an extra 250 free Mb on your DropBox, and so will ProVUE.

https://www.getdropbox.com/referrals/NTcxNjM0NTk

Note: If you use DropBox to share Panorama files between your own computers you will probably have to use the platform converter to use the transferred files on the Mac. On the PC they will work fine as long as they have the .pan extension.

Why does Panorama loop endlessly (spinning rainbow) when I try to print?

2008-07-21T21:00:37.145-07:00

A small percentage of Panorama users have reported this problem when printing on Leopard. It appears to be a bug in Apple's Leopard release (only Carbon applications will encounter this problem, so other programs may print fine). We have developed a workaround that bypasses the Apple bug — this workaround is included in Panorama 5.5.1 and later versions. If you encounter this problem you should download and install the latest release (if you have Panorama V or earlier you will need to purchase an upgrade to use this version).

Why does an error message -10660 appear when I double click on the database

2008-07-21T20:59:13.381-07:00

This indicates that a copy of the Panorama application is in the trash. If it is the only copy you need to drag it out of the trash ASAP! If it is a duplicate copy (for example you have upgraded to a newer version) you should empty the trash to eliminate this message.

What can cause Panorama to crash?

2007-10-18T06:05:19.269-07:00

Most users find that Panorama is a very stable application that rarely, if ever crashes. If you are experiencing frequent crashes or unusual behavior then there is most likely something wrong with your system. Here are some items to look for:

Faulty RAM: Because Panorama is RAM based it can be more sensitive to RAM problems than many other programs. In some cases RAM may appear to work ok most of the time but be flaky because it doesn't quite meet the specs for your computer. It's almost impossible to reliably test memory in an OS X or Windows system. The best technique for tracking down memory problems is either to temporarily replace the memory modules or to temporarily remove as much memory as possible to see if the symptoms are improved. To learn more about this topic see MacFixIt - Troubleshooting Tools: Memtest and Rember and MacInTouch - Bad RAM: The Effect of Memory Defects.

Permission Errors: UNIX permission errors can cause all kinds of problems on OS X systems (see Permission Repair: The Full Story). Fortunately these errors are easily fixed with Apple's Disk Utility program, which is included with OS X (see How to Repair Permissions). Panorama 5.5 and later also includes a File Permissions wizard that can repair the permissions of Panorama itself, as well as Panorama databases.

Neglected System Maintenance Tasks: Mac OS X requires certain regular maintenance tasks to be performed in order to keep the system running smoothly. Some of these will run automatically on Macs that are turned on 24 hours per day, while others require the user to initiate the maintenance. These maintenance tasks include normal Unix-style maintenance as well as Mac OS X-style tasks. The Unix-style maintenance tasks are normally scheduled to run in the middle of the night. If your Mac is not on at the scheduled time, the task won't run. Mac OS X does not wake from sleep to perform these tasks. If you don't leave your system on all night you may want to consider purchasing a utility like Macaroni, which will make sure that these tasks run automatically, keeping your Mac in tip-top shape (we have no connection with Atomic Bird software). Macaroni also repairs disk permissions on a regular basis (see above).

Bad Font: Believe it or not, a corrupted font can cause Panorama (and other programs) to crash, and this has actually happened to a handful of Panorama users. This Apple tech note doesn't mention Panorama but has been helpful in fixing Panorama problems caused by a bad font. Another useful resource is Font Management in Mac OS X. Tools that you can use to diagnose and repair font problems include Smasher (Insider Software) and FontDoctor (Morrison Software Design).

Other Problems: Some other web sites that include useful information for tracking down Macintosh system problems include MacinTouch and MacFixit. You can also find many useful utility programs on VersionTracker.

Why does the message "Corrupted permanent variable" sometimes appear when opening a database?

2007-10-18T06:05:19.083-07:00

Each time it opens a database Panorama V checks the validity of any permanent variable in that database. (Even if you haven't set up a variable yourself many Panorama wizards do set up permanent variables in your databases to store configuration information, including the Live Clairvoyance wizard, Generic Fields, Text Export, Text Import, Speech Wizard, and Hotkey Manager.) If a variable is corrupted, Panorama displays an error message and fixes the variable (any value stored in the variable is lost, however). Previous versions of Panorama would not check for corruption and would sometimes crash if there was a problem with a variable.

How do I submit a question to ProVUE's technical support staff?

2007-10-18T05:43:41.102-07:00

Visit the Technical Support Incident page to submit a question to ProVUE's technical support staff. You should make a note of the technical support incident number, which can be used to check the status of an incident. You will also receive an e-mail with any replies from our staff. The e-mail contains a link to a web page that allows you to make a further reply if necessary (use this link instead of replying directly via e-mail). At any time you can review the entire history of the incident using the Check Incident page on our web site. (Note: We do not accept technical support questions via phone or e-mail, use the submit incident page to submit all queries.)

You may also want to submit your question to the Panorama QNA discussion forum.

How do I subscribe/unsubscribe to the Panorama QNA list?

2007-10-17T22:51:38.505-07:00

The Panorama QNA (questions and answers) list is an e-mail based community discussion forum. It's a great place to share ideas and find solutions to problems. Or just lurk in the background and pick up valuable tips and tricks. This list is monitored by everyone at ProVUE, including the programmers and even the company president! See the QNA Email Forum page to subscribe or unsubscribe from this list.

I belong to the QNA list, so why can't I post a question?

2007-10-17T22:51:38.298-07:00

You can only post a question from the exact e-mail account that you used to sign up to the list. If you have more than one e-mail account make sure that you are using the one that you gave when you signed up.

Questions about Technical Support and the QNA Discussion Forum

2007-10-17T22:41:19.164-07:00

answer

Will Panorama 5.5 run on Mac OS 9?

2007-10-17T22:32:05.862-07:00

No. Panorama V is the last version of Panorama that supports Mac OS 9.

Mac OS 9 Issues

2007-10-17T22:31:54.808-07:00

answer

Panorama V tells me I need CarbonLib 1.6. Where do I get that?

2007-10-17T22:28:14.185-07:00

To run on OS 9 Panorama V relies on an Apple package called CarbonLib. This package allows properly written OS X programs to run on OS 9. Panorama requires Carbonlib 1.6, which can be downloaded from Apple's web site. For additional information about CarbonLib see versiontracker.com. (Note: Panorama 5.5 or later is not supported on OS 9, whether you have CarbonLib or not.)

I'm using OS 9. Why does a type 2 error appear when I double click on the Panorama installer?

2007-10-17T22:28:14.001-07:00

This usually indicates either an extension conflict, a corrupted CarbonLib (see above) or a more general corruption with your OS 9 installation. Panorama V will run correctly on a properly configured OS 9 system.

Why do I have to click on the blue letters when I have already purchased the software?

2007-10-17T22:28:13.856-07:00

If you are using a personal use license it could mean that your personal use license has expired. To check, open the Registration window (in the File or Setup menu). The window will indicate if your license has expired. If so you can renew your personal use license for only $9.95 for several years.

If the problem is not an expired personal use license then either the software was not ever activated correctly or the activation has been damaged. (For example, some versions of Tech Tool Pro and Carbon Copy Cloner have been known to damage Panorama's activation.) In either case the solution is the same, you must reactivate the software from scratch following the instructions above. If you've lost your serial number please see How do I find my serial number.

Questions about cross platform (Macintosh/Windows) databases

2007-10-17T22:28:13.501-07:00

answer

Why doesn't Panorama open when I double click on a database copied from the Mac to the PC?

2007-10-17T22:28:13.176-07:00

On the PC all database file names must end with the extension .pan, for example Checkbook.pan, Contacts.pan, etc. If the database doesn't end with .pan it won't open Panorama when you double click on it. You can add .pan manually or with the Platform Converter wizard. See Chapter 27 of the Panorama Handbook for more information about this wizard and setting up cross platform databases.

Why doesn't Panorama recognize a database copied from the PC to the Mac?

2007-10-17T22:28:13.016-07:00

The Macintosh uses special hidden tags (called type/creator codes) to identify the usage of each type of file. Panorama cannot recognize a database unless these tags are present. Since the PC (Windows) does not use these tags, the tags are not present when a file is copied from the PC to the Mac. You can use the Platform Converter wizard to add these tags to files copied from a Windows PC system. See Chapter 27 of the Panorama Handbook for more information about this wizard and setting up cross platform databases.

Why does Panorama refuse to open (or crash) when I open a database e-mailed from the Mac to the PC or the PC to the Mac?

2007-10-17T22:28:12.855-07:00

Unfortunately, many e-mail programs don't transfer attachments exactly, and Panorama is very picky about the exact content and length database files. If you are having difficulty opening a database originally saved on a different platform then the file was probably modified slightly by the e-mail program at one end or the other. We've found that the best solution is to compress the database with Stuffit, Winzip or a similar program and then uncompress at the other end. Another solution is to use a different method for transferring the file, for example a CD-ROM, USB drive, or network transfer.

Questions about installing and activating Panorama

2007-10-17T19:52:36.650-07:00

answer

Something happened to my computer and I forgot to/could not deactivate Panorama. How do I activate it again?

2007-10-17T19:52:35.991-07:00

Follow the instructions above for activating a new copy of Panorama. When you submit the serial number, Panorama will ask you to explain the circumstances that caused Panorama to need re-activation. Once this explanation is submitted the system will normally allow you to complete the activation process immediately. The explanation provided will be reviewed later by a member of ProVUE's staff, who will contact you to discuss the situation further if necessary.

What if my database doesn't fit in RAM?

2007-10-17T18:59:18.579-07:00

Panorama requires that the entire database fit in RAM. As shipped from the factory, Panorama normally allocates 200 megabytes of memory for databases. For most applications this is more than enough. However, if you wish to use extremely large databases you may need to increase this allocation. To do this, start by opening the Preferences dialog (from the Panorama menu) and then choose Edit Panorama Initialization File from the Special menu. This opens Panorama's Initialization file. In this file there is a line that starts with databasememory, originally databasememory 200M. Change the 200M to whatever value you want between 30M and 3000M (don't forget the M). Once you have set the new value, press the OK button, then relaunch Panorama. When launching, Panorama will attempt to allocate the amount of memory you have requested. However, if the amount requested is not available, it will allocate the largest amount possible on your system. (Note: If you set this value to larger than the physical amount of memory available on your computer, you may reduce the amount of virtual memory available for other applications. We do not recommend opening databases that are larger than the physical memory size of your computer. Panorama will open the ﬁle and operate correctly, but its performance may be severely degraded.) You can find more information about changing Panorama's memory allocation in Chapter 1 of the Panorama Handbook.

What are the operating system requirements for running Panorama?

2007-10-17T18:59:17.946-07:00

The current version of version for OS X is Panorama 6.0. For Windows the current version is 5.5.

Panorama 6.0	Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5, 10.6 (Universal Intel/PPC) Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
Panorama 5.5	Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5, 10.6 (requires Rosetta to for OS X 10.6) Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
Panorama V	Mac OS 9, 10.2, 10.3 or higher (runs "native" in OS X *)
Panorama 4.0	Mac OS 7.6 or higher (including OS X in "Classic" mode) Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista or higher
Panorama 3.0	Mac OS 6.0 to 8.6 (including 68K based computers)

* Panorama is currently not a Universal App on OS X. A universal version will be released in 2009.