Troubleshooting guide for “Downloadable” and “Online” subscriptions

Software installation

1. Install Adobe Acrobat or Reader (if not installed yet).
2. Install the FileOpen plug-in (if not installed yet).
3. Verify FileOpen plug-in is properly installed:
   1. Windows: Open Acrobat/Reader > Help menu > About Third Party Plug-Ins
   2. Mac: Open Adobe Acrobat/Reader menu > About Third Party Plug-Ins
   3. FileOpen WebPublisher or FileOpen Client should be listed there.

Macintosh users:

To ensure that PDF files open in Adobe Acrobat or Reader and NOT in "Preview" or "PDF Viewer":

1. Open Acrobat or Reader.
2. Go to Preferences > Internet.
3. Check off "Display PDF in browser using" and select "Adobe Reader XXX" from the drop-down menu.

Mac OS 10.6

Please see instructions from Adobe:
Acrobat PDF Plug-in Does Not Load in Safari 64-bit Web Browser on Mac OS X Snow Leopard (v10.6).

MAC OS 10.7.x and Safari 5.1.x

Please see Compatibility Advisory Regarding Adobe Reader plug-in and Acrobat plug-in with Safari 5.1.

Testing your FileOpen installation

To test whether the FileOpen is installed correctly, please open the FileOpen test file. You should see the screen depicted in Figure 1.

Error message “Cannot unlock file – your local document has expired…”

Affects: All locally saved PDF files after CGO Library move to the new server

Cause

The web site has been moved to a new server.

Solution

Users accessing a PDF file saved to a local hard drive/server:
Connect to the new web site page when prompted by the PDF document, or log in to the CODES-GUIDES Online Library at Sign in to your account - Single user to access the new page and download a new copy of the Code PDF.

Users accessing a PDF file from the CODES-GUIDES Online Library Web page:
Update your bookmarks/shortcuts using the new URL for the CODES-GUIDES Online Library at Sign in to your account - Single user.

Error message "Cannot unlock file…"

Affects: Windows & Mac, Single-User Downloadable

Cause 1

Adobe Acrobat/Reader and FileOpen Plug-In were not installed prior to activation.

Solution

The publication must be reactivated (see Software installation).

Cause 2

User downloaded the PDF file but did not open it.

Solution

Open the saved PDF file to complete the activation.

Cause 3

The publication is being opened on a different computer than that on which it was activated, or the computer hardware/software has changed significantly since activation.

Solution

1. Ensure all required software is installed on the computer (see Software installation).
2. Log in to the CODES-GUIDES Online Library at Sign in to your account - Single user.
3. Activate your publication. Send a license re-set request to codesonline@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca if there are no available licenses.

Error message "No active collections"

Affects: Windows & Mac, Single-User Online

Cause 1

Subscription may have expired.

Solution

First, double-check to ensure that the subscription has not expired by logging in to the CODES-GUIDES Online Library at Sign in to your account - Single user. If the subscription appears in the list of active publications, it will show an expiration date. If it does not appear, it has likely expired.

Purchase a renewal through the NRC Virtual Store or NRC Construction Client Services.

Cause 2

Subscription still in effect: locally-saved PDF needs refreshing.

Solution

Log in to the CODES-GUIDES Online Library at Sign in to your account - Single user and download a new copy (see Error message "This document is not a well-formed PDF document…").

Error message "This document is not a well-formed PDF document…"

Affects: Windows & Mac, online subscriptions

Cause

The FileOpen plug-in times out while loading the PDF file.

Solution

Download a copy of the Single-User Online publication to your computer.

The following steps assume that you have installed Adobe Reader/Acrobat and the FileOpen plug-in (see Software installation).

1. Log in to the CODES-GUIDES Online Library at Sign in to your account - Single user.
2. Download the Code document in question and save the file (the right-click menu option may read "Download") to an easy-to-find location, such as your Desktop.
3. Locate the file using the Finder app (or on your Desktop), and double-click it to open.
4. If you receive any failures along the way, please take a screenshot and email it to codesonline@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca.

The file may reside indefinitely on your computer, but you may be prompted to provide your Usename and Password for the CODES–GUIDES Online Library to open it. The file will expire along with your subscription.

Error message “There was an error contacting the server or the server's response could not be decoded...”

Affects: all subscriptions

Cause

Computer is not connected to the Internet or local proxy blocks access to Codes-Guides Online Library server.

Solution

Check that the machine is connected to the internet. Contact your Network Administrator to ensure that the local proxy or firewall permits Adobe Acrobat/Reader to communicate with the Codes-Guides Online Library server over port 80.

Blank Adobe Acrobat/Reader window, or error message about missing components

Affects: All online & downloadable subscriptions

Cause 1

Adobe Acrobat/Reader and FileOpen Plug-In are not installed.

Solution

Before you activate or view your publications, all required software must be installed on the computer with which you will be viewing the CODES–GUIDES publications (see Software installation).

Cause 2

The PDF was not completely downloaded.

Solution

Make sure the download is finished. Open the PDF in Adobe Reader/Acrobat by using any of the usual methods for opening a PDF file.

Other PDF viewer errors

Affects: all online & downloadable subscriptions

Cause

Non-Adobe PDF software, such as Mac Preview, Mac PDF Viewer, BlueBeam, FoxIt, Nitro, etc. are often set as the default PDF viewers on certain computers, despite installation of Adobe Reader/Acrobat.

Solution

Manually open in Adobe Reader/Acrobat.

1. Ensure that all required software is installed (see Software installation).
2. Open Adobe Reader or Acrobat, go the File menu and select Open.
3. Select the publication PDF and Open.

Alternative to above: Locate the PDF publication in Windows Explorer or the Finder app, right-click on it, and choose Open With, then Adobe Reader or Acrobat.

Browser not supported

Affects: all online & downloadable subscriptions

Cause

CODES-GUIDES Online Library publications are not compatible with handheld or tablet devices.

Solution

• Windows: Use Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.
• Mac OS: Use Safari or Firefox.