1. Installation
2. Web Import Toolbar
3. Using Help

How to Install and Use MC on Windows Vista

The purpose of this topic is to summarize what we know (or, at this point, think we know) about installing/using MasterCook on Windows Vista. These suggestions were developed using MasterCook 9, but should also apply to versions 6.2 and up. See #7 below for suggestions regarding MC 5.x and 6.0.

Windows Vista ships with the User Account Control (UAC) setting turned ON. This affects many programs running on the computer, including MasterCook, by limiting their access. If you wish, you can easily toggle it OFF/ON using the switch in the User Accounts window. Open the Windows Control Panel. Open User Accounts. Open your Account. At the bottom of that screen you will find the setting. If you struggle with functionality in MasterCook and feel that you have a correct installation, you could turn off the UAC and give MasterCook another try. If it works better, then you know the problem stems from the UAC interference.

Another thing you can do is create a new shortcut to MasterCook that bypasses the UAC, as explained on Page 4 of this article: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=436 This is useful in that the UAC remains enabled to protect your computer, yet you can bypass it per program.

Otherwise, below are instructions for installing and using MasterCook if  you wish to leave the UAC turned on and not create a new shortcut to the program as explained above.

1. Installation

1. Make sure you are using a Vista user account with administrator privileges.

2. Just before installing, DISABLE antivirus and other running programs. Failing to disable the virus scanner and closing all running programs often causes a corrupt installation when these types of programs are left running and able to interfere. (Oftentimes this won't be evident until you start using the program, and it acts quirky and unusual.) It's happened to many and is easily avoided. It's best to follow the advice of the installer to CLOSE ALL RUNNING PROGRAMS prior to installing. (You may wish to disconnect from the internet while your virus scanner is disabled.)

3. Allow MasterCook to install in its default folder in Program Files.

4. RESTART your computer.

5. BEFORE USING MasterCook: In order for MasterCook to function correctly with Vista you must adjust permission for TWO THINGS: (a) for the program's shortcut icon and (b) the program's installation folder. -- YOU MUST DO BOTH!! In Vista, unlike in XP, even users with administrator privileges are treated as regular users and cannot write directly to Program Files folder (the write process appears to succeed, but changes are made to files in the user's VirtualStore folder instead of the basic folder in Program Files).

(a) PROGRAM'S SHORTCUT ICON: Right-click the shortcut for MasterCook on the desktop. On the Properties menu, Compatibility tab, checkmark only the box at the bottom to "Run this program as an administrator." Click Apply and OK.

(b) PROGRAM'S INSTALLATION FOLDER: Use Windows Explorer or My Computer and go to the MasterCook folder in your Program Files folder. Highlight the MasterCook folder, right-click, and choose Properties. On the Security tab, click the Edit button. In the next window that opens highlight: Users (computername\Users). In the lower section check the box "Full Control" and then click on apply. You should now see a window updating the security for all files in the MasterCook folder.

ADDITIONALLY: Don't forget to adjust permissions and security for other user accounts as necessary for your setup.

6. IF you used MasterCook before changing privileges: Ideally, you would change privileges before ever using MasterCook (or doing anything else with its folders). If you don't, Vista will set up folders/files in the user's VirtualStore folder for any changes, including cookbook files. So, when you go to back up your files, the VirtualStore folder is where you'd find the latest version of your personalized cookbooks. You'll want to move them (FILES) out of this folder and into the MasterCook subfolders on your computer. Do this when MasterCook is NOT running.

IF you ran MasterCook before checkmarking "run as administrator", be sure to look and see whether you have any files in a VirtualStore folder. The AppData folder is hidden so you have to adjust Folder Options to show hidden files then go to:

drive:\Users\username\AppData\Local\VirtualStore

7. A SUGGESTION FOR THOSE INSTALLING MC 5.x and 6.0: These Sierra versions of MC will try to install by default in a SIERRA folder the installer creates on the C:\ drive (in fact, these versions must be installed in a folder named Sierra or they won't work as expected). There is reason to suspect this would be unacceptable to Vista, that Vista won't allow the program to write necessary changes outside the Program Files folder. So until further testing is possible, ...

-- Follow the directions above, but, when the installer suggests a path for the install, direct the install to C:\PROGRAM FILES instead. The installer will then create a Sierra subfolder in Program Files and place the MasterCook folder within it.

-- ALSO, you might have to experiment with changing the permissions and security for your program. It might work to change security for the SIERRA folder in Program Files -- or you might need to change it for the MasterCook subfolder, or even for both.

-- If you get an error message for "The procedure entry point _except_handler4_common could not be located in the dynamic link library msvcrt.dll" you may need to rename a file. Find the msvcrt.dll file in that ...\MasterCook 6\Program\ folder and rename it msvcrt.dll.old so that this old file version won't be used. (I think Vista then defaults to using whatever version of that driver Vista came with.) This stops the "entry point" errors so that MC6 can run. [Source: MasterCook 6 on Vista]

-- You should also create a file called MasterCook.exe.local as described here: Procedure Entry Point BEFORE you install the program. It will prevent errors from appearing during the installation.

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2. Web Import Toolbar

Web Import Toolbar (requires Internet Explorer)

To use the web import bar in MC v. 8 and 9, you will need to run Internet Explorer as administrator (You will need to do this every time you wish to use IE with MasterCook.):

-- Click on Start > All Programs.

-- From the LIST of programs, locate Internet Explorer and right-click. (You MUST select the shortcut on the LIST of programs, not the IE shortcut from the top of the Start menu.)

-- Choose run as administrator

-- If the web import bar does not show up or does not seem to work, see the suggestions at Topic 31 "Web Import Bar Doesn't Work" on the FAQ webpage below. Try EACH AND ALL of the suggestions:

http://mastercook_cupboard.tripod.com/mastercook_5_error_message.htm

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3. Using Help

Mastercook Help Files

Windows Vista shipped without support for WinHelp, which is what MC uses for the built-in help files accessible directly from the program. Microsoft has since made a patch available. CLICK HERE to download it. Microsoft says, "WinHlp32.exe is required to display 32-bit Help files that have the ".hlp" file name extension. To view .hlp files on Windows Vista, you need to install this application."