Hi,

I have Win XP, when I run my application using right click > run as > check
'protect my computer and data from unauthorized program activity' I get an
error

Run-time error '481': Invalid picture

Why this is happening? and any fixes for that?


Thanks in advance
ab

This usually happens when an image is higher than 32 bit colours (I think,
it's ben awhile, but the problem has been documented here before).  If the
action you have coded in the checkbox deals with showing an image or icon,
then chances are the image is in fact not recognized by VB.  If you Google
the error with terms like VB and picutre or icon, the solution is out there.
I forget what it is off the top of my head.

I just tested it further. I dont think its about 32-bit color images, if I
assign the form an icon from the properties it gives errors, no matter how
many colors are there in the image. even 16 color icons gives the same
error.

On 01/09/2010 12:41, Abhishek wrote:
Standard debugging and error handling practices apply to try and find
out what it is loading.
http://hashvb.earlsoft.co.uk/Debugging

I don't know what that option does (I have no access to XP) but it
sounds like a limited user/sandbox environment.

error handling wont work since the error is not happening at some procedure.
even if you set any icon to form it produces this error when ran, seems like
a bug.

Show quoteHide quote

It's weird, that. I've just created a completely empty VB project on my XP
laptop (just one Form, no code at all, and set the Form's Icon property to
an .ico file) and the compiled exe (both native and pcode) bombs out with an
Invalid picture error when I right click the exe and select "Run As" with a
tick in "Protect my Computer", before it even shows the Form. There is of
course a warning against that option to the effect that using it might
result in some programs not working but (unless I'm mistaken) I do seem to
recall doing that before with a VB6 exe and I seem to recall it working
okay. I could be wrong on that one though. I'm wondering if it is a Service
Pack issue or something (I'm using SP6B, which I believe tightened up a
security issue with the original SP6)?

Mike

Show quote Hide quote Could the .ico file you are loading be causing the problem? How about trying
again but without the .ico file?

Neil..

No, happens with any icon file.


Show quoteHide quote

are there two versions of SP6 releases?

Show quoteHide quote

On 02/09/2010 14:41, Abhishek wrote:
SP6 and SP6 for VB only (iirc)

I know that SP6 fixed some bugs and introduced others, and I held off
installing it for a good while. When I did decide to finally install it I
noticed the download was called vs6sp6B and I just assumed that the "B"
indicated it was an updated version with the bugs fixed, but I might be
wrong on that one and the "B" might actually mean "Basic"? I can't remember
which new bugs were introduced in the original release of SP6 and so I don't
know whether the current version (if it indeed is a new version?) fixes them
or not. What I do know is that on my own XP machine I have vs6sp6B installed
and in a brand new and completely empty single Form compiled VB6 project
with an .ico file assigned to the Form (any .ico file, and I've tried dozens
of different ones) I get exactly the same Invalid Picture problem that you
are having yourself when I run the compiled exe under the conditions you
stated. Since XP and VB6 have been out for a long time and since I have
never heard of that problem before then I thought that it might just be a
new problem introduced by SP6. That's just a guess of course, and perhaps
someone here running SP5 or lower might like to perform the same test?

Mike

I tested it further it doesn't happen when we programmatically change icon.
only if we not set the icon at design time.


Show quoteHide quote

Yep. I tried that myself, but then your exe itself is stuck with the default
icon until it is run. That might not be a problem for you of course, but if
it is then you would need to change the embedded icon in the compiled exe
itself. I don't know how to do that in code, but there are ready made
utilities that can do it for you. In fact I've just done it using one such
utility and the exe icon changes okay, although the Form's icon when the exe
is run does not, so you would still need to set that in code, and you would
need to do so in such a way that did not fall foul of the restrictions of
the method of running that you have outlined, which according to this page
are quite severe:

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/aaron_margosis/archive/2004/09/10/227727.aspx

Mike

yep, i changed icon in exe using resource hacker, but that only changes exe
icon not form. for chaning form icon i used the vbaccelator code to load xp
icon from resouces and it works fine.

Show quoteHide quote

yep, the restrictions are severe but the invalid picture error should occur
since we are not doing anything. seems like a bug in the vb stdpicture
class. I discovered it a year back but ignored it since my app is running
fine even in guest account.


Show quoteHide quote

Whoa.  I read something about that not too long ago.  Hang tight, I need to
go digging for it.

- Kev

TYPO
invalid picture error should NOT occur. sorry for my bad english.


Show quoteHide quote

Okay, here you go: Error message when you run a Visual Basic application
that contains an ImageList control that uses an IPicture interface: "Error
481: Invalid Picture"  http://support.microsoft.com/kb/974899

Apparently it has something to do with a hotfix that replaces a hotfix that
did something to the VB OCX controls.

See if that helps.

there is no control or code at all on/in the form.



Show quoteHide quote

So how exactly are you changing your images?  You have to store them
someplace.  Maybe it's time to see the offending code, cause this guessing
game isn't really working out.

There is no 'offending' code, for that matter any code at all. there is no
control on form, and i am not doing anything at all in taht app, not even a
sinlge msgbox. just set the icon to the form at design time and run it under
restricted rights, read my 1st post, I have explain how to reproduce it.


Show quoteHide quote

I did read your first post.  How am I supposed to reproduce that on my
computer?

Tell me exactly what I need to do, step by step to make this happen.  Send
me the icon you are using (or post it here).  If I can make it happen on my
computer, than I can better understand what is happening.

Only on 2000, XP

1. make a vb6 project
2. set the form icon at design time, use any icon.
3. make exe.
4. right click exe > run as > current user > check 'protect my computer and
data...' > ok
5. Error

Show quoteHide quote

I tried your instructions and it errored out.  I tried not adding any icon
and it errored out with a different message "Unexpected error; quitting.".
Then I tried it with some of my VB program that use icons and they loaded no
problem.

You want to know what the difference is?  My projects use a Sub Main.  I
don't start them as a Form.  So it seems another option for you is to use a
Sub Main to load your form at startup.

- Kev


Show quoteHide quote

I tried this in a new project, and whether I use Sub Main() or not, I get
the Invalid Picture error. I already set the startup type to Sub Main, and
selected the Icon source from Form1. Here is what I have in Module1:

Option Explicit

Public Sub Main()
    Form1.Show
End Sub

I used the following icon:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual
Studio\Common\Graphics\Icons\Computer\CDROM01.ICO

I tried digitally sign the EXE, but got the same error. Adding the EXE to
"Data Execution Prevention" exclusion list doesn't make any difference.

Yes, same here. whether i use Sub Main or not, it gives me error.


Show quoteHide quote

I forgot to say that I am using XP+SP2 without the latest updates(automatic
updates are off), and VB6+SP5 with SP6 runtime. msvbvm60.dll version is
6.0.97.82.

Adding error handler to sub main doent solves the problem either, not even
on error resume next


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I think I found the reason, but I am not 100% sure. MSKB article 964421
suggests that VB uses the TEMP folder. That article is not for VB, but
perhaps for VBA.

Error 481: Invalid Picture
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/964421

The article below explains the implications of enabling "Protect my computer
and data from unauthorized program activity". One of them is running the
application with a restricted token, which means the user's profile,
including the TEMP path are not accessible.

Running restricted -- What does the "protect my computer" option mean?
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/aaron_margosis/archive/2004/09/10/227727.aspx

More search results:

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Search/en-us?query=%22Protect+my+computer+and+data+from+unauthorized+program+activity%22

I agree. I was just pointing out a way to avoid the "default icon for the
compiled exe" problem that your own workaround of setting the Form's icon at
runtime had. Using both workarounds together solves the problem, although it
is of course still just a workaround of an apparent bug in VB. But then
we've lived with workarounds of various kinds for years, and they do work
;-)

Mike

I was able to reproduce this on Windows 2000. it is happening on Windows
2000 and XP only. the 'RunAs' verb is used in vista and above to invoke the
UAC dialog and doesn't seems to cause any problem

This is the error I got on Windows 2000.
---------------------------
Access to the specified device, path, or file is denied.
---------------------------

Make a shortcut of your app, properties > check 'run as different user' > ok
then open the shortcut, it will show you the user logon dialog, enter your
user/pass and then it will display the error.

Happens even if I copy the file to temp folder and run it. tested it with
guest account, standard account and restricted account. its more serious
than XP, at least on XP we are able to lunch our app with different user,
even if its standard user, but not on 2000. the app run *fine* on both 2000
and XP if i login to guest account but i can not run the app as different
user.

the only workaround I found is that dont associate icon at design time and
set icons at runtime from resource.


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On 01/09/2010 12:41, Abhishek wrote:
Where are you running this from?
Apparently that option also restricts access to the user profile
including My documents.
If the EXE is in there, it will load, try and access its own data in the
executable and fail as it can't be found.

Does it then work if you try and run it from a shared/common location?

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