Red Error notification

[Alex]

It's amazing someone has to write to a help forum because there doesn't seem to be any logical , easy way to get rid of an error notification. I was trying to DL a video and got the red error notification. Now that red error notification is stuck on the two balls VDH avatar in the browser. Looked, clicked, looked some more and the red error thing won't go away. How do i get rid of it ? !

[Wild Willy]

What is amazing is that a support forum exists in which you can ask questions & any
number of fellow users are willing to help you out. I am a fellow user & I hope the
attached images will help you out. Whenever I download anything from YouTube, I always
get 2 entries in the VDH error log claiming "short content" errors have occurred. These
are spurious. No error has occurred. The download always completes successfully. The
attached images illustrate what I always do.

Do feel free to hang onto that amazement & come back often with more questions about VDH.
We are always eager to help our fellow users.

[Alex]

Thanks for replying WW. But your pictures did not open for me. And we are not on the same page anyway....which is due more to my explanation than anything else. Your error issue is not mine. What I'm trying to say is...the VDH icon in the menu bar has the red error thing,,,whatever the hell that's called. But on top of the VDH icon there's a little square red box, with number 2 in it. Signifying two errors. I just want to get rid of that damn red square box and it is AMAZING that there doesn't seem to be an easy way. So yeah..thanks for your help..

[Wild Willy]

That is unfortunate.  You really should be able to open attachments, whether they be images or other types of file.

As for our issues being different, I know they are.  My point in my images is to show you how to get rid of the red number on the VDH icon.  Once you open my images from my preceding post, you should just follow those steps.  No matter how you get the red number, you get rid of it as I show.

As alternative, less convenient ways to get rid of the red number, you can:

1. Close all browser windows.  Next time you open a browser window, the red number will be gone.  VDH doesn't remember things across browser sessions.  But like I said, this isn't usually very convenient.
2. Reload the extension.  This is not always the best idea because reloading VDH causes all inflight downloads to be abruptly terminated, almost always leaving you with unplayable files.  But it will clear the red number, however inconvenient this might be.  To reload the extension, follow instructions you can find here:

            https://groups.google.com/g/video-downloadhelper-q-and-a/c/BzPLK2YyL-s

            Look for "reload" within the text of that web page.  That will give you a link you should click.  That explains how to reload VDH.

You should find that URL I've just given quite useful for other issues as well.  You could do well to go through that thread looking for other helpful topics.  You can find one in particular I want you to read by searching for "stealth quote" within the text of that web page.  That will give you another link you should click.  Follow the advice you find there when you next post here.

[Alex]

When i click on that area of the box, .jpg you indicated...I get a box with a red X..."application not found". I have photo editors that should open the pictures, so not sure why they won't open. And as much as I appreciate you going to these lengths to help, explain, I honestly think it's ridiculous that you need to speak this "language", understand 10 different computer steps in order to do this. I have very little patience for what seems like an unnecessary hassle, computer steps,, when 99% of the time those pictures would open. And also, I would not know whether making changes to the settings will alter something I don't want to alter.

I'll definitely check out your link, the stealth thing, etc.....but I'm sure I'll just end up closing the browser. Strange thing is...I've gotten the red circle/error when downloading videos before, when one of the several choices for a particular video doesn't work. But no error notification ever stayed on the icon after I was finished, after finding a video that did work. This time that red box error thing has remained on the icon...for the first time. I do appreciate your help..even while I'm whining ;-) Thanks.

[Wild Willy]

Hey, they're computers. Sometimes you just have to jump through some hoops to get them
to do things. There is usually a certain logic to how they work, even if that logic may
be a bit ill.

I wouldn't mind seeing a screenshot of that message with the red X. My suspicion is that
the association between the file type & the application that handles it just isn't set.
You would set that in the Firefox settings dialog. I posted an image of the relevant
settings dialog above. It's the third one in the series of 4 in my preceding post, the
one with the numbered steps in it. I wouldn't mind seeing a screenshot of that from your
browser as well. You want to show the section of the scrollable options that includes
JPG.

[Alex]

Sure, you walk me through how to do a screenshot, once the box with the red x pops up and i'll send it. Just another computer step, language issue that probably takes five steps and one I don't how to do. I could take a picture of it with my camera...but when I click on your pictures and that red x/box pops up on my PC screen, you cannot right click to take a screen shot. You can't do anything until you cancel the red box pop up.

[Wild Willy]

You need to look at your keyboard for a key that says Print Screen or PrSc or PrtScr or
some variation of that. On my particular keyboard the key is labelled Print Sc. That's
the key you have to use. It is possible you might have to hold the Shift key while you
click that key. For a time, I thought I needed to use Shift+Print Sc to get a
screenshot. But I discovered by accident that I could leave off the Shift & just type
Print Sc. All the best insights are gained by accident. Keyboards are all different so
you're going to have to look carefully at yours. Once you've located that key, here's
what you do.

1. Get your red X.
2. Do your Print Screen key. This copies the current contents of your display into your
system clipboard as an image.
3. Open your favorite image processing application. You say you have several. Pick one.
MSPaint will do but any other will also work.
4. Within your image processing application, type Shift+Insert to paste the image into
the application. Commonly, Ctrl+v also works. There's probably a tool icon for Paste
that would also work. There's probably an entry on a menu, probably Edit menu, that does
Paste that would also work. Whatever works. Paste the image into the image processing
application.
5. Save the image as a JPG.

Once you've done that, come back here & include the image in a post. You can either
insert the image inline within the post or attach the image to the post. There are icons
below the composition box on this web page when you are composing your post. The paper
clip attaches a file. The little icon that looks like a mountain inserts the image
inline in your post. Pick whichever one you care to use.

But there is a second screenshot I want from you. It is your Firefox settings. I show
an example of what I'm talking about above. I've already mentioned it. I want to see
what your setting is for the handling of JPG files in Firefox.

[Alex]

I really appreciate all you're doing Mr. Willy. And I am tempted to say these things only happen to me...lol...because what seems to work for everyone else sometimes won't work for. This is probably one of those cases. i actually googled keyboard shortcuts this morning.  NONE of them work. Right now I can press the "Prt Scr" and nothing happens. Shift + prt scr and nothing happens. Several other keystrokes I saw on google...nothing happens. Without that friggin' box/red x pop up, i can do a screenshot of course. But once that pop up is on the screen.....you can't access screenshot, either by right clicking ot any of these keystrokes. Again...really AMAZING..like I said before. After i send this message I'll look and see if I can send the Firefox setting thing.

[Alex]

Okay...I changed the JPG setting to "always ask" like you said. It said "save file" before I changed it. I don't understand that really because of course i can open tons of JPG files. So as usual, more BS computer language that doesn't make sense. I HOPE changing this to always ask doesn't mean that every time I want to open a picture i will get a box asking me if I want to open. That's NOT WHAT i WANT. In fact..if it was up to me, any picture at any time would open for me when I click it. Unless it had a virus. That's the only exception.

[Alex]

And after i changed the JPG to "always ask"...and then clicking on your pictures ? Still didn't work...got the same pop up box/red x..application not found.

[mjs]

Alex, you should be able to view those attached pictures in your Gmail account without the need to download them.

[Wild Willy]

After you hit the Print Screen key, you're right. Nothing happens. But that's just
appearances. You have to trust that the keystroke put an image of your screen into the
system clipboard. Trust it. After you do the Print Screen keystroke, you have to switch
tasks to MSPaint or whatever your favorite photo application is. Then do a Paste into
that app. The image should just magically appear in the image processing application.
Don't cut or copy anything between hitting Print Screen & pasting into the image
processing application. Just do Print Screen, then immediately Paste into the image
processing application.

I believe that after you change any of those associations to Always Ask, you have to
close all browser windows & relaunch Firefox. Did you do that?

At this point, I'm looking to have you do two things, mostly as a proof we can do this:

1. Capture a screenshot & post it here.
2. Click one of my attached images & get it to display.

This has now turned into a human vs machine battle. I am determined the human will win.

[Alex]

I feel like I'm on another planet with this stuff and you are all speaking a complete foreign language. First mjs says those pictures should work in my gmail acct. Simple right ? Nope.....makes no sense to me. How do I get those pictures into my gmail acct ? Save the pictures and transfer them to a Gmail email. otherwise , I have no idea what that means. Again.,..this language, the steps you need to make sometimes make no sense to me.

And I see clipboard stuff all the time...and that's another constant pain in the a**. I know the clipboard is not an actual program, that it puts something into another program that you access. But of course when i open paint..the clipboard writing is greyed out. And i don't see it n another photo editor. So AGAIN we have language AND steps that are foreign to me. If I need to access the clipboard, it should be step one, two, three. Simple. Not some mystery where you need to know secret steps or computer programmer language to make it work.

[mjs]

All responses from this Group go to your gmail account and everything should be viewable there unless you decided to delete all those

responses in your account. Anyway click on the red dot with the number on it then you should see a trash can icon.

Clicking the trash can icon clears the red error notification.

[Wild Willy]

I don't know how to make it any simpler:

1: Generate the red X.
2. Type your Print Screen key.
3. Open MSPaint.
4. Shift+Insert.

What happens?

Same with the Firefox settings:

1. Open Firefox settings & position the page on the place where you told it to handle JPG
with Always Ask.
2. Type your Print Screen key.
3. Open MSPaint.
4. Shift+Insert.

What happens?

I hope you do understand that when I say Shift+Insert that I mean press & hold down the
Shift key (either one, doesn't matter), then click the Insert key, then take both hands
away from the keyboard.

On the subject of GMail, I can see (when I log in to Google) that your user ID in this
forum is associated with a GMail account. But I understand that that does NOT mean that
you are necessarily using GMail as your E-mail program. I am guessing from your
questions that you are not using your GMail account at all. It would not surprise me to
learn that you have not set up your GMail account. I posted here for years without ever
setting up my GMail account. I had a Google account but I never configured my GMail
account. It was only when I switched ISPs a couple of years ago that I decided to shift
my E-mail to GMail.com. However, I almost never use GMail. I use another E-mail program
instead of GMail. I personally detest the GMail user interface. The fact that all of
mjs's advice about GMail seems like gibberish to you tells me you are using neither GMail
nor your GMail account. So never mind what mjs is saying. He's assuming you are using
GMail but I suspect he is wrong. You tell us what the story is on that score.

But GMail or not, that is not the issue. I want to know what happens when you do what I
lay out at the top of this post. What happens when you Print Screen then immediately
Shift+Insert in MSPaint?

[Alex]

Wish i knew that before mjs. I ended up closing the browser to get rid of it. But that's the way it should be, without having to read through help sections, change settings, etc, etc. Thanks.

[Alex]

Okay...I finally got the clipboard image to appear in MSPaint. Showing the pop up box, red x, etc. But of course when I wanted to screenshot it....could not find or see any way to do that.

And I changed the JPG back to the way it was. It was "save file" before. Whatever it is..I don't want it asking me every time I open a pic. I don't think it will, right ? Just more non sensical computer language. You change it to "always ask" but it won't always ask..it will just open the pictures. That makes a lot of sense. And it didn't make any difference when I changed it to "always ask". Still couldn't open those pictures.

And you are right....I don't use Gmail as my email program. Am very rarely on Gmail. All my regular email goes through another email program.

[Wild Willy]

You're so close. Once you've got the image into MSPaint, THAT IS THE SCREENSHOT. Just
do a Save as JPG from MSPaint. That creates a file which you can then attach here. When
somebody here asks you for a screenshot, just go through the same steps.

As for the business with Always Ask vs something else, I'm still baffled. Where you
selected Always Ask, one of the other options on that drop-down is Other.

Click Other.
That gives you a list of applications from which you can choose. Choose Firefox.
Then close all browser windows.

Next time you launch Firefox, you should be able to click on any attached images here &
they will just open in another Firefox window.

[Alex]

Tell me if it worked ? :-)

[Wild Willy]

Well . . .  You attached a file to a post.  But you already did that earlier.  But it's not an image.  It appears to be a page of HTML for some unknown web page.  This is not exactly what we are trying to do.  Do this:

Display your Firefox settings showing what action you've selected for JPG files.
While you can see that on your monitor, press the Print Screen key.
Immediately go into MSPaint & do Shift+Insert.  That should paste the screenshot into MSPaint.  You should see an image of whatever was on your monitor at the moment you pressed Print Screen.
Save that as JPG.  JPG.  Not HTML.  JPG.  Here's what I'm talking about.

Attach that image file to a post.

After you've done that, click your own attachment.  What happens?

[Alex]

When I get the image in MS Paint, with the red x/box, I go to file and the only choice I have is to "save page as".

I click on that and save it to my desktop. Why that is not the picture I just saved is just more computer programmer nonsense that makes no sense. It's a joke.

I'm sorry Willy. you've been great but this is ridiculous. There is no "save as" like you have displayed in the picture...it's only "save page as'..and this is what happens. This is why I want the simplest way possible. Click the garbage can and get rid of the red mark. Not three days of try this, try that..... 25 steps to figure out how to copy and paste and friggin' page. Even the JPG thing you told me to change to Firefox. I went in there, clicked on other, clicked on Firefox, clicked okay and it didn't change. It remained "save file". Is that because I'm already in Firefox ? Maybe..but it's just more confusing BS. I CAN NOT STAND THIS STUFF.....it's one illogical, maddening thing after another.

[Wild Willy]

Save page as . . .

That doesn't sound right. That sounds like whatever your Print Screen key generated was
a text file, not an image. I tried just now to paste some text I had done a copy on &
MSPaint wouldn't even let me paste it in. I don't know what's happening. I wish I could
stand behind you & watch over your shoulder while you're doing this. When I click my
Print Screen key, it creates an image of my desktop, not a text file. That's how I've
been posting images. As far as I know, that's how everybody posts images here.

OK. I'm willing to give up at this point.

[Alex]

I could always take a picture of the screen when I have the image up there. Save that picture to my computer and send that ? Believe me, the image is there in MS Paint, with the pop up box, red x, showing the background of the Video Downloader site of course. What happens after that..is some illogical computer stuff that takes a week to figure out. It's not that I want to give up.....it just shouldn't happen in the first place. I wanted to get rid of a red mark on the VDH icon and here we are three days later. I always do "save as" or just plain "save" with pictures, etc. When I hit shift and paste and the image appeared I went straight to file...and it was "save page as" so i had no other choice.

Do you want me to take a pic of the image and attach it here ?

[Wild Willy]

I suspected that your Print Screen key wasn't capturing an image. But that seems to not
be the case. I think it would be more interesting to take a photo of your MSPaint
window. I'm astonished that it doesn't allow you the option to save an image in some
form of image format. Saving an image as text is as senseless to me as it is to you. I
admit I'm lost here.

[Alex]

Check out picture below. When using generic Paint that I got from goggling...it did not have the same functions, or look exactly the same. So I thought...maybe my paint, the one I've used a million times to access my pics ,etc...maybe that one function a little different than the one that comes up when you google it. And WALA....as soon as I put the image in MY paint....all the functions were there and i was able to send you the screenshot. And every time I hit print screen... the other photo I sent appeared on my desktop. So hilarious, ridiculous but......we did get the screenshot ;-)

[Wild Willy]

That is the best possible news! No wonder I couldn't figure it out.

You aren't restricted to MSPaint, either. You can use any image processing application.
You said you had a few of those. Anything that can save an image works fine. I pretty
much never use MSPaint myself. I have a bit of freeware called FastStone Image Viewer
that I use for pretty much every image I ever post here.

Plus it appears you can finally see the images I attached to my first post upthread here.

I think we're all good here now.

[Alex]

Uhhh...lol, no..I still can't see the pics you posted. The image I sent is what happens when I click on your pics. You see the red X, pop up box saying "application not found". That's what happens....so I cannot see the pics.

[Wild Willy]

But you attached image #01-8.jpg to your previous post. That image is the first one I
posted upthread. I'm confused.

[Alex]

I am confused too by the that #01-8.jpg  picture. All i know was every time I clicked on those three pictures you sent in your first post...I got that picture. I deleted 20-25 of them !... over and over again while I was trying to print the other VDH image in paint. That 01.8 pic would keep going on my desktop every time I hit the prt scan keyboard button....was 01.1, 01.2, 01.3, etc, etc. Like I said...I had to delete at least 20 of them. So that's on my desktop. But when i click  your pictures in this thread, I get the pop up box with the red x..."application not found" and the pictures won't open. Makes perfect sense of course, right ?...lol.