library books downloading to wrong file, can't get them onto computer

[CuriousRE11]

After happily using ADE to load library books onto my computer for 2 years, I went and screwed it up.  I didn't have a shorcut to ADE on my desktop - the only way I was able to access it was to open Adobe Reader and then through the Adobe Reader "Help" menu, I could get to ADE.  Well, I got tired of doing that, so I played around with things and found a way to pull out ADE and make a separate icon on my desktop & start menu.  I thought everything was fine until the next time I tried to take out a library book.  Suddenly when I went to download the book, I got an error message & I noticed that the file name where the book was trying to load to had changed from "adobe digital editions" to something odd, like "ACS" plus some more stuff.  And it didn't give me the option to change it to anything else though a drow down menu or by browsing my files or anything.  I'm still able to get into ADE & use it for the books I already have downloaded, just can't download anything new.

Is there any way for me to manually change it back to the correct file name?  Is it possible for me to fix this without uninstalling & reinstalling ADE?  If I must uninstall, is it possible for anyone to give me very detailed, step-by-step instructions, as I'm okay with the basics on computers, but not so good with stuff like this.  I'm on Windows XP.  Thanks so much for any help you can offer!

[sjpt]

The initial library book download is a .acsm file, which is a sort of drm pointer to the real .epub file.

ADE opens the .acsm and does some DRM checks then downloads the .epub appropriately.

You need to ensure that ADE is the program Windows uses to open .acsm files.

What you need to do is ..... (Windows 8 version, details may be a little different for other versions).

Find a dowloaded .acsm file in Windows Explorer: it may well be in your Downloads directory.

Right click, and select 'Open With', and 'Choose Default Program'

If ADE appears in the list of available programs, choose it.

If not, choose 'More Options' and see if ADE appears.  If so, click it.

If not, 'choose 'Look for another app on this PC' and brose for ADE.

It will probably be at "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Digital Editions\digitaleditions.exe"

This should open that .acsm file now; and also set it up so that others open with ADE automatically in future.

Unfortunately, even though ADE can open .acsm files, the ctrl-O open dialog won't let you open them.

[CuriousRE11]

Thank you for the suggestion.  I tried following your instructions, but when I went to the .acsm files in my downloads directory & right clicked, there was no opton to "open with."  There was an option to "open" but it was grayed out, so I couldn't do anything with it.  The only options that appear to be available to me are "copy download link" or "remove from list."  I tried several different .acsm files and they're all the same.  Any other thoughts?  Thanks!

[sjpt]

Are you sure you were looking at the .acsm files in Windows Explorer, and not looking at them from within your browser?

Those messages sound more like typical browser messages for downloaded files, not Windows Explorer messages.

[CuriousRE11]

Thank you so much.  You were right I wasn't in Windows Explorer (I wasn't lying when I said I'm not so good with this stuff!). 

Anyway, it looks like I must've really messed something up with this file, because I followed your instructions & they all seemed to make sense, but it won't allow me to choose Adobe Digital Editions as the file to open with.  I had found some other instructions online, basically a different way of doing the same thing you instructed me to do, and I had the same problem as follows: when I go to choose which program to "open with" ADE isn't in the list of available options to choose from, so I browse for more options, I look in the "Adobe" folder, and I see Adobe Digital Editions in there as a sub-folder, but when I try to select it, nothing happens.  It won't put ADE as the file name.  I tried manually typing it in & it says file not found.  So I think I must've somehow moved the ADE file to some inaccessible place or something, but it's sort of weird since I'm still able to open ADE just fine to get to the books I already have downloaded (and it's obviously right there when I open the Adobe folder).  So I have no clue what's going on. 

Anyway, thank you for trying to help.  If you have any other thoughts they'd be greatly appreciated.

[sjpt · Accepted solution]

Try just reinstalling it, without uninstalling, and see if that helps.  It shouldn't upset your old books and settings.

As you are on XP, I suggest the slightly older v1.7.2.  (Actually, the new version has so many bugs I suggest the older one for everyone.)

1. Download it from http://helpx.adobe.com/digital-editions/kb/cant-install-digital-editions/_jcr_content/main-pars/proc...
   (see Adobe page  http://helpx.adobe.com/digital-editions/kb/cant-install-digital-editions.html for more details).
   
   
2. Click the downloaded file in your browser (or double click as appropriate for the particular browser) to start the install.
   
   
3. It will ask a few questions, just take all the easy answers.

With luck, that will make the proper file association for .acsm files.

If it doesn't, there is a chance that at least going through the rigmarole you tried above will now work.

Good luck ....

[CuriousRE11]

You are a genius!  That worked!!  Thank you so much for sticking with me until I solved it. I never would've known that it was okay to reinstall without uninstalling first, and I was afraid to try uninstalling & mess things up even further! 

Anyway, now that I've got it working again, I can tell you that this was extremely important to me, as I have a chronic illness that keeps me about 90% housebound.  So finding things I can do from home to keep myself entertained & keep my mind busy are really important -- therefore, being able to access library books without leaving the house is really huge for me.  I was very bummed to think I might have messed that up for myself.  But you fixed it for me! Thank you again, I really appreciate it!!

[sjpt]

Glad to have been of help and that you got things working ~ enjoy the books.