Comments on: Copy the text of all Windows error messages http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/ A technology blog covering software, mobile phones, gadgets, security, the Internet and other relevant areas. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:02:06 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Michael http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-531377 Michael Fri, 07 Nov 2008 03:38:11 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-531377 I usually do Alt-Prnt Scrn and paste the graphic (which sometimes is more valuable, being visual), but I like this too. I usually do Alt-Prnt Scrn and paste the graphic (which sometimes is more valuable, being visual), but I like this too.

]]> By: jimbo http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-226248 jimbo Fri, 28 Dec 2007 15:26:10 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-226248 Control+Insert sometimes works & the tiny Hoekey app does it Control+Insert sometimes works &
the tiny Hoekey app does it

]]> By: ismaelj http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224829 ismaelj Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:18:38 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224829 This is an *old* trick known by Windows administrators since windows NT4, but it's good to show other people! This is an *old* trick known by Windows administrators since windows NT4, but it’s good to show other people!

]]> By: Bruno 'ReX' Barbieri http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224754 Bruno 'ReX' Barbieri Wed, 26 Dec 2007 09:41:58 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224754 That is Awesome. [2] If wasn't 'cause for you, i will never know about that. Thanks for the tip. :D That is Awesome. [2]

If wasn’t ’cause for you, i will never know about that. Thanks for the tip. :D

]]> By: JC http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224685 JC Wed, 26 Dec 2007 07:09:18 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224685 you mean I was writing that stuff by hand all these years when this was all I had to do? I'll have to give this a try. Thanks for the tip. you mean I was writing that stuff by hand all these years when this was all I had to do? I’ll have to give this a try. Thanks for the tip.

]]> By: myo http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224621 myo Wed, 26 Dec 2007 04:17:39 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224621 thankssss. i didn't know too. i think most of d people dunno. i used to take screenshot too. thankssss. i didn’t know too. i think most of d people dunno. i used to take screenshot too.

]]> By: Basel http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224577 Basel Wed, 26 Dec 2007 02:45:00 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224577 That is Awesome. I used to screenshoot the error and then put it in an OCR. Man I feel like an idiot. That is Awesome.
I used to screenshoot the error and then put it in an OCR. Man I feel like an idiot.

]]> By: Jojo http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224556 Jojo Wed, 26 Dec 2007 02:09:34 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224556 Are you using Vista or XP? In WinXP, I generated a Windows error msg by copying a file and then changing the extension to something unknown. Then I tried to open the file. That generated this error msg: ******************* Windows cannot open this file: File: Copy of export Bloglines 20071006.opm To open this file, Windows needs to know what program created it. Windows can go online to look it up automatically, or you can manually select from a list of programs on your computer. What do you want to do? Use the Web service to find the appropriate program Select the program from a list ********************** Ctrl-C would not copy this error msg and the text was not selectable. Now, you can do an Alt-PrtScn to copy the error msg window and then paste it into Paint or some other app. But that's a multi-step process and annoying. Two other ways of more easily doing this include: 1. Use an old program called CopyText (http://www10.pair.com/vsap/FreeSoft.html; no longer supported) which will "usually' be able to copy the text out of Windows error msg boxes. 2. The screen capture program I use (HyperSnap; http://www.hyperionics.com/) has a function (Ctrl-T) that allows copying text from just about anything that isn't graphics. That is how I got the text above. And regardless of how you do this, anything I capture to the clipboard goes to the clipboard extender program I use (Clipmate; http://www.thornsoft.com/), which I find indispensable. I don't have to worry about immediately saving anything I copy somewhere else before it gets erased by the next copy to the archaic Windows clipboard. I've got about 15MB in this app. I edit and do all my spell-checking in Climate before I post back into the typical small posting windows. Are you using Vista or XP?

In WinXP, I generated a Windows error msg by copying a file and then changing the extension to something unknown. Then I tried to open the file. That generated this error msg:

*******************
Windows cannot open this file:

File: Copy of export Bloglines 20071006.opm

To open this file, Windows needs to know what program created it. Windows
can go online to look it up automatically, or you can manually select from a list of
programs on your computer.

What do you want to do?
Use the Web service to find the appropriate program
Select the program from a list
**********************

Ctrl-C would not copy this error msg and the text was not selectable.

Now, you can do an Alt-PrtScn to copy the error msg window and then paste it into Paint or some other app. But that’s a multi-step process and annoying.

Two other ways of more easily doing this include:
1. Use an old program called CopyText (http://www10.pair.com/vsap/FreeSoft.html; no longer supported) which will “usually’ be able to copy the text out of Windows error msg boxes.

2. The screen capture program I use (HyperSnap; http://www.hyperionics.com/) has a function (Ctrl-T) that allows copying text from just about anything that isn’t graphics. That is how I got the text above.

And regardless of how you do this, anything I capture to the clipboard goes to the clipboard extender program I use (Clipmate; http://www.thornsoft.com/), which I find indispensable. I don’t have to worry about immediately saving anything I copy somewhere else before it gets erased by the next copy to the archaic Windows clipboard. I’ve got about 15MB in this app. I edit and do all my spell-checking in Climate before I post back into the typical small posting windows.

]]> By: Ace_NoOne http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224436 Ace_NoOne Tue, 25 Dec 2007 23:02:08 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224436 I've only known this for a few months myself; probably one of the least-known trivial things about Windows... However, there are some error dialogs where this doesn't work. I assume that's because the respective applications are not using the default Windows controls, but that's just a guess... I’ve only known this for a few months myself; probably one of the least-known trivial things about Windows…

However, there are some error dialogs where this doesn’t work.
I assume that’s because the respective applications are not using the default Windows controls, but that’s just a guess…

]]> By: Jestin http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224431 Jestin Tue, 25 Dec 2007 22:57:52 +0000 http://www.ghacks.net/2007/12/25/copy-the-text-of-all-windows-error-messages/#comment-224431 This is awesome. I have worked as an IT tech for 3 years and never knew this. Thanks for the tip! This is awesome. I have worked as an IT tech for 3 years and never knew this. Thanks for the tip!

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