Paint.net freezes whenever I try to save a .pdn file (or select .pdn in the save types)

[Systemic]

Whenever I try to save a .pdn file, or even select ".pdn" as the file type while saving, paint.net freezes. It still freezes even if its a blank project, as you can see with the image attached. I found out about this stupid problem the hard way - making a cool looking art piece then saving as a pdn... and losing all of my progress when the application just froze and didn't respond. Does anyone else have this problem?

 

 

[Rick Brewster]

Since this is happening when launching the Open/Save dialog, it could be a buggy shell extension -- it's not actually Paint.NET's fault, in other words.

 

If this is the case then you may have problems if you do an Open or Save in another app and from the same location (Downloads folder).

 

In order to investigate this further, I'll need you to do the following:

 

1) First, we need to make sure that the Save As dialog can actually open. If my hypothesis is right, then a file in your Downloads folder (which is the folder I see in the screenshot) is tripping up the buggy shell extension. Launch Paint.NET by using the Run dialog (right click on Start, then click on Run, or type WinKey + R) and then type in paintdotnet:/set:File/DialogDirectory=C:\ and press Enter. This will hopefully cause Open/Save to use a "safe" folder, in this case the root of your C drive (fingers crossed)

2) Once the app is open, go to either File -> Open or File -> Save As, then once it's loaded just cancel out of it. This step is needed to ensure shell extensions are loaded, although it doesn't guarantee that the buggy one(s) is/are loaded.

 

3) Go to Settings (gear icon at top right) -> Diagnostics, then click on "Copy to Clipboard". Then paste the results here in a reply. If it is a buggy shell extension, and if it get loaded by step #2, then it will show up in the list of native modules (DLLs) and it will probably stick out like a sore thumb (they all do).

[Systemic]

Hi,

sorry for not replying, I just forgot about all of this and didn't check the forum. I agree that it probably would be a corrupt or weird file in my downloads, so I switched the default path to Pictures, and now its fine.

Thanks

//s