What are the system requirements to run the S.O.S. Client?

You should have a minimum 500MHz speed processor with 256MB RAM and the latest Java Runtime loaded from Sun, available HERE (Apple Java can be obtained HERE). Any Java capable system can be used, so Apple OS X 10.3 or higher, Linux, and all current versions of Windows will support the application. Be sure to maintain enough free drive space to build, save, and retain order files.

What are some reasons the S.O.S. Client won’t start or may not transmit to the lab?

There are several possible reasons why the S.O.S. Client will not start up, or in some cases not transmit to the lab. We have found it is best to go through these steps in order and always end with cleaning out Temporary Internet Files:

1. Windows XP Service Pack 2 - Settings of the new Windows Firewall can prevent the client from launching or creating an FTP connection. Try turning the firewall off or set it to prompt for exceptions such as FTP.

2. Various Anti-Virus Applications - We have found that the home use versions of the Norton Internet Security/Antivirus and McAfee Security applications can prevent the client from starting. Try disabling these temporarily if the client will not start and turning them back on after successfully starting and installing shortcuts. To do this, open Control Panel and Administrative Tools and go into Services. Find the Norton or McAfee security services (proxy agent, firewall, network monitor, etc.), right-click on them and select Stop.

3. Internet Explorer (IE) Security Settings – If set to high may block the ActiveX calls made during the client launch. Try resetting Internet Explorer’s security levels (found in IE under Tools – Internet Options – Security tab) to default.

4. Internet Explorer Pop-Up Blocker – This is a new option that installs with Windows XP SP2. Try turning this off in Internet Explorer under Tools – Pop-up Blocker.

5. Clear out your Internet Explorer cache – This can be done in IE under Tools – Internet Options. On the first tab, General, look in the center section marked Temporary Internet Files and select Delete Files. Click OK at the confirmation window, wait for the mouse pointer to return to normal from the hourglass, and try the client launch again.

6. If you have run S.O.S. before on the system and it is suddenly failing with an Invocation Exception error, after clearing out Temporary Internet Files in the steps above, remove the S.O.S. application from Java Web Start to ensure a fresh download and install. Select Start - Run, type javaws.exe and press Enter. When the Java Web Application Viewer opens, find the S.O.S. application for your lab and highlight it. In Java 1.4, select Application and Remove. In Java 1.5, click the button at the bottom to Remove Selected Application. This will remove the lab’s S.O.S. from your system along with any desktop shortcuts. To reload, go to the lab’s web site in your browser and click on the S.O.S. start link.

The S.O.S. Client is giving an “Invalid Argument” error upon startup, but I have run it before. How do I get past this?

This is usually a corruption of the launch file downloaded when the client starts. Clean out your Internet Explorer cache/Temporary Internet Files as above and re-start the client launch.

The S.O.S. Client begins to start but just vanishes from the screen leaving an hs_pid_error.txt file on my desktop. I have run it before, what causes this?

This can happen on Windows PC’s, it is caused by a Java corruption and can occur when you have several versions of Sun’s Java running on the system. When Java updates on Windows, it adds another version onto the system as opposed to simply upgrading the existing version. If this issue arises, open Control Panel on your system and open Add/Remove Programs. Find the Java Runtime versions on the system, then highlight each and remove them. Reboot the system and re-start the S.O.S. Client from the lab’s web site, this will check for Java on the system and prompt for a download and install.

I have put images into a product but the Add to Order button is not selectable – how do I add it?

If you have added images into a product but cannot add the item to the order, it means there is an empty image node somewhere. Hold down the ALT key (for PC) or the OPT key (for MAC) and the Add to Order button will become available with text “Add with Empty” and allow you to select it. You also may want to contact the lab to be sure there isn’t something you missed.

What characters cannot be used in image file names?

Kodak’s DP2 software will refuse certain characters, and while we filter most out in the S.O.S. Client, it’s still best to not use apostrophes, commas, slashes or ampersands in image file names.

How can I create a S.O.S. desktop shortcut if I skipped the option during the initial launch?

If you skipped the shortcut install, you can create the shortcuts from within Java Web Start’s Application Cache Viewer. To get there, Click Start - Run and type javaws.exe and press Enter. Find the S.O.S. application you want a shortcut for and right-click on it. Select Install Shortcuts and they will be created. If using an older Java 1.4 version, right clicking will not get a response (you may also need to click View and select Downloaded Applications to see the right list). Instead, select the S.O.S. application you want, click Application in the menu bar and select Create Shortcuts. To remove a shortcut, follow the same steps and select Uninstall/Remove Shortcuts.

I am receiving an error when the order is preparing to transmit that states it cannot find the path specified for order_accountid_xxxxxxxx_xxx.zip?

There can be 2 causes of this: 1) Verify the file has no illegal characters like a backslash in it from the My Information screen’s Account field, where N\A may be entered. Go back to the My Information screen and replace N\A with just NA, None, or NewUser. 2) Zip file corruption can occur in rare instances. Go back into the order and save it as an incomplete order; then Open the saved order. This will assign it a new random order number and you should be able to just complete the order and send it.

Can I use tiff images with the S.O.S. Client, or just jpeg’s?

Your lab has the option of allowing the S.O.S. Client to accept tiff files. Please contact your lab to check their policy; if they wish to add this ability we can do it quickly.

I am seeing some images in the S.O.S. Client turn dark, red, or not appearing at all when trying to put them into a product - what causes this?

Different cameras and their image extraction software will occasionally embed a non-RGB colorspace (like CMYK or proprietary ones) or add EXIF header data. In these cases, while the thumbnails appear fine, Java is unable to render the full image into a product - they will appear darkened, hued, or not render at all. This issue has occurred since the release of Java 1.5, so removing all Java versions and launching the S.O.S. Client from your lab’s web site link will prompt to install the final Java 1.4 version. Java 1.4 did not have any issues handling the non-standard colorspace and renders the image fine upon placement into a product. Converting these images to standard sRGB in Photoshop and/or removing the EXIF header data will allow the image to be rendered in a product.