File properties summary greyed out

[steeve]

on win xp sp3

with certain file types like png, gif, bmp, avi, the file properties summary fields are greyed out. it's not the case with most other file types.

i use the summary feature quite often. anybody have any ideas how/if this can be fixed?

 

[Ultiweap]

Have you installed a program or change something in Windows recently.

 

[steeve]

i haven't made any major changes in windows that i can think of, but i have installed a few programs. what do you have in mind?

 

[Bobbye]

When you right click> Properties on the file> click Summary tab> if there is no input> click on Advanced. You should see it there.

There is a Simple and Advanced mode on the Summary screen. I don't know if one or the other is the default.

 

[steeve]

Thanks, Bobbye. With those file types i mentioned above, the simple and advanced options are both available, but with the simple option, the summary screen is greyed out and cannot be edtied

 

[Bobbye]

I don't have text in any of the Simple Views. I click on the Summary tab and image is already in Advanced view with the text. The 'Simple' button is at lower right with two chevrons to it's left << Simple. If I then click on Simple, there is NO text in the Summary.

 

[steeve]

yeah, but usually one is able to add text to the summary fields: title, subject, comments, etc. I use this a feature lot...enter comments so that i can remember what the files are about. then when you hover over the file icon, the data is displyed, including the stuff that i wrote.

then recently i've noticed that with certain file types windows won't allow me to enter my own stuff...

in the attached pics you can see all is good in the case of jpg files, but not so in the case of png.

 

[Bobbye]

The only other thing I can think of is to check and make sure 'Read Only' isn't checked on the properties screen. Mine looks just like your images, but the cursor is blinking and I can add content.

 

[steeve]

thanks for having a look. the file are not marked read only. it's not a big issue really. it is a bit weird though.