Strange Behaviour Of Graphic Programs

[Bigaldoc]

This is something that happens to me every couple of days and I think it's unique to XP since it hasn't happened to me in Win 7 yet. I'll open up a graphics program and it doesn't matter whether it's Gimp, PSP or my newly purchased Serif PhotoPlus X3, and the ONLY tool I can use is the pan tool. Doesn't matter what tool I select, the pan tool is active (see attached onscreen symbol for a pan tool) and I can't crop, draw or anything.

I have to reboot the machine and it stops. I absolutely can't figure out the pattern of when or how it happens. Today I was doing nothing but email and browsing the web and just now tried to do some photo work and bingo, the problem is there. A reboot made it go away and I was able to get back to work.

Has anyone else ever seen this phenom and/or know what causes it?

[HansV]

That's a strange problem indeed. I found one thread in another board where a similar problem in a single problem turned out to be caused by a stuck key on the keyboard - the shortcut key for the pan tool. But as far as I know, the three programs you mention don't have the same shortcut key for the pan tool, so it's unlikely that your problem is caused by a stuck key.

[Doc Watson]

My suspicion on this would be either a Windows Update/Patch or a graphics program installation.

I'd start with a system restore back to a time before the problem started. If no joy, reset the system to it's original state and then try removing the graphics programs one by one, newest install first. PITA, but this looks like a process of elimination problem.

As always, if this damages your computer in any way, it's your fault.

[Bigaldoc]

Thanks for the suggestion, Doc, but I decline for now. First because I don't use system restore, although I do have image backups going back quite some time.

But this VERY OCCASIONAL problem has been around for a long time and I'm not willing to forego everything I've done on my computer since Heaven knows when for an irritating problem like this.

I just thought there might be an identifiable cause of such a problem that someone might have heard of. Thanks anyway...