Thanks for a great application!

I've been able to search PDFs before, but not lately; I'm getting "Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component." I'm using FileSeek v. 2.1.3 with Adobe Acrobat Pro, I have Process File Contents Using File Handlers turned on, I've specified *.pdf in Include files, and the File Handlers list shows a valid path to AcroRdIF.dll. I also have Reader 8.0 and 9.0, which I probably don't need. Should I uninstall them?

I've enclosed one of the PDF files that's not being searched.

Which operating system are you using? And is it 32-bit or 64-bit?

Sorry; left that out. It's Windows XP SP3, 32-bit.

What version is your Adobe Acrobat Pro?

Regarding the file you posted: I was able to search the file using Acrobat Pro 9.4.7 and FileSeek 2.1.3.

I have had competing PDF applications installed at the same time. I have found when one application required updating, it would sometimes stop the File Handler from functioning. However, when the File Handler stopped functioning, I didn't get the error you got. I just didn't get any results.

Where does the error appear? In FileSeek?

I'm using Acrobat Pro 9.4.7 as well; I checked for updates and none were available. The error appears in the Line column (not the Line # column.)

>I didn't get the error you got. I just didn't get any results.

I should have added, I get the following in the Line column when the Filter Handler doesn't work after an update to one of the PDF applications: "No File Handler for this file, searching using standard method."

If one Googles: adobe "Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component"

There are discussions of .NET, ActiveX, and COM, that might be helpful to the developers (this stuff is over my head).

What is your default PDF application (Pro or one of the Readers)? Is the File Handler's path for PDF to the default PDF application or one of the others installed?

Check this out:

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/333/333223.html

And this:

http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/328/328233.html

The following is from the 328233 page:

8. Remove multiple versions of Reader or Acrobat, and then reinstall

Adobe doesn't support multiple versions of Reader or Acrobat on the same computer. Multiple versions simultaneously installed can lead to software conflicts and errors. Uninstall all versions of Reader or Acrobat and then reinstall only one version of the product.

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I found some posts from folks who had a difficult time uninstalling Reader 8, when Reader 9 was already installed. Proceed with caution (ie backup/image before trying anything).

Thanks for your help, kevinp; I can now report success!

I uninstalled Adobe Reader X v. 10.1.1 and earlier versions of Acrobat Reader, and tried a search again.

The error message in FileSeek said no file handler was available for PDFs (and none was listed in the File Handlers list), so I reinstalled Adobe Acrobat 9 Pro v. 9.4.7 and Adobe Reader X v. 10.1.1.

Then in FileSeek I got the same HRESULT E_FAIL error as I originally did. In the File Handlers list, .pdf was present again; its path was C:\Program files\Adobe\Reader\10.0\AcroRdIf.dll.

I'm not sure what my default .pdf application was; if I clicked a .pdf link in my browser (Chrome), Adobe Reader X displayed the document within the browser. If I opened a .pdf in Explorer, it opened in Acrobat 9 Pro (a.k.a Adobe Acrobat 9.4).

So I altered the Register to make the path to .pdf files point to Acrobat 9 Pro, and also used Control Panel > Folder Options > File Types to have Windows open .pdf files with Adobe Acrobat 9.4.

Then I rebooted and searched again with FileSeek. Now it does find results in .pdf files properly. Interestingly though, for each successfully searched .pdf file listed, there's a matching one in the list that has the HRESULT E_FAIL error. Okay by me; I can just ignore them, although it would be nice to filter 'em out somehow.

The reason might be because you are using Pro 9 and Reader X (10).

Good to hear things are nearly working.