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how to open ABM extension files or restore from cCleaner registry backups

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I found a bunch of files in my My Documents/My Albums that have file extension ABM. I’m sure at some point I could view them but they are old. These don’t seem to open with anything on my pc. How did this happen and what can I do about it? I don’t want to buy any software if I can avoid it. Maybe there is a program that I have that can open them or convert them?
Is my cCleaner removing file extension on the Registry clean? I see the 2nd box on the Registry clean list says Unused File Extensions and it is checked. Can I use cCleaner to restore me and get out of this mess if I had cCleaner backup changes to the registry? I have seven backups dating back to Jan 8 of this year but I wouldn’t know how to restore from these backups.

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Clarifications

In reply to how to open ABM extension files or restore from cCleaner registry backups

Clarifications

ArcSoft PhotoBase or something similar

In reply to how to open ABM extension files or restore from cCleaner registry backups

is what you use to open the ABM files. Right-click file, choose Open With, and select the program from the list. If it isn’t there, click Browse and find the main ArcSoft executable file and choose it. Click the check box for “Always use this program to open this type of file”.

if the ArcSoft or similar product is no longer installed on your system, you need to re-install it.

This is assuming, of course, that these files were meant to be opened by double-clicking on them.

CCleaner: The REG file backups are stored in your My Documents folder. Right-click the appropriate file, select Merge. If you want to see what is in a particular file (e.g., to check that it is the backup for ABM associations which were removed), right-click the file and choose Edit.

I am part-way there but still need help

In reply to ArcSoft PhotoBase or something similar

I must have uninstalled the Kodak Picture CD software at some time in the past and that is what was needed. I got out the CDs that those photos came on and the Kodak Picture CD volume 5 issue 1 software along with Apple Quicktime 5 was on the CD and it installed.
But I can’t figure out how to open the photos off my drive with it. I was able to select options to save new pics like the ones on that disc as JPG files. Cool! I guess I will leave that box in Registry in cCleaner unchecked from now and never delete Unused File Extensions.
But now I really need to figure out how to access these 6 old album folders with the software.

I see ArcSoft folder in Program Files

In reply to ArcSoft PhotoBase or something similar

Thanks. But no I am not sure what to do. If I right click one of those albums in My Documents/My Albums and choose Open With, I don’t see ArcSoft listed. So if I click Browse and find the ArcSoft folder in Program Files, what is the executable file to open them with and where is it? I can’t seem to find one that I can try. I see 4 folders in ArcSoft called Funhouse, Photobase 3, Photoimpression 3 and Photoimpression 1.6 and I have looked through them all I think.

I don’t know the software, but

In reply to I see ArcSoft folder in Program Files

use whichever program it is that builds Albums.

Play with the Kodak application suite, and find out how to make a new album – I suggest it is PhotoImpreesions Album.

The executable file is generally one with a custom program icon, and the name ends with .exe.

But it is strange that the extensions were not re-associated when you re-installed the applications. You may want to check in PhotoImpressions for options that will do this for you – associate certain file types with the application.

Note also that the ABM files are usually just a database, and that you would still need the actual images referred to in the database still on you drive.

Try this: copy one of the ABM files to your Desktop. Change the extension from ABM to TXT. Try to open it in a text editor, and it should give you valuable hints as to the application which created it, etc.

If you cannot see file extensions, you need to enable these. If you are using, for instance, Win XP, you do it this way:
In a Windows Explorer window, Tools &rarr Folder Options → View tab → un-check “Hide extensions for known file types”.

Thanks Sean – still working on this

In reply to I don’t know the software, but

I have tried most of your suggestions but unfortunately I am confused with what I find on my pc. I read the CD’s readme.txt and it says that you need Apple QuickTime 4.0 or greater in order to create a KODAK Picture CD Picture Postcard or Road Show. I can’t figure out a way to build Albums using the Kodak Picture CD program that I have. I have played with the Kodak application suite, and can’t figure out how to make a new album or if it is even possible.
The only .exe file that I find just starts the KODAK Picture CD which only seems to display pics that were downloaded directly from a KODAK picture cd.
I made these album copies many years ago and I don’t remember if I was ever able to view them.
You said “Note also that the ABM files are usually just a database, and that you would still need the actual images referred to in the database still on you drive”. I don’t know anything about this and I am not sure how to solve it. Can you fill me in on this?
I keep running into an issue when trying to deal with this. If I do a search for the two albums that the Kodak Picture CD program can view, which are different from the 6 that I want to view, the search program in my WinXP finds them in c:\Documents and Settings\Jeff\Recent but when I look in c:\Documents and Settings\Jeff\, I don’t see a folder named Recent. The closest named folder is My Recent Documents, but clearly the Search process says just Recent.
If I could find that Recent folder (I couldn’t by manually looking or doing a search), perhaps I could just copy or move those six files into it and they would be next to the two albums that do show up in the Kodak Picture CD program, and perhaps they would just be visable then using that program.

“Recent” is just shortcuts to documents

In reply to Thanks Sean – still working on this

They are what show up under the Start Menu → My Documents. It shows the recently used documents, so you must have found them somewhere previously.

Quicktime may or may not be necessary for viewing albums.

As to the database nature of ABM files – they are just text files which list the images in the order in which they should be presented, along with any effects/transitions which might be called from the album application.

So, if you do copy an ABM file to your Desktop, rename it from AlbumName.ABM to AlbumName.TXT, you can open the file in Notepad (double-click it) and see the application name which you need to open the album, as well as the list of image files in the album.

This will be your best way to find out which program created those albums – maybe it isn’t even from that particular Kodak CD, but possibly some other application.

Arcsoft Software used to come with Digital Camera’s and some Scanners

In reply to I see ArcSoft folder in Program Files

So if you have had any of these that you removed recently that is where I would start looking.

Photobase and PhotoImpressions defiantly came with a entire range of Digital Camera’s and some scanners.

Not sure about FunHouse as I’ve never seen it but when I supplied some Specifically requested hardware the remainder of the listed ArcSoft Software often came with the device.

Col

I’m on the way to getting this resolved

In reply to Arcsoft Software used to come with Digital Camera’s and some Scanners

I contacted ArcSoft and was told to get their PhotoImpression 6. It has a built-in converter that will convert those ABM files to JPG files. I’ve downloaded it but I haven’t tried to convert yet. I will post an update after I do the converting.

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