Side-by-side error

[JohnX]

I downloaded and tried to install 1.9. Got an error stating:

"The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log or use the command-line sxstrace.exe tool for more detail".

I have run sxstrace.exe, followed by an attempt to install 1.85, (see below), but not managed to get a .txt version of it, or find the actual log on my Win 10 Pro PC, but I will keep hunting.

I Googled the issue and found it common to games apps, and the recommendation was uninstall the app and all instances of Visual C++, which I've done.

I have now reloaded all version's of Visual C++, and tried installing both 1.85 and 1.9 versions of Affinity Photo, but get the same message on both, so I am now without access to any version of Affinity Photo.

Help please!!!!

 

PS. Found this in Event Viewer>

Activation context generation failed for "C:\Users\johnd\Downloads\affinity-photo-1.9.0.exe".Error in manifest or policy file "C:\Users\johnd\Downloads\affinity-photo-1.9.0.exe" on line 0. Invalid Xml syntax.

Edited February 5, 2021 by JohnX
More information

[v_kyr]

Hi and welcome!

The following looks strange ...

23 minutes ago, JohnX said:

Activation context generation failed for "C:\Users\johnd\Downloads\affinity-photo-1.9.0.exe".Error in manifest or policy file "C:\Users\johnd\Downloads\affinity-photo-1.9.0.exe" on line 0. Invalid Xml syntax.

... since it seems to expect a XML based textual manifest/policy file, but tries to look for that instead into an executable binary file here!

How did you installed Affinity Photo on your Win system initially? - Is that "C:\Users\johnd\Downloads\affinity-photo-1.9.0.exe" the APh Win installer executable file?

[JohnX]

Just downloaded it direct from the Affinity site. The file path is simply showing where I downloaded to.

I have moved it direct to the desktop, but no change. Still fails with the same message.

I've also looked at the Microsoft store, but can't download for there without an offer code or paying, so no alternative download site.

[Sodium]

I have the same issue related to both updates to Photo 1.90 and new purchase for Designer. Both of the update file and new Designer installation files came up with the message "The application has failed to start because its side-by-side configuration is incorrect. Please see the application event log or se the command-line sxtrace.exe tool for more detail".

I tried the followings but all failed:

Repair the app:

• went to the program and feature in Control Panel and tried to repair Affinity Photo but couldn't locate the directory containing the affinitiy.msi file.
• searched the affinity.msi file on C but could not find it.
• Went to Event Viewer and saw that the error is related to "Activation context generation failed for "C:\Users\simon\Downloads\affinity-designer-1.9.0.exe".Error in manifest or policy file "C:\Users\simon\Downloads\affinity-designer-1.9.0.exe" on line 0. Invalid Xml syntax."

Remove and reinstall

• Uninstalled the app and tried to install it. Came up with the same "side-by-side" message.
• I just rolled back to the last restore point of the computer to get the Photo app back.

Any suggestions to fix the update and new Affinity installation problems?

Edited February 6, 2021 by Sodium
More info from Event Viewer

[dswartz]

Side-by-side error when attempting to install 1.9 Designer.  Have new versions of C++ and updated .Net Framework to newest.  Restarted multiple times.  Photo and Publisher installed fine.

SxsTrace -

Begin Activation Context Generation.
Input Parameter:
    Flags = 0
    ProcessorArchitecture = Wow32
    CultureFallBacks = en-US;en
    ManifestPath = C:\Users\dswar\Desktop\affinity-designer-1.9.0.exe
    AssemblyDirectory = C:\Users\dswar\Desktop\
    Application Config File =
-----------------
INFO: Parsing Manifest File C:\Users\dswar\Desktop\affinity-designer-1.9.0.exe.
    INFO: Manifest Definition Identity is (null).
    ERROR: Line 0: XML Syntax error.
ERROR: Activation Context generation failed.
End Activation Context Generation.

=================
Begin Activation Context Generation.
Input Parameter:
    Flags = 0
    ProcessorArchitecture = Wow32
    CultureFallBacks = en-US;en
    ManifestPath = C:\Users\dswar\Desktop\affinity-designer-1.9.0.exe
    AssemblyDirectory = C:\Users\dswar\Desktop\
    Application Config File =

Thanks

[v_kyr]

This message was in past often shown when some VS C++ redistributable packages (X86) and/or (x64) were missing. The Visual C++ Redistributable Packages install runtime components of Visual C++ libraries that are required to run applications developed with Visual Studio on a computer that does not have Visual Studio installed. These packages are used to install runtime components of the C Runtime (CRT), Standard C++, ATL, MFC, C++ AMP and OpenMP libraries.

See also:

• How to troubleshoot windows "SideBySide" errors

... and similar net articles about this theme!

BTW there are also ALL-IN-ONE packages of all Visual C++ Redistributable Runtimes (for example here and elsewhere on the net), though I would for security reasons let such third party packages better scan at least through Win Defender or even better download all redistributable libraries directly from Microsoft instead.

[Pirulero]

Hi,

I got this Side by side error, is that something Affinity could fix?  I am not  that technical like you all seem to be.

BR Anton

[Sodium]

I tried all suggestions but still failed to update Photo to V1.9 and install Designer (new purchase) 1.9.  I wonder if I should  reset my computer and install the software again.  All doc files are on cloud and the installation is just for the programs.

Here are what I did but failed:

• Update the Window - I noticed that .Net was updated automatically
• Removed all C++ from the computer and installed the the C++ Redistributable All in One from https://www.techpowerup.com/download/visual-c-redistributable-runtime-package-all-in-one/ (I virus scanned the Zip file before activating it)
• Restarted at least 4 times

I have created a restore point after each step just in case I mess up with the removal and updates.

I'm not so tech savvy at all.  Do you think the last resort of resetting the computer will work? Or Affinity can fix the update as suggested by Pirulero?

Edited February 7, 2021 by Sodium
More description of what I did

[v_kyr]

You should check Win system logs for crash reports and exception messages. Those logs/messages should usually give some hints for what might goes wrong here and why that Side-by-Side error occurs!

[JohnX]

Just tried loading 1.90 on to another PC but with identical Win 10 build to mine - same error message.

Can't help but think this points to Affinity Photo software  issue?

Edited February 8, 2021 by JohnX

[v_kyr]

You have to try to circle or identify the source of the error here, the best way to do so is to check the Affinity logs, system logs and especially the system crash reports here! - Everything else is just more or less try & error and probably won't give concrete hints to the cause of all evil!

[JohnX]

Now have it installed on a Win 10 v20h2 laptop. Only obvious difference between the laptop and PC's is the Win 10 version. Have checked the sidebyside reg entries on all three machines and they are identical.

Event viewer entries on the two PC's are identical to the original details in my first post - Activation context generation failed for "C:\Users\johnd\Downloads\affinity-photo-1.9.0.exe".Error in manifest or policy file "C:\Users\johnd\Downloads\affinity-photo-1.9.0.exe" on line 0. Invalid Xml syntax.

So, anybody help me please as to where I find the 'manifest or policy file'  the error refers to?

 

UPDATE. I've now updated one of my PC's to Win 10 20H2 so it matches the laptop build (see above), but Affinity Photo still won't load on the PC.

Edited February 8, 2021 by JohnX

[Dave Conlin]

I got this "side by side" error message also when I tried to install 1.9 (multiple times and downloaded twice). I have never had this kind of trouble before with my other photo editing software or Affinity. I didn't feel comfortable about following the trouble shooting tips out there on the net and uninstalling a perfectly performing version in the hope that then the update will install OK.  I have never had to do this with any other program and from the above it seems that for once I did a smart thing! I guess I'll have to give 1.9 a pass and wait for the next version if nothing is done to correct it.

[Dan C]

Hi @JohnX, @Sodium, @dswartz, @Pirulero & @Dave Conlin,

Sorry to hear you're experiencing this issue with the latest version of Affinity.

We've had reports of this previously on the forums and I note that multiple threads were resolved by downloading the update file on a separate computer and transferring the download to the Windows PC where you're having trouble updating -

As mentioned in the threads, we're not certain for the exact cause of this, but it does seem related to your Windows installation. Please do let me know if you're able to resolve the error using this method?

Extra thanks to @v_kyr for all of your assistance here, both the Affinity team and community appreciate it

[JohnX]

2 hours ago, Dan C said:

Hi @JohnX, @Sodium, @dswartz, @Pirulero & @Dave Conlin,

Sorry to hear you're experiencing this issue with the latest version of Affinity.

We've had reports of this previously on the forums and I note that multiple threads were resolved by downloading the update file on a separate computer and transferring the download to the Windows PC where you're having trouble updating -

As mentioned in the threads, we're not certain for the exact cause of this, but it does seem related to your Windows installation. Please do let me know if you're able to resolve the error using this method?

Extra thanks to @v_kyr for all of your assistance here, both the Affinity team and community appreciate it

It worked! Thanks Dan. I too have no idea why.

Thanks to everyone for their help.

[NickEley]

Downloading the update on a different computer and then transferring it to my laptop and installing it from there works but as no other programs that I have installed have given a similar error message does that not suggest the error lies within the installation file rather than a problem with the windows installation?

[Move Along People]

-

[Dan C]

Thanks for letting me know this resolved the issue for you @NickEley.

As Haakoos link above shows, this is a known Windows OS error that is system specific and not caused by the Affinity installer itself - otherwise downloading the installer on a different computer would not resolve the issue, and all of our Windows users would be having this problem!

I hope this clears things up

[Otava]

I have deinstalled and reinstalled and checked everything possible and confirmed that the problem starts with the version 1.8.5 of all three Affinity programs. All earlier versions install fine. So the development team should ask themselves what did they change.
I can add that I have had this problem some months now. In the meantime I have installed some other programs and updates without a problem. It would make sense if Affinity fixes the problem once instead of many users facing all kinds of trouble and pain.

I hope this clears something up.

PS I will try installing from another computer. Thanks for the tip!

Edited March 1, 2021 by Otava
Personal

[Dan C]

Hi @Otava,

Welcome to the Affinity forums

Can you please confirm for me, have you tried installing the latest version (1.9.1) of Affinity? When doing so, did you see any error messages on screen at all?

Do all of the versions post 1.8.5 provide this same error for you?

This issue only affects a very limited set of customers and it is a reported issue not only on the Affinity forums but also across many other websites for many other Windows apps.
That isn't meant to devalue the issue you're seeing, but it does means that currently we still believe this to be an external issue, either with your local network or Windows PC, as we have not yet seen any evidence that would prove otherwise.

Please do let us know if downloading on a different computer works, as many customers have confirmed this to resolve the issue, which would again help verify that the issue is local.

Many thanks in advance!

[dswartz]

Issue resolved.  Had to fix, update or repair all of the C++ distrubutables and downloaded the newest version from the sdk site.  Restarted x2.  Install then worked.

[walt.farrell]

3 hours ago, Dan C said:

Please do let us know if downloading on a different computer works, as many customers have confirmed this to resolve the issue, which would again help verify that the issue is local.

In a recent topic (sorry; no pointer available at the moment) the indications from another user are that the downloaded version that produced the "side-by-side" error probably was not downloaded properly (incomplete, or corrupted). I asked that they right-click on the installer and choose Properties, and then verify the Digital Signatures. They reported that there was no Digital Signatures tab, which I believe would indicate an incorrect download.

That could also explain the experience of users who have tried downloading on a different computer, then transferring the download.

[Dan C]

2 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

I asked that they right-click on the installer and choose Properties, and then verify the Digital Signatures. They reported that there was no Digital Signatures tab, which I believe would indicate an incorrect download.

Thanks Walt, this wasn't something I was aware of and certainly makes for an easy check for future customers experiencing this - I'll be sure to pass this onto the team here 

[Alfred]

56 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

In a recent topic (sorry; no pointer available at the moment) the indications from another user are that the downloaded version that produced the "side-by-side" error probably was not downloaded properly (incomplete, or corrupted).

Here, for those wondering. 

[Otava]

"Can you please confirm for me, have you tried installing the latest version (1.9.1) of Affinity? When doing so, did you see any error messages on screen at all?

Do all of the versions post 1.8.5 provide this same error for you?

Please do let us know if downloading on a different computer works, as many customers have confirmed this to resolve the issue, which would again help verify that the issue is local."

Yes, yes and yes. Also confirmed that the digital signatures tab was missing in my original downloads and present on the downloads on another computer.  

Everything working now. Thank you all!