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Artisan® Troubleshooting Tips

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We love our Artisan desktop software, and we are glad that you do too! However, sometimes, Artisan may not behave as you expect it to. Artisan is just one software program on a computer that contains various pieces of hardware, other software programs, and links to websites. As a co-worker recently put it, a computer is its own ecosystem. Sometimes the hardware, programs, and websites work together, and sometimes there are conflicts.

In an effort to help you take as much ownership of your machine as possible, we have listed various problems that you may encounter, and how to resolve them. At the end is a list of things that you should routinely check to keep your Artisan and your machine running smoothly!

 

1. Artisan just closed without warning. What do I do?

This could result from graphics card drivers that are out of date. You should go to the support page for your computer's manufacturer to find the latest download that is certified for your machine. Three of the most common manufacturer's links are:

Dell - https://support.dell.com 
HP – https://support.hp.com 
Lenovo – https://support.lenovo.com 

If you have a machine from a different computer manufacturer, enter the manufacturer’s name in your web browser and look for the correct site in the list of results.


After that, if you are still having issues, you could try checking to see if there is an update to the graphics card in your machine. In order to check for an update to the graphics card, you will need to know the model and manufacturer of the graphics card in your computer.

To find the model and manufacturer of the graphics card:

  1. Type “dxdiag” in the Windows search bar.
  2. Click on “dxdiag Run command” in the search results.
  3. Click the “Display” tab when the DirectX Diagnostic Tool window displays.
  4. The important fields on this screen are the Name and Manufacturer under "Device" as well as the Version and Date under "Drivers".
    DxDiag Tool graphics card.PNG
  5. Go to your internet browser and enter the Device Name followed by "update" in your search field (if the Manufacturer is not part of the Name, add the Manufacturer as well to this search).
  6. Look for information about updating the driver in the search results.
  7. If necessary, compare the company's latest Version number and the date that version was released to the information in your DirectX Diagnostic Tool window (from step 4).

 

2. Artisan keeps "freezing" or displaying the words "Not Responding" at the top of the screen. What do I do?

Please note that “Not Responding” states are a result of multiple programs trying to access the same temporary (A.K.A. "temp”) files in Windows at the same time. Many programs – even the Windows operating system – will use temp files until a process is Saved within a program, or some type of background function is complete. Whenever there is a conflict between two programs or processes attempting to use the same temp file at the same time this message will pop up to indicate the program is stopped from working at the current time. FURTHER ATTEMPTS TO CLICK ON OTHER ACTIONS IN THE PROGRAM WILL ONLY MAKE THE PROBLEM WORSE.

In short, it is best to work slowly and wait a bit to see if your computer can finish the process on its own. If you have a lot of other programs running on the computer at the same time (such as music playing, web pages open, etc.) it would be a good idea to close those to give the Not Responding program more of the computer's energy.

If after 5 minutes your program is still frozen, you can close the software and then try the following tips in this order:

  1. Make sure Artisan is the latest version – you can find these steps in the section "Keep Artisan Running Smoothly On Your Machine" below.

  2. Check your Anti-Virus Software is not blocking the program - 

  3. Shut down your machine, wait at least 10 minutes, then restart the computer and re-open Artisan. Sometimes, especially if it has been open for hours (or even days) your machine needs the cleanup that a closure and fresh start will provide.
  4. Uninstall Artisan, shut down the computer for at least 10 minutes, then reinstall the program from a fresh download at www.forever.com/downloads as something may have not applied correctly during the software's initial installation or with an update.
  5. Check for Windows updates – you can find these steps in the section "Keep Artisan Running Smoothly On Your Machine" below.

 

3. Artisan is slow, and it takes longer than usual to add a photo to a page, move an element on a page, etc. What do I do?

This can happen for several reasons. You can close the software and then try the following tips in this order:

  1. Make sure Artisan is the latest version – you can find these steps in the section "Keep Artisan Running Smoothly On Your Machine" below.
  2. Close Artisan, wait a few minutes, then re-open Artisan and attempt the process you were having trouble with again.
  3. Empty your Recycle Bin – you can find these steps in the section "Keep Artisan Running Smoothly On Your Machine" below.
  4. Check your computer's free storage space – you can find these steps in the section "Keep Artisan Running Smoothly On Your Machine" below.
  5. Shut down your machine, wait at least 10 minutes, then restart the computer and re-open Artisan. Sometimes, especially if it has been open for hours (or even days) your machine needs the cleanup that a closure and fresh start will provide.
  6. Check for Windows updates – you can find these steps in the section "Keep Artisan Running Smoothly On Your Machine" below.

 

4. I can't see FOREVER Project options when I create a new project. What do I do?

While this issue is not widespread, some of our users have reported this issue. We are working to find a definite cause in order to fully resolve the issue. In the meantime, hold down the Shift key when selecting “Create a new project or page” and continue to hold it until you choose Project. You should now be able to see the available FOREVER Project options list!

 

5. I'm getting a message that I do not have the necessary permissions to use the software. What do I do?

You will need to Run the software as an Administrator. Please follow these steps:

  1. Close Artisan completely.
  2. Right-click on the Artisan icon on your desktop.
  3. Choose "Run as administrator" in the drop-down menu.
  4. The software will open, and you should be able to continue using the program as you expected.

 

Keep Artisan Running Smoothly On Your Machine

Make sure Artisan is the latest version

You can check your Artisan software version in our constantly updating article titled "What is the current version of Artisan®?" If you are not on the same version number listed there you can either uninstall and then reinstall the software from your FOREVER account Downloads area, or if you have Artisan 6 simply open the program and in the lower left click to Get Updates.

 

Check for Windows updates

If your Artisan is updated but your computer's Operating System isn't can mean the two are not communicating properly with each other, leading to issues using the software. Please follow the steps below to manually check for updates that need to be installed.

  1. Click the Start button then choose the Settings gear (you can also find this by clicking in the menu search bar and typing Settings to find the application) 
  2. Choose Update & Security then manually click the button to check for any updates 
  3. Anything marked "Optional" or relating to the security system can be skipped, otherwise update Windows and restart the computer 

 

Verify your computer meets software system requirements

We ask that your computer be at or above what our system requires for the software you are using. You can check those requirements through the links below.

 

Check your Anti-Virus Software is not blocking the program

Many computers are sold with basic anti-virus software installed. In some instances, we have seen that when users choose to update to a different anti-virus software, the original anti-virus software remains on the machine. This can negatively affect Artisan as two programs are now “competing” to keep your machine safe.

To verify that you only have 1 anti-virus program running on your machine:

  1. Click on the Windows Start menu.
  2. Click on the “Settings” icon (it looks like a gear).
  3. Type “Control Panel” in the search bar at the top of the “Settings” window.
  4. In the results drop-down choose “Control Panel”.
  5. Click on “System and Security” in the Control Panel window.
  6. Click on “Security and Maintenance” in the System and Security window.
  7. Expand the drop-down menu under “Security” in the Security and Maintenance window.
  8. Click on the “View in Windows Security” link under “Virus protection”.
  9. On the right, under “Who’s protecting me?”, click on “Manage providers”.
  10. Under “Antivirus”, you will see all the installed anti-virus providers on your machine. You should only see one – if there are more, you will need to decide which to remove. If you remove any, make sure that you also cancel any recurring payments.

Please note that since Artisan is such a robust program, it can accidentally trigger anti-virus software to block parts or all of the software from working properly. Now that you know who is protecting you, you can search online for the steps on how to allow the Artisan software through them!

Here are the files you should unblock, depending on the program you are using:

  • Artisan 6
    • C:\Program Files\Forever\Artisan 6 – select the Artisan6.exe (Application file, NOT the ICO file)
    • C:\Program Files\Forever\Artisan 6 – select the LocalStorage.exe (Application file, NOT the CONFIG or Application extension)
    • C:\Program Files\Forever\Artisan 6\OrderProviders\ForeverPrint – select the ForeverPrintTrayA6.exe 
  • Artisan 5
    • C:\Program Files\FOREVER\Artisan 5 – select the Artisan5.exe 
  • Artisan 4
    • C:\Program Files\Panstoria\Artisan 4 – select the PanstoriaArtisan.exe 

 

Check your computer's free storage space

Every time a project is created or added to, as well as when art kits are added, takes up space on the computer's hard drive. If there is not enough free space it can prevent software and the computer in general from operating correctly. You can check your hard drive's space through the steps below.

  1. Open File Explorer and click on This PC
  2. Check how much free space is on the C: drive (which should hold the Artisan program) as well as any other internal or external drives that may be used to hold Digital Art Kits and/or projects
    v Devices and drives (1) os 384 tree ot 474 GB
  3. If the available space is at or below 4 GB consider one of the following options: 
  • Delete any unused content on the C: drive, such as files you no longer need in your Downloads folder or photos already saved elsewhere that are still in the Pictures file.
    To note: Digital Art Kits imported into Artisan are saved in a separate area so the initial download can be deleted
  • It is safe to delete any contents of the C:\Windows\Temp folder, if you get a notification some files are still in use you can skip deleting those for now
  • Empty your Recycle Bin – see these steps below.
  • Possibly run a Disk Cleanup app (Windows 10 provides one with the program), you can find more information on this from the official Microsoft site through the link below:
    https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4026616/windows-10-disk-cleanup
  • Get a second drive either internal or external to move some content onto there

 

Empty your Recycle Bin

The items in the Recycle Bin take up space on your computer’s hard drive. This means you have less space for programs to use while you are working in them. If you have a Recycle Bin icon on your desktop, you do not need to go into File Explorer. You can just right-click on the Recycle Bin icon and choose “Empty Recycle Bin” to delete the files. YOU WILL NOT GET TO VIEW ANY OF THE FILES BEFORE THEY ARE DELETED, SO ONLY USE THIS METHOD IF YOU ARE 100% CERTAIN THAT YOU WANT TO DELETE EVERYTHING IN THE RECYCLE BIN. Otherwise please follow these steps:

  1. Open your computer's File Explorer.
  2. Double-click on the "Local Disk (C:)" drive.
  3. Find the Recycle Bin folder (it is usually at the top of the list), then double-click to open it.
  4. Open any additional folders until you can see the contents of the Recycle Bin.
  5. Click on a file to select it, then right-click on the selected file and choose "Delete".
    NOTE: You can select multiple files in this folder by holding down the Shift or Control key when selecting files. Holding down the Control key will allow you to select only the files you click on. Holding down the Shift key will select all the files between the first and last files you click on.
  6. When the confirmation window displays asking "Are you sure you want to permanently delete this file?", click "Yes".

 

Please reach out to FOREVER Support with any questions about the information above, or if you have other questions not addressed in this document. You can start a new email to support@forever.com, use the chat feature on our website, or give us a call at 1-888-FOREVER (367-3837). Otherwise, you can access the rest of our Help Center where you may find answers to other questions by going to https://forever1.zendesk.com/hc/en-us and typing your question into the search bar.

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