Receiving Error Messages When Launching HDAs, HDIs

Problem

When attempting to run either a HotDocs Auto-Install file (HDI) or HotDocs Auto-Assemble file (HDA), HotDocs displays an error message and is unable to launch the file. The error message frequently says it cannot find hd_dispatch.exe, the application used to launch these files.

Solution

During installation, HotDocs creates certain entries in the Windows System Registry. One of these entries designates where the file hd_dispatch.exe should be found so that HDAs and HDIs can be properly run. By default, this file is usually created and registered in C:\Program Files\HotDocs. However, if you performed a custom installation and changed the program folder for HotDocs to some location other than C:\Program Files\HotDocs, this registry key was not updated with the new program files path. Because of this, HotDocs cannot run the HDA or HDI because it doesn't know where to look for hd_dispatch.exe.

To update the registry with the correct information

This workaround requires you to work in the Windows System Registry. Failure to follow these instructions carefully and entirely may result in you changing a setting that may adversely affect several other programs you use. If you are unsure of how to work with the registry, please ask your system administrator for assistance.

  1. Click Start > Run. The Run dialog box appears.
  2. In the Open field, type regedit. The Registry Editor appears.
  3. Open HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT > HotDocsHdaFile. (To update the information for an HDI file, navigate to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT > HotDocsHdiFile.)
  4. Expand the folder so you can see its subfolders.
  5. Click the DefaultIcon folder.
  6. In the right pane, double-click (Default). The Edit String dialog box appears.
  7. Change the folder path in the Value data field so that it matches the folder where HotDocs is installed. Do not remove the ,1.
  8. Click OK.
  9. In the same subfolder (in the right pane), expand Shell > open > command.
  10. Repeat steps 6 through 8, updating the folder path so that it matches the folder where HotDocs is installed. Again, do not change the information after the file path.
  11. Remember to update the file locations for both HDAs and HDIs. See step 3 in the list above.