Amanita Design forum

I don't know where to start! I bought this game with my grand daughter so we could spend special time together. Soon, there will be no further opportunities to do this. The time is special, the game is special, and my granddaughter is also special. This "time" is VERY IMPORANT to me, I'm dying! This is hard! OK.....The game...as I said in the subject line there are still people out here that can't play the game in 2012. I see this has been going on since the game came out and it appears (in a short time of searching) that no one has come up with a solution. I hope that this is incorrect and that I just haven't been able to access it. Because I don't understand how a group of young people could create such a magnificent game and not demand perfection for the posterity of their first creation. I've done my foot work in the search: learning about Sol files, Flash Players, Adobe vs Internet Explorer 9 and their errors. The fact still remains that this (sol file) error existed before all of this and if it were possible to fix Machinarium, your creative group would have done it I hope. So I'm still hoping someone will bring the fix to my attention. I've read forums, blogs, articles, copied file pathways into my computer, loaded/reloaded/loaded/reinstalled game from purchase site (GamesGate) all this and no solution. I'm tired! I've become obsessed and now I have to put it to rest. I need Help! Ether there is a fix or I want Amanita to say No there is none. PLEASE HELP!    

You haven't told us what version of the game you are playing.

iPAD?
MAC?
Windows? (which: XP, Vista, or "7")

Tell us that and we'll go from there.

Thanks for the help. Sorry of course you need that info. The hp PC is 8 months old,runs windows 7, Internet explorer 9, Flashplayer 11.1.10262 updated with current patch, or maybe that is the explorer 9/flashplayer update? I have an idea that its some process (app ?)clearing a file in Machinarium as a scheduled daily fuction. I have no cleaning app installed. I can't find the app. for FlashPlayer on PC, it's in the uninstall list, not in programs in start menu, so I can't get to any possible preferences or settings. Maybe a file needs to be moved. I'm aware of the sol file, I've found it and I am aware of the path, but after a (patch 02?)supplied at GamesGate and other suggested fixs I now can't locate it. I hope I've given you some helpful info. If there are some other questions needing answers PLEASE keep asking! THANK YOU

Well we have a topic called "Windows IE9 users losing saved games? (http://forum.amanita-design.net/index.php?topic=3564.msg10523#msg10523)" which contains the following info:  "THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY IE9.  When IE9 closes all temp files are removed.  Flash files included."  The bearer of that news, RD, then provides the text of a .BAT file which is supposed to copy the save games somewhere and then copies them back when the game starts up.  ( although no one has written back to say whether they've used this solution or if it really works... )

Rather than ask you to be our guinea pig, sausy, I would recommend that you just use the SAVE.EXE program the Amanita Design's programmer (Oldes) created to solve this issue.  You will find it in the "saves.exe = Machinarium's simple save file tool (http://forum.amanita-design.net/index.php?topic=809.msg3903#msg3903)" topic.

It's very simple:

• Download the save.exe program from here: http://machinarium.net/download/saves.exe (http://machinarium.net/download/saves.exe)
• Save it in the same directory that you have your Machinarium.exe file (namely, the folder where you installed Machinarium).
• Then run it before or after you play Machinarium - depending on whether you want to restore your last saved games or save your progress after playing for a while.

When you launch SAVE.EXE This is what you'll see:

(http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/ae23/ABoretz/Machinarium/savesEXE_1-1.jpg)

Give it a whirl and please write a follow up to let us know how things turn out.

Hi Alex! Nice to hear from you,and with this interesting info. thanks yes you're right I would not like to be the guinea pig. I had seen that posting and knew it was over what I could handle. Now, bare with me so I can get a solid understanding of what you're asking me to do. Use the Save.exe program by downloading it into the same location(directory) as the machinarium game file. OK now comes the hard part (for me at least) there are (or there were two path ways to the game file.  1. OS(C:)programs files(x86)>machinarium> inside there are 4 folders; 00,01,10,11, and the icon for machinarium app. 4,374KB and a uninstall app. 323KB. Thats all thats in the machinarium folder. Where are all the opperating files (exe files)?    #2 pathway, this the original path where I found exe.files and Sol file.which no longer exist.  OS C)users>my name>AppData>Roaming>macromedia>FlashPlayer>SharedObjects>RANDOMWORD>...then there was this which no longer exists....localhost>programfiles(x86)>machinarium> mach.exe>mach.sol   As you can see I'm confused with #1 and #2 pathes. (one having no exe. files)
Where is the directory location to download your Save.exe program? And how do I give the location when I install it?  Now, apart from that. You said to "run it before or after you play the game depending...........then there is the Reboe window I'll see when launched. I have had that window loaded before, I must have had your program downloaded a few days ago. Most likely from a posting on your site. I probably thought it had merit, downloaded it and the window opened (then I did'nt know how or what I needed to select). I was clicking trying to do something and nothing was happening so I dumped it. Try to use the window and let me know. The window asks what do you want to do? I could'nt do anything. So I need to know what I will be doing each time before and after playing the game. There you are, hope its not too confusing.

That's it!  Here's what my Machinarium folder looks like (I'm running XP and prefer viewing my files in "Classic Mode") - notice how there is a "machinarium.sol" file in there?  That was copied there by the saves.exe program when I ran it to see what would happen:

(http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/ae23/ABoretz/Machinarium/pathtoMachinarium.jpg)

So all you do is double-click on the "saves" program and you'll see that menu with the 1) 2) 3) choices...


You have to manually press either the "1", "2", or "3" key on your keyboard to activate the program.   ( it's "old school computing" but it works! ;D )

1) stores
2) restores
3) quits the saves.exe program

So what you have to keep in mind is that the IE9 browser you have installed will delete your saved games unless you save them using the saves.exe program.  And if (and when) IE9 deletes your saved games you'll now be able to restore them since you'll have saved your progress using the saves.exe program.

It's a bit of a pain... yes... but keep in mind that Machinarium was created and released BEFORE Microsoft decided to build that poison pill into IE9.  ( it may be 2012, but Microsoft is still trying to pull the worlds' strings  ::)  )

Anyway, give that a go and let us know if you are now able to keep your saved games progress.

Alex....I'm so excited, it's near I hope. One more question: What is the process during install,do I  manually find the folder to assign it's location or is it done automatically?  Another question,sorry. Do I choose "store" the first time I open "saves.exe", then I have the option to quit or What? Do I then open Mach. play for awhile, then some how open (saves.exe) and choose restore or is it the other way around. When I open after previously playing, do I select restore and it will launch at the earlier saved point? As you can tell I'm not quite there yet. Thanks for hanging in!!!

Good questions.  And I'm glad we're having this detailed a dialog about the saves.exe process as it will be helpful for other "lost saved game" souls in the future.   ;D

When you go to the link I gave you below (in that earlier post with the 3 bullet point steps to follow ) you can download the saves.exe file anywhere you want.  But where it MUST reside eventually is in the same folder that your Machinarium.exe file is.

Once that's done... then... breathe!   ;D

None of this is that "time critical", my friend.

Once you have that saves.exe program next to your machinarium.exe game program you're golden!
You just fire it off after you've played Machinarium with your granddaughter and choose "save".

Then you can open and close IE9 all you want, but your saved games file will be safe. 

The next time you want to play the game, first fire off saves.exe and choose "restore", then quit saves.exe, and continue the game where you left off.

That's the cycle as I understand it.

Write back with your results.

Hello Alex!  I'm back and I'm confused. Played the game last night and saved #1 slot, then Quit. I think both those choices for saving are not required but used them just in case. I think that the save process only requires just Quit and use the slots for points during the game incase you want to return to a specific point (is this correct)? NOW...get ready! This morning I opened/run saves.ex file from the machinarium folder. the window opened with the 1,2,3, choices I tpyed in #2 for "restore" and up comes this:  Error: manchinarium.sol file not found!  ** script error: write expected destination argument of type: file url object block   **where:restore  **near: write/binary get-machinarium.sol-file read/binary%Machinarium.sol end-message   ** press enter to quit  This does not look good. What do you think?

Alex.....Maybe I left something out, last night after playing game and saving within the game, I opened saves.exe, selected #1 and closed the window. I also started manchinarium after I got the error this morning and it was starting a new game.

Okay, I think I've figured out what went wrong for you...


The machinarium.sol file wasn't found because it wasn't there.  SAVES.EXE is *external* to the Machinarium game program.  Saving from within the game is only the first step.  You then have to launch SAVES.EXE in order to copy the machinarium.sol for safe keeping.

SAVES.EXE (using option #1) will save the machinarium.sol file to the same directory that all the rest of the machinarium files live in, but you never did that!  You just quit the game and thought that the machinarium.sol was going to be saved for you.  No!  Not with the IE9 browser deleting files behind your back (including the Machinarium.sol file)  

Your process needs to be:

1) download SAVES.EXE into the same folder as Machinarium files

2) play Machinarium and save your game progress before you quit

3) double-click to launch SAVES.EXE and choose #1 SAVE

4) turn off your computer and have a cheese sandwich (or whatever)

5) turn on your computer and launch SAVES.EXE and choose #2 RESTORE

6) play Machinarium from your last saved game


Try that.

Hi Alex! I've had a few stressfull hours (tell you why in a min.) Now, about your last post, look at my last post(maybe I left....)did I do what was needed as you stated above? by saving within then quiting, but then opening saves.exe, selecting #1 and then closeing saves.exe. Is'nt that what you are saying? (aside from that I just ClOSED the window, I did not select #3 QUIT in saves.exe to exit. may be it does not matter.) Now back to your instructions: I think I'm ok with everything up to #6 I have'nt gotten that far yet, are there going to be options as to which saved game to launch, or will it always be the last saved game? I know not explained well!     Now, as to my stressed hours. I uninstalled the game thinking the whole file needed to be downloaded again. All went well I was able to see the long pathway to Manchinarium game file. BUT, I could tell there was a Sol file in the last folder because a window opened-up and said that file was'nt able to be read because  there was no installed program able to read it. It said windows media player could not. I'm thinking where is Adobe FlashPlayer? just two days ago I spent 2hours making sure Ihad installed the current app. version. I don't have the correct # handy but something like this: 11,1011.062 close enough. And I already knew that Icould'nt access it anywhere but in the uninstall window. NOw its beging to make me wonder is FlashPlayer realy installed? Ican type Abobe Flash...and before I get finshed up comes Adobe install manager info questioning the installation. So I go the Adobe FlashPlayer download site it looks to see if I have up todate version installed and YES I DO! I'm so tired!!!   excuse please any confusion.  I'll check in with you soon!

Sorry, you are right.  I didn't fully read your last post.  ( i'm tired too )  

Yeah, sure, hitting the #3 (quit) option might be worth trying.  But, technically, hitting #1 (save) automatically copies the machinarium.sol to your Machinarium folder.  So once you "restore" before the next time you open Machinarium you should be seeing a "Resume Game" option on the main screen.  

One more thought that just came to me...  and I'm a dolt for not having considered this before, knowing that you haven't had experience with programs that require keyboard commands:
When you hit the "1" to save... are you then hitting the Enter Key to execute that command?

If you're not, then that's your problem with the saves.exe program.  Start doing that and everything should work correctly.

As for what happened when you tried to re-install the game and the Adobe Flash confusion you experienced after that... I'm sorry, but I can't help you there.  It sounds like you have Flash installed, and you probably do, but I'm not really qualified to diagnose your system for you.  I've done the best I could.  Please mess around with it for a bit - you have more than enough info scattered throughout this thread - and come back to us with an update after a few days.

I'm hopeful that you'll get it running after a few more tries!

Hi Alex!  I'm back!  I found out that FlashPlayer is a "add-on" and the info is stored in "Manage Add-ons"  if it is installed you will see it there and just need to have it enabled. The reason I mention this is that no program I have installed would open the sol. file, earlier when I had acccess to it. Anyway, I'm setting that situation aside for now. Flash is enabled and Internet Explorer 9 is maybe going to get dumped. NOW!  As for the "saves.exe program" it isn't good news.  This morning I opened the game played a while (coffee no sandwich),saved the progress by just quitting the game.(not saving a slot).  Then opened (saves.exe) selected #1 to save. entered it then quit.  Five hours later I opened saves.exe, selected #2 to restore then entered it.  I don't know how to insert quote from earlier post it is the same: Error: Machinarium.sol file not found...... The saves.exe is in the game folder!  I uninstalled/reinstalled the game from "GamersGate" yesterday, as well as the saves.exe program file from your link. They are together. Disappointing I know, you've (no we) have worked hard and maybe it was'nt meant to be. As you sleep on it, if you come up with anything let me know. I'll keep trying and I will check back every so often.  Thank You so very much, you allowed me to work through this and to gain some acceptance.

Well, at least you're becoming a master of the first several puzzles in the game!   ;D   

Next time try saving your progress before you quit.  There has been some talk here on the forum of people just quitting the game without saving and then being returned to where they left off ~ AND ~ other people saying that they quit the game that way and then had to start over again... ( i can't recall if we ever figured out why that was )

Nevertheless, keep at it!  I'm confident that one day soon you will start Machinarium and see this!

(http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/ae23/ABoretz/Machinarium/resumegame.jpg)

;)by the way, you were "accepted" here the first time you posted a question

Hi Alex, I'm back with new questions. After I saved in saves.exe #1 and entered, it said "Found Manchinarium.sol and saved" or something close to that. That tells me saves.exe functioned correctly up to that point, five hours later I got the error notice stated above that the file couldn't be found. Exactly, what does that error message say? What is it telling me? I need to know exactly to think through what my options might be. Does the error acure within saves.exe that it can't read/find the file. Was it removed/erased or couldn't read it?  I'm wondering if I should dump Internet Explorer 9 and install a new browser? So, can you translate the error message for me?  I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks

Your error message was:

Error: manchinarium.sol file not found!
** script error: write expected destination argument of type: file url object block
** where:restore 
** near: write/binary get-machinarium.sol-file read/binary%Machinarium.sol end-message   
** press enter to quit

I took the machinarium.sol out of my Machinarium games folder (the one I'm assuming was put there by SAVES.EXE), Used #2 option (restore), and this was the error I got...

(http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/ae23/ABoretz/Machinarium/noSOL.jpg)

So I am getting an "Access Error" while you are getting a "Script Error".

Specifically: "expected destination argument of type: file url object block"

All I can think to suggest is that you confirm that SAVES.EXE is in the same directory as the Machinarium.exe file you are launching to play the game AND that you've remembered to increase the amount of local storage your Flash player is saving while you play Machinarium (right click on the main screen and see)...

(http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/ae23/ABoretz/Machinarium/flashsettings.jpg)


If all this doesn't work... sausy, my friend, I'm approaching the place in my mind where I will soon suggest that you play Scrabble with your grand daughter rather than Machinarium.   ::)

ALEX...I have good news. I'm actually playing the game. We got all the way to the band concert outside the bar. All the instruments are working and the cat has chased out the vermin in the horn. What fun!  I'm infatuated with the little tin man, this guy gets-it-on he loves his dancing.   We have gotten this far over two days and probably shut down and resumed the the game ten times. I was at the point of thinking we were not going to be able to play this game together.  I had tried a couple of times since last talking with you,  but when I got up in the morning there was no saved game.  Then I changed three things.  Here is what I have found that might be responsible for the good news:  1)  I made sure to always focus on the correct process when launching saves.exe. What that means is : select option #1 to save, or #2 to restore > enter > get the error message > enter > get the script defining the error > enter to quit.  Note the times needed to (enter) to exit saves.exe.  The error messages have no affect on it working correctly if you follow the entire process.    2)   I already knew that I had Administrative control on this PC. ( make note I'll explain )  I don't know for sure if this enabled access to the machinarium game file, but some thing changed.  I right-clicked on the game app. > menu window >properties > security > edit > advanced. I looked through these windows to get clear idea of the situation.  When I first entered the windows I saw:  security > Owner Creator had Full Control permissions over Application/folders/files.  Administrators and users had less control.   Some how I was able to remove Owner Creator from the list of Group or User names with specified permissions.  Also I was able to upgrade Administrators and users to Full Control.  I mentioned earlier I am administrator on this PC and also indicated as a User in that list.  All this Only pertains to Machinarium game file Properties.   OK on to the last thing I changed :  3)  I make sure when launching saves.exe or Machinarium app. that I do it this way:  Select (left-click) > Right-click > menu > Run as Administrator.  All of this is certain on this PC.  I know very little about the inner workings of apps. and computers.  Two days ago I could not play Machinarium,  save, come back and continue the game. Now, I'm able to  save-open-save-open.  Also I'm able to play the game with my grand daughter.    Thank you Alex for hanging in, it was hard I know.  But your hard work paid off.

^{Woo Hoo!}   (http://i954.photobucket.com/albums/ae23/ABoretz/Machinarium/dance_josef.gif)




Of the three you listed I think the 3rd was the kicker.


If you look at that "Batch File (http://forum.amanita-design.net/index.php?topic=3564.msg10523#msg10523)" I mentioned in my 2nd post ( remember when I told you we didn't want to make you our guinea pig by trying to run it? )  Well, the guy that wrote it mentioned: "I have not found it necessary to run as administrator.  HOWEVER, if you need to do so on your computer, simply remove line 6 'goto noadmin' and the script will check and remind you each time."

It looks like that's what did the trick!  You need to run saves.exe as administrator.  

I don't know why.  I'm just glad that you and your granddaughter are finally enjoying the game together at last!

Now that you're on your way I'd like to suggest to you that when you've finished Machinarium, you and your granddaughter should play " Questionaut (http://forum.amanita-design.net/index.php?topic=43.msg163#msg163) " together!  ( just be sure to keep a 2nd browser window open so you can search for stuff like metric conversions and the like  ;)  )

Best to you and yours,
~A