Ian,

My XP has a DOS prompt under Program Files, Accessories. The easiest
way I have found to use the vali program is to have the vali and
flight files in the same folder. From the DOS prompt, type in
"vali-lxn.exe yourfilename.igc" and it should validate the file (or
not)or give you an error message. Be sure to use the original name of
your flight file.

I have not used SeeYou to download flight files, I always use the
manufacturer's program.

Good luck,
Steve


Ian Cant wrote in message ...
Please advise a hapless victim of software technology.

My PC uses Windows XP. How can I validate an igc file
? I can find no way to open a DOS window. With vali-lxn.exe
installed, I can tell it to run vali-lxn on a named
file. Apparently it does so; I get a second or so
of a blue window as it prepares to run, then the whole
window disappears in a flash and a new file named DBG
is generated. This file has no extension, and XP does
not know how to open it. I have tried Word and get
mainly garbage with enough text to know it was related
to the igc file, tried LXNav Tools and get 'unknown
file', tried cursing in all known human languages with
little satisfaction.

Used to work in DOS and Windows 95/98, but my old machines
died. Perhaps I can resurrect one just for this.

As an aside, does anyone else have validation problems
when downloading using SeeYou ?

Ian