Broderbund Printmaster platinum 18.1 .sig files not opening in program

I have been using PrintMaster for more than 30 years. I updated every time a new version came out. It is an awesome program. Broderbund used their own file format called a .sig file. It would only open in PrintMaster. In 1998 they stopped supporting PrintMaster and made new programs. that wouldn' t open the PrintMaster Files. I had over 1,000 files then, now I have over 2500. Irreplaceable!! What is happening now is that I make a new file and save it. I made a few files this am. When i went to open them later it said "unable to read file. File type not supported." The files are still .sig files.
I create cards using graphics for Nursing Homes, servicemen and women, meals , on wheels, etc. Now i can't open some of them. But others still open. Is there to get one of the computer Guru's to make something that would open my sig files or change them to .pngs or jpegs? I can't work with pdf's or svg's or eps etc. I am a simple crafter. I would PAY for this. I am afraid the program is corrupting and will cease to operate and I will lose my mind. I can'y imagine another simple program that would not cost a fortune and still use my file formats. I don't want to do video's, just make my cards and improve my photo's. Is there ANYONE here that would consider helping me??? I can't lose all my cards, artwork, and work I have put into them. Running Windows 10 64bit

I've never used PrintMaster so it's possible that someone else may be of more help than I, however, I'd like to understand a little bit more to se if this is something fairly simple that we can get around.

First, to help my understanding...

You note that they stopped supporting PrintMaster in 1998 but also noted that you created some new files just this AM. Are those new files created with an old copy of PrintMaster or with the new program? Since they are still .sig files, I assume that you still created this with PrintMaster, is that correct?

Next, what method did you use to try to open the .sig files? Did you simply double-click on one of these riles? If so, could you go into PrintMaster and see if "File", "Open" works? For clarification, typically, when you run a program, you will have menus from which you can select "File", then "Open", and then point the program to the specific file to open. I simply want to know if trying to open the file in that manner still generates an error.

Let's start with that.

Hello H, may I call you H?

After Broderbund stopped supporting PrintMaster in 1998 they develped new PtintMaster Programs . I bought one that was PM 10. nothing like my other program at all. So I kept using PM 18 till it started messing up and found a fresh copy someone had and I used it.When I bought my Lenovo in 2015 I told Best Buy if they couldn't install my PM I would not buy the Lenovo. They installed it.

The PM file is a blue ball I just click on it and it opens the program or opens in the program if already open. I did a right click on one today and it asked what I wanted to open it with. IE, EDGE, Chrome, all things I knew I knew would not open it. I would be happy to send some files if you wanted to try and open it. Can I do that on here? I even have like 10 copies of PM 17. You would have to do a work around to install on Windows 10 if you or anyone wanted to play with it.


Thanks for any help

Okay, I think we should be able to get this to work. I'm going to be a little brief for now because I am not near primary system.

Could you please open the the version of PM that should work, then try File, Open, and tell me if you can open the file that way?

BTW, H is just fine

Hi again H

ok. Yesterday I right clicked on a PM file and clicked open. It did not open. I clicked on OPEN WITH/ It still did not open but gave me choices of files I KNEW would not open the file.

This a/m. made a card. I went to another card and right clicked on the open file an it did. My iles are stored on a 930 GB WD Elements SE plug in hard dive as my program storage has 2 or 3 copies iof each save file and wil not delete the extra files. Says it can't.

Have to go out tjhis a/m. will try the whole thing again when get back. Thanks so much, Eileen

Eileen,

What I'm specifically after is this (if this is what you tried already, apologies for not understanding):

Open PrintMaster. Just open the program, ignore all your files initially.
Within PrintMaster there should be a "File", "Open" option. I don't have PrintMaster but here is what that looks like in Notepad...


After clicking on Open, select one of your files that you are having difficulty with. Does it open successfully? I have a very specific reason for wanting to try this. I'll explain depending upon what your results are.

BTW, apologies in advance if I'm slow to respond later today. I'm a bit under the weather so I plan to be away from the computer most of the day.

- - - Updated - - -

I can go to the file on mt desktop or documents where they are stored, click o9n open and it opens or open with and select open with and PrintMaster choice opens PrintMaster when I click on it.

Okay, you just provided an important piece of information. You noted that you can select the file and choose "open with..." and that PrintMaster is choice available to you. That tells me that Windows is at least associating the file with the correct program.

So, after some research I have only a few more ideas at the moment. We know that PrintMaster 18.1 should work on Windows 7, so I'm wondering if you have tried to run the program in Windows 7 compatibility mode, or are you already doing this? Here is how to check this...

Locate the icon / shortcut that you use to start PrintMaster. Right-click on it and choose "properties". Go to the compatibility tab. Under the section called "Compatibility mode", note the state of the check box for "Run this program in compatibility mode for:". If it is unchecked, check this box and then select select "windows 7" below that. Click on "OK".

Now try once again to open a file that you were having difficulty with.

If this does not help, I would suggest going back into the section above and setting it back to how it was set before.

Other that, I do see that other people using PrintMaster 18.1 have suggested using Print Shop 23.1 to open the files created with PrintMaster 18.1. Once opened they can be saved as .JPG image file which are pretty much universally compatible with everything and then they can at least be used in other programs.

Let me know if any of this helps!

H I don't have Windows 7 I have Windiows 10. Don't know where you got that idea.
Is Print Shop 23.1 a currently running program? Just jpegs won't work for me. I need transparent pngs. I need the white of that then jpegs have around them remove.d.

Can i ask what kind of program you use?


I tried to import a png today and got a message saying it couldn't load as they didn't support ithem. Now isn't that special? You have been fantastic trying to help me H.I am just bummed.

Yes, I am aware that you are running on Windows 10. However, everything I have seen says that PrintMaster 18.1 was not designed to work on Windows 10 but that it is known to work fine on Windows 7. The whole idea of trying that setting that I suggested is to run programs that were not designed to work with Windows 10 in a special mode that may allow them to work.

Could you try my suggestion and let me know whether that helps?

As for me, I don't really do much in the way of desktop publishing so I rarely use any such programs, but I do occasionally use Microsoft Publisher (comes with the Microsoft 365 subscription).