Frequently Asked Questions
This document answers frequently asked questions relating to Innova’s Well Planning and Engineering software.
Q1: I am getting an error message when I try to install the software?
A: Please make sure that you have administrator rights for the PC that you are installing to. For a step by step guide for software installation please see the documents IDI06-011C - Well Seeker PRO - Installation Guide and IDI06-010C - Engineering - Installation Guide. Both can be downloaded from our website at the following location: http://www.innova-drilling.com/drilling-software/documentation. In the unlikely event that you are still experiencing issues installing the software please contact us at support@innova-drilling.com.
Q2: Can I import a Compass Export file into Well Seeker Pro?
A: Yes. Simply open the Well Seeker Pro database that you wish to import the Compass Export file in to and select File > Import Compass EDM file. You can change the importing parameters by selecting File > Compass Import Settings.
Q3: I have been sent a hotfix; how do I install it?
A: If you encounter a bug with the program you will be sent a hotfix email. Normally this email will contain a link that will let you download the hotfix in the form of a .exe file.
Occasionally the hotfix will be sent as an attachment to the email. In this case the file extension will be changed to ensure that the receiving server does not strip the attached file from the email. For the hotfix to work, the recipient must change the file extension back to .exe by right-clicking on the file in windows explorer and selecting rename.
Once you have downloaded the hotfix .exe file, place it in the correct folder to activate it:
For Well Seeker Pro place the file in C:\Program Files (x86)\Innova Drilling and Intervention\Well Seeker PRO
For Engineering update place the file in C:\Program Files (x86)\Innova Drilling and Intervention\Innova Engineering
Windows will ask if you want to replace the existing file in the folder. Select yes.
Q4: My new license does not work
A: The license files for Well Seeker Pro and Innova Engineering are named WS_LICENSE.TXT and ENG_LICENSE.TXT respectively. The code within these files is different. If you get the licenses mixed up and placed in the incorrect folder, they will not work.
WS_LICENSE.TXT is placed in C:\Program Files (x86)\Innova Drilling and Intervention\Well Seeker PRO.
ENG_LICENSE.TXT is placed in C:\Program Files (x86)\Innova Drilling and Intervention \Innova Engineering.
Only one license.txt file should be placed in the above folders at any one time. If you are renewing an old license, please delete the old license.txt file and replace with the new license.txt file. You must also ensure that the file name is not changed. If the file has been renamed, even if it is in the correct folder, it will not work.
Q5.0: I am trying to add my new license to the relevant folder, but I am being told I can’t add it here because I don’t have administrative rights.
A: If you are working on a company computer it is quite possible that you do not have the required permission to add files to this directory. Check with your IT department, who will be able to give you access.
Q5.1: I do have administrative rights on my computer, but I am still being told I can’t add the license file
A: Most computers will not let the user add files to this directory directly from an email, even if the user has administrative rights. The best way to avoid this is to save the license file to the desktop and add it to the folder from there. If this does not work restart your computer and try again. If none of these things work contact support.
Q6.0: My error outputs are not matching those from Compass
A: To compare generated errors, the set up in both programs must be identical. The following points detail where potential differences may lie.
Do you have the same Magnetic data assigned to each program (Dip / Btotal / Dec)?
Is the Wellbore set up in exactly the same way – Is the plan the same, or are the surveys entered in exactly the same way?
Do you have the same error models assigned over the same range?
Are the error models used in each program identical? It is worth noting that the ipm files used in Well Seeker are compatible with Compass.
If the answer to all of the above points are yes, and the errors are still not tying in, then the easiest thing to do is supply Innova with a Compass Diagnostic file, which will contain ALL of the information required to investigate the issue. Instructions regarding where to find this file are detailed below.
To generate a Compass Diagnostic File, follow the below instructions:
When in Compass, open the Survey tools box and check the “Diagnostics” box
Open the relevant well, and then run an error ellipse report – Don’t worry about the report, you can just close it once it has been generated.
Make sure that your computer is set up to show hidden files – If you don’t know how to do this, it differs between operating systems, so best to google the required steps.
Go to the C drive and search for .txt files. This will take a while. Once the search is over, list the results with the newest at the top. The top file, should be the file you require and you can see the location based on the search.
The generated file will be named se1.txt – Every time you create a new file, the number will increase by one.
Once you have located this file, send it to support@innova-drilling.com, along with your current database and an explanation of the issue you are having.
Q7: I imported a new Coordinate Reference System (CRS) into Well Seeker and it worked as expected. I then created a new Database, and I can’t find the new CRS.
A: When you import or create a new CRS, it gets added to the database you currently have selected and will stay within this specific database. It is however only within this one database, and if you create a new database or switch to a different database (that has not had the CRS added previously) the new CRS will not be there as an option to select. The CRS will have to be imported to be able to use it.
If a new CRS is created, you can send this to Innova and it will be added to the Master CRS file, which when installed will mean any NEW databases created will contain this CRS. NOTE, adding the new Master CRS file only affects NEW databases. For Old databases, the CRS will need to be added manually by importing it.
Q8: When creating a pdf Wall Plot from the wall plot composer, the quality is not as good as I was expecting.?
A: When creating a pdf from the WPC, ensure that the print properties of the pdf writer are set to the optimal values. Ensure that the paper size is set correctly (most will have A4 portrait as default, so will need to be adjusted if printing an A0 plot) and make sure that the output resolution is set as 600dpi.
Q9: I have just tried to open the software and have been given the following Error message?
A: This error is related to windows updates which have not installed properly and may not be isolated to just Innova’s software. The only way to address this is to remove the program via the Add / Remove programs tool and then reinstall. The latest install files can be downloaded from Innova’s website www.innova-drilling.com. Removing and reinstalling the program should only take around 10 minutes to do.
Q10: I have just added a new update to Well Seeker and when I open the program, it can’t find my database.
A: Occasionally an update may cause Well Seeker to forget the location of the last database accessed. The database will remain unaffected, and all the user needs to do is point Well Seeker to the database location. This can easily be done by opening Well Seeker and selecting File – Select Database. Navigate to the database location and select the relevant database .mdb file. The original install database is located in the following folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Innova Drilling and Intervention\Well Seeker PRO; however the user can select any database they know the location of.
Q11: Where is the best place to find out information on the specifics of the software?
A: The software has detailed help files within them, which can be access via Help > Help. This will open an intuitive and informative help file, where most information can be found. Additionally, selecting Help – Open Documentation Folder, will open a folder containing all the various manuals and guides. The software manuals and guides can also be downloaded from our documentation webpage:
Q12: I have created a new database in the “C:\Program Files (x86)\Innova Drilling and Intervention\Well Seeker PRO” folder. When searching to selecting the database through Well Seeker, I can see it in this folder, but if I physically open this folder I do not see my database?
A: It is not recommended to save a new database in this location, however if the user does save their new database to this folder, the actual physical location of the database is C:\Users\Select the appropriate user\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\Innova Drilling and Intervention\Well Seeker PRO
Q13: I have imported a Compass export file and I can’t find my targets.
A: During the import process all targets are imported and stored at Field level. To assign the relevant target to Plan level, open the targets dialogue at Actual / Plan level, and then select Field from the dropdown under the Filter. This will take you to the targets at Field level, and the relevant targets can be selected by selecting the Actual / Plan check box.
Q14: I have imported a Compass export file which contained some new ipm files. Although I am able to select and use the new ipm files within Well Seeker, they do not appear to be in the “C:\Program Files (x86)\Innova Drilling and Intervention\Well Seeker PRO\IPM” folder.
A: These new ipm files will be located in the following location: C:\Users\ Select the appropriate user \AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files (x86)\Innova Drilling and Intervention\Well Seeker PRO\IPM
Q15: When I open Well Seeker, it displays the Splash Screen (pictured below) but the program then closes.
A: This issue is caused by a corrupted setup file. To solve the issue, do the following:
Navigate to the Well Seeker Pro roaming folder. By default, the address is C:\Users\YOUR USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Well Seeker Pro. You will need to enable Hidden Items in the Windows Explorer view menu to see the AppData folder.
Delete the file setupWS.ini.
Open Well Seeker Pro. Well Seeker will generate a new setup file.
NOTE: This will reset your Well Seeker program settings to their factory defaults.
If the issue is not resolved, please contact Innova support at support@innova-drilling.com.
Q16: Does Well Seeker support local database files (.mdb) located on a server i.e. OneDrive, Sharepoint etc?
A: This is not supported. Local database files should be physically stored on the computer in use.
Q17: When installing Well Seeker I get an error message saying that I am missing the MFreadWrite.dll and MFplay.dll files.
A: This error is due to the user not having the Windows Media Feature Pack installed. In most cases, this is because the user is running an ‘N’ or ‘NK’ edition of windows, which does not include the Windows Media Feature Pack as standard.
To check your edition and version of Windows, do the following:
Windows 10:
Select the Start or Windows button (usually in the lower-left corner of your computer screen).
Select Settings.
Select System and then select About. The resulting screen shows the Edition and Version of Windows.
Windows 8 or Windows 8.1:
Option 1: From the desktop
Swipe in from the upper-right corner of the screen while viewing the desktop to open the menu, and then touch Settings.
Select PC Info. Under Windows edition, the Windows version is shown.
Option 2: From the Start Screen
While on the Start screen, type computer.
Right-click the computer icon. If using touch, press and hold on computer icon.
Click or tap Properties. Under Windows edition, the Windows version is shown.
Windows 7
Click the Start or Windows button (usually in the lower-left corner of your computer screen).
Right-click Computer and choose Properties from the menu. The resulting screen shows the Windows version.
If your edition of Windows ends in an ‘N’ or ‘NK’ you will need to download and manually install the Media Feature Pack which can be download from the following Microsoft support page:
NOTE: Microsoft support for Windows 7 was discontinued in January 2020 and the download link for Windows 7 has been removed from the above page.
Q18: The database tree is missing from the main Well Seeker screen and I am unable to access any of the tree data.
A: The first place to check is the View Menu – Toolbars and Docking Windows. Check to see if the Well Seeker Database Tree option is checked.
This option needs to be checked for the database tree to display. If this option is checked and the tree is still not showing on the main user interface, then follow the below instructions:
Close Well Seeker
Open Notepad
Select File - Save and save a blank .txt file to the desktop called resetLayout.txt
Note, the file must be named exactly as above with a capital L
Paste this resetLayout.txt into the following folder: C:\Program Files (x86)\Innova Drilling and Intervention\Well Seeker PRO
Open Well Seeker. You should see the window and toolbars have all been reset to the way they were on first install, and the database tree should now be visible at the left of the screen.
Delete the resetLayout.txt file once the reset has been completed, otherwise the users Window and toolbar selection will be reset each time Well Seeker is opened.
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