Troubleshooting the Error "Could not launch selected viewing application" in BeadArray Controls Reporter

The BeadArray Controls Reporter (BACR) software is used to analyze sample control metrics for Illumina Methylation Arrays. After analysis, the software generates an Excel file containing summary values for each control and sample within a project.

This article describes a known issue in which BACR displays a "Could not launch selected viewing application" error after analysis is complete and provides a workaround.

Error

After BACR completes an analysis, the View Output dialog box appears and asks:

Would you like to view the output?

Figure 1. View Output prompt after analysis is complete.

If Yes is selected, BACR may display the following error message:

Could not launch selected viewing application

Figure 2. Error message displayed when BACR is unable to open the output file automatically.

Cause

This error occurs when BACR is unable to automatically launch the output file using newer version of Excel (for example, Excel Office 365).

BACR was released in 2015 and was originally designed for systems running Windows XP with Microsoft Excel 2007. As a result, the automatic file-opening function may not be compatible with current versions of Excel.

Resolution

Although the error message is displayed, BACR still generates the output file successfully.

To access the results:

1. Navigate to the BACR output folder.

2. Locate the generated Excel output file.

3. Open the file manually using Microsoft Excel.

This workaround allows the analysis results to be viewed despite the application launch error.

References:

• BeadArray Controls Reporter Software Guide

• BeadArray Controls Reporter v1.1 Installer and Release Notes

For any feedback or questions regarding this article (Illumina Knowledge Article #6513), contact Illumina Technical Support [e-mail].