Missing CVID codec

[JohnP]

This is a post for my education! There are some aspects to codecs that I do not understand and would appreciate some pointers to some (easily understandable) resources.
I've just resolved a problem on my PC with Linguaphone InAction (Portugease). The program would not run (it used to!) but came up with an Alert Box 'Problem playing Video'. I know what the introductory clip is, and the software comes bundled with Quicktime. So I try and play the clip with Quicktime, and it works, and so do all the AVI's and MOV files within the application folders.
Using Gspot on the video files however, CVID is missing (I have no idea how it got uninstalled). I have re-instated it and everything is fine.
The question is - how come I can play the files without the missing codec, but the application couldnt?

[Cornucopia]

I'm a little weak in this area, but my guess is that the particular codecs you're referring to are registered in the Windows Registry as installed via VfW and not Directshow, or vice versa, and this program you have sees it through one method, while your other apps see it through the other method...

Just a guess.

Scott