Author Topic: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator  (Read 22131 times)

virtuali

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There's a known bug in MSFS which results in programs started from the EXE.XML file not being launched. It happens to me too, there are several reports on Microsoft forum about this problem, which has been reported since May:

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t/exe-xml-often-not-starting-addons-correctly/515592/66

Quoting from another user there:

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On the GSX forums there are many users saying that Couatl doesn’t start and it’s due to the EXE.XML not starting without them knowing, so they blame GSX. That’s just an example, the same could happen for every single addon based on it.

Quoting from another user there:

Quote
On the GSX forums there are many users saying that Couatl doesn’t start and it’s due to the EXE.XML not starting withouth them knowing, so they blame GSX. That’s just an example, the same could happen for every single addon based on it.

This problem has been reported on Microsoft devs forum too, in May:

https://devsupport.flightsimulator.com/questions/8061/exexml-fails-to-launch-my-simconnect-external-appl.html

This reply came directly from Asobo:

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That's an issue we're already tracking. It's related to MS Store checking the app (MSFS) has a correct licence but also checking for child apps and failing in this case.

So, clearly a bug, since it seems the MS Store tried to check the license even for child applications, something it shouldn't do.

IMatAMS

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #1 on: August 25, 2022, 09:47:45 am »
I've had this bug forever, exe.xml usually doesn't work (affects all external execuables that need to be started)

I've made a small batch file to load all the dependencies from the exe.xml in one click. Really easy to do, penty of guidance if you Google 'batch file to start multiple programs' or something like that.
Ive added Couatl to that batch file, ssmeto work fine that way.

IM

Ankh

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #2 on: August 25, 2022, 11:30:08 am »
In the official forum someone basically solved his exe.xml issue by opening the .xml in Notepad++ and forcefully saving the .xml in the UTF-8-BOM encoding. It has to be re-done as soon as anything is changed in the exe.xml by any addon or MSFS itself. So what I really wonder is: how the heck Asobo does not come up with such an easy solution...

ChazC

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #3 on: August 25, 2022, 12:11:39 pm »
That was me. Please be aware that although this works for me there’s no guarantee it’s the silver bullet!

One program still refused to run despite changing the encoding so it’s certainly not a 100% fix in any case so I suspect there’s other factors involved and it’s certainly going to be on an individual basis as some users have had no issue with the exe.xml launching add-ons at all.

Ankh

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #4 on: August 25, 2022, 02:10:50 pm »
Ok, in another forum, somebody else mentioned wrong semantics in the lines of Aerosoft VDGS, maybe checking this is worth? I think it is in the AS forums... Might be, that you (and me) had a two step issue here, one the wrong encoding and two the wrong semantics for VDGS. Still did not have time to check on my end if the encoding solves my issues, but it is a good starting point.

virtuali

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2022, 04:14:08 pm »
While I think it's possible that in SOME cases the XML file itself might be a problem, there's still an underlying issue with MSFS not loading the file, regardless if it's correct or not, because it's wrongly trying to verify the license also for the child processes, in addition to itself.

Something it cannot be able do, since none of the .exe you'll eventually start from there would use the MS Store license, either because they are freeware (like Honeycomb drivers), or because they have their own licensing system ( Fenix, GSX )

jsemmel

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2022, 12:12:09 am »
I change the encoding in EXE.XML to "UTF-8" and it's been starting every app.  Might want to try that.  Here's the first line in my file:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

virtuali

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #7 on: August 26, 2022, 12:14:50 am »
Do you added a BOM or not ?

jsemmel

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #8 on: August 26, 2022, 02:24:04 am »
I added BOM at first but MSFS2020 kept giving me CTD so I removed it and used only what you see in my post.  Even the Fenix App loads ONLY when I launch a flight using the A320.

Ankh

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #9 on: August 26, 2022, 09:25:10 am »
Ok, I took some second looks into my exe.xml and I realized that it was a complete mess, even the header got mixed up with simconnect.xml, I guess some addon did this corrupting my exe.xml. Now I tried to manually correct the whole .xml, lets see if this works now.

EDIT: not really, FSUIPC7.exe gets started correctly, couatl and Fenix does still not fire up. Funny thing: the couatl task symbol is there, but MSFS still tells me that the engine did not start and I have to manually execute the .exe to get it running. No idea why...
« Last Edit: August 26, 2022, 10:34:13 am by Ankh »

pete_auau

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #10 on: August 27, 2022, 04:05:31 am »
cant  say anything  about  the  others you had mention  but  for  the  fenix  app its  a know  issue  that if  you start the  app first it  will  work all the  time if  you  dont  its  a 50 50  chance  it  will start :)

goose66

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #11 on: August 28, 2022, 04:40:36 am »
I run MSFS in ADMIN mode and never have a problem with things not auto-starting. 
Mark AAL3 VP-HR

Leontgiscombe

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #12 on: September 13, 2022, 04:32:52 pm »
That was me. Please be aware that although this works for me there’s no guarantee it’s the silver bullet!

One program still refused to run despite changing the encoding so it’s certainly not a 100% fix in any case so I suspect there’s other factors involved and it’s certainly going to be on an individual basis as some users have had no issue with the exe.xml launching add-ons at all.

Hi,

Where is the location of the xml file please? Getting quite sick of the fact that I have to reboot msfs over and over again because fsuipc has not auto launched (also won’t let me manually launch once msfs has loaded in) I use fsuipc to interact with my VA application. It wouldn’t be so bad if msfs didn’t take 5 mins or so to load in. Never had this issue pre gsx so it’s obviously something with the couatl start up which has changed the xml file causing other apps to not auto start.

supersym

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #13 on: September 26, 2022, 01:58:09 pm »
I change the encoding in EXE.XML to "UTF-8" and it's been starting every app.  Might want to try that.  Here's the first line in my file:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

seems to work to me too  :)

sidfadc

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Re: Couatl starts manually, but not automatically with the simulator
« Reply #14 on: October 27, 2022, 11:54:30 pm »
For anyone else reading this, I changed to UTF-8 tonight to cure coualt not starting automatically.  For some reason this completely borked by hotas throttle and stick whereby any aircraft didn't react to my inputs.  I've just restored the original exe.xml and my hardware is working again.