Plan-G aborts while loading application

[FederFlyer]

I am attempting to start Plan-G, but it aborts while loading.

Windows 11 on a gaming laptop.

What happens:
1. Start Plan-G.exe
2. Splash screen is displayed for a few moments, then disappears.
3. Windows Task Manager indicates that Plan-G is not running, nor are there any related active services.

When Plan-G is started, it creates \documents\Plan-G4 Files and populates it with folders and files.

It does not create \appdata\local\TA-Software.

I found a couple of potential solutions in this forum, but they were unsuccessful. I deleted the data files, but they are simply recreated and the application aborted, just like it does with a fresh install.
I cannot delete the settings in \appdata\local\TA_Software because that folder is not created.

In the log file, there are a couple of entries that may be relevant:

Starting Plan-Gv4 build 4.0.1.262
is Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.22621.0
Plan-G Files folder is: C:\Users\rfede\OneDrive\Rick's Files\Documents\Plan-Gv4 Files
CheckCreateDatabase: C:\Users\rfede\OneDrive\Rick's Files\Documents\Plan-Gv4 Files\Data
.cctor: System.ArgumentException: Format of the initialization string does not conform to specification
starting at index 0.
 ...
 ...
Checking Logbook Schema
Initializing main window
QueryAircraftList: System.ArgumentException: Format of the initialization string does not conform to specification starting at index 0.


Does anyone have any suggestions regarding a solution?

Thank you!

[tim arnot]

That could be because your documents folder is on OneDrive.

It was very definitely a problem in v3 - because SQL Server CE won't run over cloud services. But V4 uses SQLite for the database, which is *supposed* to work across cloud drives.

Plan-G does let you move its data folder to another location, but that rather depends on you having been able to start the program (catch 22!)

One workaround you can try is to redirect your "My Documents" folder  (temporarily) to a local folder. That should allow Plan-G to start. You can then set the Plan-G Files folder to a local folder (Files->Options->Locations. It's the top entry), and afterwards relocate your My Documents folder back to OneDrive.

Meanwhile, I'll look to see if something has changed with Sqlite, and look for a better long-term fix.

Please let me know if that works (or doesn't).

[FederFlyer]

Firstly, thank you for your many years providing a great flight planner, and for supporting it like we paid for it. Even your donation page only asks for a small amount (you should increase that figure!).

I repointed My Documents, which requires registry changes if you enabled OneDrive.  Not difficult to do if you're comfortable with Regedit. After making the change and relocating Plan-G to it, the application ran once. I exited and restarted it, and it has not run since the first time. Same symptom of opening briefly and aborting.

I also tried running it from my c:\ root directory and also a USB drive, but no success.

Is there a previous version available that does not have this issue?  I have very simple needs and am OK with not having the latest features. I suspect that other users experiencing this issue would appreciate having the option of down-revving to an earlier version.

[tim arnot]

Did you change the Plan-Gv4 Files location in settings?
If you managed a clean shutdown, it will have written the settings file in appdata\local\TA_Software\...

You can edit the user.config file directly (once it exists), using something like Notepad++ (or even vanilla Notepad). Search for the entry "PlanGFilesFolder" and change the value to wherever you want it. If the entry doesn't exist, you can create it (if you haven't changed it, it probably won't be in the file).

Code Select Expand

            <setting name="PlanGFilesFolder" serializeAs="String">
                <value>C:\Users\Tim\Documents\Plan-Gv4 Files</value>
            </setting>

I've done some digging, and you definitely must have your data on a local drive, even with SQLite. I think also the Plan-G program folder needs to be on a local drive (all programs really should be run locally anyhow)

[tim arnot]

(sorry for the multiple posts - I'm doing this between several computers)

I'm not sure that reverting to an earlier version will help - this issue will still exist, and v3 had it even worse. However I'll create a sticky message with links to previous builds (they're still on the server), since that'll probably be useful to others too.

[FederFlyer]

Thank you for taking time to look at this.

I do have a user.config file.  I changed all references of OneDrive to be local folders.  I also excluded the Plan-G folders from my antivirus program, and also tried running it as an administrator. No love.

Historically, when I have this type of situation with an application I have later found that another application or a setting in Windows is interfering.  That may be the case here.