Plan-G does not open after splash screen

[FederFlyer]

When I start Plan-G the splash screen appears for a few moments, then it disappears and the program does not start.

Versions: I've tried various 4.x... versions.

Location: I've tried running it from my documents folder, and also from c:\plan-g, plan-g4, plan-g4xxxxx, etc.

Data folder: I've tried deleting the data folder, and tried keeping the data folder but deleting the database files.

I am running Windows 11, i7 2.4 GHz

Over the years this has been my favorite flight planner. I'm returning to it after an absence of a couple of years and would very much like to use it. Any guidance will be very appreciated.

Thanks!

[Tim]

Does it create a log file? If so, could you attach it.
You may also find something in the Windows system log that is indicative.

If not, the most likely culprit is DotNet being missing or incorrect. Since v4 Plan-G comes with the DotNet libraries built in, so there shouldn't be a problem. But it might be worth installing the libraries manually in this case. Plan-G 4.2 requires DotNet 7, 4.1 required DotNet 5

[FederFlyer]

Tim,

Thank you for the timely response. And a huge thanks for your many years of contributing to the flight sim community.

Attached are log files from tests that I ran.

• Antivirus turned off.

• No other programs running on the PC.

• Ran scenarios as user and as admin (note: there are some differences between user and admin logs because folders were created in the user scenario and then they already existed when I ran the admin scenario).

• Ran 4.2 with and without .net 7.0; likewise ran 4.1 with and without .net 5.0

• Installed full .net SDKs to get core and desktop runtimes.

• Restarted the PC after each change in Plan-G versions and each install/uninstall of .net

• As suggested in a previous forum message, I ran each scenario with and without the documents/data folder. It was successfully recreated in each instance.

• As suggested in a previous forum message, I ran a couple of scenarios without the Plan-G.dll.config and/or the settings .json files. Plan-G still failed to open after the splash screen.

• Noted that the logs reference "C:\Users\Tim\source\repos\Plan-G\Data\ ..."

[Tim]

Thanks for the logs. That's showing a database schema error. But it's NOT a problem with DotNet, so that's ruled out. Both versions are showing the same error.

But I also notice from the logs that your documents folder is on OneDrive. This may well be the cause of the problem - databases notoriously hate cloud storage. If Plan-G will stay open long enough to get to the Options screen, you can change the location of the Plan-G Files folder to somewhere on your PC.

If not, you can change the location in the user.config file. You'll find that in C:\Users\(me)\AppData\Local\TA_Software\Plan-G_Url_(wibble)\ Then there's a folder for each version

Open the user.config file in Notepad or similar and search for

Code: Select all

<setting name="PlanGFilesFolder" serializeAs="String">

The line below it probably says

Code: Select all

 <value />

(which just means it has the default value)

Change this to

Code: Select all

<value>C:\Users\(me)\SomethingLocal</value>

Save it, and hopefully Plan-G will now start.

[FederFlyer]

Thank you for the detailed reply.

I temporarily switched off OneDrive and used my local documents folder, without success.

Also, no TA Software folder is created in my AppData. I checked Local, LocalLow and Roaming.

I suspect there is some obscure setting or circumstance in my PC that will prevent me from using Plan-G. It's unfortunate, because it's a great application.

[Tim]

Ok, this is speculation: it possibly doesn't create the AppData folder until Plan-G quits - that's when it normally saves the settings. So if it hasn't created it, you can't modify it.

Looks like I might have to come up with a different way of forcing a non-networked data folder...

Sorry, but this is going to take a week or two.

[FederFlyer]

Thank you for your continuing to look at this. I have switched to Aerofly, so it is no longer an issue for me. Hopefully, it has nonetheless been a productive exercise for program development, because it has been an issue for other users.

Again, thank you for your terrific support for the sim community. It is very much appreciated.

[Fox49]

Just to say i have exactly the same issue. Many thanks for any help. I Cannot fly MSFS 2020 without you great
software.
PC gamer Windows 11
75 years old french simmer for more than 20 years

[Tim]

Same question for you: are you using OneDrive to store your documents in the cloud?

If so, you will need to relocate your Plan-Gv4 Files folder to a local disk. To do this you can add a startup parameter:

docs=path

to the end of the filename in the Target box of the properties dialog;

1. Right click on the Plan-G icon and select Properties.
This must be a shortcut, not the actual program icon. If you have a shortcut in the Task Bar, you can use that (right click the task bar icon, then right click the Plan-G icon in the little menu)
2. Add docs= and the path you want to the end of the filename string in the Target box (see pic)
3. OK the dialog then start Plan-G. Plan-G will place its files in the path you have specified.

[Tim]

Oops sorry, that fix relies on build 283, which didn't get a full release - my apologies. 284 should be out sometime this week, and it'll work in that.