AICarriers Aggravation

[TARPSBird]

My AICarriers install in FSX has suddenly gone totally stupid and I am about out of ideas for troubleshooting. I'm using the AICarriers Net version, I have Microsoft.NET 4.0 installed, I've checked the exe.xml file to make sure it contains the right path to the AICarriers.exe file, and I haven't added or changed anything in the aicarriers.cfg file. When I start FSX I see the AICarriers icon in the bottom tray of the screen but it says "not connected" to FSX and doesn't appear in the add-on menu with FSUIPC as it usually does. I had the AICarriers folder in the main FSX folder when I first saw the problem, tried moving it to Programs and changing the exe.xml file to point to it but still no success in connecting to the sim. If I'm missing any troubleshooting steps, somebody please let me know. I like carrier flying in FSX and want to get my ships back. :banghead:

[fsafranek]

When you start FSX and see the icon that continues to read, "Not Connected", right-click on it and select Exit.
Then go to the AI Carriers folder and manually launch AICarriers.exe.
See if the icon re-appears and eventually reads, "Connected to Microsoft Flight Simulator X".
Check for the dropdown menu and if that works then we know AI Carriers itself is now working.

I have found that sometimes AI Carriers doesn't shut down when you close FSX.
It will never reconnect at that point. Thus the manual restart.

I've always run my copy of both the java-based version and the .Net version from a separate
folder way outside of the sim so I can't really comment of the plus or minus of location.
Just make sure the <path></path> line in exe.xml is correct.
My exe.xml is located in the \AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\FSX folder.

Hope this helps.
:ernaehrung004:

[TARPSBird]

Frank, thanks for the reply. I tried manually starting AICarriers after starting FSX and the icon appears but status is "not connected". I will mess around with it later today when I'm not so tired. Maybe revert to Lamont Clark's original Java version and see if that works. If anybody else wants to comment please fire away.

[TARPSBird]

Totally I totally gutted AICarriers from my computer and reinstalled it with total attention to detail. First attempt was Lamont Clark's original Java version. Never got past the select aircraft screen, a Java error box popped up with multiple lines of Java stuff that apparently wasn't working. Gutted that version, then installed Orion's AICarriers NET version. AICarriers started up with FSX but no connection. Exited from AICarriers and tried manually starting it with FSX paused, once again it started up but no connection. I wonder if this is a SimConnect issue, and here is where I have a total lack of knowledge. I have attached a screen shot of my Add & Delete Programs display. Should there be multiple SimConnect entries or just one???

[Seahawk72s]

For what it's worth I have only one entry, ending in 61259.0. I have FSX-Accel with the .net version.

In my "exe.xml" I have:

<Launch.Addon>
<Name>AICarriers</Name>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>
<Path>C:\Program Files (x86)\AICarriers\aicarriers.exe</Path>
</Launch.Addon>

[TARPSBird]

Thanks, Seahawk72s. I obviously have extra SimConnects that could be causing the non-connection problem. Your exe.xml file is same as mine except for the path so I think I'm good there.

[fsafranek]

Just checked and I have three SimConnect Client installs.
:ernaehrung004:

[TARPSBird]

Just checked and I have three SimConnect Client installs.
:ernaehrung004:

Frank, I checked last night and the SimConnect installs in my screen shot are identical to the ones I have in my FSX-SE install on Windows 7 and AICarriers works fine there. My older FSX-Accel install (on Windows XP drive) is where I'm having the non-connection problem and it's really driving me crazy that I can't fix this. :banghead:

[TARPSBird]

I uninstalled and reinstalled Microsoft.NET 4 Client Profile yesterday and STILL no
connection between AICarriers and FSX. AICarriers and FSX both start up but no connectivity Same results when manually starting AICarriers from the .exe file. I've done all the troubleshooting I know how to do. Thanks to Frank Safranek and Seahawk72s for their comments, I was hoping for a little more input as I am out of ideas at this point. :banghead:

[Cees Donker]

Jerry,

Did you try to launch AiCarriers as an admin?

:wavey:

Cees

[TARPSBird]

Hi Cees,
No I haven't. Can you tell me how to do that? :/

[Cees Donker]

Hi Cees,
No I haven't. Can you tell me how to do that? :/
Right-mouse-click on the exe file. Execute as admin. (One of the top possibilities)

Cees

[fsafranek]

My AICarriers install in FSX has suddenly gone totally stupid ... :banghead:
So it was working. What changes have you made to the PC or sim between the last time it worked and the day of your original post?
Perhaps it is all fine but something new messed it up.

Also maybe put the launch section for it as the first item in exe.xml in case something new that also used that file broke the file and everything below it.
And maybe temporarily (after making a copy) remove any other addons mentioned in the exe.xml file so that AI Carriers is the only thing that that file launches.
Just trying to make sure that it can work properly on its own. Then add things back in one at a time in case that pinpoints the culprit.
You might also copy and past the contents of exe.xml (with everything in it) here so we can have a look as well
:ernaehrung004:

[TARPSBird]

Attached are screen shots of my AICarriers exe.xml file as well as my attempt to open/run the program as administrator. I am the only person with access to this computer so am I the administrator by default...? The exe.xml shows AICarriers currently located in Program Files. That is a result of my unsuccessful troubleshooting, I've had the AICarriers folder located inside the FSX main folder before this problem and it worked fine there. I've made no tweaks or additions to FSX except for test flying Yashico's A7MB and Shessi's recent FS9-native A5M Claude. Both those planes are self-contained packages with no files/folders to place elsewhere. I know for sure AICarriers was working in mid-May when I downloaded Roland Laborie's F-8 Crusader package.

[Cees Donker]

Attached are screen shots of my AICarriers exe.xml file as well as my attempt to open/run the program as administrator. I am the only person with access to this computer so am I the administrator by default...? The exe.xml shows AICarriers currently located in Program Files. That is a result of my unsuccessful troubleshooting, I've had the AICarriers folder located inside the FSX main folder before this problem and it worked fine there. I've made no tweaks or additions to FSX except for test flying Yashico's A7MB and Shessi's recent FS9-native A5M Claude. Both those planes are self-contained packages with no files/folders to place elsewhere. I know for sure AICarriers was working in mid-May when I downloaded Roland Laborie's F-8 Crusader package.

So it's solved?

Cees

[TARPSBird]

So it's solved?

Cees
No, I still have the problem. I've been flying in FS9 more than FSX lately because I test-fly Shessi's new planes. I wish I had flown tailhook planes in FSX more recently so I would have a better idea when AICarriers failed. Orion Lau, the creator of AICarriers.NET, has not posted here in a long time or over at FS Dream Team. Same with PhantomTweak, who was real familiar with AICarriers. Starting to think I'm out of luck for fixing this. I think it's a SimConnect problem but I'm not about to mess with that without some "adult supervision".

[fsafranek]

My copy of exe.xml for FSX has an <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> line at the top.


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="Launch" version="1,0">
<Descr>Launch</Descr>
<Filename>exe.xml</Filename>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<Launch.ManualLoad>False</Launch.ManualLoad>
<Launch.Addon>
<Name>AICarriers</Name>
<Disabled>False</Disabled>
<ManualLoad>False</ManualLoad>
<Path>E:\Program Files (x86)\AICarriers\AICarriers.exe</Path>
</Launch.Addon>
</SimBase.Document>


Maybe add that to your's and see what happens?
:ernaehrung004:

[rcbarend]

Hi,

I really would like to help solving this problem, but as you guessed by now: this problem is very specific for your PC install (or what's lacking)

First thing I would try more:
Install AiCarriers OUTSIDE the Program Files folder, to avoid any problems with the Windows7/10 system folders protection (and adapt your exe.xml path accordingly)
Like in:
- C:\AiCarriersJava\ , or
- C:\AiCarrierDotNet\

Does that solve it ??

I'm extensively using AiCarriers; both the original Java version and the .Net version (and simultaneously) with FSX-Accel on both a Windows7 and Windows10 PC.
But I can't see anything in what you posted, that rings a bell on what might be missing (including multiple installed versions of SimConnect or .Net versions).
Note that to use the Java version, you need to have the Oracle Java runtime library installed (I use V8, Update 141) on your PC.

FYI: The reason I use both versions simultaneously (runtime), is that I run multiple instances of AiCarriers in FSX-Accel.
A big difference between the Java and .Net version is: the .Net version can only be launched once, whereas the Java version can be launched multiple times.
So how I have installed it:
- Start the .Net version automatically (via the exe.xml) when FSX is loaded.
- Start one or more Java instances (when needed) via an Icon on the Desktop.

But again, maybe just re-installing the .Net version outside the Program Files folder, solves your problem ??

Rob

[TARPSBird]

Frank and Rob, thank you for the additional suggestions, I will continue to work the problem. :encouragement:
I was tempted to delete the SimConnect Client profiles, but I'm not going to since the profile versions are exactly the same as the ones linked to my FSX-SE install on my Windows 7 drive. AICarriers is working fine over there but nearly all my tailhook planes are in my original FSX on Windows XP and that's where AICarriers is not working. :banghead: (The bang-head emoji is appropriate here, lol)
I was wondering... Would Windows security settings or FSUIPC possibly have anything to do with AICarriers not working?

[rcbarend]

Frank and Rob, thank you for the additional suggestions, I will continue to work the problem. :encouragement:
I was tempted to delete the SimConnect Client profiles, but I'm not going to since the profile versions are exactly the same as the ones linked to my FSX-SE install on my Windows 7 drive. AICarriers is working fine over there but nearly all my tailhook planes are in my original FSX on Windows XP and that's where AICarriers is not working. :banghead: (The bang-head emoji is appropriate here, lol)
I was wondering... Would Windows security settings or FSUIPC possibly have anything to do with AICarriers not working?
AiCarriers doesn't use FSUIPC, as far as I know.

And since your problem is on WindowsXP: I'm sure the cause isn't related to security settings.
But since you say 'original FSX on XP': note that AiCarriers requires at least FSX-SP2.

Rob

[TARPSBird]

But since you say 'original FSX on XP': note that AiCarriers requires at least FSX-SP2.
Rob
When I said "original" I meant my original boxed Gold Edition install with SP1, SP2, and Acceleration so I'm OK there. :mixed-smiley-010:
Today I'm moving AICarriers.NET from Program Files to by itself on my C:\ drive and we'll see if I can get it working from there.
I may also try your arrangement of dual installation with both Java and NET versions.

[TARPSBird]

Well, I finally found the problem! :very_drunk: After all the troubleshooting, moving folders, and uninstall/reinstall of Java and Microsoft.NET 4, it turned out that my Avast Free antivirus program was blocking AICarriers.NET from connecting to FSX manually or at start-up via the exe.xml file. That has never happened before. I uninstalled Avast and went back to AVG and now AICarriers is working as it should. My only problem now is I accidentally deleted my good aicarriers.cfg file when I first encountered the problem last week but it's just a housekeeping task to rebuild it. Many thanks to Frank, Cees, Rob, and Seahawk72s for your assistance and suggestions. :encouragement:

[fsafranek]

Well, I finally found the problem! :very_drunk: After all the troubleshooting, moving folders, and uninstall/reinstall of Java and Microsoft.NET 4, it turned out that my Avast Free antivirus program was blocking AICarriers.NET from connecting to FSX manually or at start-up via the exe.xml file. That has never happened before. I uninstalled Avast and went back to AVG and now AICarriers is working as it should. My only problem now is I accidentally deleted my good aicarriers.cfg file when I first encountered the problem last week but it's just a housekeeping task to rebuild it. Many thanks to Frank, Cees, Rob, and Seahawk72s for your assistance and suggestions. :encouragement:

Good to hear you got it sorted. Anti-virus can be a real pain but are a necessary evil these days.
:ernaehrung004:

[Cees Donker]

Glad you got it sorted Jerry!

Cees

[rcbarend]

Good find ...
Not the first time an AntiVirus program causes problems, but this one was new to me.

Cheers, Rob

[TARPSBird]

Good find ...
Not the first time an AntiVirus program causes problems, but this one was new to me.
Cheers, Rob
It was a new one to me as well. And earlier in my troubleshooting I had entered an "exception" in Avast specifically for AICarriers. Either I did it wrong or Avast ignored it for some reason, I don't know which. Anyway I'm back in the Tailhook Navy! And thanks again.
:ernaehrung004: