Problem: No Coautl Menu, No Buildings **SOLVED**

[ahuimanu]

Hello,

This is my first post as I have not been a customer for very long.  Having grown up in Hawai'i, I was excited to for this release and, in anticipation, picked up several FSDT sceneries about two weeks ago.  I was a very happy new owner of ORD, JFK, FLL and LAS in FSX.  The sceneries were great and I was all set for HNL!

Sadly, I've been bitten by the "no buildings" problem assocated with a missing Couatl entry in the FSX menu.

I've read as many threads as I can find on this "missing buildings" thing and I feel like I've tried most of the fixes.  What I notice about my "no building" problem is this:

• I first purchased the QW 757, which installed the addon manager
• KLAS and previous worked fine
• Since installing PHNL, I can't see buildings at any FSDT airport
• I've uninstalled All FSDT sceneries and have reinstalled just Hawaii
• I then installed the latest addon manager here: http://www.virtualisoftware.com/binaries/setup_addonmanagerX.exe
• I've checked the integrity of my EXE.xml and DLL.xml files and they look okay

I assume my problem is related to Coautl as it is no longer a menu option in FSX.  I've even tried to remove the entries related to bglmanx.dll and couatl.exe from FSX.CFG, but that hasn't met with luck.  The thing is, when I remove these entries, I am never again challenged to trust these addons; instead, they reappear in the trusted list without my having to answer the question.

I believe that I've done my due dilligence in trying to troubleshoot this problem based on what I can glean from the forums.  Obviously, like others, I am frustrated and somewhat despondent.  I'd have to say that the problem is related the missing Couatl menu entry, but I'm out of ideas on what might be a solution.

Oh yeah, I've tried installing WITHOUT Microsoft's AV program running and I've also set the FSX menu and the specific locations of couatl and bglmanx as exceptions both in the firewall and for the AV program.

The worst part of this problem is that all $170.00 US worth of FSDT scenery is now inoperable.  I did try the demos of ORD, JFK, FLL and LAs before purchase, and all was acceptable and well.  Honestly, I didn't think that the purchase of PHNL, only 2 weeks later, warranted trying that demo.  I regret this decision as everything I have from FSDT is broken.

I would greatly appreciate any hints towards a solution.

Thank you,

J-

[virtuali]

Sadly, I've been bitten by the "no buildings" problem assocated with a missing Couatl entry in the FSX menu.

Please, confirm you DO see the "Addon Manager" menu, and the only one missing it's the Couatl menu.

I've read as many threads as I can find on this "missing buildings" thing and I feel like I've tried most of the fixes.  What I notice about my "no building" problem is this:

There's no such thing as a single "no buldings" problem. You are confusing the effect with the cause. If you see the Addon Manager menu, and you don't see the Couatl menu ONLY, your problem it's a "no Couatl menu problem" which, incidentally, makes buildings disappear but, it's troubleshooted in an entirely different way.

I assume my problem is related to Coautl as it is no longer a menu option in FSX

Yes. BOTH the Addon Manager menu and the Couatl menu need to be present.

I've even tried to remove the entries related to bglmanx.dll and couatl.exe from FSX.CFG, but that hasn't met with luck.  The thing is, when I remove these entries, I am never again challenged to trust these addons; instead, they reappear in the trusted list without my having to answer the question.

This is normal if you have replied, at least once, to trust *everything* that is signed by Virtuali (which is one of the possible options) so, even if you remove the entries, they will be automatically trusted without your intervention. Not a problem, not a sign of problem, unless you are absolutely sure you never allowed to trust anything from Virtuali.

However, what you should check instead, is the last number that appears at the end of the line in the FSX.CF, after the = sign. What does it say ?

Oh yeah, I've tried installing WITHOUT Microsoft's AV program running and I've also set the FSX menu and the specific locations of couatl and bglmanx as exceptions both in the firewall and for the AV program.

The Microsoft Security Essential program is safe to use even without turning off and without excluding from scanning our executables. I don't think you have an antivirus problem.


Now, to the real solution:

- Check if you have the following file:

%APPDATA%\Virtuali\Couatl.err

If you have it, post its content here.

[ahuimanu]

Hello Umberto,

Yes, the Couatl menu option is not there.  Prior to installing PHNL, it was there.  I've surely uninstalled/reinstalled a dozen times since this problem arose a few days ago.  I've even checked the trusted settings in the registry (as described in this forum and here: http://ops.precisionmanuals.com/wiki/FSX_Trust_DLL_Policy) and the value in that registry setting is okay.

Here's the FSX entry for Couatl:

F:\FSX\fsdreamteam\couatl\couatl.exe.zqakbrbenqncblqleqiwcobhqkrtuatbtentkezt=1

Also, I have no %APPDATA%\Virtuali\Couatl.err, but I do have a KeyMapping

I can appreciate that the problem is with Couatl not running, but the symptom is what matters most to me, so I still see it as a "no buildings" problem.  I wouldn't have posted if I hadn't tried the apparent fixes described in the threads I can find here.  Many seem to have good success after a few of the fixes, but I haven't had luck yet.  I do notice that this problem seems to happen whenever a scenery is updated or a new scenery comes into the fold.


Thank you,
J-

[virtuali]

Here's the FSX entry for Couatl:

F:\FSX\fsdreamteam\couatl\couatl.exe.zqakbrbenqncblqleqiwcobhqkrtuatbtentkezt=1

This means the Couatl program has been trusted and accepted by FSX. So, you don't have a Trust problem here. If you had, you would have seen a -1 instead.

Also, I have no %APPDATA%\Virtuali\Couatl.err, but I do have a KeyMapping

This means you don't have any error coming from it either.

I wouldn't have posted if I hadn't tried the apparent fixes described in the threads I can find here.  Many seem to have good success after a few of the fixes, but I haven't had luck yet.

Yes, because your problem is different: most of the other problems were always related to the fact that it was the bglmanx.dll not launching, but in that case *both* menus wouldn't be visible, not just Couatl's.

Now, try the following:

- Reboot Windows. This IS important.

- Open Task Manager, and keep the tab with the processes open in view.

- You can launch FSX, but you need to have it running in a Window because, the goal is too see both the FSX window and the Task Manager easily. If you run FSX in Full Screen, launch it once, put it in a Window and make it reasonably small so it doesn't cover all screen, then exit.

- Once you are sure that, by launching FSX, you can easily see the Processes Tab of the Task Manager, launch FSX, and check if you see Couatl.exe process appearing after FSX is launched.

Note if:

- it appears and stays there
- it appears and then disappears immediately
- it doesn't appear at all
- it appears and it doesn't quit automatically when you eventually exit from FSX

[ahuimanu]

Hello,

Note if:

- it appears and stays there
- it appears and then disappears immediately
- it doesn't appear at all <--- THIS ONE.
- it appears and it doesn't quit automatically when you eventually exit from FSX

I do have, as recently as monday, Feb 1, an error entry in my Application Log:

+ System

  - Provider

   [ Name]  Windows Error Reporting
 
  - EventID 1001

   [ Qualifiers]  0
 
   Level 4
 
   Task 0
 
   Keywords 0x80000000000000
 
  - TimeCreated

   [ SystemTime]  2010-02-01T15:17:13.000000000Z
 
   EventRecordID 77003
 
   Channel Application
 
   Computer Jeff-PC
 
   Security
 

- EventData

   941436955
   5
   PCA2
   Not available
   0
   couatl.exe
   1.0.0.1020
   Couatl™ Scripting Engine for FSX
   Couatl™ Scripting Engine for FSX
   Gamecentric
   200
   -1
   
   
   
   C:\Users\jeff\AppData\Local\Temp\{9b80b32d-77c3-4c50-8a59-7c7cfaf81916}\appcompat.txt C:\Users\jeff\AppData\Local\Temp\TabC0A2.tmp
   C:\Users\jeff\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchive\NonCritical_couatl.exe_6abd3fe81c597c36b9ca404572a9887166be8e42_09f7cbf5
   
   0
   ddb9e4a4-0f44-11df-9903-002618086b0d
   0

[virtuali]

I do have, as recently as monday, Feb 1, an error entry in my Application Log:

Can you post the XML version of the error report, as well the 3 reported files ?

C:\Users\jeff\AppData\Local\Temp\{9b80b32d-77c3-4c50-8a59-7c7cfaf81916}\appcompat.txt
C:\Users\jeff\AppData\Local\Temp\TabC0A2.tmp
C:\Users\jeff\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\WER\ReportArchiv\NonCritical_couatl.exe_6abd3fe81c597c36b9ca404572a9887166be8e42_09f7cbf5

Don't post in the message: make a .ZIP with all data, and Attach it to the message, using the "Additional Options" link.

[ahuimanu]

The appcompat.txt file seems to be gone, but the other two are there.

[ahuimanu]

Umberto,

I've solved this problem, but the solution does not fit any of your existing categories.  Looking more closely at the fsdreamteam/couatl folder brought my attention to Couatl's use of Python.  I have Python 2.6 installed for various other uses, including Blender.  The problem, apparently, is linked to the fact that many scripts run better in Blender if a PYTHONPATH environment variable is set.  With the PYTHONPATH environment variable set, which points to a 2.6 install of Python, Couatl does not appear to use the python25.dll included in the fsdreamteam/couatl directory.

Not sure what your long-term "fix" to this would be, but this was the solution to my problem.  While I'm not looking forward to having to remember to turn my PYTHONPATH variable on and off in order to enjoy my FSDT products in flightsim, I am grateful that the seeming insanity of this problem is gone.  Perhaps, in the future, Couatl could just hapily use the customer's existing install of Python?

Thank you for your help regarding this problem.

Jeff

[virtuali]

Looking more closely at the fsdreamteam/couatl folder brought my attention to Couatl's use of Python.  I have Python 2.6 installed for various other uses, including Blender

This is very interesting to know and yes, this might cause problems indeed.

While I'm not looking forward to having to remember to turn my PYTHONPATH variable on and off in order to enjoy my FSDT products in flightsim

You might create a batch file to launch FSX, like this:

@echo off
set PYTHONPATH=
FSX.EXE
set PYTHONPATH=C:\Python26

or the opposite, create a batch file to launch blender instead.

I am grateful that the seeming insanity of this problem is gone.  Perhaps, in the future, Couatl could just happily use the customer's existing install of Python?

Unfortunately, it can't. The Python used by Couatl is not the standard Python runtime, it's a different version, specifically optimized for real time applications like games, that is called Stackless Python, and Couatl needs and use its specific features. That's why we have to include the .dll, because it wouldn't run with any other version.

However, we might try to modify the actual Python interpreter, to ignore the PYTHONPATH variable altogether...