Need help - GSX stops regenerating airport cache at 27%

[dobee51]

I'm using GSX and GSX2 with P3dv4.4 I have reinstalled from scratch and Live Update many times with no success. McAfee LiveSafe virus checker/firewall won't let me exclude the entire Addon Manager directory but I have disabled virus scan for cuoatl.exe and bglmanx.dll and unblocked Prepar3d and cuoatl  internet access. I have also replaced the VisualC++ Redistributables but Windows 10 blocked the 2015 version as the latest is 2015-2019.

I'm trying to load a default aircraft at LIML. The GSX starts to regenerate but never gets past 27%. Addon Manager menu is there, but none of the subitems. If I click on Addon Manager I get the product page, sometimes it shows GSX and GSX2 as active, other times it says Trial. But if I click on the button to input my serial numbers, I get an error message saying that the Cuoatl engine is not running.

Logfile attached.

[kennymac825]

Good grief. The log file is minuscule don't zip it just upload it. No one is going to fart around unzipping such small files!!!!!!!

[virtuali]

The two most common reasons why the cache rebuild doesn't seem to work are:

- The antivirus is slowing down too much the process, that it seems to be stuck, because it has to scan each and every file GSX searches for when rebuilding the cache. This can be usually fixed by excluding all folders containing sceneries ( both the main simulator folder, and other folders too if they are outside of it ), but if your antivirus is so limited that doesn't allow you to exclude whole folders, it's almost impossible to do it file-by-file.

I strongly suggest to switch to a better antivirus, because the ability to exclude whole folders is a core feature that every antivirus should have. The free Windows Defender included with Windows has it so, you would guess a 3rd party one would have it too. If it doesn't, switch to a better one.

- One of your .BGL files is corrupted, making GSX crash while rebuilding the cache. Some of the most common errors, like a file with 0 length, are detected, but if the file looks complete, but contains garbage ( not legal .BGL ), it's almost sure GSX *will* crash ( Couatl will crash, most likely ) when trying to open it to see if it contains airports.

[virtuali]

Good grief. The log file is minuscule don't zip it just upload it. No one is going to fart around unzipping such small files!!!!!!!

He's entirely correct zipping the log file, because:

- the forum software doesn't accept .LOG files

- a .ZIP file takes less space on the forum database than a text file and the longer it is, the more the saving. Some log files might be long, when many sceneries are installed.

- the log posted as a message might be altered by the forum software, changing lines, adding emoticons, etc.

- the one that needs to read LOG file is usually me, and I surely don't mind having to read a LOG inside a ZIP file that, with the right software installed, can be read without even having to unzip it.

[dobee51]

The two most common reasons why the cache rebuild doesn't seem to work are:

- The antivirus...I strongly suggest to switch to a better antivirus, because the ability to exclude whole folders is a core feature that every antivirus should have. The free Windows Defender included with Windows has it so, you would guess a 3rd party one would have it too. If it doesn't, switch to a better one.

- One of your .BGL files is corrupted, making GSX crash while rebuilding the cache. Some of the most common errors, like a file with 0 length, are detected, but if the file looks complete, but contains garbage ( not legal .BGL ), it's almost sure GSX *will* crash ( Couatl will crash, most likely ) when trying to open it to see if it contains airports.

I guess I should consider not renewing McAfee antivirus in December, but it is a good antivirus, and has been a faithful guardian of my laptop.
I would however like to further explore the corrupted BGL angle. When I first updated GSX, it actually worked one time. I created a scenario and GSX loaded 100% and I was able to use SHIFT CTRL F12 and see the menus. On the next mission however I placed a PMDG aircraft at one of the heavy gates and over the still dark screen I could see the message in red that GSX was generating the cache, but the aircraft crashed into something and the scenario ended abruptly. Since then I haven't been able to get it to go past 28%. My instinct tells me that the cache file got corrupted somehow,  and needs to be cleared.

I am obviously a novice at this. What BGL files should I be looking at? I've tried removing any layers that I thought might be involved in building the airport being loaded, but it seems to be a very low level scenery, and many of those can't be unchecked. Do you see anything in the log file? What did you see in the log that made you think a corrupt BGL caused the crash?

[virtuali]

Try this:

- when the sim is not running, remove this folder:

%PROGRAMDATA%\Virtuali

- REINSTALL GSX.

This is required, because it will set the correct file permissions for that folder.

[dobee51]

Ok, I think I found the problem. I removed a scenery for KLGB and another for Catalina Island, and I was able to get the cache to regenerate all the way to 100%. The biggest problem I had in dealing with this issue was I didn't understand what exactly was being cached. I thought that the current scenery was being cached to reduce the load on the computer, but apparently it's scenery not needed that is getting stored. Does that sound right? Anyway, thanks for your help.

I hadn't used GSX for a long time when this all began, and my original intent for reinstalling GSX was to use it with Orbx TrueEarth Oregon scenery and Flight Beam Portland KPDX. It is my understanding that this scenery supports SODE functionality and specifically SODE and/or GSX jetways. I found the SODE directory and I see that ORBX scenery uses the SODE SimObjects for jetways, but KPDX has entries for jetways, windsocks, runway lights and even a hangar door. I know how the door works, but unsure why SODE is needed for runway lights and windsocks.

I saw somewhere that AI aircraft can be controlled. Can I set up my AI aircraft to load passengers and cargo? Can GSX do that, or do I use the SODE interface? As a little project I would like to configure the A2A B-17 to load cargo/bombs and crew or avatars. A2A has said they will release a version of the aircraft for p3d very soon. Would that be possible?

[virtuali]

I removed a scenery for KLGB and another for Catalina Island, and I was able to get the cache to regenerate all the way to 100%.

This means one of the files in either of these sceneries must have gone corrupted.

The biggest problem I had in dealing with this issue was I didn't understand what exactly was being cached. I thought that the current scenery was being cached to reduce the load on the computer, but apparently it's scenery not needed that is getting stored. Does that sound right?

GSX doesn't store something that is not needed. The cache contains an index of all the .BGL files that contains airports, associating their ICAO code with the name of their AFCAD, so GSX won't have to go through ALL your files EACH time you go on an airport, that's why there's a cache. It will go through that process only if you add or remove a scenery.

[dobee51]

This means one of the files in either of these sceneries must have gone corrupted.

I won't risk putting them back to check. I think ORBX is going to release a True Earth Southern California soon. I'll wait for that.

GSX doesn't store something that is not needed. The cache contains an index of all the .BGL files that contains airports, associating their ICAO code with the name of their AFCAD, so GSX won't have to go through ALL your files EACH time you go on an airport, that's why there's a cache. It will go through that process only if you add or remove a scenery.

Good to know.