Addon Linker stopped working: M ... [Resolved]

[Nemo 1,316]

Out of a sudden, the famous add-on linker does not work anymore. Instead, I get a big

M ...         when I try to open the app.

Nothing else that I can do. Re-downloaded it and reinstalled. No windows updates. Yesterday, after WU8 it still worked. But today morning:  M ...

What can I do?

Edited March 25, 2022 by Nemo

[Vensaj 6]

Having the same issue now and then. When you throw away the MSFS_Addons_Linker.ini located at "C:\ProgramData\MSFS Addons Linker" you can start again. Means you need to setup from start but at least you can start the program again. 

[Nemo 1,316]

15 minutes ago, Vensaj said:

Having the same issue now and then. When you throw away the MSFS_Addons_Linker.ini located at "C:\ProgramData\MSFS Addons Linker" you can start again. Means you need to setup from start but at least you can start the program again. 

Thank you so much! That did the trick.

[Adamski_NZ 978]

Don't forget to disable all your addons in Linker prior to doing any sim updates (use the red button with a white "x" in the top menu).

Some people also recommend backing up/deleting any remaining content in the Community folder (that may have been installed there directly, not using the Community method) but I've never had to do that. Just clearing the Linker ones always works for me. In any case, clearing anything from the protcted MS Store version can be a nightmare for some people.

Edited March 25, 2022 by Adamski_NZ

[Rimshot 1,269]

12 minutes ago, Adamski_NZ said:

Don't forget to disable all your addons in Linker prior to doing any sim updates

That's completely unnecessary, It has been mentioned so many times before, but this myth keeps popping up with every update. MSFS updates do not touch the community folder, so there's no use in disabling its content before updating the sim.

[Adamski_NZ 978]

2 minutes ago, Rimshot said:

That's completely unnecessary, It has been mentioned so many times before, but this myth keeps popping up with every update. MSFS updates do not touch the community folder, so there's no use in disabling its content before updating the sim.

OK - fair enough - I'll buy that! But I'm wondering if missing that step somehow confused the indexing in Linker (in this case). A totally unsubstantiated wild guess 😉

[Nemo 1,316]

As I said, problem is solved. But just to mention, I did disable all add-ons before WU8 even it was not necessary. After WU8 was installed  I enabled my add-ons again and everything (SIM and Addon Linker) worked fine. The issue came up today and I don't know what could have caused it. But thanks to @Vensaj  it was easy to resolve.

[fppilot 4,478]

2 hours ago, Nemo said:

But just to mention, I did disable all add-ons before WU8 even it was not necessary.

You as well as I are likely wondering why there is even an argument/discussion about this.  Disabling all addons with the linker takes less time than anyone spent writing about it.  Reenabling them takes less time than reading the discussion. 

Oh my! Just look at the time I just wasted! LOL!

[Bad_T 588]

7 hours ago, Nemo said:

Out of a sudden, the famous add-on linker does not work anymore. Instead, I get a big

M ...         when I try to open the app.

I guess you fixed it 'the hard way' (thanks to those trying to help 🥰) but it might happen again with the current version you have. Just for info it's a known little bug that can happen if your Windows system has something else than the dot '.' defined as decimal separator. it would save the font size at 825 instead of 8.25 and that would break the UI 😱.

It was fixed a long time ago but i never published a new official version, but you can get the fixed EXE here (just replace your existing EXE, all other official files are stlil needed)

FIXED EXE -> https://gofile.io/d/gf6cJB

Big sorry for the trouble 😳 and wish you all a very nice weekend 🍺

Edited March 25, 2022 by Bad_T

[cobalt 835]

6 hours ago, Rimshot said:

That's completely unnecessary, It has been mentioned so many times before, but this myth keeps popping up with every update. MSFS updates do not touch the community folder, so there's no use in disabling its content before updating the sim.

Absolutely correct. The crucial thing to understand is that  Addon Linker places only links in Community, and links cannot possibly be affected by any update. What IS true, is that it is possible that an update can render some add-ons unnecessary or irrelevant, which therefore can be removed (for example, after the recent Iberia update I discarded a bunch of scenery add-ons for that region as they were no longer needed).

[jimcarrel 688]

If you disable mods before updating, This can save an unnecessary headache, upon restarting sim, if a mod conflicts with the update. You just start adding back in a few at a time. It makes it easier to find the "bad" add-on. (It's absolutely true that updates do not touch the community folder, But, the community folder "touches" the sim. 

[vgbaron 3,753]

6 minutes ago, jimcarrel said:

If you disable mods before updating, This can save an unnecessary headache, upon restarting sim, if a mod conflicts with the update. You just start adding back in a few at a time. It makes it easier to find the "bad" add-on. (It's absolutely true that updates do not touch the community folder, But, the community folder "touches" the sim. 

very good point. it is unnecessary but it sure saves time *IF* there is a problem. When I update I disable all addons - do the update and run the sim - if it works fine I know the update was good - then enable the addons and try again. If there's an issue I know it's the addons.

Takes but a second or two .

[Bobsk8 13,105]

8 hours ago, Rimshot said:

That's completely unnecessary, It has been mentioned so many times before, but this myth keeps popping up with every update. MSFS updates do not touch the community folder, so there's no use in disabling its content before updating the sim.

I have never done anything to the community folder when  updating, and have never had a problem. 

[Bobsk8 13,105]

45 minutes ago, vgbaron said:

very good point. it is unnecessary but it sure saves time *IF* there is a problem. When I update I disable all addons - do the update and run the sim - if it works fine I know the update was good - then enable the addons and try again. If there's an issue I know it's the addons.

Takes but a second or two .

Or, you could update with everything intact, if you have a problem which would probably be a small chance, then disable the community folder. If you don't have a problem, which is the likely result, your done. 

[Vensaj 6]

2 hours ago, Bad_T said:

I guess you fixed it 'the hard way' (thanks to those trying to help 🥰) but it might happen again with the current version you have. Just for info it's a known little bug that can happen if your Windows system has something else than the dot '.' defined as decimal separator. it would save the font size at 825 instead of 8.25 and that would break the UI 😱.

It was fixed a long time ago but i never published a new official version, but you can get the fixed EXE here (just replace your existing EXE, all other official files are stlil needed)

FIXED EXE -> https://gofile.io/d/gf6cJB

Big sorry for the trouble 😳 and wish you all a very nice weekend 🍺

Oh wow, it's a fixed bug?! Please publish it as a fix @flightsim.to cause I was breaking my head on what could cause this... (was even thinking on multi screen setup could be the issue...) I can imagine more people have this problem