GCA5 Beta Preview [Now Closed!]

[Thaldon]

I can't seem to get this to work.
I had to manually set up GCA 5 Document folders to get it to run, but I still can't get libraries or books to work and I can not save any characters.

[Armin]

Originally Posted by Thaldon

I can't seem to get this to work.
I had to manually set up GCA 5 Document folders to get it to run, but I still can't get libraries or books to work and I can not save any characters.

Did you install "for everyone" or "just for me"? Did you use the default suggested installation folder or did you change it, and if you changed it, what to?

What happened (error message, etc.) to make you create the Document folders?

When GCA starts, it prints a bunch of stuff to the log.

What folders does it say you're using when it starts up?

Program Folder = C:\Program Files (x86)\GURPS Character Assistant 5\
System Data Folder = C:\ProgramData\Steve Jackson Games\GURPS Character Assistant 5\
App Data Folder = C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Steve Jackson Games\GURPS Character Assistant 5\
My Documents Folder = C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\

Do those folders match places on your system? (The 'USERNAME' in my examples should be your Windows username, instead, or at least whatever part of it that Windows uses for user folders.)

What user bins does it say you're using when it starts up?

User Plugin Bin = C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\plugins\
User Library Bin = C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\libraries\
User Book Bin = C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\books\
User Character Bin = C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\characters\
User Image Bin = C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\images\
User PDF Bin = C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\Gaming\Gaming Resources & Books\GURPS 4th Ed. Books\

Do those folders exist? Are they the ones you created? (Again, the 'USERNAME' bit should be your Windows 10 user name, instead.)

What does the log say is your default library?

Default Library = C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\libraries\default.gds

Does that file exist? Does the folder even exist for it to be in?

Originally Posted by Thaldon

I still can't get libraries or books to work and I can not save any characters.

I don't know what this means, because it doesn't tell me what problem you're actually having. What doesn't work? What happens when you try to open the Manage Your Library window? What happens when you click on the New button for a new library (first button to the right of the word Library)?

After you name the library and click OK, what happens?

What happens when you try to save a character? Does the Save As dialog appear? What happens when you click Save in that dialog?

Without any real details, what it sounds like to me is that you somehow managed to install GCA on a completely locked down computer where you have no permission to actually read or write files, and as a result there's nothing there for GCA to read from or save to.

[Thaldon]

Did you install "for everyone" or "just for me"?
"for everyone"
Did you use the default suggested installation folder
yes
What happened?
"Microsoft.VisualBasic" window with
Unhandled Exception Occurred: Could not find file
'C:\Users\Thaldon\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\:
Stack Trace:
at Systen.IO._Error.WinlOError(int32errorCode, String maybeFullPath)
>>followed by a dozen more "at System." codes

Followed by GCA message
Error! An Unhandled Exception was encountered. GCA unable to recover and will now end.
with a text box
Error message: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
Details:
at GCA5.frmMain.SaveBoxSettings()
at GCA5.frmMain.SaveProgramSettings()
at GCA5.frmMain.frmMain_FormClosing(Object sender, FormClosingEventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnFormClosing(FormClosin gEventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.RaiseFormClosingOnAppExi t()
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ExitInternal()
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.Exit(CancelEventA rgs e)
at Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices.WindowsF ormsApplicationBase.OnUnhandledException(Unhandled ExceptionEventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.OnT hreadException(Exception t)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProcException(Exce ption e)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

and then shuts down

[Thaldon]

This is a copy of the log after I create the GCA 5 Documents Folders

GURPS Character Assistant 5 (GCA5, Version=5.0.1.137; GCA5Engine, Version=5.0.1.137; GCA5.Interfaces, Version=1.0.0.27)
OS is Microsoft Windows 10 Pro
Today is Monday, May 17, 2021

Program Folder = C:\Program Files (x86)\GURPS Character Assistant 5\
System Data Folder = C:\ProgramData\Steve Jackson Games\GURPS Character Assistant 5\
App Data Folder = C:\Users\Thaldon\AppData\Roaming\Steve Jackson Games\GURPS Character Assistant 5\
My Documents Folder = C:\Users\Thaldon\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\

User Plugin Bin = C:\Users\Thaldon\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\plugins\
User Library Bin = C:\Users\Thaldon\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\libraries\
User Book Bin = C:\Users\Thaldon\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\books\
User Character Bin = C:\Users\Thaldon\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\characters\
User Image Bin = C:\Users\Thaldon\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\images\
User PDF Bin = C:\Users\Thaldon\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\
Default Library = C:\Users\Thaldon\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\libraries\default.gds

Finding built-in plugins...
Found: GCA5.BoxAttackModes_Plugin
Found: GCA5.BoxGeneralInfoShell_Plugin
Found: GCA5.BoxMessageCatcherShell_Plugin
Found: GCA5.BoxMoveInfoShell_Plugin
Found: GCA5.BoxPortraitShell_Plugin
Found: GCA5.BoxProtectionShell_Plugin
Found: GCA5.BoxTraitList_Plugin
Finding system plugins...
Compiling plugin from %app%\plugins\ColorBlockSheet
Compiling...
Compiling Succeeded.
    Found: ColorBlockSheet
    Loaded as: Color Block Sheet
Compiling plugin from %app%\plugins\OfficialCharacterSheet
Compiling...
Compiling Succeeded.
    Found: OfficialCharacterSheet
    Loaded as: GURPS 4th Edition Official Character Sheet
Compiling plugin from %app%\plugins\SimpleTextExport
Compiling...
Compiling Succeeded.
    Found: SimpleTextExport
    Loaded as: Simple Text Export
...Done.
Finding user plugins...
...Done.
3 plugins found:
    2 Sheets.
    Color Block Sheet 1.0.6.0
    GURPS 4th Edition Official Character Sheet 1.0.2.0
    1 Exporter.
    Simple Text Export 1.0.2.0
    0 Unified Boxes.
UpdateChannel_Beta
This is the build and update channel for the public beta testers.

[Thaldon]

Originally Posted by Armin

Do those folders exist? Are they the ones you created? (Again, the 'USERNAME' bit should be your Windows 10 user name, instead.)

What does the log say is your default library?

Default Library = C:\Users\USERNAME\Documents\GURPS Character Assistant 5\libraries\default.gds

Does that file exist? Does the folder even exist for it to be in?

Folders exist after I create them.

The file does not exist.

When I try to save a character it says
"File not found.
Check file name and try again."

what it sounds like to me is that you somehow managed to install GCA on a completely locked down computer where you have no permission to actually read or write files, and as a result there's nothing there for GCA to read from or save to.

That is what it feels like, but it is my Documents file, and I am the sole User and administrator.
GCA 4 works fine but I can't seem to give permision to GCA 5 to use my documents folder.

[Armin]

Originally Posted by Thaldon

That is what it feels like, but it is my Documents file, and I am the sole User and administrator.
GCA 4 works fine but I can't seem to give permision to GCA 5 to use my documents folder.

I have absolutely no idea what is going on, but something is seriously messed up there.

The fact that GCA can find and compile the plugins demonstrates that things seem to be fine with the state of the .Net Framework.

It's really acting like there's a problem with the permissions that don't allow GCA access, but I don't know how that could have happened if you're the only user and you are using your own folders and you installed GCA.

Did GCA somehow get set to use a compatibility mode? Did you sandbox GCA? Is your anti-malware software blocking GCA, maybe?

Nothing you've apparently done is any different than all the other users who have installed this, and none of them are having this issue! It's just boggling my mind.

The only other thing I can think of is to have you uninstall through Add Remove Programs, and then manually *completely* remove these two folders:

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Steve Jackson Games
C:\ProgramData\Steve Jackson Games

Again, that USERNAME is yours, instead.

Once all that is cleared out, download again, and try installing again.

I don't know what else to try.

[Thaldon]

OK, I found the problem.

Turn off Controlled Folder Access.

Select Start > Settings .
Choose Update & security > Windows Defender.
Select Open Windows Defender Security Center.
Select Virus & threat protection, and then choose Virus & threat protection settings.
Under Controlled folder access, turn it on or off.

I turned it off and now GCA seems to be working.

[johndallman]

Sounds worth detecting in the installer.

[Stormcrow]

Originally Posted by johndallman

Sounds worth detecting in the installer.

The right response to your beta program triggering an OS security block is to figure out why your program is triggering it, not to disable the OS security.

[Celjabba]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

The right response to your beta program triggering an OS security block is to figure out why your program is triggering it, not to disable the OS security.

In that specific case, it is an optional security that block everything unless whitelisted.
So, you will trigger it if it is turned on and you want to use the Documents folders.