@gordongreig: Your exe.xml looks fine for me…Just start the fenix app manually - or create a .bat file (see above)
I’ve sat much too long over the exe.xml mysteries (I have the “not starting” issue on 3 boxes and could not nail down the problem yet - IMHO there’s a problem inside the current MSFS code…
Back to RL ‘bugs’ 
Thanks for looking at it for me. Yes, looks like I just need to start all 3 addons manually. Will look into a .bat as you suggest - that takes me back to the early windows days 
The same thing happens to me, the entries in exe.xml are not read now and applications like MFS2020 do not start
Don’t get mad, I made on the weekend a clean Installation of Win11 + MSFS2020.
The exe.xml still does not load…
Let’s see how long it takes to fix the issue.
Will we have updates without problems?
It’s fixed for me. Funny things are happening…
…2 hours ago I fired up my msfs rig, a small mandatory update was applied (presumably the ‘Maverick-’ one…) - and since then the exe.xml loads…everytime I start the sim. Reliable.
I have NO clue why - but I’m old enough to know I won’t be able to know all things…
…most likely les sorciers d’Asobo done their magic. Fixed. For me. For now…
You have been lucky, the small update was installed, but nothing, we still do not load EXE.XML
I have the same problem but no solution.
But interesting: The exe.xml starts correctly all the programs if you delete the file “content.xml” (which is created with each restart of the MSFS).
I deleted all Community and it still didn’t load the EXE.xml, I’m going to try deleting content .xml
Nothing, no success, delete the “content.xml” file start MFS2020 and the “EXE.xml” file still won’t start.
I hope one day the problem will be solved.
Personal Asobo will we have a solution?
I finally hit the key! fixed
It was all a syntax problem, in the first line followed by “windows-1252” comes ? and followed by >, I had a space between the question mark and the “>” sign. When removing the space everything has returned to work.
The strange thing is that the syntax was as installed by FSUIPC.
I add the comment in case someone else has the problem.
Thanks for your help
Corrected, after starting mfs2020 correctly loading EXE.xml, now the loading fails again, we are like at the beginning.
I do not understand anything
I have disabled my exe.xml file and no new file is created on MSFS start.
So, exe.xml is no more used by MSFS.
MSFS version SU9 Store.
So, now how to start addons automatically when MSFS starts?
Why is this file not used now?
Do we now need to write batch files?
Plase Asobo, fix this.
It is a very basic and useful feature.
How did you do this?
I renamed the file from “exe.xml” to “exe.xml.out”. (in folder LocalCache)
I have an exe.xml for sky4sim and voice attack to start, and they both start no problems. they are running right now.
Change “exe.xml” to “exe.out.xml” and nothing does not load the exe entries. But the curious and surprising thing is that sometimes, without doing anything, it loads them.
I don’t understand anything
I would like someone, who introduces himself as Asobo, to tell us something
Why does no one from Asobo tell us anything?
Is it our fault?
What can interfere with the loading of exe.xml?
how can we solve it?
Why don’t they say anything?
I think i know what could be the issue for lots of you guys: I just found out that my exe.xml didn’t work bc the noolaero vdgs module was linked into my community folder (via AddonsLinker) so during startup the file could not be found. I just double checked that these files are all directly in my community folder and all other paths are correct and now it works.
Glad to see your response and a solution to the “exe.xml” loading problem. Copy the folders “aerosoft-data-exchange”, “aerosoft-modellib-vdgs” and “aerosoft-vdgs-driver”, in Community… and disappointment. Exe.xml does not load.
I will do something wrong. I’m clumsy with computers, could you explain it to me as if I were stupid? Thank you
I’ve figured how to get this all working again properly. First delete EXE.xml file from MSFS folder, Then reinstall FSUIPC, this will generate a new EXE file as MSFS no longer creates one at the initial load up of the sim when it had been manually deleted.
Then simply reinstall all other plugins that you may have. These should then all then be correctly formatted within the EXE file.
Regards.