Start (multiple) programs on MSFS startup with this exe.xml 'tip'

[Cygnifick]

You can start (multiple) programs, exe, dll (Littlenavmap.exe, headtracker, The Skypark etc. etc.) on MSFS startup with this .xml file. It is normaly used for plugins to load on startup (Logitech panels).

The file is/should be located/created in AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.FlightSimulator_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\exe.xml for the Windows Store version.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="Windows-1252"?>
<SimBase.Document Type="SimConnect" version="1,0">
	<Descr>SimConnect</Descr>
	<Filename>SimConnect.xml</Filename>
	<Disabled>False</Disabled>

		<Launch.Addon>
			<Name>SPAD.neXt Plugin</Name>
			<Disabled>False</Disabled>
			<Path>C:\Program Files\SPAD.neXt\SPAD.neXt.exe</Path>
			<CommandLine></CommandLine>
		</Launch.Addon>
</SimBase.Document>

Edited to use preformated text.

[bltzcstr]

Any location for the Steam version?

[ImpoliteGem5317]

For Steam, the EXE.xml is located under USER/AppData/Roaming/Microsoft Flight Simulator

[DrnkAir]

Interesting. Could you provide a screenshot of the file WITH one of your addons in place? I’d like to start FSUIPC. Thanks!

[Cygnifick]

exe.xml.pln (798 Bytes)

I attached the file as .pln. Remove the .pnl from the filename so you have exe.xml. Change to whatever program you like to start.

[DrnkAir]

Thanks very much for that, worked perfectly!

[ImpoliteGem5317]

Note that the latest (current) FSUIPC installer now automatically (by default) updates (or creates) the EXE.xml file to start FSUIPC7 with MSFS, so no need to do this manually.
The batch file that used to start MSFS and FSUIPC7 with a splash screen is still provided, but this now only displays the splash and starts MSFS.

John

[telescpebldr]

This is great. I made a .bat file and was going to write a how-to… but posting .bat files is a little dangerous… so I decided against it. This is much more benign.

Also, adding ‘-FastLaunch’ to the launch options for the shortcut skips the splash/ad screens that play when launching MSFS. Highly recommend adding that.

[aleiby]

Is there a way to specify the working directory for an addon?

[Cygnifick]

No idea, doesn’t it use the folder it loads from?

[Cygnifick]

These are the available commands that can be used.

        <property name = "Name"/>
        <property name = "Disabled"/>
        <property name = "ManualLoad"/>
        <property name = "Path"/>
        <property name = "CommandLine"/>
        <property name = "DLLType"/>
        <property name = "DLLStartName"/>
        <property name = "DLLStopName"/>
        <property name = "NewConsole"/>

[Hanomax]

Does anybody know what “-r” will do in the CommandLine tag?

[Cygnifick]

I’ve put that in to show how the command line commands work.

[mixMugz]

it’s any way to close program after close sim?

[Hanomax]

I’ve a program in the EXE.XML that writes a file in it’s own directory (D:/file/) before ending the program . That doesn’t work.
If I start the program via it’s Icon all worked fine. The file will be written to the right place. If I start it via EXE.XML it will start but it will fail to write the file. (Failed to file… The medium is write protect)

[Cygnifick]

It’s more a startup .xml and as far as I know it wont be read on exit. I’ll have a look for more commands.

[Cygnifick]

No idea why that happens, could be because of access rights or locked state. Did you try with admin run and/or all access rights on .exe?

[Twodogzz]

Hi @Cygnifick,
Did you have success with starting SPAD,neXt with this method?
I recently installed FSUIPC7 and found their batch file great for the fast launch!
Then I added SPAD to the exe.xml and it didn’t work…

[Cygnifick]

Works fine here, this is my current exe.xml.

exe.xml.pln (409 Bytes)

Rename to exe.xml

[Twodogzz]

For some reason that only the computer gods know, it just started to work!