resolved Central no longer displays in main screen

[Baron]

 

Quote

Your Central log file provides us important information, please attach it to your support requests. You can find it at the following locations, or by pressing Control + Shift + L.

• Windows: %APPDATA%/Orbx/Central/central.log
• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Orbx/Central/central.log
• Linux: ~/.config/Orbx/Central/central.log

You can delete this box/quote once your log is attached

 

 

 

Operating system:  Windows 10

Simulator:  MSFS2020/X-Plane 11

Screenshot:  N/A

Issue:  Orbx Central will only show on the Taskbar, but will not go to full screen. Central is obviously running, as it automatically downloaded the update for the London Scenery Pack. It worked fine when I initially installed it on my new PC System and then purchased and downloaded the  London Scenery Pack. However, 3 days later on trying to rerun it would not show anything other than on the Taskbar. Placing the pointer on this shows a 'thumbnail' of what should be on screen, but clicking on the tab does nothing. I have tried uninstalling Orbx Central and then downloading it afresh, but the results are the same. When first attempting to run Orbx Central the small 'Splash Screen will appear with the words "Connecting" but it then disappears to the Taskbar.

It seems that I can get automatic updates, but am unable to make any further purchases or re-download any of my existing packs onto my new PC.

There maybe a simple cure for this, however, this has defeated me.

 

My New PC System has an Intel i9 10Core with Hyper-threading 10900K CPU, running at 3.7GH, 32 GB RAM, an nVidia RTX2080Ti with 11GB and a 2TB NVME SSHD

 

[Nick Cooper]

Hello,

if you right click on the icon, like this:

 

 

and select Show Central, it should appear.

If not, then click on Reset Window Position as well.

Then visit this page and untick the two boxes, like this:

 

 

Orbx Central will then close with the X instead of minimising to the taskbar.

[Baron]

Thanks Nick, I will try this.

 

Steve

[Baron]

Hi,

I have followed your instructions and it worked after clicking on the 'Rest Windows Position',  although just clicking 'Show Central' had no effect.

I was then able to buy a few more packs for MSFS2020, as it all ran smoothly.

 

However, after shutting down Orbx Central I then tried to restart it, to test as to whether all was still working.

 

Unfortunately,  it just went to the taskbar as before, even though I had unchecked the 'Minimize to system tray' box, as suggested. Also, the Orbx Central icon has disappeared from the 'Hidden Icons'  box so I cannot even  click on 'Reset Windows Position' as before: any idea how I can restore the Icon?

 

Steve

[Nick Cooper]

Hello,

is there no Orbx Central in your taskbar?

If you have two or more screens, try switching them on.

It could have gone there.

 

[Baron]

Hi,

Oh yes, Orbx Central is on the Taskbar, but nowhere else, just as before, clicking on it does not bring Central to full screen.

 

As I said previously, when the Central icon was among the 'Hidden Icons' list it brought everything back to normal, just as you predicted when selecting 'Reset Windows Position'. However, the Icon has now disappeared from the 'Hidden Icons' list and  I have no way of resetting the windows position. When the Mouse pointer is placed on Orbx Central on the Taskbar, the 'Thumbnail' of the missing full screen is still displayed, therefor Central is definitely running.

 

Also, I have only one screen.

 

Steve

 

[Nick Cooper]

Hello,

can you try fully resetting Orbx Central:
 

Quote

 

Uninstall Orbx Central.

Delete:

C:\Users\your name\AppData\Local\Orbx-central-updater

C:\Users\your name\AppData\Roaming\Orbx\Central

Reinstall  Orbx Central.

 

 

[Baron]

Thanks, I will try that.

 

Steve

[Baron]

Hi Nick,

I'm afraid I can't find the location on my PC to delete it.

I have typed the path: C:\Users\owner\AppData\Local\Orbx-central-update into 'search', but this just produces a 'No Items match your search' message.

I tried the search with Central both installed and uninstalled, with the same results.

I can get as far as the 'AppData' folder and it shows numerous folders with the title 'Local', but they are all shown as empty.

 

There is one thing I forgot to mention. When Central was actually displaying full screen it was so large the shut down 'X' was off screen, so I had no way of closing it. I tried the obvious 'Esc' key, but this did not work, however, I found that I could 'drag' the whole screen to the right, so that the desktop and taskbar was visible, enabling me to close Central from the taskbar.

I have tried 'dragging' the missing screen back into view, with the mouse, from the right to where it disappeared, but this does not work.

 

Also, even after repeated uninstalls and re-installs the Central icon still will not show in the 'Hidden Icons' list.

 

I'm really sorry about all this, you must think me really 'dumb', I'm sure this is all my fault and not something intrinsically wrong with Central.

 

Steve

[Nick Cooper]

Hello Steve,

this may be the problem:

 

Quote

 

Please note that the AppData folder is hidden by default in the Windows File Explorer.

If you cannot see it, please go to your Windows File Explorer view options and check

"Show hidden files, folders and drives".

 

 

 

[Baron]

Thanks Nick, I shall have another go.

 

Steve

 

[Baron]

Hi Nick,

That 'Folder Options' window above is obsolete and belongs to an earlier version of Windows (possibly 7), it seems Windows 10 handles folders and files differently.

However, I found that you can do the same thing by choosing the 'View' tab in Windows Explorer (or whatever they call it now) and ticking the 'Hidden items' box.

Searching for 'AppData' throws up multiple folders titled 'AppData, most of which are empty, but the many filled with files show no mention of 'Orbx Central' or even 'Orbx in particular.

 

Steve

[Nick Cooper]

1 hour ago, Baron said:

Hi Nick,

That 'Folder Options' window above is obsolete

 

 

Hello,

it most certainly is not.

 

 

 

Please do as I ask, or you will not be able to see the folders.

Thanks.

 

 

[Baron]

OK, I'll try again, but as I said I am already seeing multiple 'AppData' folders.

 

Steve

 

 

[Baron]

Hi Nick,

I have managed to (finally) bring up the 'Folder Options' window in question, however, the 'Show hidden files, folders and drives' feature is already checked.

As I said above, you seem to be able to switch this on and off from the 'View' tab in the main bar at the top in 'File Explorer' (or 'This PC'). I have tested this by going back and forth to the 'Folder Options' window after un-checking and re-checking the box in the main 'View' tab.

So, it would appear that I am indeed seeing all the 'AppData' folders.

 

I'm really sorry to be such a 'pain', but I am doing my best to follow your instructions.

 

Steve

 

[Baron]

Hi Nick,

I believe that I have managed to find and delete the files that you suggested.

I couldn't find them by searching through the 'AppData' folders, so I simply searched under 'Orbx', which produced dozens of folders and files. Among them I found several references to Orbx Central, including a folder which contained 'Orbx-central-updater'. I deleted this, then deleted all other references to Orbx Central until searches produced no more, I then once again downloaded and installed Orbx Central.

However, on running it the result was the same as before, it went straight to the Taskbar and refused to go to full screen when clicked on, also there is still no Orbx Central icon in the hidden icons list on the Taskbar. I did notice that rapidly clicking on the Taskbar tab for Central the full screen version would very briefly flash up, but only for a tiny fraction of a second.

 

Any more suggestions will be really helpful.

 

Steve 

[Smudger]

1 hour ago, Baron said:

it went straight to the Taskbar and refused to go to full screen when clicked on,

Hello Steve,

if you Right click the icon on the taskbar, do you see an option to Unpin from Taskbar ?

[Baron]

Hi,

Thank you for your suggestion, but, as I mentioned above, there is no Central icon in the 'Show hidden icons' list on the Taskbar, there was originally, but it has since disappeared. I did try moving the main Orbx Central icon to the taskbar, but although it does show a sub-menu with 'Unpin from taskbar' this only had the effect of simply removing the icon from the taskbar.

 

As I said above, Orbx Central is definitely running in the background and shows a thumbnail view of the full screen when 'pointed' at, but no amount of 'clicking' on the tab will bring it to full screen.

 

Steve

 

[Smudger]

3 hours ago, Baron said:

Orbx Central is definitely running in the background

Hello Steve,

press CTRL+ALT+Delete to show the Task Manager, if Central is shown, click and close it.

Right click your desktop icon, Left click on Open file location

It will show the path = C: - Users -  YOUR NAME - AppData - Local - Programs - Orbx Central and as shown in the picture

[Baron]

Hi,

I'm not sure where to go with this, the Orbx Central icon in the list reacts exactly the same as the icon on the desk top and produces an identical sub menu when right clicked. If left clicked it starts up Central to the taskbar as before.

 

Steve

[Smudger]

18 hours ago, Baron said:

I'm not sure where to go with this

Steve, although Nick had posted earlier about removing Central, he has posted to a fellow simmer which I feel is a bit clearer.

 

In fact, it is necessary to first uninstall Orbx Central, using the Windows Control panel.

Then delete:

C:\Users\your name\AppData\Roaming\Orbx and

C:\Users\your name\AppData\Local\Orbx-central-updater

Then reinstall Orbx Central, using any of the "Get Central" links on Orbx Direct.

 

Nick Cooper

 

It may be completely unnecessary, but I would do a reboot between uninstall and reinstall of Orbx Central.

[Baron]

Hi,

 

I have tried all this, as I mentioned above in my previous posts.

I have uninstalled Orbx Central using the Windows Control panel on several occasions, after which I have then deleted all the files and folders referring to Orbx Central that I have found, once they were being shown, after checking 'show hidden Items, under the 'View' tab in  File Explorer. I also found the 'Folder Options' window that Nick suggested, but this appears to do the same as the File Explorer, as the  'Show hidden files, folders and drives' option was already checked.

I have tried entering the above paths, that both Nick and yourself have given me, in 'Search', but this just results in a 'No items match your search' message (Yes, the 'Show hidden items' box was checked at the time). There must be something I'm missing here, but I am doing my best to follow all instructions (Oh for the days of MS-DOS, when life was simple!).

 

I really appreciate all your and Nick's help with this, as it must be getting very frustrating for you, it certainly is for me!

 

Steve

[Doug Sawatzky]

Hi

 

Please see the below topic and see if you can access the central.log by copying and pasting the below text into the windows search box. Then please attach it to your next post.

 

%APPDATA%/Orbx/Central/central.log

 

 

[Baron]

OK.

 

[Baron]

No luck there either, still stuck on the Taskbar.

 

You have all my details already, above.

 

Steve

[Baron]

Hi,

I had high hopes that the problem was going to be resolved, earlier today, when on starting up Orbx Central it began to update itself. The usual small Orbx Central 'Splash Screen' window appeared and it proceeded to download the update. A progress bar came up on screen then, after it had completed, it disappeared and 'Initializing' came up in the small 'Central window, which then promptly disappeared back down to the Taskbar as it has been doing all along. The only difference, this time, is that the 'Pop-up' thumbnail on the taskbar has changed and now displays a different back ground picture with a small white window which I can just make out to be a 'Log In' request window; just as before, no amount of clicking on the taskbar will persuade it to go to full screen.

I have diligently (as far as I am able) followed all instructions and uninstalled Orbx Central, found and deleted any hidden folder or file referring to Orbx Central that I can find, before reinstalling a fresh copy, all to no avail.

Also, I have tried closing one of the hidden icons on the 'Show hidden icons' list on my other Windows 10 PC, which I use exclusively for internet browsing, to see if it would disappear like the 'Central icon, which it did. However, it came back again after rebooting the PC, unlike the hidden 'Central icon on my flight sim system.

 

Steve

[Doug Sawatzky]

Hi Steve

 

Have we tried disabling any antivirus software?

[Baron]

Hi Doug,

 

I don't have any antivirus software on this system, only that which is built into Windows 10, as I don't use it for general browsing or any kind of online banking etc. I reserve that for my other system, which is protected with third party security software (Norton).

 

Steve

 

[Smudger]

3 hours ago, Baron said:

only that which is built into Windows 10,

Steve, I only use Windows Defender like yourself, but I still create exclusions for certain folders.

[Baron]

Hi,

 

Thank's, I'll try that.

 

Steve

[Baron]

Hi,

 

I have tried to create exclusions for Orbx Central on Windows Defender, however I can get no further than - Virus and threat protection - Settings; there is no 'Manage Settings' option. This feature does not appear in 'Windows Defender' on either of my two Windows 10 systems, also they appear slightly different.

On my slightly older system, the one I use for internet browsing etc. I found a feature marked 'App & Browser Control' - On/Of, and I thought that temporarily turning this off would achieve the same result as excluding apps and files. Unfortunately, no such option appears on my new Windows 10 system, which I use exclusively for flight simulation. Both systems are running Windows 10 Professional, but I doubt that has any bearing on the problem.

 

I am closely monitoring SVPST's postings, as it would seem we are suffering from a very similar problem.

 

Many thanks for your continued assistance.

 

Steve

[Smudger]

 

Hello Steve,

Settings - Update and Security - Window Security - Virus and Threat protection - Virus and Threat protection settings - Manage Settings - scroll down to Eclusions Add Remove

[Smudger]

3 hours ago, Baron said:

 there is no 'Manage Settings'

 

[Baron]

 

Thank's I'll have another look, although previously when I've clicked on any of the  blue sub headings they have just sent me to an on line 'Help' site, which wasn't any.

 

Steve

[Baron]

 

Jeez! This like pulling teeth! The words 'Needle' and 'Haystack' immediately spring to mind!

 

A Link to a Link to a Link to a Path, which usually just ended  leading me up the garden variety!

 

Whoever is responsible for designing Windows 10 must have a pretty weird sense of humor,  or that's how it seems to a Windows 10 illiterate like myself!

 

Anyhow, I digress, I did eventually track down the relevant files and the means to 'exclude' them. Unsurprisingly, this has had no effect and all is as before.

However, now that I have discovered a way of finding the relevant Files and Folders, I will try going right back to the beginning and reinstalling Central. Although I am not holding out too much hope that this will work.

 

I have included a copy of my Central log file to see if this reveals any clues to the problem.

 

Steve  

central.log

[Smudger]

18 minutes ago, Baron said:

Unsurprisingly, this has had no effect and all is as before.

Steve, did you do a reboot of your PC after you had made the changes ?

[Baron]

Ah, no I didn't. I forgot about that. I'll go and restart the PC and see if it has worked.

 

Steve

[Baron]

 

No joy, I'm afraid, still the same --- 'Initializing' ---- 'Launching' ---- straight to Taskbar!

 

Steve

[Smudger]

3 hours ago, Baron said:

straight to Taskbar!

I am at a loss as to why  you and a few other guys are having this problem with Central.

It would appear that initially it had been set to Minimize to system tray on close, but following Nick's article post 21, I would have thought that clearing all reference to Central would allow for a fresh install to be created where that option could be unchecked,

The only change I would have done is after the uninstall to shut the PC for a while before starting again with the reinstall, that allows the memory to clear.

For those of us that have no problems with Central this is a mystery, I feel for you

[Nick Cooper]

Here is something else to try.

 

Edit C:\Users\user name\AppData\Roaming\Orbx\Central\central.json

like this, followed by logging out of and back into Windows.

 

Quote

Quote

"general": {
    "startOnLaunch": false,
    "showInTray": false,