Paradox launcher v2 ошибка launcher settings json

Обновлено: 05.07.2024

Running Steam under admin rights.
Completely uninstalled Stellaris and PDX Launcher v2, rebooted.Deleted PDX folder under user\appdata.
Installed Stellaris aaaaand still nothing.
The game don't start via launcher (Steams shows it's running for a second and finishes off). It starts just by Stellaris.exe itself.

OS: Win7SP1
Locale: Russian
The game installed on D: drive (where steam is), not on system C:

The only log is in Local\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2. Attached.

Attachments

AndrewT

The Full Monty Python

please try this:

- exit the Steam app completely

- run steam.exe as the Windows Admin user

- run the game from the PLAY button in Steam

Is that any better?

Mankind fears thought as they fear nothing else on earth -- more than ruin -- more even than death . Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of mankind. Bertrand Russell

Wedlor

Sergeant

please try this:

- exit the Steam app completely

- run steam.exe as the Windows Admin user

- run the game from the PLAY button in Steam

Is that any better?

Nope, tried this already. Steam just says that the game launched for a moment and then nothing more.

AndrewT

The Full Monty Python

I assume you do not have a file:
C:\Users\Zhar\AppData\Local\Paradox Interactive\launcherpath

If not, please make a text file with that name in that place, and put in it:
C:\Users\Zhar\Documents\Paradox Interactive\
Notepad will want to make that filename launcherpath.txt , so check that and remove the .txt if necessary.

And, does this exist?
C:\Users\Zhar\AppData\Local\Programs\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2.2019.10.3\Paradox Launcher.exe

And finally, what is in the Steam-Stellaris/launcher-settings.json file? Has the user Documents folders been moved in this computer perhaps?

Wedlor

Sergeant

1. Created file without .txt extension
2 Put C:\Users\Zhar\Documents\Paradox Interactive\ in it
3. No, there's no such dir. there, only .cpatch empty folder. Should i run launcher-installer-windows.msi from Stellaris directory?
4. Attached file, had to add .txt to it.
5. No, Documents folder didn't move. Problem appeared after recent patch (played the first version of relic DLC and it's first patched version)

I've also attached launcher log file.

Attachments

AndrewT

The Full Monty Python

Please try this:

- exit the Steam app completely

- uninstall the Paradox launcher from Windows Control Panel , Remove Programs

Delete the following folders if still present:
- C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/
- C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Local/Paradox Interactive/
- C:/users/<UserName>/AppData/Roaming/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2/

- run steam.exe as the Windows Admin user

- run the game from the PLAY button in Steam

Good luck with that!

Wedlor

Sergeant

- exit the Steam app completely
Done

- uninstall the Paradox launcher from Windows Control Panel , Remove Programs
Wasn't installed.

- run steam.exe as the Windows Admin user
Done (RMB on shortcut - run as admin)

- run the game from the PLAY button in Steam
Done

Result: still launcher don't start.

Should i install it manaually from Stellaris folder?
Log says that file i've created eariler (and got deleted with folder) not exists.

Attachments

AndrewT

The Full Monty Python

If you run stellaris.exe directly, does that work?

- run steam.exe as the Windows Admin user
Done (RMB on shortcut - run as admin) I'm not sure that works; can you do it on the actual steam.exe file please?

Wedlor

Sergeant

If you run stellaris.exe directly, does that work?
I'm not sure that works; can you do it on the actual steam.exe file please?

Tried this too. No result.

Any command line options for launcher setup with extended logging?

Ok, played with beta versions in Steam - launcher stops working after switching from 2.3 version to 2.4.

Or it might be some registry entries that needs clearing too?

AndrewT

The Full Monty Python

Tried this too. No result.

Any command line options for launcher setup with extended logging?

Ok, played with beta versions in Steam - launcher stops working after switching from 2.3 version to 2.4.

Or it might be some registry entries that needs clearing too?

I'm a little confused here. Did you say that running stellaris.exe by itself also fails? If so then this cannot be a launcher problem, of course, since it is not involved.

Wedlor

Sergeant

I'm a little confused here. Did you say that running stellaris.exe by itself also fails? If so then this cannot be a launcher problem, of course, since it is not involved. No, launching stellaris.exe works fine.
The problem is in new laucher that cannot install iteself

AndrewT

The Full Monty Python

Any command line options for launcher setup with extended logging?

Given that a clean reinstall of the launcher still comes back with:

2019-10-29 21:25:53 [v:2019.10.1] [main] [CRITICAL] Failed to install Paradox Launcher:
open NUL: The system cannot find the file specified.

There must be something different on this computer to what's normal and expected by the launcher installer in Windows, but I cannot see what it is.

In the Steam-stellaris folder you'll see launcher-installer-windows.msi . Right click on that and run Troubleshoot Compatibility. It will probably come back with Skip Version Check, do Test the Program, Next; what path does it show in the install destination? Then Next again and Install.

Whether it succeeds or fails then, hit Next, Save these Settings, and Close. Then again run Steam as Admin, and fire off the game.

Whew! I hope that does it for you!

Wedlor

Sergeant

Given that a clean reinstall of the launcher still comes back with:

There must be something different on this computer to what's normal and expected by the launcher installer in Windows, but I cannot see what it is.

Whether it succeeds or fails then, hit Next, Save these Settings, and Close. Then again run Steam as Admin, and fire off the game.

Whew! I hope that does it for you!

Sadly, but no.
Launcher still won't start. Attached logs and screens

Attachments

Wedlor

Sergeant

Some info.
Tried to copy some files within all folders described above. After installing launcher manually from Stellaris folder and copying launcher-settings.json to C:\Users\Zhar\AppData\Local\Programs\Paradox Interactive\ i've managed to get launche started, but it doesn't recognize that Steam is runningf (w or w/o admin rights)

Steam still unable to run the launcher and C:\Users\Zhar\AppData\Local\Programs\Paradox Interactive\bootstrapper-v2.exe still reports error

Some info on paths:
Steam dir: D:\Games\Steam\
Stellaris path: D:\Games\Steam\steamapps\common\Stellaris
User path: C:\Users\Zhar
Launcher path: C:\Users\Zhar\AppData\Local\Programs\Paradox Interactive\launcher-v2.2019.10.3 (launcher-v2.2019.10.4 got created after all experiments)

Attachments

Wedlor

Sergeant

OneirosCC

Recruit

AndrewT

The Full Monty Python

It is, yes, I MAY have one other case like that. You could test that for us please by making a new Windows user with a plain alpha name, and see if it has the same issue. thanks!

AndrewT

The Full Monty Python

Steam still unable to run the launcher and C:\Users\Zhar\AppData\Local\Programs\Paradox Interactive\bootstrapper-v2.exe still reports error

Go to the folder where Stellaris.exe is, and find the file launcher-installer-windows.msi .

Please right-click on that .msi file and choose Troubleshoot Compatibility. Hit Test the Program, Cancel, Yes, Finish, Next. Save the changes that process suggests, then Close. Now manually run that .msi by double-clicking on it and run through the install; if it wants to remove the launcher do that, then run it again to install it.

Does that help at all?

в папке с игрой есть файл launcher-settings.json, открой в текст. редакторе и измени 3-ю строку как у меня. steam изменить на gog

Дмитрий Шерменталь Знаток (458) Максим Карачев, я не знаю деталей, но с моим ответом это никак не связано

Спасибо. У меня эта проблема появилась в Cities:skylines. Так как игры от одного разработчика, то и тут помогло.

After many months a solution to the significant problems of your new launcher has been discovered!

A user, awoken eyes, on the steam forums discovered that.

In your Steam\steamapps\common\Hearts of Iron IV folder, there should be a .JSON file called 'launcher-settings'. Open that file with notepad or something similar. For some reason there is the following line: "gameDataPath": "%USER_DOCUMENTS%/Paradox Interactive/Hearts of Iron IV",

I have no idea what a %USER_DOCUMENTS% is, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't exist. But if you replace '%USER_DOCUMENTS%' with 'Documents', the mod problem should be fixed. No idea if this fix will work for anyone else, but it did for me at least.

Mods selected, not loading properly :: Hearts of Iron IV General Discussions

This did indeed work! although it removed the launchers ability to detect local mods for some reason. I replaced documents with the full file path (c:/users/Steve/DOCUMENTS/Paradox Interactive/Hearts of Iron IV in my case) and full functionality was restored. No error messages. No absurd delays.

I'm guessing %user_documents% is supposed to be dynamic to the local username, but for whatever reason its clearly not working in this case. Hopefully with this knowledge you will be able to implement an actual fix to this problem that has dogged us for the better part of a year now.

I have no idea why this would be the issue, why it would work sometimes but not others is a continuing mystery but if its going to work consistently I'm not going to question it.

"Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body; it calls attention to the development of an unhealthy state of things."
-Winston Churchhill

Idhrendur

Keeper of the Converters

Paradox Game Converters: Imperator to CK3, CK3 to EU4, EU4 to Vic2, Vic2 to HoI4, CK2 To EU4, CK2 To EU3, EU3 to Vic2, Vic2 to HoI3, Vic2 to DH, and more.
Return of the Romans: A Byzantine ~~Megacampaign (Part I)~~ Complete Failure (Complete): Forum
The Empire Strikes Back: A Byzantine Megacampaign: Part 1 (CK2) | Part 2 (EU3) | Part 3 (Vic2)

ageust2

Sergeant

not as fool proof as I'd first hoped, there's still errors once in a while. but its a vast improvement! maybe 1/3 launches fail now instead of like 4/5 before "Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body; it calls attention to the development of an unhealthy state of things."
-Winston Churchhill

AndrewT

The Full Monty Python

Of course %USER_DOCUMENTS% exists, if it didn't then the launcher would never work for anyone with any game. It's a standard Windows variable that points to the current location of the Windows User Documents folder.

If replacing it with literal "Documents" helps you, that means your variable is pointing somewhere else; no wonder you have problems! To see that right click on Documents in the left column of Windows Explorer, just under This PC. Go to properties, location - that's where that variable points.

ageust2

Sergeant

The path of my documents folder found on the left of the explorer window is the same as the one I entered manually.

Everything I'm reading online suggests the proper way to write that would be c:/users/%userprofile%/documents or c:/users/%USERNAME%/. which brings you to the correct folder when entered into explorer. not %user_documents% (i cant find any trace of this variable online), which returns an error when typed as an address into windows explorer.

c:/users/%USERNAME%/documents/Paradox Interactive/Hearts of Iron IV seems to be working relatively consistently.

Is %user_documents% a windows 10 thing perhaps? I'm running windows 8.1 because I'm not masochistic enough to run windows 10, but too masochistic for windows 7. (although i can't find any evidence of %user_documents% in microsoft's documentation. my faith its a real thing is fading fast)

AndrewT

The Full Monty Python

As i say, that variable must exist or the launcher would not work on anyone's machine. It works on Win 7, 8.1 and 10 at least, we know!

ageust2

Sergeant

That is a compelling case, but there is clearly an issue here.
If changing this fixes the problem, this must be the culprit no?

This is perhaps a better question for Microsoft than you, but if %user_documents% is a valid variable why does this get returned when entering it as an address? Other environment variables like %username% correctly dumps us in the C:/users/steve likes its supposed to. Your variable gives this.

There is very clearly an issue here and it is not just me its effecting.

ageust2

Sergeant

just tested it on some other computers. This variable does not work on windows 7, 8 or 10. I really think you should investigate this further, your prespective is not being borne out by reality. Perhaps it has some niche application in which it would work, but its failure to function and its total absence from microsoft's documentation are not confidence inducing.

I'm not convinced it does. Everyone I know who plays paradox games has had trouble with the launcher. "Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body; it calls attention to the development of an unhealthy state of things."
-Winston Churchhill

Idhrendur

Keeper of the Converters

For what it's worth, I can echo the results of these experiments on Windows 10. %userprofile% goes to one above my documents folder, %user_documents% can't be found.

And my mod files in all games using the launcher have the paths written out as fully-qualified, not using a variable at all. This is true for workshop mods, locally installed mods, and mods created on my machine.

AndrewT

The Full Monty Python

I'm not convinced it does. Everyone I know who plays paradox games has had trouble with the launcher.

Really, so it does not work for any user at all, including for me or the launcher developer? And when I say "does not work" I mean it would not do anything at all, not just put up mod errors or something.

Look I'm not a developer so I can't speak to the particulars of that variable, but it cannot be that it does not exist or no installation of the launcher would have worked since the day it was released in 2019. Try changing it to %GIBBERISH% or whatever. Any different?

Mousetick

Major

Yeah, this 'solution' is no solution at all. it's a placebo.

It's true that USER_DOCUMENTS is not a Windows variable, but who cares? It definitely does exist - in the Launcher - which is all that matters. The Launcher interprets this variable to mean "the user's Documents folder".

Keep in mind the Launcher and the games support multiple platforms. So the Launcher developers invented a variable to abstract the location of the user's Documents folder. This allows the game's launcher-settings.json (like all other game data files) to be common to all platforms. The Launcher then resolves the variable to the actual path depending on which platform it's running on:
- %USERPROFILE%\Documents on Windows
- $HOME/Documents on macOS
- $HOME/SomewhereIDon'tKnowExactly on Linux

They named the variable USER_DOCUMENTS but they could have named it POO_POO_PEE_DOO, or something else. USER_DOCUMENTS is easier to understand however.

As was pointed out, if USER_DOCUMENTS had been wrong all along, the Launcher would have never ever worked for anybody.

There are some serious issues with the Launcher, but that variable definitely is not an issue.

ageust2

Sergeant

You make a far more compelling case than Andrew did and clearly have a better grasp of whats happening here than either of us, but the question of why this seemingly resolves the problem remains. You say its a placebo, but the fact I and other who have implemented this fix no longer suffer from constant errors suggests its more than that.

I agree it doesn't make a lot of sense, but i can't deny what my eyes tell me.

adding the %gibberish% variable predictably resulted in an access error. However this seems to have truncated the various time wasting functions of the launcher, loads almost instantly and will successfully launch the gane with the last selected playset. I will absolutely be running it this way next time i don't need to adjust playsets to save a substantial amount of time.

Mousetick

Major

The question of why this seemingly resolves the problem remains. You say its a placebo, but the fact I and other who have implemented this fix no longer suffer from constant errors suggests its more than that.

I agree it doesn't make a lot of sense, but i can't deny what my eyes tell me.

There's no denying that your observations are real, not made up, and that your conclusion based on these observations is made in good faith. But that conclusion is in most likelihood largely influenced by confirmation bias.

You even acknowledged that it's "not as fool proof as I'd first hoped", the errors still happening but seemingly less often, based on anecdotal evidence of a limited numbers of runs. An actual solution would have completely eliminated whatever issue is causing the errors. Since the errors occur intermittently with or without the 'solution', you need to run a large number of A/B tests with a large number of users in order to statistically determine if the 'solution' provides any significant improvement over the unmodified configuration. I'm fairly certain that such tests would find no difference.

I'd like to suggest the following workaround, which I use, to help ease your pain. It doesn't require touching any configuration file and assumes you're using Steam. It doesn't address the issues and errors you've been experiencing, it merely skips the Launcher when it's not needed.

This involves a one-time setup of creating a shortcut to the Paradox game in Steam that bypasses the Launcher entirely. So you then have 2 shortcuts: 1) the standard Steam shortcut, which starts the Launcher, that you need to use only when you want to change DLCs or mods or playsets; 2) the other shortcut that you have created, which starts the game directly, that you can use anytime you just want to play with the current DLC/mod/playset settings.

Step by step guide:

Pull-down the Games menu in the Steam client and choose the last option. In the 'Add a Game' window that appears, click the 'Browse' button at the bottom, and navigate to the game folder. For example with HOI 4 on Windows, the game folder would be by default C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Hearts of Iron IV . In the game folder, select the game executable file and click 'Open'. For example with HOI 4 on Windows, you would select hoi4.exe (it helps if Windows is configured to display file extensions).

You get back to the 'Add a Game' window with your selected game at the top of the list:

Click the 'Add Selected Programs' at the bottom of the window. This will close the window and return to the Steam client's main window.

The added game will have been put by default in the 'Uncategorized' section of your library. It may be difficult to locate, you can search for it:

Now right-click on it and select 'Properties. ' in the drop-down menu. In the 'Shortcut' window that appears, you can edit the name, and change the icon if you like:

You have created your Launcher-bypassing shortcut. You can categorize and organize it any way you like, like any other game in your Steam library.

Even though Steam's feature is called 'Add a Non-Steam game to my Library', it's perfectly ok to add an already installed Steam game in this case. Which means that when you use your own shortcut, all the Steam features still work (in-game browser, screenshots, achievement, playing time etc).

Hey,
Sorry you are having this, rather frustrating, issue. Let's see what we can do to identify and, hopefully, solve this.

First, let's start with a clean install of the game. Even if you have already done this before now, make sure you do it now following these instructions:

Go to your . /Documents/Paradox Interactive/ Folder (The = the name of the paradox game, IE Hearts of Iron IV or Europa Universlis IV ETC.)
Move your save game folder outside of this directory, such as to the desktop, to temporary save it
Unsubscribe from all mods
Right click the game in the Steam Library
Go to properties
Go to the BETAs tab
Ensure opt out is selected from the dropdown
Select close
Right click game in the Steam Library
Select Uninstall
Uninstall Paradox Launcher v2 from the Windows "Apps and features" (Win 10/8/8.1) or "Programs and Features" (Win 7) utility, if still present.
Go to your game's previous install location folder (normally . \steam\steamapps\common\)
Delete the folder with the game's name as the folder's name if a folder exists there
Go to C:\Users\NAME\Documents\Paradox Interactive
Delete the folder with the game's name as the folder's name if a folder exists there
Delete your C:/users//AppData/Local/Programs/Paradox Interactive/ folder if it exists
Delete your C:/users//AppData/Local/Paradox Interactive/ folder if it exists
Delete your C:/users//AppData/Roaming/Paradox Interactive/launcher-v2/ folder if it exists
Restart Computer
Install the game (If possible, make sure you install the game outside the 'C:\Program Files\' or 'C:\Program Files (x86)\' folders, as it can cause issues with permissions)
In the games install folder run launcher-installer-windows.msi
During installation change the install path to your steam install location
Add the game's .exe, the steam.exe, and the dowser.exe (if it exists in the games's install folder) to the exceptions list/white list of your antivirus app
Go into Windows Defender Security Center -> Virus & Threat Protection -> Virus & Threat Protection settings and allow the steam.exe, the game's .exe, and the dowser.exe (if it exists in the games's install folder) files through via Allow an app through controlled folder access
Set both steam.exe, the game's .exe, and dowser.exe (if it exists in the games's install folder) to run as the Windows Administrator user in the .exe properties (Windows 10 only)
Shut down computer completely and Start Computer back up (It is important that you do not just do another computer restart and you do a shut down and then manually start the computer back up)
Start the game with no mods active and test
If it fails to launch try and run the game's .exe file in the install folder (NOT the dowser.exe). (This will bypass the launcher and try and run the game directly)
If there are no issues you can now move the save game folder back into place
Test game
If there are still no issues you can re-subscribe to mods slowly and test as you do so.

If the clean install doesn't solve your problem then let's continue with gathering some more information.

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