Autoloader load at start plugins are not loading

[cnicholas]

Hi

I have a plugin that used to load at start in earlier versions of AutoCAD but in a new installation of AutoCAD 2014 with SP1 it does not load. I've checked the package contents xml and all looks ok.

It is placed in the C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins folder.

I also noticed in there the Featured Apps plugin which also doesn't load. I guess the PackageContents.XML is valid for Featured Apps so perhaps there is something else preventing load at start.

I also made a temporary change to the ImportSkp package to load at start followed by appautoloader reload and that loaded ok.

What appears to be common between Featured Apps plugin and my plugin is they are loading both CUIX and managed DLL.

I've probably missed a step.

Can anyone suggest  what I've missed?

Craig

[mcicognani]

It may be anything... you shold go back to basic troubleshooting procedure and isolate the problem.

Have you tried another machine? Since even a bundled application doesn't work, it may be an installation problem, maybe not everything went ok.

Also, try using %appdata%\Roaming\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins folder. You may have access rights limitation to Program Files folder...

[cnicholas]

I have two new workstations that exhibit this behaviour.

If I log on to the computer as local administrator the plugins load at start.

If I log on as a domain administrator, Featured Apps and my plugin don't load at start.

Featured Apps and my plugin are installed to %ProgramData%/Autodesk/ApplicationPlugins and I have checked %ProgramData% corresponds to the installed location.

I want my plugin installed per machine for all users which seems to be how Featured Apps is deployed.

I installed App Manager and I can see both Featured Apps and my plugin are listed but as you can see in the image, Featured Apps ribbon tab is not visible. The output from appautoloader.list shows 0 apps. 

TBH I don't know what else to check.

[mcicognani]

Well well, we're getting there... if the user logged make the difference, it's back to access rights to Program Files folder.

You say that if you log as Domain Admin the plugins won't start. So, there are a few things to check:

- domain login is somehow cache-logged. This happens often if you log at machine start and the network it's not ready yet. The O.S. logs you based on cached data, but you still may have access problems. You may want to logoff and logon again at least 5 minutes after a cold start. Also, you may want to add some registry keys that require network to be ready first before logging to a domain. Ask more info on this if you require.

- for whatever reason, the local machine does not recognize the domain admin user as a standard user, ending in having a low level of access rights on local machine. I often resolved this kind of problems manually adding the domain admin user to local computer administrators group. Use Control panel -> Users Accounts -> Manage User Account ->Add user to computer-> Enter domain, user and specify to add it to local administrators. Of course it shouldn't be necessary, but can fix most of the domain login problems that may arise. At least you know where is the problem.

[cnicholas]

The Domain Admins group was already a member of the Local Administrators group.

They are (were) new machines so domain logon could not have been cached initially but I would be interested in the network readiness setting.

[mcicognani]

The basic settings is made through Policy:

Run: gpedid.msc -> Local Computer Config -> Admin models -> System -> Access -> enable key 'Wait for network at boot or logon'

(I use a localized OS, so the translation may be not accurate...)

Also, you may find helpful setting these keys in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

GpNetworkStartTimeoutPolicyValue = DWORD:3C

SyncForegroundPolicy = DWORD:1

The first key allow to wait up to 60 secs for the domain server availability and is advised for fixed workstation, do not use it in mobiles.

The second force the policy to synchronize with domain's and not use the cached one, helpful if you distribute software/updates through policies.

This way I fixed a number of problems with slow domain servers and/or sloppy workstation too busy during startup.

However, back to your message, just to be sure I understood correctly, when you say "The Domain Admins group was already a member of the Local Administrators group", you mean you checked the domain config or the local machines?

I bet the domain config is correct, but what I suggested was to manually add the single domain user locally, through the Control Panel. I know it shouldn't be necessary, but nevertheless, I often need to do this (I mean add a domain user as local admin), otherwise even most Microsoft Upgrades would fail.

[cnicholas]

I enabled 'Wait for network at boot or logon' but that had no effect on the load.

I then went to try to change SyncForegroundPolicy but it was already set to 1.

The GpNetworkStartTimeoutPolicyValue is not present.

The Domain Admins group is in the local Administrators group on both workstations.

I've since tried copying the Featured Apps bundle to %AppData% which resides in domains users' roaming profile but it was not loaded from there either.

[Virupaksha_aithal]

Hi

Couple of suggestions:

See if AutoCAD 2014 can load any of the apps available in exchange store? For example, download and install https://apps.exchange.autodesk.com/ACD/en/Detail/Index?id=autodesk.appstore.exchange.autodesk.com%3a...

Check the status of system variable “APPAUTOLOAD” in AutoCAD 2014. This variable controls the loading of plug-ins.

[cnicholas]

Hi

APPAUTOLOAD is set to 14. I changed it to 15 temporarily to see if any useful messages would be displayed but nothing was displayed.

I installed the FactCurve plugin. It was installed the domain user's %APPDATA% folder which is hosted on the domain controller (SBS 2003).

FacetCurve plugin was not autoloaded.

APPAUTOLOADER.LIST returns 0 application bundles loaded

APPMANAGER now includes FacetCurve in the list and is showing up to date.

I copied the bundle to the local ProgramData folder with the other bundles but it too was not autoloaded from there either.

I can manually netload it.

Craig