C:/Program Files (x86)/Pd/Pd/externals/Gem: can't load library
C:/Program: can't open
Files: can't open
(x86)/Pd/externals/Gem: can't open

is this happening because of a virus ?
a day before the gem was loading smoothly but today it is throwing this issue:

C:/Program Files (x86)/Pd/Pd/externals/Gem: can't load library
C:/Program: can't open
Files: can't open
(x86)/Pd/externals/Gem: can't open

I went to preference and selected a path and loaded it at startup yet the same problem is persisting
what is the issue here?
please help
Sujay

@maddynakedymaddy That looks like a windows path and I would therefore expect Gem to be in the C:/Program Files (x86)/Pd/Pd/extra folder...... and not /externals
But check your startup flags in Preferences.... startup.
There needs to be -lib Gem in the startup box...... and it is possible that the flag is there but has been disabled (you will not see that the flags are disabled).
Sometimes the flags are disabled when Pd cannot set them properly as it starts. You would have had a message about that and the console would be empty at startup if that happened.

Simply clicking ok or apply will reapply the startup flags...... but you will get another message at the next start saying they are disabled if any of your startup flags cannot be applied.

Otherwise.... it is not likely that it is a virus.... but it could be a security permission problem from an OS update or an antivirus and you can usually set exceptions. Pd is not in any database that will automatically recognise it as a secure program so........
But I would expect that to stop Pd running at all..... so unlikely.
David.