SkyUI not working correctly - wrong mod deploy oder?

[FallingOut]

After many many years of absence from Skyrim, I decided to start a new game and try it again. In my Steam account I had two versions: Skyrim and Skyrim Special Addition. The latter sounded better, so I tried that. Immediately I was confronted with an error message that SkyUI couldn't run because SKSE wasn't running. That reminded me that I used to use SkyUI which was really useful so I was determined to get it to run again. My Internet search told me I should use Vortex or Mod Organizer 2). Vortex sounded better for my purposes since it sounded more hand-holding and fixed things by itself. Skyrim is my only modded game and SkyUI is my only mod. So I de-installed Nexus Mod Manager, which was already on my PC and installed Vortex. I followed the tutorial instructions and installed SKSE64, a test mod which only adds the Vortex logo to the start screen, and SKUI.

I start the game with Vortex, and one time I received no error messages and everything worked ok. The next day I started the game again with Vortex but get the error message that SKYUI can't work properly because SKSE64 is not running. I checked my mod list in Vortex and it is enabled. The only thing that seemed odd was that the deploy order of SKUI is 0 and SKSE64 is 2. I assume that it should be the other way around, but I don't know how to change it. This is my mod list:

Deploy order O: SkyUI_5_2_SE
Deploy order 1: Skyrim AE Nexus Mods Main Menu Replacer (this was a test mod in the Vortex tutorial for new users)
Deploy order 2: Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE64)


I might add that last weekend the Anniversary Edition upgrade was on sale and I purchased it on Steam. But the error message I get is the same.

I am pretty much at my wit's end and hope I can get SKyUI to run again.

[Ozymandias]

The 2 common reasons people have trouble with SkyUI are
1) something's wrong with SKSE, usually the wrong version for their game
2) the game disables the SkyUI plugin

So first, make sure you have the correct version of SKSE, and that you launch the game with the SKSE launcher instead of Steam. Steam must be running beforehand though, or the launcher won't work properly. You can also launch the game from Vortex, provided SKSE is set as primary in the Vortex dashboard.

Second, there's a couple of reasons the SkyUI plugin might get disabled. In any case, it's recommanded to install the following mod to avoid that issue. It will only replace the plugin, so make sure the rule says it loads after SkyUI in Vortex:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/67166

Note that the mod above has some stickied comments that might help you if it still doesn't work.

[FallingOut]

Originally posted by Ozymandias:

The 2 common reasons people have trouble with SkyUI are
1) something's wrong with SKSE, usually the wrong version for their game
2) the game disables the SkyUI plugin

So first, make sure you have the correct version of SKSE, and that you launch the game with the SKSE launcher instead of Steam. Steam must be running beforehand though, or the launcher won't work properly. You can also launch the game from Vortex, provided SKSE is set as primary in the Vortex dashboard.

Second, there's a couple of reasons the SkyUI plugin might get disabled. In any case, it's recommanded to install the following mod to avoid that issue. It will only replace the plugin, so make sure the rule says it loads after SkyUI in Vortex:
https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/67166

Note that the mod above has some stickied comments that might help you if it still doesn't work.

Thank you for the detailed reply. Before I read it I discovered that you can add a column called dependencies in the mod list in Vortex. I did that and dragged SkyUI onto SKSE to designate its dependency on SKSE. I have started the game twice since doing that and both times SkyUI loaded correctly with no error messages. I hope it stays that way.