Just downloaded and installed 2018.2, 64-bit. On launch, I get the Xlights splash, but then a dialog box with "xml parsing error: not well-formed (invalid token) at line 3". A miniature Xlights bar appears on the screen, and expands after right clicking and maximizing.
Also getting a XML error on the new vendor download. I click the download arrow, define an element space on the screen, and the download dialog box opens. However, I get a "XML parsing error: "no element found" at line 1825" and cannot proceed further with the download dialog.
ETA: after shutting down and restarting a couple times, I get the vendor download dialog box to populate with Boscoyo's stuff, but when selecting an element I get a "XML parsing error: no element found at line 793". Vendor download dialog simultaneously goes blank.