x360ce does not work when there is a "*.pdb" file in the directory

I encountered this with Lucky's Tale.

Move the .pdb files to a different directory and x360ce starts to work.
(move them back again after you have configured x360ce)

When the .pdb file is there, x360ce loads, the tabs are there, but the main windows in controller # is grey, the help tab is white, and it does not do much.
Just to test, you can create a blank text file and rename it to text.pdb, x360ce stops working.

Basically posting this so that other people who are searching for a solution...

x360ce does not work when there is a "*.pdb" file in the directory