KVR Audio

aciddose · Post by **aciddose** » Wed Oct 18, 2017 11:46 pm

(removed link)
(Please read the rules on the alpha page: (removed link))

This binary is from a slightly older version of the source, while I have already updated and recompiled the current source which appears to work flawlessly there is no significant difference visible to the user and so r974 is more than enough to test the plug-in on OSX.

I believe it is possible to wrap the plug-in in symbiosis and have it operate as an AU, while this takes quite a bit of effort to debug and I haven't completed it yet I do recall wrapping the plug-in with symbiosis and having it work. Make an attempt if desired at your own peril, I'd appreciate hearing about how it turned out for you.

This version lacks a GUI. There is a massive amount of effort required to write obj-c classes to implement a bitmap blit (graphics) and windowing in order to get the GUI to work. Then on top of that due to the fact OSX lacks certain features I'm not sure whether everything 1-to-1 from the Windows version can be directly matched but such aims toward perfection will be a more long-term goal.

I'm interested in hearing of any problems with the binary "it doesn't load in ____" although I have very restricted ability to fix any such problems, especially in commercial hosts requiring dongles or similar. I'm very interested in whether the plug-in can be made to crash or fail in less obscure ways.

For the most part this thread/post is intended to determine whether it makes sense to provide the mac/OSX alpha this early in development. If it works flawlessly I will do so and passively announce its availability. If it crashes, doesn't function in certain hosts or where other problems are present for many users I'll most likely remove it from the alpha page and attempt to solve such problems before providing a fixed version at a later date.

aciddose · Post by **aciddose** » Thu Oct 19, 2017 12:03 am

Once working, you'll most likely find these banks useful in fxb format:
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In order to set up more complex configurations you can save a fxb (the same as a state) on the Windows version and load it on OSX. If you want to customize the "init state" you'll need to save init.xhipstate on Windows and copy it to the ApplicationSupport/xhip/synth/ directory (next to init.xhippreset). It will then load, although without the GUI many options and features remain otherwise completely inaccessible from your host interface.

aciddose · Post by **aciddose** » Mon Oct 23, 2017 2:21 am

To be honest the very little attention this is getting throws me off a bit and makes me wonder about the insistence I've heard from people in the past about how Xhip should be ported to run on Macs.

I've been able to get the effects working (also without GUI of course) for both Linux and OSX and I'm hoping that will get released next week some time.

If these plug-ins are found to be stable I'll include them on the main page, there is no need to consider them "alpha" other than the fact they haven't yet been tested extensively. So far I've only heard from a single user about the plug-in working successfully and with only ~100 views of this thread it'll likely be a while before I'm comfortable with posting official release versions.

Amram · Post by **Amram** » Mon Oct 23, 2017 5:58 am

Hi there
i just downloaded the pc ver with google chrome and when download finished i get message that "this file can hurm to my pc " , why is that?

aciddose · Post by **aciddose** » Mon Oct 23, 2017 6:47 am

Well, I have no idea what you're talking about. If you mean you downloaded the Windows version that has nothing to do with the Apple PC version. What matters is the platform/OS and "PC" doesn't describe that because it applies to every version (including any future mobile versions!)

I'd assume that's a false positive from whatever tool is reporting the false positive and you'd need to talk to the provider to resolve that. Generally it can simply be ignored.

Chrome also may report that any executable file "could be harmful". That's like if every time you tried to use a pair of scissors it set off some alarm bells and a security team (like a SWAT/FBI?) broke in your door/windows and threw you to the ground, then yelled at you "DON'T YOU KNOW SCISSORS COULD BE HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH?", then one yells "HE'S RESISTING AND HAS A WEAPON!" and you get shot 95 times with full automatic weapons before being shelled by a mobile artillery unit as part of the new "more effective" neighborhood paramilitary "police force".

... but you know

. At least you didn't need to go it alone regarding the risk of accidentally cutting yourself with scissors.

kejkz · Post by **kejkz** » Mon Oct 23, 2017 8:09 am

Hi,

I've tried it in Renoise v. 3.1.1 (x64) and EnergyXT 3 (32bit) and they load flawlessly and operate flawlessly on MacOS 10.10. Tried to reload a project containing multiple instances and automation, and everything is fine. I do have Tracktion v6 and Live Lite 8, so I'll try with them also and report later.

kejkz · Post by **kejkz** » Mon Oct 23, 2017 9:43 am

Working fine in Ableton Live Lite 8.4.2 and Tracktion v6.3.1. I don't have any more VST hosts available.

aciddose · Post by **aciddose** » Mon Oct 23, 2017 10:15 am

Thanks for the feedback, I already feel it's likely there are no major issues with this version. I've tested Reaper and the other report I heard included Bitwig. So the only other major hosts remaining are Cubase and FL Studio which are two that tend to have unusual issues that don't occur in other hosts.

Once I hear from someone about it working perfectly in those two hosts I'll feel secure in announcing it officially. I've already added links to the alpha to the main download pages (synth + effects) and I'm nearly ready to post an alpha of the effects for Linux 64bit. I'm hoping there should be minimal effort to get the MacOS version of the effects working since they are just fine without a GUI.

To officially announce the synth though I'd probably like to get the GUI working... it's a shame since it really is quite useful as it is, just that the lack of PCM, routing, effects, unison and the "control" section like polyphony, multi-timbral "drum mode" and other options make it feel still very limited.

Thanks again, hopefully I'll get the GUI working sooner rather than later although I suspect "possibly in January?" isn't a bad conservative estimate. Generally the conservative estimate "Jan 2018" turns out to be actually "Jan 2020" or so

kejkz · Post by **kejkz** » Mon Oct 23, 2017 12:10 pm

Have to say that I find it refreshing not to look at the GUI while programming it. Yeah, it's a bit limited, but I got some nice noises coming out while testing.

Anyway, good luck with porting and the GUI, I'll be checking out the progress and test it out.

aciddose · Post by **aciddose** » Fri Mar 02, 2018 9:56 am

Update: Linux

I've finally implemented a basic filebrowser dialog in Xhip for Linux. This can be improved (a LOT!) but for now this is purely prototype and the essential "works / does not work" is all I'm really interested in.

The GUI has seen some significant improvements in various areas and now matches the effects more closely.

The crashes when resizing appear to be related to mishandling (or lack of detection of) errors related to the SHM buffer associated with queued xwindows messages. For example if the SHM buffer is released and then freed before it is finished being drawn by the server this generates an xlib exception "MIT-SHM BadValue" which then because of the default handler triggers the abort. I'm honestly not sure how to solve this issue and still not 100% clear on its cause. I'm unable to reliably reproduce this as during the testing I just attempted I resized the GUI about 15 times and it worked fine. (Is it fixed? No idea.)

This new version (r1080 "Begin revolution four") is available from the xhip.net/synth/ page.

Since saving is a more dangerous operation where files could be over-written and I haven't yet implemented confirmation to handle "this file already exists, are you sure you want to over-write it?" the dialog is unused for the "save" elements on the menu. Once everything is working and confirmed for loading and fail-safes are implemented for saving I will test the dialog applied there and release another alpha version including that full functionality.

At the moment my only comment would be: "this dialog is awful!", that said I'd be interested to hear any thoughts and confirmation that it does work as intended!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx6fwfBKCIQ

edit: updated screenshot

fluffy_little_something · Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:41 pm

I like those big, colorful knobs there

Haven't tried the Windows version in a long time, but I remember it looked gloomy and uninviting to me.

aciddose · Post by **aciddose** » Fri Mar 02, 2018 8:52 pm

It isn't ready yet, but in the near future you'll be able to use your own knob-strips and change various settings for the GUI in a skin configuration file.

That "could" inspire an artist to design a skin, but I wouldn't get my hopes up for that. Ultimately the biggest issue is that I'm a programmer, not a GUI designer

These knobs are a reasonable trade-off between "3d" and "flat" though, I don't mind them much at all. I wanted to replace the "metal disc" knobs for a long time with plain black ones but it ruins the contrast. So customization is best here I think.

Halonmusic · Post by **Halonmusic** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 3:59 pm

aciddose wrote:Thanks for the feedback, I already feel it's likely there are no major issues with this version. I've tested Reaper and the other report I heard included Bitwig. So the only other major hosts remaining are Cubase and FL Studio which are two that tend to have unusual issues that don't occur in other hosts.

Once I hear from someone about it working perfectly in those two hosts I'll feel secure in announcing it officially. I've already added links to the alpha to the main download pages (synth + effects) and I'm nearly ready to post an alpha of the effects for Linux 64bit. I'm hoping there should be minimal effort to get the MacOS version of the effects working since they are just fine without a GUI.

To officially announce the synth though I'd probably like to get the GUI working... it's a shame since it really is quite useful as it is, just that the lack of PCM, routing, effects, unison and the "control" section like polyphony, multi-timbral "drum mode" and other options make it feel still very limited.

Thanks again, hopefully I'll get the GUI working sooner rather than later although I suspect "possibly in January?" isn't a bad conservative estimate. Generally the conservative estimate "Jan 2018" turns out to be actually "Jan 2020" or so

It works perfect in fl studio 11.

aciddose · Post by **aciddose** » Sat Mar 03, 2018 10:16 pm

On MacOS? That's good news. I believe it now works in Cubase also so most of the major hosts are working fine.

There are a few on Linux that I have yet to verify but things seem to be improving.

glokraw · Post by **glokraw** » Sun Mar 04, 2018 12:00 am

Works and looks fine in Reaper linux 5.70

Middle-mouse scrolled for banks folder,
sounds loaded, and with cheerful knob colors

Xhip Synthesizer for Linux & MacOS