Problems with Windows demo, and Cubase

[John_958]

Hi folks

Here's a copy of a message I posted on the SynthMaster website a couple of days ago: I'm not sure if it was received so I'm trying here as well...

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I've had a bit of an adventure trying out the demo for SynthMaster, it looks like the Windows demo version is missing loads of files compared with the Mac version.

After reparing the Windows version (borrowing files from the Mac demo) the main problem remains though and that is I can't get it to work in Cubase 6.5. I'm using Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit, and Cubase 6.5.3 32 bit edition.

Here's the story so far...

I downloaded the SynthMaster 32 bit demo (2.5.4.143) and installed it on my Windows PC in the same folder as my other VSTs.

When I tried to launch it in Cubase however the GUI (i.e. the instrument's control panel) wouldn't load and Cubase crashed.

I have two other DAWs on this machine which I was able to try the demo in. First was Ablteon Live Lite 8.2.2, and the GUI appeared. However, many of the presets wouldn't work, and when I went to the ones that were silent, I noticed that the GUI was corrupted, e.g. a large red rectangle on part of it. I also noticed that very few of the oscillator single cycle waveforms worked.

Same problems in Cakewalk SONAR X1 Producer Expanded.

I also have a Mac Mini running OSX 10.7.4 so I downloaded the SynthMaster Mac version of the demo, and tried it out in GarageBand.

This time it worked as I'd expected: all the presets were fine and I was able to experiment with the single cycle waveforms.

When I compared the extracted demo folder sizes I noticed that the Windows installation was incomplete. Here are the figures

\Resources
PC = 1402 files 44 folders 26.6 MB
MAC = 2378 Files 44 folders 171 MB


The Windows SynthMasterConfig.txt file was also missing some text following the Demo Message.

I thought I'd try reparing the Windows demo folders by supplying the missing files from the Mac demo, and this time it nearly worked.

In Ableton and SONAR the demo works the same as on the Mac, but it still doesn't work in Cubase, which is my main DAW. When loading up, the GUI only appears in an empty pop-up window after many seconds. When closing and reopening it Cubase then crashes.

I've seen the question of Admin rights mentioned in some previous support posts: I've installed it in the same folder and dozens of other plugins which work faultlessly, the path is

C:\Program Files (x86)\Cakewalk\Vstplugins\KV331 Audio

I've also compared the folder properties with a working VST and can't see any difference. The account I was using has Admin rights.

It appears the initial problems were caused by an incomplete installation package for Windows (also tried extracting the 64 bit demo to a folder to see if there any extra files and found it was the same as the 32 bit version). But still can't get it to work in Cubase

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So if anyone has any suggestions of what I can try to do to test it properly and make it work in Cubase I'd be very grateful. I like what I've seen and heard of it so far and I would like to be confident that I can get it working properly on Cubase before I buy it.

Cheers

John

[kv331]

hi there,

I replied back to you. Let me also reply here:

Are you running Cubase as "administrator" ? That's a must.

Also, Could you send me a screenshot of your installation folder?

I think you have permissions issues in that folder.

[John_958]

Hallo kv331

I've sent this also to the email address on the website, together with the images you asked for:

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I've attached a couple of images of the folder properties including the security tab. The permission in the list which is not visible at the bottom of the list is 'Special Permissions', this is unticked in common with the other VST folders.

This is a fresh installation. This time I installed into a different partition, outside of the protected Progam Files structure on the C drive. The new path is simply

E:\SM Admin Test Extraction 32 Bit

The installer exe was run as admin (RAA), I then ran Cubase RAA and loaded SynthMaster into the instrument rack.

The first time it displayed the two dialogues about factory wavetables initialization and importing the new user waveforms*.

After the two dialogs were acknowledged, there was no GUI, even though the GUI button on Cubase's VST rack was enabled.

I then found that by clicking into another app (i.e. moving focus away from Cubase) and then back again, a blank GUI appeared. Correct size, but no content.

I then toggled the GUI on/off on the VST rack, this time the GUI was fully drawn correctly and I could use it.

I then closed down the project and tried to close Cubase but it wouldn't respond to either Ctrl-Q or the red X top right. The only way to close it is to kill the process in Task Manager.

To sum up:

1) The initial problem with the difference between the Windows and Mac demo versions is a red herring and I think solved. This apparent fault was caused by the Windows version not initializing correctly after the files were extracted, which explained the difference in folder sizes.

I now understand that I was comparing the Mac folder size after it had created the factory wavetables, to the Windows version which at that stage hadn't.

2) The GUI not appearing when first loading into Cubase remains a problem.

3) Cubase not being able to close down remains a problem.

So if you have any advice on what could be causing 2 and 3 above I'd be very grateful, as I said before I would like to explore SynthMaster further once it's working in Cubase.

Many thanks

John

PS I'm not sure why the web form didn't work, I haven't received any reply from that - maybe something to do with Yahoo, so hopefully better luck with this email address! Thanks for spotting the KVR forum post.



*I think this is the bit that didn't work properly before, hence the missing files issue, and the apparent difference between the Windows and Mac install.

[kv331]

This is the demo version right? Well, in that case, when the GUI shows up the very first time, it displays a popup window. Make sure you close that one. Then the real gui will show up!

[John_958]

That popup never appears for me in Cubase.

Here's what happens in SONAR & Ableton

Load SynthMaster
Windows standard style demo dialogue appears - thanks for trying the demo blah blah
Click OK to close it
GUI appears
All OK

In Cubase 32 bit and 64 bit versions however

Load SynthMaster
No Windows standard style demo dialogue appears at all, not even as a pop-under. Alt-tab shows no extra dialog is hidden somewhere.
After clicking away and then back to Cubase (i.e. focus on another app then Cubase), a black empty GUI rectangle appears, correct size but no content.
Close black GUI.
Click Cubase button to open instrument panel again, GUI now appears with controls drawn inside.
Some Cubase functions now don't work, e.g. shortcut keys to open Transport Panel and VST Rack.
Also at end of session, can't close Cubase, doesn't respond to red X top right, or Ctrl-Q to quit.

It looks like the ghost demo dialog box is the issue - why doesn't it appear in either version of Cubase?
(I separately downloaded and installed the 64 bit version of SynthMaster for the Cubase 64 experiment).

[kv331]

I think we should ask this question to Steinberg?

[John_958]

OK, well I can raise a ticket with them to see what they say. Also do you have any contacts there who you could ask?

Meantime, so I can identify if it's something specific to my PC it would be great to know if anyone else out there has successfully installed the demo on a PC running Windows 7 Ultimate, and Cubase 6.5 (either 32 or 64 bit versions).

I'm still very keen to get this working.

[John_958]

Hi Bülent

Did you receive my email with the screen grabs of the folder permissions, if so were the permissions set correctly?

Also I've had a reply from Steinberg this morning:

"You will have to get in contact of the 3rd party VST Plug-In,
Steinberg does not support 3rd party Plug-Ins directly."

I would still like to buy this VST if I can be confident it'll work properly in Cubase on my PC.

[kv331]

I'll email you on this tonight!

[John_958]

Further information to add: I've installed the demo versions of Camel Audio's Alchemy and KarmaFX Synth Modular.

Both of these demos show pop-up dialog boxes when first launched from within Cubase, and both run without any problems.