[SOLVED in 13.06c] MSF Import sticks to previous folder

[mevla]

When attempting to import the latest update of Simon's MSF "Synth Factory" sound set, in MSF 13.05, a dialog box immediately pops up expecting a temporary folder structure that was used for the previous update ... without giving the choice to use another one. A directory browser is flashed, maybe for 300ms, then disappears.

MSFImport.jpg

Of course, I will recreate this temp structure for now, but the MSF behaviour is not right.

Cheers.

[MeldaProduction]

Hmmm, could you make a short video of it happening? To be honest I don't even know where exactly is this supposed to happen. My guess is that you are trying to Import that again? But in the meantime you removed the file/directory? In that case since the plugin remembers where was the last time you used this feature, so it tries to open it, but since it doesn't exist anymore, it lets you know this way. That's it. Click close and go on.

[mevla]

"Click close and go on" in this case means recreating the temporary directory structure to satisfy MSF. I cannot think of any other application in the software world that does that, sticking to a temporary directory without offering any other choice. Frankly, MSF should present a file browser. Well, it does, but very quickly, flashed on the screen for a few milliseconds.

I could try to make a video, although it should be apparent in the code. And yes, I try to import again, as Simon makes updates to his (great) MSF sound set.

Cheers.

[MeldaProduction]

I still don't follow I'm afraid - if you think the engine should create directories you deleted, than sorry, that's an absolute no! Imagine various windows would be creating directories they remember from last time while you completely reorganized your computer .

What should happen is - after you click close, a file dialog should appear. If it doesn't and "flashed", then my guess is, unfortunately, Linux (you are on Linux, right? ). I'll check if this works on proper Windows, but I'm pretty sure it does.

[mevla]

Well, every other file dialog in every other Melda plugin works just fine. I would not have spent $1000 if the file dialogs did not work in the first place, isn't it.

For the case discussed here, MSF does open a file dialog, after the dialog box shown above, but it flashes, as I've written at the beginning, for about 300ms, or so, and goes away.

[MeldaProduction]

First of all, please stop using the $1000 argument all the time, it's getting old... sorry, but I'm tired of that, you bring it up every time something doesn't work according to your expectations... and you are on Linux, as someone pointed out to you, it's your choice to use an unsupported platform and problems come with that.

Now I tried that on proper Windows, and it works as expected. So yes, it's linux/wine, sorry.

A hack for you: go to C:\Users\melda\AppData\Roaming\MeldaProduction\MSoundFactory
There are lots of files containing the states of each window, so delete the one, or all of them.

[mevla]

The money argument is simply to show that it worked all right. It carries a materialistic value which everyone understands: money. It works well, so it's OK to spend/invest. It is also to say that I'm not clueless as to spend that amount on something that does not work and then complain afterwards about an unsupported platform Which is, I gather, a common 'popular' attitude in other domains.

So it's basically to add weight.

On the software side, though, since the OS (Xubuntu 18.04 LTS) did not change at all and the app behaviour seems to have changed, then it's very likely that the app has seen some changes. Whether these changes are directly linked to the observed behaviour is something else.

A file dialog popup that flashes for a brief moment is a bit curious. Especially since Simon is providing regular updates to his very nice and creative sound set, I have seen this working nicely for the first MSF sound set update. Then the OS did not change a bit, and Bitwig 2.4.3 did not change at all, the plugins were updated, and the sound set update does not show the file dialog anymore, in a useful way that is. From a software point of view it looks like an event in taking precedence that forces the file dialog to close by itself very quickly. Something that was not there before.

[MeldaProduction]

But there wasn't a change in the plugin either, and mainly it doesn't change the fact that it works on proper Windows without problems and for me there's just no way (and certainly no dev time) to develop on Linux, so...

I think it's simply the first time it happened to you (having nonexistent folder). Anyway please just delete the window settings as I suggested and all should be fine. Then just don't destroy folders you are working with .

[mevla]

Yes, this was actually the first time I used this approach, as Simon puts out updates of his excellent sound set. There's a clear workaround, and it certainly happens only (very) rarely that there's a need to do so, so it's not so much of a big deal after all.

Melda plugins, with MDrummer in a good spot, are simply the most creative plugins around, and they do work well under Linux in the set up I'm using, with linvst.

Cheers.

[mevla]

As I installed today the new batch of MSF presets from Simon it occurred to me, very late I must say, that the whole concept of having an error because a (very likely temporary) folder to which the downloaded preset archive was extracted is an extremely strange notion in the software world to start with. Looks like a developer's test of sorts.

I'll bet that if that error popup is removed in the code, or commented out, the file dialog will be OK in all circumstances and environments, just like any other Melda file dialog window. No error because of temporary folder for extracting data does not exist anymore and straight to the file dialog right away.

In any case the workaround exists and I've tagged this thread as solved with the workaround.

Cheers.

[MeldaProduction]

True, already removed .

[mevla]

He he ... guess what, it works fine now

So much for Linux, eh ?

[MeldaProduction]

It should . It doesn't change a fact, that the problem was in Linux! I merely removed the trigger.

[mevla]

We can argue about this but the fact remains:

There was a problem, and:

1) The computer installation of Linux did not change, nor its configuration
2) The MSF code changed (trigger removed)

And the problem is solved.

That's pretty clear.

[MeldaProduction]