ArcSyn v4.0.4 announced with M1 support

[MrJubbly]

Just installed the v4.0.4 update.

Feedback: On Windows 11, the update was not able to install over the top of the previous v4.0.3 release. I had to first manually delete the previous version installation folder from the C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\ArcSyn\ location.

The new update appears to be working. However, there was initially no audio output from the plugin within FL Studio until I manually changed the wrapper settings > troubleshooting > to "Use fixed size buffers" and then reloaded the plugin.

This may possibly cause some backwards compatibility issues for FL Studio users, who saved instances of ArcSyn without that wrapper setting in their previous projects? If it could perhaps be tweaked to also output audio in this DAW without needing to change that internal wrapper setting to Fixed size buffers, that would be great.

Tested with latest release of FL Studio and Windows 11.

[SPC Plugins]

Hi MrJubbly, thank you for your feedback.

Feedback: On Windows 11, the update was not able to install over the top of the previous v4.0.3 release. I had to first manually delete the previous version installation folder from the C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\ArcSyn\ location.

I think this was due to me forgetting to put the AppID into the installer. Unfortuately, I gave each of the previous versions (VST/VST3 32/64 bit) different AppID's. I'll add the VST3 64 bit AppID to the installer as it's the only version I support now, which should fix the overwriting issue you describe.

The new update appears to be working. However, there was initially no audio output from the plugin within FL Studio until I manually changed the wrapper settings > troubleshooting > to "Use fixed size buffers" and then reloaded the plugin.

This confuses me (actually, lots of things confuse me!) as, so far as I'm aware, all DAWs use variable buffer sizes, so this shouldn't be an issue for ArcSyn. I'll dig into this and see what I can find (sigh).

[SPC Plugins]

P.S. I just tried it on both my iMac and my Macbook Pro. Same thing on both.

Hi killmaster (and Michael L), I've uploaded a new installer to:

https://www.spcplugins.com/beta

Could you please give it a try? It should at least get past the error you both report.

[aMUSEd]

One problem though, I had saved all patches to NKS for Komplete Kontrol, 4.03 was still able to load them into the VST3 version but 4.04 can't - I guess there are too many changes under the hood?

Any hope of fixing the migration issues?

[killmaster]

P.S. I just tried it on both my iMac and my Macbook Pro. Same thing on both.

Hi killmaster (and Michael L), I've uploaded a new installer to:

https://www.spcplugins.com/beta

Could you please give it a try? It should at least get past the error you both report.

It does work, but 2 things:
1) it only lets me install in my my personal login area. I am used to installing for all users. Not sure it that will create any problems. Which leads to the second issue...
2) It's asking for a license and I don't ever remember having to enter a license number.

EDIT: I went into demo mode and when I click in the preset window, it goes black and makes no sound.

[Michael L]

Could you please give it a try? It should at least get past the error you both report.

I customized the installer to only the AU version and it installed:
- in my User/ Library/ Audio/ Plugins where nothing goes any longer.
- as registered to me.
- it plays fine
- It shows no presets.
I have the previous preset .fxp files also in the User/ Documents folder, but I did not install this version's Program folder as I was cautious about overwriting them.

[SPC Plugins]

1) it only lets me install in my my personal login area. I am used to installing for all users.

I've uploaded a new version of the installer which should fix this. Might be a good idea to delete the copy of ArcSyn installed in your user area first.

2) It's asking for a license and I don't ever remember having to enter a license number.

Sent via email.

EDIT: I went into demo mode and when I click in the preset window, it goes black and makes no sound.

Could be caused by the same thing as (1). Let me know if the latest installer fixes it.

[SPC Plugins]

I customized the installer to only the AU version and it installed:
- in my User/ Library/ Audio/ Plugins where nothing goes any longer.
- as registered to me.
- it plays fine
- It shows no presets.
I have the previous preset .fxp files also in the User/ Documents folder, but I did not install this version's Program folder as I was cautious about overwriting them.

I've uploaded a new version of the installer which may fix these issues. Let me know how you get on. Probably a wise move not to install the programs! I realise that ArcSyn's system of installing the programs to the user's documents folder isn't a good idea, but it's almost impossible for me to make any forward progress with ArcSyn when I spend most of the time I have (not much, incidentally, as I work full time in a factory) just trying to keep up with changes to macOS, Windows, JUCE, etc. I'm still trying to finish this M1 update while I see that we're already up to M4

[Michael L]

I've uploaded a new version of the installer which may fix these issues. Let me know how you get on. Probably a wise move not to install the programs! I realise that ArcSyn's system of installing the programs to the user's documents folder isn't a good idea, but it's almost impossible for me to make any forward progress with ArcSyn when I spend most of the time I have (not much, incidentally, as I work full time in a factory) just trying to keep up with changes to macOS, Windows, JUCE, etc. I'm still trying to finish this M1 update while I see that we're already up to M4

My previously installed ArcSyn 4.0.3 VST2 and 4.0.4 VST3 work perfectly well.

The installer puts the AU 4.0.4 version in the User folder and it loads fine in various DAWs, but neither 4.0.3 or 4.0.4 show any Programs (from User/ Documents/ ArcSyn). I rarely use AU so its not a big issue. I can however save a preset to that location.

I feel your pain. I am still on 10.14 because I also do not want to keep up with OS updates. Thank you for continuing to develop ArcSyn.

[killmaster]

Hi Steven,

I just installed the latest beta and was able to authorize it, but there is only the "init" preset in the preset window. It seems to load fine and I can play the init preset now.

[Gamma-UT]

It may be easier to stick with the previous installer and offer the option of a manual install: a ZIP file with the AU and VSTs and the preset folders, with a text file explaining where they go. That way you can set permissions more easily. Some other devs have opted for manual as they got fed up trying to deal with the Package Manager's funky controls. This, however, can also involve a bit of work in the Terminal if the plugin files get quarantined, but it works.

The other option is to package the plugins and presets (_Programs Contents I think in the 4.0.4 installer) separately in their own discrete installers. This may make it easier to have the owner and permissions set the way you want. Some devs then combine these in a "metapackage" but I think having them offered separately would be just fine.

[SPC Plugins]

Hi, to killmaster, Michael L, Gamma-UT and anyone else who is interested, I've uploaded (yet another) new build of the installer to:

https://www.spcplugins.com/beta

I recommend that you uncheck the ArcSyn.programs install if you have any user programs, just in case. Thank you for your continued help with this.

What I'm going to do (when I have time) is to install the presets to somewhere sensible like /Library/Audio/Presets, and have user programs loaded seperately from ~/Documents or ~/Music, but that will require a lot of reworking of the existing code.

[killmaster]

I installed the newest version and the patch page is still blank, but the screen is translucent now (I can see through it a little to the background. Also, the I got this error when I load the installer:

Screen Shot 2024-10-18 at 3.19.42 PM.png

I fixed it by doing: sudo xattr -cr in terminal

[MrJubbly]

The new update appears to be working. However, there was initially no audio output from the plugin within FL Studio until I manually changed the wrapper settings > troubleshooting > to "Use fixed size buffers" and then reloaded the plugin.

This confuses me (actually, lots of things confuse me!) as, so far as I'm aware, all DAWs use variable buffer sizes, so this shouldn't be an issue for ArcSyn. I'll dig into this and see what I can find (sigh).

I have further information on this issue regarding the audio output of the VST3 version of ArcSyn v4.0.4, which may assist in determining the bug.

After updating ArcSyn to v4.0.4. when projects which were saved with the previous v4.0.3 of ArcSyn are loaded into FL Studio 24 (tested with current version 24.1.2.4394, Windows 11), there is no audio output from ArcSyn v4.0.4.

Please disregard what I reported previously regarding the "use fixed buffers" within the wrapper as being responsible for the issue, because I now realise that this apparently is not the cause. Instead, you can get the audio working by going into the wrapper settings for ArcSyn v4.0.4 and simply clicking "Reload plugin."

Somehow, that jolts it into life / resets it and the audio output works properly.

Likewise, if you load a plugin preset from a fresh plugin scan of v4.0.4. The audio output works immediately, without any requirement to reload the plugin or change any other wrapper settings of ArcSyn.

So as long as the user is ONLY creating new projects loaded and saved using v4.0.4 onwards, they will reload with correct audio output.

The bad news: What this does mean however, is that (as far as I can tell), all previous projects saved with previous versions of ArcSyn will all be muted upon their project loading. Which would be awful for backwards compatibility, since every instance of ArcSyn would need to be manually reloaded in each project (and to then reload the correct preset settings, etc.)

To help with testing this audio output issue, I have attached the following:

ArcSyn v4.0.3 - VST3 Plugin Preset (No Audio Output upon the Initial load of ArcSyn v4.0.4).zip

^ An FL Studio plugin preset for ArcSyn v4.0.3 (which exhibits the no audio output bug when loading with v4.0.4).

ArcSyn v4.0.4 - VST3 Plugin Preset - Fresh Scan After Installation (Audio Output Working).zip

^ An FL Studio plugin preset for ArcSyn v4.0.4 (which was performed from a fresh scan after ArcSyn v4.0.4 was installed and which works correctly - i.e. no audio output bug).

FL Studio Project File - ArcSyn v4.0.3 update to v4.0.4 Compatibility Test (saved with v4.0.3).zip

^ A bare bones FL Studio project file, saved with a single instance of ArcSyn v4.0.3, which exhibits the "no audio output" bug, upon instantiation with v4.0.4.

I hope this helps.

[SPC Plugins]

I installed the newest version and the patch page is still blank, but the screen is translucent now (I can see through it a little to the background. Also, the I got this error when I load the installer:
(Screen Shot)
I fixed it by doing: sudo xattr -cr in terminal

The error you showed shouldn't happen as the installer and all the elements in it are codesigned and the installer was notorized and stapled before uploading it. So I'm totally at a loss as to what to do about that. The blank programs window also makes zero sense to me - this stuff all works fine on my Mac except that ArcSyn (AU & VST3) is unable to open programs in Reaper because I accidentally didn't give it permission to access the Documents folder when it first ran. It works fine in Logic and all the other hosts I've tried.

So I'm not sure what to do next.