Reflection Modular Plugin Host · Live Patcher · Modular DAW For Sound Designers · Performers · Studio Engineers

[Jol Tai]

The license is written to %APPDATA%\Reflection\Reflection.license (next to Reflection.settings). The error comes from our atomic-write routine — it silently fails when the output stream can't be opened.

The most common causes for exactly this symptom (where even "Run as administrator" doesn't help — because admin rights don't affect HKCU / your own AppData):

The %APPDATA%\Reflection folder doesn't exist or isn't writable. Our writer doesn't auto-create the parent folder. If your settings have never been saved yet, or if AppData is redirected (roaming profile / Folder Redirection), the temp file can't be opened.Controlled Folder Access (Windows Defender) / antivirus — these block writes to AppData from unknown executables. Running as admin doesn't fix it; you need to whitelist the exe under Defender → "Allow an app through Controlled folder access".OneDrive Known Folder Move — on some setups %APPDATA% gets redirected into OneDrive, and a sync lock causes ERROR_SHARING_VIOLATION during the final rename.Antivirus blocking the .tmp → .license rename — some AVs specifically flag rename operations as suspicious (behavioral detector).

Please try these steps, in order:

Open File Explorer and paste this into the address bar: %APPDATA%\Reflection → Enter. If the folder doesn't exist, create it manually (New Folder → "Reflection") and try activating again.If the folder exists, try creating an empty text file inside it by hand. If Windows refuses, that's Controlled Folder Access or your antivirus.Open Windows Security → Virus & threat protection → Manage ransomware protection → Allow an app through Controlled folder access → add Reflection.exe.If none of that helps, please send us the contents of %APPDATA%\Reflection\ (just the file list) and the name of your antivirus.

Best regards,
Reflection Team

[Jol Tai]

Polina Trix has made Getting started video - first in the series - to highlight some of Reflection features!
https://reflection-daw.com/

[dayjob]

Basically audiomulch. Even using same concepts and names but windows only.

When/if you port it to apple silicon I’ll have a look. Until then good luck.

Also, just curious, did you consult with Ross Bencina on this? I used to beta test audiomulch. I made a lot of music with it over the years. It’s interesting to see these ideas borrowed and living on in something new.

[pekbro]

Not too stable for me when scanning plugins, just CTD no errors, over and over. Maybe it can't handle large numbers of plugins?

[Jol Tai]

Ross left from public space like 7 years ago - you may contact him if you cam. Reflection made on other engine similarities just visual. Plus even in ver 1.0 it has much more advanced concepts, especially in term of midi. Mac is coming, yes. @pekbro I did ask you to send me your crash log Or plugin names. I have tons of plugins and zero crashes. I am solo developer and version you use is 1.0 I am working alot and constructive criticism can be helpful CONSTRUCTIVE means in details, plugin names, crashing log - as I already told you in an email. Other then that it's ultra stable at least if you know how to handle stuff

[Jol Tai]

To close that talk about Ross - he clearly abandoned the software (could have made it open-source but no) so I wrote all from scratch - I like that style top-down clear design - to have issues with that is like to say that max msp borrowed workload from pure data or Ross borrowed workflow again from Pure Data. It's a concept it's there - check it out for yourself (once Mac version is out) and then we may talk. P.S. now I start to understand WHY Ross did stop developing. (A small hint- users are people and people are...)

[pekbro]

Ross left from public space like 7 years ago - you may contact him if you cam. Reflection made on other engine similarities just visual. Plus even in ver 1.0 it has much more advanced concepts, especially in term of midi. Mac is coming, yes. @pekbro I did ask you to send me your crash log Or plugin names. I have tons of plugins and zero crashes. I am solo developer and version you use is 1.0 I am working alot and constructive criticism can be helpful CONSTRUCTIVE means in details, plugin names, crashing log - as I already told you in an email. Other then that it's ultra stable at least if you know how to handle stuff

If you've been emailing someone, it wasn't me. This is the first I'm hearing any of that, sorry.
This is my first time talking to you, ever...

[Jol Tai]

Okay then it's just a coincidence got user email with the same issue almost same time. So if you would like to improve Reflection - send your crashing or at least name of plugins and type (vst3 or vst2?) And we can fix that issue in the next version. Apart of that - what "unstable behavior " did you experienced? Support@reflection-daw.com

[dayjob]

Ross left from public space like 7 years ago - you may contact him if you cam. Reflection made on other engine similarities just visual. Plus even in ver 1.0 it has much more advanced concepts, especially in term of midi. Mac is coming, yes. @pekbro I did ask you to send me your crash log Or plugin names. I have tons of plugins and zero crashes. I am solo developer and version you use is 1.0 I am working alot and constructive criticism can be helpful CONSTRUCTIVE means in details, plugin names, crashing log - as I already told you in an email. Other then that it's ultra stable at least if you know how to handle stuff

yeah.. i used to talk to him now and then over email even after audiomulch ceased being developed. I was just curious if you’d reached out to him for any reason. i haven’t spoken to him in a long time.

anyway, yeah, midi and integration of software sequencers was buggy or laggy in mulch. i was able to get to do a lot of things i wanted it to do but it was always a process that took some effort when wanting to bring in outside sequencers like five12’s numerology.

the granulator in audiomulch is still my favorite for live audio processing nothing else sounds like it or has all the features.. the samplesumo “salty grain” plug in tries but is missing some key features and just doesn’t sound the same. the buffer lag in audiomulch granulator made it do some special things when stopping the transport and restarting it..

essential was being able to record multi tracks to different devices all sync’d up and they’d keep recording even when the transport was stopped so all the FX tails would could be captured. it was great for that kind of thing.

the things i used most in audiomulch was the snapshot system. automating snapshot changes in the timeline was a fun way to make tracks. easy to combine different snapshots with different devices and do unexpected things.

I always wished it had a global snapshot system so the entire patch could be changed via automating one snapshot lane in the timeline. that’s sort of what the metasurface was but not quite since it didn’t show up in the automation lanes/timeline and was meant for live performance.

anyway, i wish you luck w/this project and will check it out again when the apple version arrives.

hmmm i do have an old lenovo thinkpad around so if/when i have time i’ll think about checking the demo.

[Jol Tai]

Thanks, for kindness and support. Mac is being tested at the moment. Yeah I love granular and 5combs as resonator. It already has step sequencer built in (pro version) which can be midi out, samples out, has 4 notes per step (neet Lil keyboard appears on right click), probability functions (note prob, octave flip, 4th/5th jump - for consonant chord shift) it's only beginning. +Cc lfo to modulate meta or any plugin, 6 channel pedal style time sync looper (halftime - tape style, reverse kinda similar to moebius looper bu for live gigs) midi tools, file recorder (with arm on transport rec), ableton Audio link - to connect audio and time to Live / bitwig/vcv.... and sooooo much more planned - its just I'm alone and community support is somewhat dormant. As ukrainian war refugee - funding is crucial to survive in the EU (I do not receive any sort of state support here in Bulgaria) so yeah I'm working hard on Mac version - as seems like all pro dudes are there. Anyways price is a steal to be honest. Costs like a random vst plugin now.

[Jol Tai]

actually this is a Mac testing process - by Nay Seven - he was creative enough to connect joystick 🕹 and touch Osc to modulate Metasurface. So yeah it's gonna be wild ride

[pekbro]

How long is the intro? A bit tapped at the moment after having bought some other stuff, but I'd like to buy it I think.