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