Waveform Problem Plugins

[Rock]

Work-around:

If you are having trouble with a Waves Plugin try loading it in Waves StudioRack. It's a bit of a pain but better than losing the loss of an important plugin.

[tonedef71]

If you ever have an issue with removing a VST plug-in that is saved in the edit (e.g. it crashes Waveform before you can remove it), there is still a way to remove the offending plug-in from the edit without using Waveform to do it.

The ".tracktionedit" file is a text-based XML file that can be edited in a text editor. Before editing the ".tracktionedit" file, be sure to make a backup copy of it. Locate the plug-in within the file by performing a text search on the name of that plug-in.

Here is an example of a plug-in entry for the excellent U-He Podolski VSTi (which works just fine in Waveform, by the way):

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<FILTER type="vst" uid="506f646f" filename="C:\Program Files\Common Files\Steinberg\VST2\u-he\Podolski(x64).dll" name="Podolski(x64)" manufacturer="u-he" id="0/120ba81" enabled="1" windowX="79" windowY="111" windowLocked="0" programNum="0" state="lalalalalalala..."/>

When you have found the appropriate VST plug-in entry (which should look similar to the example above), you may remove it, but be sure to remove the entire singular FILTER entry from the "<FILTER" tag to its closing "/>" tag (as it appears in the above example).

Repeat the process for as many times as needed to remove every instance of an offending VST/VSTi plug-in. Save the changed ".tracktionedit" file when done, and then try to open that modified ".tracktionedit" file back up in Waveform.

Recovery: If you modified the ".tracktionedit" file improperly, and it fails to open back up in Waveform, just make another copy of that backup copy (you did remember to make a backup copy of the the original ".tracktionedit" file, right?), and then try another go at it. If you give up, just rename the backup copy of the ".tracktionedit" file to its original filename.

[dRowAudio]

Thanks @tonedef71, yes this is how you would remove a plugin by editing the Edit file.

However, in Waveform we did add a feature that should automatically detect if a plugin crashed and disable it when you next start. This stops the plugin from loading and hence constantly crashing Edit files.

Disabled plugins will have a yellow "!" mark on them in the Edit and there is a new column in the "Plugins" page settings list to show plugin that have been disabled.

[tonedef71]

Thanks @tonedef71, yes this is how you would remove a plugin by editing the Edit file.

However, in Waveform we did add a feature that should automatically detect if a plugin crashed and disable it when you next start. This stops the plugin from loading and hence constantly crashing Edit files.

Disabled plugins will have a yellow "!" mark on them in the Edit and there is a new column in the "Plugins" page settings list to show plugin that have been disabled.

I didn't know that Waveform had that feature; that's awesome!

The technique I described earlier would still come in handy as a workaround for those times when removing a plug-in from within Waveform crashes the Waveform application (unless Waveform can also detect when a plugin's removal has caused a crash).

Regarding the XML ".tracktionedit" file, I have been wondering about the values of the various time and length parameters used throughout the XML; these values are expressed as decimal numbers. For example, the (b)eat and (l)ength parameters of a NOTE event:

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<NOTE p="46" b="3.4916666666666666963" l="0.44999999999999973355" v="81" c="0"/>

Might the use of pre-calculated decimal values instead of whole-number fraction arithmetic result in the possible loss of precision (such as from rounding errors)? From a strictly human readable standpoint, using whole number tick counts would also be easier to correlate with while browsing through the file.

[tatanka]

Strange kontakt bug:

Have only lately realized that this is no general kontakt problem but definitely waveform specific (dont happen in mulab for example):

- the kontakt interface does not react on button clicks when waveform is not running

Two examples: in xosphere I could not get to the internal preset browser when waveform is not running, in cracklefield I can not use the internal sequencer recording cause I just cant start the sequencer without waveform running

Zombie Queen from cracklefield suspects some optimization setting that might cause this, I hope this is the case and no bug and someone could tell me about right settings to avoid that kontakt behaviour

[dRowAudio]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "when waveform is not running".
Do you mean closed?
Or just that another application has focus?
What OS is this?
Does it happen with other plugins or just Kontakt?

[tatanka]

Hi dRowAudio,

win 64, waveform 8.20 64 bit.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "when waveform is not running".

I mean when I dont hit "play" so that playback is paused/off, whatever. In this case the opened kontakt windows dont react on clicks on buttons as described. Only when "play" is on and waveform is playing the track then it works, for example to open the xosphere preset browser or starting the internal sequencer in cracklefield.

As far as I have realized it only happens in kontakt but only in waveform. Have not tested all libraries but as I said Zombie Queen who develloped cracklefield supposed some optimisation settings in the daw might be responsible on this.

Just this moment I remember another case: same with audiofier kontakt ibraries, just impossible to start the internal midi recording button when daw is not running.

[dRowAudio]

Hi dRowAudio,

win 64, waveform 8.20 64 bit.

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "when waveform is not running".

I mean when I dont hit "play" so that playback is paused/off, whatever. In this case the opened kontakt windows dont react on clicks on buttons as described. Only when "play" is on and waveform is playing the track then it works, for example to open the xosphere preset browser or starting the internal sequencer in cracklefield.

As far as I have realized it only happens in kontakt but only in waveform. Have not tested all libraries but as I said Zombie Queen who develloped cracklefield supposed some optimisation settings in the daw might be responsible on this.

Just this moment I remember another case: same with audiofier kontakt ibraries, just impossible to start the internal midi recording button when daw is not running.

Do you have "Options -> Run Audio Engine When Stopped" turned on? It could be that Kontakt needs the process method to be called to respond to buttons etc?

[tatanka]

Hi dRowAudio,

Do you have "Options -> Run Audio Engine When Stopped" turned on? It could be that Kontakt needs the process method to be called to respond to buttons etc?

That seems to help, I still have to run playback at least one time (maybe it needs kind of "connection" to kontakt), but then it seems to work

[dRowAudio]

Ok, it sounds like Kontakt needs to be fully initialised to do these operations and enable the buttons.

[tonedef71]

Ok, it sounds like Kontakt needs to be fully initialised to do these operations and enable the buttons.

I think I have seen the same behavior with the internal riff/strum player within Amplesound guitar and bass plugins.

[zzz00m]

Some plugins offer a sync to host feature. I have an Amplesound Bass riffer, and XLN Addictive Drums which play MIDI patterns, and they both can host sync. But they appear to also work independently of the Waveform transport. No issues here with them when Waveform is stopped.

[levendis]

i'd like to echo the report some others have made about multi-i|o plugins.
The Right-click > Configure plugin channels > Input|Output busses > (i|o) menu is tantalizing while unrewarding.

[dRowAudio]

i'd like to echo the report some others have made about multi-i|o plugins.
The Right-click > Configure plugin channels > Input|Output busses > (i|o) menu is tantalizing while unrewarding.

What exactly do you mean by "unrewarding" and what other reports are you referring to? I've only heard of this doing the correct thing and changing the IO configuration of plugins successfully.

If there are problems with specific plugins can you let us know (and perhaps the plugin developers) so we can fix them?
Thanks, Dave

[zzz00m]

I inserted Kontakt 5, which is a multi-out synth [8 or 16]. I can see the output channels when I "Right-click > Configure plugin channels > Input|Output busses >", but I cannot do anything with them.

If I route any instruments internally within Kontakt to another output besides Stereo 1, no sound comes out in Waveform. If I open up a plugin rack, it only shows the main L/R outputs for the synth. I can wrap the instrument plugin in a rack to get all the outputs and send them to other tracks the old fashioned way.

So I am puzzled about how this is supposed to work.