Two strange problems

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Zwei Kreise
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Two strange problems

Post by Zwei Kreise »

Okay so I got back into Buzz (again) after a period of mostly not making a lot of music for the whole of 2016 (my only resolution for 2017, be more productive!) but I'm running into two problems that I wasn't experiencing before.

First is that the index.txt that I have prevents Buzz from launching at all. At first Buzz wouldn't start so I did a clean install from scratch, which worked, but as soon as I put my Gear folder back in Buzz it failed to launch. I finally narrowed it down to the index file. Every time I put it in the Gear folder, Buzz doesn't start (no error message nothing), when I take it out, it boots like normal. I've included the file as an attachment, it's an index that I got from this very forum and it worked perfectly well for me before... I'm running Buzz 32-bit build 1503 on Windows 10 Pro (version 1511). I can provide more details if necessary.

Second is that none of the peer machines seem to work, at least neither Peer LFO nor PeerTune, which are the two main ones that I use. Not really any more to say on these two, I just assign the parameters as usual but no response. Again no error message.
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AndersBrontosaurus
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Re: Two strange problems

Post by AndersBrontosaurus »

That indexissue sounds really strange. Have you tried other indexes to rule out if that particular index for some reason could be the problem?

About that peerproblem I think I remember having the same problem once. Try running peertune through dependency walker and see what it tells you.
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IXix
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Re: Two strange problems

Post by IXix »

Hmmm, never heard of index.txt causing a crash before. My best guess is that it's something to do with the old Overloader or maybe an old VST loader or something where the index entries were built dynamically or fancy graphics hacks were used.

As for the peer machines, do you have the latest versions from SourceForge... https://sourceforge.net/projects/btdsys/files/

edit: Have you perhaps got PeerLFO and PeerTune in Effects instead of Generators?
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Zwei Kreise
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Re: Two strange problems

Post by Zwei Kreise »

Okay well I got the Peer problem cleared on its own. IX you were right on the money, I had actually put the machines in the Effects directory like an idiot. PeerTune still behaves strangely though, the Detune parameter works, but I still can't get the individual tuning parameters to do anything. PeerLFO however works like a charm which is something.

I thought this might have had something to do with the index problem so as soon as I had this sorted out I tried putting the index back into the Gear folder but same result. I tried with another HamsterAlliance index I had knocking around somewhere, no dice.

I'm still thinking the problem might come from a misplaced machine though I don't really have anyway to test this other than by searching through the entire effects/generators folders do I?
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IXix
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Re: Two strange problems

Post by IXix »

Zwei Kreise wrote:I'm still thinking the problem might come from a misplaced machine though I don't really have anyway to test this other than by searching through the entire effects/generators folders do I?
I tried using your index and it doesn't crash my Buzz so I suspect it's down to a particular machine. Since most* machines don't really interact with the index (and therefore shouldn't cause a crash), I think that narrows it down to basically just the obsolete VST loaders in the Adapters/Old section, so remove all those and see what happens.

Also you should change the Adapters section a little to remove the first two mentions of Polac's machines...

Code: Select all

/Adapters
Polac VSTi 1.1     <--- Delete this
Polac VST 1.1      <--- and this
*Polac VSTi 1.1, VST Instruments
*Polac VST 1.1, VST Effects
I doubt that's part of the problem but it will make the Instruments/Effects folders work properly.

*Cyanphase ViDist does but that works fine here so probably not that one.
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IXix
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Re: Two strange problems

Post by IXix »

IXix wrote:Also you should change the Adapters section a little to remove the first two mentions of Polac's machines...

Code: Select all

/Adapters
Polac VSTi 1.1     <--- Delete this
Polac VST 1.1      <--- and this
*Polac VSTi 1.1, VST Instruments
*Polac VST 1.1, VST Effects
Actually I realised you should do this instead or the VST loader dlls will show up in the unsorted lists...

Code: Select all

/Adapters
*Polac VSTi 1.1, VST Instruments
*Polac VST 1.1, VST Effects
Polac VSTi 1.1,
Polac VST 1.1,
Thanks for making me pay attention to the index. It prompted me to finally debug my own which has been a complete wreck for ages because the index parser didn't like some of my formatting. I've come to rely on typing machine names to insert them, but in doing so I've tended to use the same machines and many wonderful old gems are covered in thick dust. The index promotes experimentation and discovery and makes Buzz more fun. :)
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Zwei Kreise
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Re: Two strange problems

Post by Zwei Kreise »

Okay so, I don't have an Adapters folder, but I tried applying the changes that you mentioned (first removing the two extra mentions, then reordering them) but Buzz still wasn't starting. Then I tried removing the Adapters section entirely (that one : )

Code: Select all

/Adapters
Polac VSTi 1.1
Polac VST 1.1
*Polac VSTi 1.1, VST Instruments
*Polac VST 1.1, VST Effects
And, lo and behold, Buzz actually starts with the index now. Tried pasting the "Adapters" section back in, even with nothing in it, and the crash reoccurs. So it seems that just the Adapters section was basically causing it to go nowhere.

Would be great even if I had no adapters section (I can basically just type "Vst" in there and I have what I need) but the fact is the index is still weirdly borken even though now it doesn't crash buzz entirely. Now, I don't have sections in the index, the index shows up, but all I have is this : http://imgur.com/3El4mbK
IXix wrote: I've come to rely on typing machine names to insert them, but in doing so I've tended to use the same machines and many wonderful old gems are covered in thick dust. The index promotes experimentation and discovery and makes Buzz more fun. :)
That is 100% right and that's kind of why I want mine back. The thing is I know which machines I like and am comfortable with but sometimes I just get this itch to go into a section and look at what's there just to have a different sound or something similar. Honestly I would love to be able to just do the index by myself (and I'll probably do that at some point, just to be able to order things my own way) but I don't really have the time at the moment.

And it is immensely fun, to have been away from the software for a while and finally come back to it is very refreshing, I can tell you.
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IXix
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Re: Two strange problems

Post by IXix »

Zwei Kreise wrote: Would be great even if I had no adapters section (I can basically just type "Vst" in there and I have what I need) but the fact is the index is still weirdly borken even though now it doesn't crash buzz entirely. Now, I don't have sections in the index, the index shows up, but all I have is this : http://imgur.com/3El4mbK
It's easy to break the folder structure in the index which is what it looks like you've done there. Put it back how it was when you started. Worry about tidying it up later.

The crash is almost certainly because of one of the machines in the Adapters/Old section, so what you need to do is get rid of those. Go into your Generators and Effects folders and make a new folder called Quarantine in each of them. The drag all of the following dlls into the appropriate Quarantine folder (I don't have time to check which are gens and effects now):

Code: Select all

Polac VSTi
Polac VSTiMulti
uMw Polac VST
uMw Polac VSTi
Polac VST
POut
CyanPhase DMO Effect Adapter
CyanPhase DX Effect Adapter
CyanPhase DX Effect Adapter_ApoVersion
RnZnAnFnCnRnL VST Instrument Adapter
RnZnAnFnCnRnL VST Effect Adapter
RnZnAnFnCnR VST Instrument Adapter
RnZnAnFnR VST Instrument Adapter
RnZnAnF VST Instrument Adapter
RnZnAnFnCnR VST Effect Adapter
Rnznanf Vst Effect Adapter
Rnznanf Vst Adapter
Rout VST Plugin Loader
Rout VST Plugin Loader (Stereo)
uMw RnZnAnFnCnRnL VST Instrument Adapter
uMw RnZnAnFnCnRnL VST Effect Adapter
Once they're all quarantined, start Buzz again and I'll bet it won't crash and your index will look right. If not then it might take some more detective work.
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Zwei Kreise
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Re: Two strange problems

Post by Zwei Kreise »

The thing is that I don't have any of the above machines.

The closest match are the Polac VST adapters but all of the ones currently in my Gear folder are versions 1.1 (the latest ones, if I remember correctly, both VST and VSTi), but I have no uMw machines, no CyanPhase machines, no RnZnAnF machines, and the few Rout ones that I have are a vibrato and two drum machine emulations (808/909).
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IXix
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Re: Two strange problems

Post by IXix »

Zwei Kreise wrote:The thing is that I don't have any of the above machines.
Ah well, so much for that theory. :lol:

The only other machine I know of that interacts with the index is CyanPhase ViDist. If you've got that one try quarantining it. If that doesn't fix it them damned if I know.

edit: Oh and Zephod MidiTracker too
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IXix
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Re: Two strange problems

Post by IXix »

IXix wrote:If that doesn't fix it them damned if I know.
Although maybe re-installing Polac VST might be worth a shot.

edit: and/or run Dependency Walker on the Polac dlls
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