What to do with bugged Plugins

JazzCamel · 07-29-2014, 01:03 PM

Okay I have had this plugin working for well over a year and suddenly it started crashing. It is part of the Virtual Buss Compressor suite from Slate Digital. The other dlls work fine, but when I reinstalled to get the bugged plugin back I get this error message (screenshot attached). I cannot get it to work with any of the 3 versions fo fggrey.dll I have from Slate.

All this does not seem to coincide with an update. Seems out of the blue to me, but perhaps it is a compatibility issue with an update. (WIN7 64bit w all the latest updates for DAW, plugin and PC).

Ollie · 07-29-2014, 02:11 PM

Where (full path) did you install that plug-in?

JazzCamel · 08-04-2014, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ollie

Where (full path) did you install that plug-in?

C:\Program Files\Reaper (x64\plugins\fx

Ollie · 08-04-2014, 07:45 AM

Make sure you install all 3rd-party plug-ins within a common folder like 'C:\Music\VSTPlugins', and in particular not ...\REAPER\Plugins or Plugins\FX. That folder is for REAPER plug-ins and extensions only, installing 3rd-party plug-ins doesn't always work there and plug-ins in there will be scanned on every REAPER start, which can lead to problems like you experience (the plug-in was most likely "blacklisted").

Remove all 3rd-party plug-ins from there, install them in a proper folder and then delete reaper-plugins.ini and reaper-plugins64.ini in your REAPER resource folder to get rid of the "blacklisted" entries. These files will be recreated on the next plug-in scan in an ordinary folder.

JazzCamel · 08-05-2014, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ollie

Make sure you install all 3rd-party plug-ins within a common folder like 'C:\Music\VSTPlugins', and in particular not ...\REAPER\Plugins or Plugins\FX. That folder is for REAPER plug-ins and extensions only, installing 3rd-party plug-ins doesn't always work there and plug-ins in there will be scanned on every REAPER start, which can lead to problems like you experience (the plug-in was most likely "blacklisted").

Remove all 3rd-party plug-ins from there, install them in a proper folder and then delete reaper-plugins.ini and reaper-plugins64.ini in your REAPER resource folder to get rid of the "blacklisted" entries. These files will be recreated on the next plug-in scan in an ordinary folder.

Well I have had no issues with any plugin in that directory for years. Hmm. Well I use the default directory for the mass amounts of plugins, and have always kept my few highly used paid plugins in the \FX to make sure they are connected well with reaper. I think this dll is bugged and it is not a blacklisting or path issue.

I am aware of the blacklisting thing where a plugin doesn't show up anymore and it is missing from the list. Since my first post I found the button within options that resets the plugin list ("ClearCache"). This one plugin has the error message on every new scan. (I am trying to find out why this particular plugin is not working out of the blue, not how to de-ignore the thing in the .ini.)

However I need to fix this and try everything, so, I reinstalled the plugins from that Slate-VBC series into a separate directory. And low and behold I get the same exact error message on the same one dll when scanning from the C:\P.F.\vst folder .. but thanks for your idea I can use all the ideas I can get!

BTW.. I don't buy the plugins\FX being a bad directory. As I see it Reaper scans all VST folders you designate on startup. So if you goto options and set all of your VST folders up, then reaper will scan all of those PLUS the FX directory of its own. Maybe the FX directory gets a harder scan??? I don't really know Reaper's scanning MO, but knowing how Windows path coding works I don't think this is playing into it.

DarkStar · 08-05-2014, 09:55 AM

Quote:

suddenly it started crashing.

Can you go back to the Reaper version where it was working OK? And do a "Clear cache and rescan"

Then have a look at the reaper-vstplugins.ini in Reaper's AppData folder and see what it says for that plug-in. Can you post that line here?

It's iLok-protected isn't it? If that is causing an error during the VST scan, then Reaper will report a problem and ignore the plug-in.

Do you have any other software in which you can try to load that plug-in?

JazzCamel · 08-05-2014, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkStar

It's iLok-protected isn't it? If that is causing an error during the VST scan, then Reaper will report a problem and ignore the plug-in.

Do you have any other software in which you can try to load that plug-in?

These two q's :

ILok could be the culprit.. I am going to update/reinstall my liscence manager, maybe try and install the plugins with the ilok key out of the pc.. few angles to try here yet.

I do not use any other VST using software no.

JazzCamel · 08-05-2014, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkStar

Can you go back to the Reaper version where it was working OK? And do a "Clear cache and rescan"

Then have a look at the reaper-vstplugins.ini in Reaper's AppData folder and see what it says for that plug-in. Can you post that line here?

Installed an older version of reaper that had had no effect on this situation, leading me to believe it is bug in the dll. <--- Again this plugin became missing out of the blue with no update coinciding.

As for the ini file.. this is an interesting thing I noticed.. here are the entries for the collection of VBC plugins after the one failed on fresh scan.

VBC_FG_Grey.dll=00586F6619A6CF01
VBC_FG_MU.dll=0069525919A6CF01,1447183213,Slate VBC FG-MU (Slate Digital)
VBC_FG_Red.dll=00D1DB6219A6CF01,1447183218,Slate VBC FG-Red (Slate Digital)
VBC_Rack.dll=00D1DB6219A6CF01,1447183211,Slate VBC Rack (Slate Digital)

As you can see Grey is not filled in, and is being ignored and there is a blank VST in my list with reaper's fx selection list. I have asked Slate for an update or a rollback, and haven't heard back in a week. It has to be the way the dll is being scanned by reaper.

DarkStar · 08-05-2014, 10:33 AM

Yep, from those lines Grey is one Reaper has a problem with, the others should be OK.

What are the release dates (dates modified) for those 4?
Was "Grey" updated recently?

JazzCamel · 08-05-2014, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkStar

Yep, from those lines Grey is one Reaper has a problem with, the others should be OK.

What are the release dates (dates modified) for those 4?
Was "Grey" updated recently?

Semi recently, not directly when my issues occurred, but a few weeks before that... and I think it has to be the issue for sure.

I did all combinations of Ilok troubleshooting. And its not the problem.

JazzCamel · 08-05-2014, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazzCamel

VBC_FG_Grey.dll=00586F6619A6CF01
VBC_FG_MU.dll=0069525919A6CF01,1447183213,Slate VBC FG-MU (Slate Digital)
VBC_FG_Red.dll=00D1DB6219A6CF01,1447183218,Slate VBC FG-Red (Slate Digital)
VBC_Rack.dll=00D1DB6219A6CF01,1447183211,Slate VBC Rack (Slate Digital)

So it has the HD address, and then I am assuming that the second # is a reference to GUI/fonts/etc for viewing, what is that #? Of coarse the rest is how it appears/reads in Reaper's FX List.

Ollie · 08-05-2014, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazzCamel

BTW.. I don't buy the plugins\FX being a bad directory. As I see it Reaper scans all VST folders you designate on startup.

FWIW, no it doesn't. REAPER scans all folders in the path list only after an update and when you hit either of the re-scan buttons. On startup it just does a directory search for new files to scan.

OTOH everything in ...REAPER\Plugins\... gets a full scan on every startup, considerably slowing down startup time when you have lots of plug-ins in there and what's worse, risking a crash on scan every time (which some finicky plug-ins randomly do), leading to a disabled plug-in for no reason.

That you didn't get any problems before just means that you didn't cross the threshold where it becomes a problem and moving your plug-ins out of that folder, at least the one in question is a vital step in troubleshooting. But of course you're free to believe what you want.

BTW, as the entry in the .ini shows your plug-in was disabled, possibly because it crashed. If it did, it may have left something about it in Event Viewer, which could help troubleshooting the issue.

JazzCamel · 08-10-2014, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ollie

That you didn't get any problems before just means that you didn't cross the threshold where it becomes a problem and moving your plug-ins out of that folder, at least the one in question is a vital step in troubleshooting. But of course you're free to believe what you want.

BTW, as the entry in the .ini shows your plug-in was disabled, possibly because it crashed. If it did, it may have left something about it in Event Viewer, which could help troubleshooting the issue.

Ok.. slower startup. Though, my other point with this is that the location of this plugin makes no difference. So, why is it that changing the directory to an outside location changes nothing for my issue. I can reinstall things into whatever directories until the cows come home, this one plugin still gets ignored on each redo (I can start from zero information on the PC and completely redo Reaper and the plugins, and still FG-grey gets another ignore tag.

Did a chat session with Slate, and they are working on the issue as well, though they are stumped.

I am installing Sonar trial to see if I can use it with another DAW. (BTW I moved all my plugins to the directory outside Reaper Folder. Because now having 2 DAWS is the definitely a believable reason plugins should have the default directory of their own.)

Thanks for the reply!

JazzCamel · 08-16-2014, 09:58 PM

I installed a Sonar demo and it had the same issue.

BUT Got it fixed with support from Slate Digital.

They lead me to a settings file in a hidden directory that doesn't get deleted on uninstall. Nutty to me but, when reinstalling this settings.xml file isn't updated or replaced, only written if it doesn't exist. The settings file for this plugin got compromised, so after uninstall I had to manually delete the files (and registry entries for good measure). Anyway it works now that I can get a true, fresh 'never seen the PC before' install.

d^.^b

_Peace_

ivansc · 08-17-2014, 12:31 AM

The uninstaller that is bundled with the free ASC would take care of any orphans like that, as I am sure you would find with most of the other NON Microsloth uninstallers available.
Might be worth remembering for the future

DarkStar · 08-17-2014, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JazzCamel

I installed a Sonar demo and it had the same issue.

BUT Got it fixed with support from Slate Digital.

They lead me to a settings file in a hidden directory that doesn't get deleted on uninstall. Nutty to me but, when reinstalling this settings.xml file isn't updated or replaced, only written if it doesn't exist. The settings file for this plugin got compromised, so after uninstall I had to manually delete the files (and registry entries for good measure). Anyway it works now that I can get a true, fresh 'never seen the PC before' install.

d^.^b

_Peace_

Glad you got it sorted out. I do hope that Slate Digital is going to fix their installer / uninstaller.

JazzCamel · 08-18-2014, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkStar

Glad you got it sorted out. I do hope that Slate Digital is going to fix their installer / uninstaller.

TY!

Well actually they will not be updating for that file's deletion. I suggested that very thing to them, but I get why they won't. This setting.xml file is a collection database of settings you have used in the plugin, a.k.a. the last setting, the default setting and then some of the data for saved user presets (the preset files also remain after uninstall). If you are to reinstall you retain your presets and the UI works how you are used to having it work.

So I suggest to them, they need to put a line of code in the setup.exe that checks the validity of settings.xml so that it can be repaired.