Reaper suddenly fails to see my plugins for no reason - Page 2

herg67 · 10-15-2018, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyrannocaster

That doesn't make sense. If you have the Reaper installer you can make a portable installation with it. Or were you not aware of that?

I have rolled back the version of Reaper. Made sure the Ambience .dll file is in the reaper plugins folder BUT it won't come up in the filter search. This is so frustrating as I am doing everything correct. It is Reaper that is at fault here obviously.

domzy · 10-15-2018, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herg67

I have rolled back the version of Reaper. Made sure the Ambience .dll file is in the reaper plugins folder BUT it won't come up in the filter search. This is so frustrating as I am doing everything correct. It is Reaper that is at fault here obviously.

it should be in your vst plugins folder not the reaper plugins folder

herg67 · 10-15-2018, 07:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by domzy

it should be in your vst plugins folder not the reaper plugins folder

Yes, I have tried both and neither will show. I have a VST plugins folder on my C drive C:\Program Files\VstPlugins as well as one in my (x86) C:\Program Files (x86)\Vstplugins. The VST plugins folder on the 986) drive has all my old Cubase SX3 synths etc. Even so, placing the Ambience .dll file in every vst plugins folder doesn't show.

herg67 · 10-15-2018, 12:37 PM

Anyone please ? This is incredibly frustrating that Reaper cannot see a simple .dll file (like it did previously)

karbomusic · 10-15-2018, 12:42 PM

I tried in post 25, no answer.

herg67 · 10-15-2018, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karbomusic

Try running reaper as admin as a test only... right-click reaper > run as administrator and see if it still occurs. Or if you are already running as admin, explain why and let us know that you are.

Secondly, if you are up to it, download process monitor, run it, repro as fast as possible, save the trace as .PML file, zip it and let me know how I can get to it and I'll take a look later this evening.

Yep, just tried this and still no Ambiance.

karbomusic · 10-15-2018, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herg67

Yep, just tried this and still no Ambiance.

Where's the procmon file? I think there are details here being missed or left out, likely unintentionally.

karbomusic · 10-15-2018, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herg67

There are no .ini file extensions showing and I haven't turned any preferences off in Windows 7

It's the same file... file extensions such as .ini are hidden by default in all versions of windows. Send us that file.

karbomusic · 10-15-2018, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herg67

I have rolled back the version of Reaper. Made sure the Ambience .dll file is in the reaper plugins folder BUT it won't come up in the filter search. This is so frustrating as I am doing everything correct. It is Reaper that is at fault here obviously.

It should never go in that directory. Also, apparently neither you, I, nor anyone in this thread knows what is obviously at fault yet.

Sorry for the late replies, just getting back to reviewing all the spray and pray responses.

herg67 · 10-15-2018, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karbomusic

Where's the procmon file? I think there are details here being missed or left out, likely unintentionally.

Sorry, I do not know what you mean. Procmon I have no idea.

karbomusic · 10-15-2018, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herg67

Sorry, I do not know what you mean. Procmon I have no idea.

It was step 2 in post 25, before you do that can you post a screenshot of this window:

Options > Preferences > Plugins > Compatibility.

FYI, bear with me as I'm extremely methodical because that solves problems.

Thanks

herg67 · 10-15-2018, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karbomusic

It was step 2 in post 25, before you do that can you post a screenshot of this window:

Options > Preferences > Plugins > Compatibility.

FYI, bear with me as I'm extremely methodical because that solves problems.

Thanks

Tried uploading screenshot but cannot get it uploaded due to wrong size. Can't you just ask me what to look for on the compatibility page ?

karbomusic · 10-15-2018, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herg67

Tried uploading screenshot but cannot get it uploaded due to wrong size. Can't you just ask me what to look for on the compatibility page ?

I'd really like to see the screenshot, you can upload to imgur.com, and send that link.

What is the current bridge setting set to (that drop down box for firewalling, what's it set to)?

herg67 · 10-15-2018, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karbomusic

I'd really like to see the screenshot, you can upload to imgur.com, and send that link. What is the current bridge setting set to (that drop down box for firewalling, what's it set to)? Still would like the screen shot though.

I got it up in the end (see above amended post) but it was a pain getting it right for here.

karbomusic · 10-15-2018, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herg67

I got it up in the end (see above amended post) but it was a pain getting it right for here.

Thanks!

I can't see what I wanted to see (too small) but have two questions...

1. What does it say (the greyed out drop down for firewalling) as shown in my picture of your screenshot below. I think it says automatic.

2. I don't understand why it is greyed out.

herg67 · 10-15-2018, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karbomusic

Thanks!

I can't see what I wanted to see (too small) but have two questions...

1. What does it say (the greyed out drop down for firewalling) as shown in my picture of your screenshot below. I think it says automatic.

2. I don't understand why it is greyed out.

It says "automatic bridging when required" next to VST bridging/firewalling

Hope that helps.

karbomusic · 10-15-2018, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herg67

It says "automatic bridging when required" next to VST bridging/firewalling

Hope that helps.

We need to discover among ourselves why you aren't able to change that setting - yes it's set to what I'd expect but I don't know why it's not changeable, the reason that matters to me is this...

There are only a handful of reasons you can get the behavior you are seeing which I will list, read these closely because I think it's important...

1. The VST wasn't found during a scan.
2. It was found during a scan but something went wrong.
3. The DLL is corrupt or blocked.
4. The version has changed to such an extent that reaper doesn't realize it's the same plugin.
5. Bridging is not working properly.

I downloaded Ambience but I could NOT find a 64 bit version, only 32 bit. You are running 64 bit Reaper which means it needs to bridge. I did a test which reproduced your behavior...

1. Create a project, load up ambience, make sure it works and close the project.
2. Go into Reapers preferences, change the bridging setting to "native, no bridging".
3. Restart reaper and open the same project, voila same issue.

So based on what little I can decipher from the entire thread, I wonder if bridging is not working properly or something similar bitness wise. I may have missed when reading the thread but does ambiance show up as a VST in the VST list? Not in the FX chain where it can't be loaded but as a VST that is in the VST list when adding an new FX?

Glennbo · 10-15-2018, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karbomusic

We need to discover among ourselves why you aren't able to change that setting - yes it's set to what I'd expect but I don't know why it's not changeable, the reason that matters to me is this...

I was able to make both that greyed out option box and make all my 32 bit plugins fail, just by unchecking these two boxes on the installation dialogue.

x86/x64 VST/REX/ReWire bridging

and

x64 VST bridging/firewalling

AND, since REAPER remembers your last choices, it will repeat the problem on the install of ANY version until they get checked again.

karbomusic · 10-15-2018, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennbo

I was able to make both that greyed out option box and make all my 32 bit plugins fail, just by unchecking these two boxes on the installation dialogue.

Interesting. If anything of the sort were to occur, it would certainly cause such behavior and appear unexplained.

herg67 · 10-16-2018, 03:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennbo

I was able to make both that greyed out option box and make all my 32 bit plugins fail, just by unchecking these two boxes on the installation dialogue.

x86/x64 VST/REX/ReWire bridging

and

x64 VST bridging/firewalling

AND, since REAPER remembers your last choices, it will repeat the problem on the install of ANY version until they get checked again.

Sorry for late response, I had retired for the evening and just read these responses now. I think perhaps you may have something upon installation. As I have said before, Ambiance has always had no problem running in 64 bit mode before.

Here is a screenshot of setting upon installing Reaper updates. I haven't changed anything but I do notice not as many boxes checked.

Dr Bob · 10-16-2018, 05:06 AM

What shows when you expand the "Optional Functionality" sub menu?

Are the bridging and firewalling items unchecked?

Looks like you are getting close to solving it ...

dB

karbomusic · 10-16-2018, 05:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herg67

Sorry for late response, I had retired for the evening and just read these responses now. I think perhaps you may have something upon installation. As I have said before, Ambiance has always had no problem running in 64 bit mode before.

Here is a screenshot of setting upon installing Reaper updates. I haven't changed anything but I do notice not as many boxes checked.

Click the + symbol and expand "Optional Functionality" then make sure "x64 VST bridging/firewalling" is checked, that should fix it or at least get us to the next thing to troubleshoot.

Glennbo · 10-16-2018, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Bob

What shows when you expand the "Optional Functionality" sub menu?

Are the bridging and firewalling items unchecked?

Looks like you are getting close to solving it ...

dB

They are definitely NOT checked. For the main box to be non-checked,, it means NOTHING is checked inside it.

karbomusic · 10-16-2018, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennbo

They are definitely NOT checked. For the main box to be non-checked,, it means NOTHING is checked inside it.

Yup..

herg67 · 10-16-2018, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karbomusic

Click the + symbol and expand "Optional Functionality" then make sure "x64 VST bridging/firewalling" is checked, that should fix it or at least get us to the next thing to troubleshoot.

Ok, checked - expand "Optional Functionality" still no ambience. Placed it it VST folder of Reaper and BINGO! it found it. I know you say it shouldn't go in the Reaper FX folder but at least it see it.

Thanks for all the patience and help folks.

Dr Bob · 10-16-2018, 06:08 AM

So you did a full re-install of the latest Reaper? And double checked they were still checked at install time. And did a full VST rescan having made sure that the path to your Ambience VST in in the reaper VST path setting.

… and begs the question - why are they unchecked? Pretty sure a standard installation would have them checked by default.

Can you check that in c:\Program Files\Reaper(X64)\plugins you have files "reaper_host32.exe" and "reaper_host64.exe"

dB

herg67 · 10-16-2018, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Bob

So you did a full re-install of the latest Reaper? And double checked they were still checked at install time. And did a full VST rescan.

… and begs the question - why are they unchecked? Pretty sure a standard installation would have them checked by default.

dB

See amended post above. You just beat me to it.

Glennbo · 10-16-2018, 06:14 AM

Everything in that section except ReaRoute is checked by default, so I would recommend setting them back to the way they were originally set from Cockos. Enabling ReaRoute could open yet another can of worms.

karbomusic · 10-16-2018, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herg67

Ok, checked - expand "Optional Functionality" still no ambience. Placed it it VST folder of Reaper and BINGO! it found it. I know you say it shouldn't go in the Reaper FX folder but at least it see it.

Thanks for all the patience and help folks.

Ideally another folder would be good, you should eventually setup a dedicated non-special VST folder, something like C:\VST and put manually installed VSTs there. Actually 2 of them C:\VST32 and C:\VST64 since it's good to keep 32 and 64 bit separated.

For now though glad it's working.

herg67 · 10-16-2018, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karbomusic

Ideally another folder would be good, you should eventually setup a dedicated non-special VST folder, something like C:\VST and put manually installed VSTs there. Actually 2 of them C:\VST32 and C:\VST64 since it's good to keep 32 and 64 bit separated.

For now though glad it's working.

Yes and I thank you all again for your help as it was a real head scratcher. I can't see it doing any harm in the Reaper FX folder.

karbomusic · 10-16-2018, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by herg67

Yes and I thank you all again for your help as it was a real head scratcher. I can't see it doing any harm in the Reaper FX folder.

The suggestion is for future organization only, after all you've been through, enjoy it as-is for now.

Dr Bob · 10-16-2018, 06:31 AM

Hurray! You got there. You should take heed and get your VST's organised.

Set up

C:\VST\32-bit and C:\VST\64-bit

For those VST's where you simply copy the .dll file from the installation zip file, copy them to the right folders.

For those VST's which come with their own installer/command centre/install centre or whatever they use, make sure you change the install paths for the VST's to either the 32-bit or 64-bit folders. The executable installers in many/most cases also put various support files in "program files" and/or in <user>appdata, simply let the installer do that part as per its default settings/requirements.

Simply, for basic VST .dll's just copy them to the right folders. For installers, tell it to put the VST component in the right folders.

THEN, in the reaper VST path dialogue, add in the two folders, the 32-bit first. Then do a clear cache and rescan.

Keep things simple and nice and organised.

Hope this helps you going forward.

dB