DP 5.11 Failure to Launch

[johnedwardlow]

After months of problem-free operation, I am unable to launch DP 5.11. I tried resetting my PRAM, uninstalling and re-installing and still can't quite figure this out...

Everyother application works fine...

I got:

G4
10.4.8
Reason 2.5
Atmosphere


Any suggestions?

[buzzsmith]

You might want to look at the sticky above "Do's and Don't's for a Crash free DP" and see if anything in there rings a bell (or an alarm).

Keep us posted!...everyone is here to help if we can.

=buzz=

[daveyboy]

Drag your DP prefs onto the desktop and try that first, found in your home/library/prefs folder. Don't delete them. Also, try the same with your motu plugin folder by taking all the plugs out. If the plugin thing does the trick, start adding them in, maybe in small groups of 4, and restarting DP until you find the weird plugin.

[johnedwardlow]

Drag your DP prefs onto the desktop and try that first, found in your home/library/prefs folder. Don't delete them. Also, try the same with your motu plugin folder by taking all the plugs out. If the plugin thing does the trick, start adding them in, maybe in small groups of 4, and restarting DP until you find the weird plugin.

Thanks for those tips...
Unfortunately they didn't do the trick.

A quick appendment to the problem:

When I click on DP, it bounces in the dock and starts loading. It takes probably about 4 or 5 seconds to start recognizing the plug-ins. As soon as it reaches the last plug-in ("tri-pan bundle") it shuts off.

Questions:

1. Could the Atmosphere program/prefs be causing any of this problem?

2. Should I be eliminating all DP-related preferences in the Preferences Folder (ie, com.motu.DigitalPerformer.plist) or simply the single DP folder?

Thanks for your help...

[monkey man]

I'd have eliminated Atmosphere first, or at least all plugs, and slowly reintroduced them, starting with DP's stockies and finally Atmosphere.

Sorry if I've misread this, but it seems you've not removed Atmosphere, unless it's a MAS plug too.

Just a thought; I almost always begin with 3rd party stuff when troubleshooting.

[johnedwardlow]

I'd have eliminated Atmosphere first, or at least all plugs, and slowly reintroduced them, starting with DP's stockies and finally Atmosphere.

Sorry if I've misread this, but it seems you've not removed Atmosphere, unless it's a MAS plug too.

Just a thought; I almost always begin with 3rd party stuff when troubleshooting.

Thanks for that tip...
But I'm still in the woods.

I have practically stripped DP of everything related to it that I can find in the Prefs Folder and Plug-ins Folder (and put it on my desktop). Now when I launch it, only the "MOTU Audio System" loads and then it shuts off.

This problem first happened when I tried to load a DP file from a back-up CD. I dragged the file from the CD to my desktop...it opened but there was no audio. I shut DP down and rebooted and now I am the middle of this mess.

Does anyone know any "it sucks to have to go through all these steps, but this will solve the problem for sure"/"start from scratch" type solution? I am supposed to be delivering music tomorrow for a job.

Thanks for all your help...

[monkey man]

Try repairing permissions (it can't do any harm anyway).
The copied CD project thing just gives me a little feeling here.
I do get the feeling you've tried this, though...

In AMS, you could try selecting "built in audio" in all I/O fields.
This would reduce possible complications, I feel.

I assume you've tried booting DP by opening all manner of projects?
I'm thinking of projects that represent periods where you had different configurations of busses, plug-ins, working-methods etc.
Also, if you set MIDI files (using "get info") to open in DP and try running them, there'll at least be no immediate drain/demand on the MAS, thereby increasing your chances of booting past the stage where DP bombs out.

Just clutching at some straws for ya, johnedwardlow.
Here, have a bunch.

[daveyboy]

Try unplugging all your perifrils, like external MIDI, audio interface etc and see if it starts up. Did you keep earlier versions of DP like 5 or 4.61? Try those if you have em. Is Atmosphere up to date? Did the alias get deleted that points to Atmopshere's DAT file?

[johnedwardlow]

Try unplugging all your perifrils, like external MIDI, audio interface etc and see if it starts up. Did you keep earlier versions of DP like 5 or 4.61? Try those if you have em. Is Atmosphere up to date? Did the alias get deleted that points to Atmopshere's DAT file?

Thanks for the tips...

I tried unplugging all peripherels and have also tried launching earlier versions of DP but to no avail.

Atmosphere is up-to-date. I am not sure if the alias has been erased. "Atmosphere.dat" and "Atmospher AU.component" currently reside in HD>Library>Audio>Plug-ins>Components. (I have tried dumping this and all other plug-ins but with no luck).

When I launch DP, the mini window pops up but it takes about 6 seconds or so of delay and sometimes "pinwheeling", it authors Atmosphere and AU's and then proceeds to load the plug-ins but as soon it finishes ("tri-pan bundle") it shuts down.

What are you thoughts on this problem as it might relate to OSX? Could there be a connection there? Is there a "start from scratch" type solution?

I have a pretty extensive e-mail in to MOTU's tech support but that could takes days/weeks.

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it...

[daveyboy]

OK, do you have a spare partition or external drive that you can do a OS reinstall so as not to disrupt anything? There are various apps that allow you to repartition an existing drive but I don't want to tell you to do this stuff if you're not backed up. Also, are you trying to launch DP first and not via clicking on the actual song file? I assume you're doing everything.

[blzbb]

Have exact same problem as original poster. Just purchased 5.11 and had 828mkII repaired back at MOTU HQ. Was able to open a few old 4.1 projects, and have a bit of a look around, but now nothing. Becomes non-responsive at Tri-pan bundle. I have G4 dual 800 w/ 1 gig of ram.

[blzbb]

However, at least in my case, I suspect it has to do with audio hardware and/or driver. Could be that TriPan bundle is not the problem, but the last thing to go right before DP goes looking for audio settings. DP opens when I turn off my 828 and reconfig to built-in audio, otherwise it freezes, MOTU Firewire Driver freezes along with it, and neither will go away until I hard boot the computer.

Anyway, maybe it's the same problem, maybe it isn't. But might be worth looking at your interface and driver. (And please let me know if you find an answer!)

[blzbb]

Okay, I miraculously got tech support guy on phone. He had me trash old Firewire Console and Motu Audio kernel extension (in system folder, under extensions) and restart. Didn't fix problem, but probably not a bad idea. What seems to have worked though, is disconnecting any other firewire device from my computer. Hope that helps you.

[johnedwardlow]

I also got MOTU tech support on the phone (Rich) the first time in 4 years. He walked me through a couple steps (a few of which you mentioned) but the problem persists and the phones are back on the busy signal.

He looked at my crash log but was unable to determine what the issue was...

However, I added a new user to my computer and was able to launch and successfuly use DP using the public folder to transfer files from one user to the next. An OK temp solution but certainly not putting my mind at ease b/c now I can't save any changes I make in Reason due to a "disk problem."

I'll pass any more information along as I get it.

Good Luck to us.

[monkey man]

That'd be Rich Otero.

He's been my only experience with tech support, and seems like a straight-up, diligent sort of fellow.
I'm sure he did his best.

It did seem like a permissions/ownership/access thing to me, hence my first suggestion.

Good luck, johnedwardlow.
MM