machFive 3 general issues

[menright]

Don't get me wrong: I love MachFive 3 and this single piece of software has not only changed my relationship to DP but also made me much more productive. Like a LOT more productive. But there are problems. I'm sure others have talked about these things but here's my contribution.

Problem 1: MF3 loses stuff, all the time. Programs and samples, for instance, particularly sound files that don't come from UVI. Every time I've created sample sets from my old McGill University CDs, MF3 can't find them again and I have to reload everything manually. I don't lose them (I save the program and samples) but why don't they load again like everything else?

Problem 2: MF3 loses my "Places" selections. Any time I set up paths to various sample sets, they aren't there next time I open the program. My "Places" menu is always blank. Combined with problem 1, it makes the whole MF3 environment feel kinda unstable.

Problem 3: I have two serious issues with the Edit environment. The first is that start times, end times, and loop start times need to have a place where I can edit them numerically. Just changing a number for the start time would be invaluable. Being able to move these start points with arrow keys, like I do for note start times in DP, would be another incredibly useful feature. Do either of these capacities exist? Is there a place in the Tree view or one of the other modes where I can get at a number? If there is I can't find it. Trying to get exact start points is particularly trying; it was a whole lot easier twenty years ago on my Akai S950.

Problem 4: I work on a laptop with a track pad. I usually don't have a mouse with me. Yet I can't zoom in Edit view without a scroll-wheel on a mouse. There should be a keystroke combo that does this, or at least some little buttons somewhere. Combined with the impossibility of changing start and stop times numerically, being unable to zoom means the Edit environment is a whole lot less useful than it should be. I like moving those swipe bars around for general placement, but I need a lot more precision here. Again, have I missed something?

Problem 5: Just three sizes for the whole environment? The biggest one is larger than my screen and useless. What I really want is the ability to drag from the lower-right corner and resize MF3 dynamically. (There are many parts of DP that could use this capacity also, like the Mixing Board. You can resize the board but the faders don't get bigger or smaller when you do.)

Problem 6: In a 64-bit environment, I can't mount the Ethno 1 ufs or dat files. Why? I can mount the MF2 ufs files; why not the Ethno stuff? I want to upgrade to Ethno 2 but in the meantime I hate losing access to these sample sets in the 64-bit environment. (I have given up on the idea that there will someday be a 64-bit capable MX4.)

That's enough for now. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell me if I'm doing something wrong, or not using something that I just don't know about. Thanks for listening!

Mike Enright

[a_bugaichuk]

I will not say specifically about this issues, but btw I just recently thought that - why UVI workstation frequently updated and there fix various bugs, while MF3 still for a long time without any updates, but it's the same engine, right? Maybe I do not understand something.
In any case, a rhetorical question, ie to the developers.

[mikehalloran]

1, 2 and 3 should be posted to Support as TechLinks. It's possible that MOTU has answers for you.

4 and 5 may be feature requests. I don't know but you certainly want to ask.

5–as it behaves like the Mixer window... Good grief - is there a possibility that the window and content can be resized? I've never thought to ask that assuming the answer is No.

Problem 6: In a 64-bit environment, I can't mount the Ethno 1 ufs or dat files. Why? I can mount the MF2 ufs files; why not the Ethno stuff? I want to upgrade to Ethno 2 but in the meantime I hate losing access to these sample sets in the 64-bit environment. (I have given up on the idea that there will someday be a 64-bit capable MX4.)

Again, something to ask MOTU. Meanwhile, see if this thread helps:

http://www.motunation.com/forum/viewtop ... =7&t=57703

[BKK-OZ]

I get constant processor spikes with M5 3 that render it essentially unuseable for me.
(New MP with 32Gb RAM)

[menright]

Thanks, Mike! I will follow up with MOTU tech on the items you mentioned. As to that Ethno 1 thread, I'd rather upgrade Ethno than go the 32 Lives route. I just wondered why the samples won't open in 64-bit when MF2 samples open fine.

BK: you're scaring me! I hope to god that doesn't happen when I upgrade my Mac! MF3 has become absolutely essential to me.

[bayswater]

I'm not seeing 1 and 2, so as Mike says, you should call tech support. Something is happening in your setup. One simple thing to check is the permissions on the files. Who can read and write them?

On #3 and 4, I'm with you. Awkward zooming and no Inspector or equivalent makes loop settings difficult. I also see very slow screen updates here. Very annoying when you have a program with a zillion samples that need loop tweaking. At least add a view where start and end are visible at once.

For #5, there are actually 4 sizes if you include fit to screen. I put M5 on a separate desktop at this level. That said, it would be nice to have more direct control on sizes of screen segments. Maybe the M5 GUI is locked into a design from UVI. It does look very similar.

I didn't have V2 so can't comment on #6.

On spikes etc. I cranked up the preload and buffer sizes (in M5, not DP) and that made a big difference.

[mikehalloran]

One simple thing to check is the permissions on the files. Who can read and write them?

We often assume everyone knows how to do this. Just in case...

Run Get Info on your project or library folder (if a drive that only has your libraries, you can do it for the entire drive). Look at Sharing and Permissions–if your user admin account is not listed, add it with the + sign. Grant Read and Write privileges to all accounts (you can exclude Everyone if it's a shared drive). Click on Apply to enclosed items in the drop down menu below.

Run Repair Permissions from Disk Utility.

[BKK-OZ]

...On spikes etc. I cranked up the preload and buffer sizes (in M5, not DP) and that made a big difference...

I didn't realise that M5 had its own settings for these, I will try that out to see if it helps, thanx for the tip.

[Sampleconstruct]

#5 - if you're programming patches without the need for a DAW environment you can work in standalone mode which allows you to resize M5 by just dragging the lower right corner, I prefer standalone for that reason when programming/mapping.

[FMiguelez]

MachFive needs a revision urgently.
So far it's been totally unreliable with constant crashes, and the only thing that brings down DP or anything that hosts it (VE Pro).

It's quite a shame, because it trully is an amazing sampler. I really hope MOTU fixes it soon!

[MIDI Life Crisis]

I'm not using VE much and I'm not having DP crash because of M5.

[crduval]

I've had occasional crashes with DP and gotten an error screen that says it was due to m5 3. This has usually happened after I have installed a software update somewhere and forgotten to repair disk permissions. Once I do that the problem goes away.


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