• SONAR
  • How about a list of paths for custom installs of Dim Pro, Z3ta+2, Rapture, SD3, PlatSample (p.2)
2015/01/12 11:17:21
bitflipper
Unfortunately, there is no standard way of directing any application to its data in the Windows world, so each vendor will implement his own scheme. Some, like Dimension Pro, make it unnecessarily difficult. Others, such as SampleTank 2/3 and Kontakt, make it easy but non-obvious. Since you don't move libraries often, every time you do it's necessary to re-figure out how you did it last time.
 
My solution is to take notes. I maintain a file that information like this goes into, along with serial numbers and installation tricks. That way, I have one place to look that stuff up when I have to re-install. I've carried the same file forward from computer to computer since the 80's, and have a hardcopy printout of it in the shoebox where I keep my backup disks.
 
Another nifty trick was alluded to by KPerry and Anderton above, and that's the use of file system links. Think of them as shortcuts like you'd place on your desktop, in that they exist in one place but redirect Windows somewhere else. This is how I tricked Dimension Pro into thinking its libraries were where it wanted to install them rather than where I actually put them. No registry edit required, and Dim Pro will happily use the new location even if I re-install it from scratch.
 
Dim Pro expects to find its data in c:\program files\cakewalk\dimension pro. You can change a registry key to point it elsewhere, but if you do you'll still have an issue if you subsequently re-install it. A better way is to fool Dim Pro into thinking it's using the default path by telling Windows that it's an alias for another location. Dim Pro thinks it's installing libraries on C: when in fact every reference is quietly being redirected to E: or whatever.
 
First, move your Dim Pro directory tree to the desired location and delete (or rename, if you're paranoid) the original folder. Then open a DOS window and run the mlink command to create a fake directory. In the following example, the "real" library folder is E:\Libraries\Dimension Pro:
    c:
    cd \program files\cakewalk
    mklink /D "Dimension Pro" "E:\Libraries\Dimension Pro"
 
After doing that, you will see that there is still a folder under Cakewalk named Dimension Pro, except that Windows Explorer displays a different icon for it that indicates it's a link. From this point on, you can reference the fake folder just as if it was a real file system location. Open it in Explorer and you'll see all your files listed as if they were really there. You can do anything in the fake folder that you could do in the real one. And SONAR and Dim Pro won't be the wiser.
 
 
2015/01/12 11:41:51
pentimentosound
Thanks Dave. It is getting clearer and therefore attemptable. I googled the how to open a DOS window, since I've never done that before and will read till I feel confident.
 
I found this video that at 1:42 minutes offers a number of Win8 ways to open a cmd window, which must be a DOS window, YES?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6htgwhJFvac  for anyone reading that hopes to learn this all, too.
 
You are all great guides/teachers. I know I am on the verge of new knowledge and options. This is very cool, even if I keep thinking "I'm gonna do what?!?!"
Michael
2015/01/12 11:56:19
Anderton
pentimentosound
I found this video that at 1:42 minutes offers a number of Win8 ways to open a cmd window, which must be a DOS window, YES?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6htgwhJFvac  for anyone reading that hopes to learn this all, too.
 



That's the ticket. Just remember that you really can't blow anything up. If you type something incorrect, Windows will just ignore it and if you type something correct, as Bit has presented above (BTW great stuff, Bit), then it will work.
 
The Command Line Interface is a very basic tool. It seems foreign now that we have all this graphical user interface stuff, but this is how computers started...you're just basically writing a script telling it what to do at a very basic level using terms the computer can understand. Ever since OS X, even the Mac has a Command Line Interface oo you can talk to it that way.
2015/01/12 12:19:31
pentimentosound
Back in the 12 Tone System days, I had a roommate who had a PC and did that and got me into the whole Cakewalk Sonar DAW on PC world. I got farily good at using the tools in Sonar(starting with ProAudio9), in terms of editing and producing, but still don't have a confident sense of "computers". I learned enough to put 2 PC's together and do online stuff, but it's these kind of basic tools/commands that I lack and wish to rectify ASAP. LOL
 
Thanks again. I am willing to delve into to this all much more deeply than ever before, because I know I can find out here and at DigiFreq.
 
Michael
 
2015/01/12 14:37:03
bitflipper
Sorry, I should have said how to open a DOS window (aka "DOS prompt", "Command prompt", "cmd"). Being the dinosaur that I am, I have a DOS window open all the time. 
2015/01/12 14:44:21
pentimentosound
Just in case, eh?!?! LOL
Thanks Dave. That YouTube on how to do it, showed me 6-8 ways and I am sure to get one of them! HA!
 
Speaking of pterodactyls................ my 66th is 7 weeks from tomorrow. I am happy to be a high flying bird, even if I've been around a while. One of my earliest gigs was the night before the Beatles did their first Ed Sullivan and I am still as excited about it all, as ever!
Michael 
2015/01/12 18:52:43
kitekrazy1
If you are command line ****ed like me there are freeware apps to create a mklink.
2015/01/12 19:53:25
pentimentosound
That's good to know, kitekrazy1 ! Thanks for the link and the laugh!
 
Anyone know what error    " dwRet = 2 "  means? I get when I try to load any of the Rock Legends Kits into Dimension Pro. Andy Johns Kit 1 installed nicely, but I get this error now. Platinum Samples may answer but I hope someone here might be able to help me with this.
 
Michael
 
2015/01/12 21:29:27
Paul P
bitflipper
Since you don't move libraries often, every time you do it's necessary to re-figure out how you did it last time.



So true.  I've been wanting to jump into this thread as most of my shared componentes,  VSTs, VSTis and samples (DimPro, DSFs, SD3 etc) are on another drive (well, partition of my SSD actually) and I'd like to help, but I can't remember all the steps I did to make it work .   It wasn't hard though, you just have to set things up before and during installation.  Installing new stuff is then straightforward, for those packages that let you specify a destination.
 
I'm sure I'll eventually mlink all of Cakewalk somewhere else as I want my OS drive/partition for my OS.
 
© 2026 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1

Use My Existing Forum Account

Use My Social Media Account