ONE USERS DISAPPOINTING DIM PRO 1.5 UPDATE ADVENTURE...
Any suggestions out there?
No matter what I try I can't get the stupid installer for 1.5 to recognize that I have 1.2 already installed. Now I haven't tried gutting DIM PRO off my system and starting from scratch, because I'm afraid that won't make any difference and I'll have wasted even more of my time. This is supposed to be an UPDATE, after all... and not a new install! I'm also reading about people having crashes, but don't know whether that is the actual experience or just a problem with their system. Based on my observations below, there may be cause for concern. I guess I'll only find that out, if I can ever get the update to even work.
Before I started on this adventure, I had the Dimension Pro folder under Windows7/ProgramFiles(x86)/Cakewalk/ with a DimensionPro.dll 1800kb file dated 03/04/2006. I also had a Dimension Pro folder under Windows7/ProgramFiles(x86)/Cakewalk/vstplugins with the same dll as the one identified above. I would assume the 32bit 1.2 version.
I also had a Dimension Pro folder under Windows7/ProgramFiles/Cakewalk/ with a DimensionPro64.dll 2956kb file dated 03/04/2006. I also had a Dimension Pro folder under Windows7/ProgramFiles/Cakewalk/vstplugins with the same dll as the one identified above. I would assume the 64bit 1.2 version.
I can open up either of these two plug-ins inside SPE 8.5.3, the 32 bit version works and the 64 bit creates serious problems. Consequently, I have only used the 32bit to date. In either case, they both identify themselves as being the 1.2 version.
Now on to my journey and the installer.
Download update and select RUN when asked to load the installer.
Select OK to English
Yup, so select NEXT
I want 64bit, so select it and then NEXT
Select all the license checkboxes and select then NEXT
No Lite version for me, give me D-Pro and select NEXT
Oooh, scary warning about the need for 1.2 update to be installed. Whatever, select NEXT
Now the
conFU
usioN begins...
"Browse to where your previously installed VST-plugins are located"
There are at least 4 different locations (see above), so how am I supposed to know which one?! I'm not really known for my psychic ability...
OK, so you're gonna make me guess, let's see I want the 64bit plugin, so how about picking the vstplugin directory where the present 64bit plugin is... too easy... Windows7/ProgramFiles/Cakewalk/vstplugins
OH OH, should I stop there or should I pick Windows7/ProgramFiles/Cakewalk/vstplugins\Dimension Pro? Crap! How would I know? OK, time for a Crap-shoot...
I'll still pick Windows7/ProgramFiles/Cakewalk/vstplugins, select OK. There the input field is complete, time to select NEXT and cross my fingers.
Woo hoo! Update 1.5, here I come!
Huh!?!? What's this? Another pop-up box? OK, what does this thing say...
"Select the folder where your VST plug-in is currently installed?"
Aah, I just did that didn't I!?! Oh, my. Maybe they are giving me the option to "currently install" it somewhere else!? OK, what folder should I pick? Hmm, I'll store it in the same place as the last one. There's already four directories right now, why would I want to create a fifth one! I'll just have the installer write over top of the old one...
Let's see, Windows7/ProgramFiles/Cakewalk/ Hmm, now there is still that Dimension Pro and vstplugins directory to choose from again, but I want this in my plugin directory, so I'll just pick Windows7/ProgramFiles/Cakewalk/vstplugins. Of course there is a Dimension Pro folder inside this folder, where the actual dll resides, but my psychic powers predict they want the folder level above that, so I'll still pick Windows7/ProgramFiles/Cakewalk/vstplugins and select OK.
Woo hoo! Update 1.5, here I come!
What's this?! A message that says "Cannot locate the required version of the program on this system. Please install the correct version of the program to use this patch." Now it wants me to select OK!
Ah no, it's not OK. I already have 1.2 installed! At least the 32bit version works and the 64bit identifies itself that way. Who was the "programmer" who created this puzzle for Sonar users? If Cakewalk thinks their own installer software isn't capable of figuring out which plugins require updating and replacing in which directory, how in the world do they actually expect customers to know where they want their programs to look and replace files.
I'd appreciate it if anyone can enlighten me as to what is actually expected. Perhaps some helpful user on these forums, has figured this out and may be able to lend a hand. If not, the only solution I can come up with to prevent this from happening again is for Cakewalk to re-train the programmer who created this. Failing that provide explicit and detailed instructions with your installers so that customers can do manually and properly what you're programmer is unwilling to automate. I'd be embarrased to leave that 1.5 update posted on the Cakewalk sight, until you fix it so it works. Especially, if the only recommendation is for me is to strip Dimesnion Pro totally off my computer and reload everything. Even then, I have I'm not 100% sure which of the 4-6 directories you want me to use or if it will even work, when I get back to the point of the 1.5 "update" (cough).
On a related note, after too many attempts I did try removing the 1.2 version and re-installing it. The 1.2 installer didn't even give me a choice as to which bit version I wanted. It seemed to only identify storing DXI, VST and RTAS plugins in the x86 folders. The fact that I have existing Dimension Pro64bit plugins in my folders would seem to indicate that they must have been selected in a prior installation. Really, attempting to understand what and how Cakewalk update installers work is not something I should have to do!
P.S. Honestly, I'm lost. Maybe the apps are showing as 1.2, when they're really not. Cakewalk,,, if you're listening, I'm not impressed...
post edited by cglensmith - 2010/08/15 18:00:01