Have been using cakewalk pro-audio 9 for over a decade now and thought i would give a shot at upgrading to X2 so I am giving it a whirl and so far it seems just like the old program with just new bells and whistles and I like it but... Am I missing something here or, do they have it clamped down for the trial? As I cannot install, import or define any of my instrument definitions, if I follow, edit> preferences> midi> instruments, the 'define' button is greyed out and cannot even choose any of the standard definitions as well... Any help would be appreciated. Edited: would seem a bit of a shame if they omit this from the trial. Would really like to fire up the old YAM.SY85, YAM.CS6X and ENS.MR76 machines on X2 to really see if I like X2 enough to afford the upgrade.

Howdy - I have the full X2 and while the instrument define button is also grayed out, this is by design.

What you have to FIRST do is click on Edit>Preferences>MIDI>Devices and place check boxes on at least one OUTPUT device, then click Apply.

After that, go back to Instruments and you will see whatever comes up for what you checked for output showing up in the box on the left, and this also opens up the Define button for you to use.

While I do not know if this helps to actually get your Pro Audio INS files loaded/defined/whatever, at least you should be able to click the Define button following the above steps.

Hope that helps, 

Bob Bone

Yeah I thought that would help too... so I tried installing my MOTU Express 8x8... and still nada, it won't even show in the devices menu as well.

Ok, so I downloaded a new driver for the Motu Express XT... and finally it now shows in the devices tab... but now when I go to instruments, the 'define' tab is no longer greyed out but there are no other options than what are the stock midi devices. I even searched through the CW files independently for any/all .ins files but they seem to be nowhere within X2... is there an Instrument definition profile database here somewhere on cakewalk (that's how it used to be but cant seem to find it on their site)... This is frustrating...

Cool pic you have bu the way.

I have no more clue as to how to help you, other than to hope you are in the US and could maybe give tech support a call on this.

I did some looking online, but came up empty - sorry I am not better versed on this issue.

I can tell you that I have not had too long a wait for the tech support folks at Cakewalk - if you can, give them a call.

Bob Bone

Well, one problem solved, (thanks for trying to help Bob) I had to do a bit of searching in the support section but found the definitions that are supposed to be included in X2 in zipped format. Downloaded the zip file and voila found my instruments. So after that I configured midi, assigned channels to machines and dove in... which brings me to my second mess. TIMING! WTF? Never had to mess with the buffer in CWPA9. Its dropping half the notes recorderd and the timing is way off!... going to have to start a different thread for this...

Well, good new for that.

Can you post the download link or name of the zipped file, if we all have it already?

Also, since this seems to be working for you now, can you edit the thread to add something like ' Solved' so that a bunch of folks don't read through the whole thread only to find it was worked out.

Thanks,  also - please add your specs to your forum profile signature, so that for any future posts we can see them?  It helps in our ability to help you.  And after you add them, make sure to check the box to tell it to always add your signature to your posts.

Good luck, 

Bob Bone

Instrument definitions knowledge base article http://www.cakewalk.com/S...reader.aspx/2007013272

Thanks

BB

The doc would appear to be incorrect on the Import Definitions text.

It tells you to simply go to Edit>Preferences>MIDI - Instruments and click on Define, then Import.

The problem is that Define is grayed out until at least 1 MIDI device has been specified as an OUTPUT device under Midi Devices.  If someone has not yet done that when they want to import or create an Instrument Definition, the current build would not allow it without first checking one MIDI device as an Output device.

Bob Bone