Topic: Public Beta Important Read Me

Moderator

Dear users,

we are pleased to release the first EZmix version with support for 64-bit hosts on Mac OS X. It is more than a preview and we do not anticipate any serious issues and it should be safe to use as part of your production set up.

Nonetheless, due to the ongoing development of the Mac OS X operating system, audio applications and sound card & misc hardware to fully take advantage of 64-bit capable processors we must advise you read this FAQ for important information that may help you move your production environment to Mac OS 10.6 or above for use with a supported 64-bit optimized host as smoothly as possible.

PLEASE READ Q&A IN FULL

Q: OK, I’m in, so what do I need?

A: Well, first of all you should consider your particular situation – while we don’t expect our own software to cause any disruption in your production environment, running a host in 64-bit means that some of your other plug-ins may run via a ‘bridging’ mechanism that make use of the 32-bit version of those plug-ins. Stability of these plug-ins when addressed in this manner may vary greatly and cause frustrations and/or loss of data as a result of a crash.

Assuming you are confident that there are no adverse factors to consider for you to start using your Toontrack plug-ins as 64-bit, you should of course own a Mac capable of running a 64-bit version of Mac OS X. You also, it goes without saying, need a host application that you can ‘Open in 64-bit mode’.

Typically, applications optimized for 64-bit versions of Mac OS X are distributed as so-called ‘Universal binaries’, which means they contain executable code for multiple processor architectures. Most hosts are already Universal Binaries in that they support both Power PC and Intel-based Macs running a 32-bit version of Mac OS X. Many however are not yet 64-bit ready or will require an update to the latest version (which may require a fee to be paid).

You can verify that your application is 64-bit ready, and importantly switch to the appropriate mode if needed, by accessing the Get Info window for that application in the Finder and checking the available options at the bottom of the ‘General’ section.

If you can see an option marked ‘Open in 32-bit mode’ then your host application is 64-bit enabled and you will need to ensure that this option is UNCHECKED, so that the next time you start up your application it is running in 64-bit mode. If that is not the case, please contact the maker of your host to inquire about the availability of a 64-bit ready version.

Note that a few host applications do not ship as a ‘Universal Binary’ but instead as separate distributions of the program. In such (rare) cases the ‘Open in 32-bit mode’ option will not be present since a particular application version will be suitable for a single processor only. Again, we recommend you clarify with your host maker which distribution scheme they have opted for.

Q: You state that Mac OS 10.6 or above is required, I thought that Mac OS 10.5 was capable of running 64-bit applications, is that not correct?

A: Yes, that is correct. However, no testing has been performed with any hosts under 10.5.x and we can therefore not recommend pre-10.6 OS builds. In addition we advise you update your Mac to 10.6.4 or above as little testing has been conducted with early Snow Leopard versions.

Q: How extensively have you tested your product in 64-bit hosts in Mac OS 10.6?

A: At the time of writing, we have tested our product for stability and suitability in the following hosts specifically:

– Logic 9.1
– Cubase 6.0
– Studio One 1.5
– Reaper 3.7

We are of course continually reviewing suitability in other hosts and this list is non exhaustive. Where mentioned, we do not recommend running our 64-bit software in earlier versions than the one stated.

Q: I’m sure I have read somewhere that I need to start my Mac in 64-bit?

A: that is not correct. Booting into a 64-bit ‘kernel’ is not a requirement for a 64-bit ready application to run under Mac OS 10.6. Booting into a 64-bit kernel would only be useful if all your hardware drivers had been coded specifically for 64-bit, which is far from the case, especially when it comes to audio interfaces.

As a result, booting into a 64-bit kernel is not only optional but comes highly UN-recommended, as performance and stability of your audio application could be compromised. If you don’t know what this ‘kernel’ discussion is all about, you don’t have to worry about it since at this time it is definitely advisable to stick with the 32-bit kernel!

Q: OK, all good – where do I download the Public Beta then?

A: The latest version of your Toontrack product is already 64-bit ready. Just download it from your Toontrack user account and install as normal. Ensuring that your host is running in 64-bit mode (see instructions earlier in this Q&A) is the only required step on your part.

Q: hum, OK… how can I be sure I am running the 64-bit version of my Toontrack product though?

A: All our programs mention their 64-bit ‘readiness’ as part of the version number that appears in their graphical interface. Specifically, the version number will be followed by ’64-bit’ in parenthesis right after the version number, in the usual place.

Q: Where should I report issues with the Public Beta?

A: The Mac 64-bit Public Beta is an official build and as such all available channels of support are open to you to report technical issues.

However we recommend you post a description of your issue on these boards in the first instance, not only so that others considering moving their environment to 64-bit can assess any problems ahead of time, but also because we will try to monitor these boards regularly and answer any queries as promptly as possible.

LEGAL DISCLAIMER

Toontrack Music expressly provides the following as an important revised clause to the EULA in application for this public beta preview:

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES AND UNDER NO LEGAL THEORY, WHETHER IN TORT, CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE, SHALL TOONTRACK MUSIC OR A THIRD PARTY SUPPLIER BE LIABLE TO YOU OR TO ANY OTHER PERSON FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF GOODWILL, OR ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR DAMAGES FOR NEGLIGENCE OF ANY CHARACTER INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF GOODWILL, WORK STOPPAGE, BUSINESS INTERRUPTION, COMPUTER FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION, OR FOR ANY OTHER DAMAGE OR LOSS. IN NO EVENT SHALL TOONTRACK MUSIC OR A SUPPLIER BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES EVEN IF TOONTRACK MUSIC OR THE SUPPLIER HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

If you do NOT agree with the above then please do NOT install the public beta made available through this program.

Toontrack Music also reserves the right to provide hands-on support and generally answer concerns on these boards in respect to the public beta. Please use the support board to report any issues you would like to bring to our attention. We may however, at our discretion, decide to ignore or give your query suitably low priority in respect to its beta status.

Again, if you do NOT agree with the above then please do NOT install the public beta made available trough this program.

Last, Toontrack Music reserves the right to make intermediary public beta releases available to address specific issues, but is under no obligation to do so.

Public Beta Important Read Me

EZmix Help