Why Can't Native Access Find Applications and Content Already Installed?

R2Etude
R2Etude Member Posts: 16 Member
edited May 2023 in Native Access

Because instruments, plugins, and applications can take up multiple terabytes of space, I try to use a secondary hard drive (one not used for the operating system or personal data) so that if I have to replace the primary drive and/or reinstall Windows, I don't have to spend hours upon hours using up expensive bandwidth to reinstall everything from Native Instruments. When I install Native Access, I immediately choose folders in my secondary drive for installing NI Applications, Content, VST 32bit, and VST 64bit. My hope is that when I refresh Native Access or even reboot my computer, Native Access will look in the custom destination folders for everything I already have installed. This method works with other companies like EastWest and 8Dio, but this tends to be a headache with Native Instruments either because it's not supported, or I'm doing something wrong.

When I've logged into Native Access, and I click on the "3 horizontal dots" button for an instrument like Abbey Road 60's Drummer, I can click the "Locate" button and navigate it to the one specific to that instrument, and it confirms this action properly. It's time consuming to do this for each individual instrument rather than just have Native Access search for the appropriate data in the Content folder I specified for installation. Is this a feature than NI can add in the future, or am I not doing this right?

Additionally, applications like Absynth 5 or Battery 4 in Native Access don't provide the option to locate the installation, meaning I have to reinstall it, and overwrite what is already there. Same question: is this a feature NI can add, or am I doing this wrong?

If these are not features available through Native Access, do I need to create a new post under New Ideas to request them?

Please advise. Thank you.

Comments

  • LostInFoundation
    LostInFoundation Member Posts: 4,195 Expert

    You are doing it correctly. No “auto locate” feature is present in NA at the moment.

    And when it comes to applications and not libraries, reinstalling them is almost due, since applications don’t install files only in their folders but create also links here and there on the computer. Luckily they are not heavyweight champions like libraries

  • Gritty
    Gritty Member Posts: 1 Newcomer

    Would love to second this request. I hope from multiple computers and it's a hassle to redo this every single time. It would be amazing to have a way to batch locate the libraries, and a way to scan a folder for the applications!

  • PoorFellow
    PoorFellow Moderator Posts: 2,231 mod

    Quote Hayo_NI :

    Gosh Locate All is a feature that we've pushed back so often, and I keep saying we'll plan it in. The main reason it's been delayed for some time is because we committed to Uninstall instead. We're still working towards which topics we want to commit to in Q4, but one of them that I'm pushing is Locate All, but as a means to revisit the entire onboarding experience for both new and older users with aim to release around Q1. We're kind of just expecting users to figure it out and give them modals along the way, and we want to be more proactive. At the same time some users are existing and just wanna get set up quickly, so Locate All is CRUCIAL to that experience. We already have a few mockups, so we have some ideas on how to approach this technically, but not locked anything in yet.

    TL;DR: we have designs, but been pushing it back for a while now. We want this too, and we hear you.


    Ref. : https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/15027/delayed-devtalks-and-status-of-native-access/p4

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