Is it possible to change User Content folder location without encountering fatal errors?

Itse Kukin

Heya!

Now I'm wondering if anyone else has come across this problem. It's kind of a gamebreaker...

So I have Maschine+ and M32 with a bunch of expansions. In Native Access, I decided to change the User Content location to a folder that I could sync in my OneDrive. You know, so I could save presets and have them be available on both of my computers without having to transfer files via a USB stick every time I made something new.

Well, after changing the location and updating the libraries on Maschine 2 and Komplete Kontrol, I'm getting dublicate browser items with nothing working - I can't open either one of the duplicates. Files are not found in their "original location". No idea why it is even looking for the original location, when I have changed the directories in Maschine 2 and Komplete Kontrol. Well, I did do that. Now if I try to add more folders, it will just give me the error "file directory already exists" or whatever. This is included for directories that do not exist in the library.

I'm about to do a reinstall to default locations because I just... can't... with all these extra issues with what was supposed to be just an easy directory change...

Is this a known, common problem? A quick search returned nothing. Native Instruments does recommend the default installation directory for plugins/programs, but not for content. However, it seems like changing the content folder results in errors that break everything, so I'm not doing that again. Is there a workaround someone over here knows?

(edit: got rid of the Duplicates-problem by moving everything back to default folder and following instructions here: https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/210277145-My-MASCHINE-2-Browser-is-Empty-or-Incomplete

still unable to change user content location for fear of messing everything up)

Blindeddie

First, it is not recommended to sync to One Drive or the cloud, but that’s beside the point, in order to change the location of Content, just move the folders to the new location, then open Native access and it will say “Repair” (indicating that the library is missing) click repair and the browse to the new location and the repair message should go away. Changing the User Content location in NA preferences is only for installation purposes it does not change the registered location of the libraries. I just went through this process when I decide to get a new SSD and set up libraries in a more manageable fashion and had no issues doing so…

Isti_NI

Hi @Itse Kukin,

@Blindeddie summed it up perfectly!

The only things I could add are the links to the Knowledge Base articles:

How to Change the Install Locations in Native Access

Using the Repair Function in Native Access

Please let me know if you have further questions!

Blindeddie

First, it is not recommended to sync to One Drive or the cloud, but that’s beside the point, in order to change the location of Content, just move the folders to the new location, then open Native access and it will say “Repair” (indicating that the library is missing) click repair and the browse to the new location and the repair message should go away. Changing the User Content location in NA preferences is only for installation purposes it does not change the registered location of the libraries. I just went through this process when I decide to get a new SSD and set up libraries in a more manageable fashion and had no issues doing so…

Isti_NI

Hi @Itse Kukin,

@Blindeddie summed it up perfectly!

The only things I could add are the links to the Knowledge Base articles:

How to Change the Install Locations in Native Access

Using the Repair Function in Native Access

Please let me know if you have further questions!

Itse Kukin

Hmm, thank you. I did use the repair/relocate-option, but kept encountering problems until I switched back to default location.

Why or how come is syncing via OneDrive not recommended?

Does that mean that a multi-computer workflow is not supported? Meaning that there is no way to sync projects and samples wirelessly between desktop and laptop?

Blindeddie

One drive Syncing is real time and can interfere as the files are constantly being monitored for changes. It’s not that it can’t be used, but syncing should be “On Demand”.

Itse Kukin

Still encountering problems with this, so uninstalling and then reinstalling everything to default folder.

For example, just now my browser only showed me Maschine Factory Selection. None of the groups could load any of the samples. "Obviously", I thought. Mostly because I had uninstalled Maschine Factory Selection some time ago. Yet it was the only thing that showed up in the browser.

This is after reinitializing the database.

If I'm learning something from this, it's that one should not attempt to change the content folder location, and they definitely shouldn't try to integrate Native Instruments-related stuff with OneDrive.

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/18610#Comment_18610

Why "on demand"? That would mean that there is no local copy of, f.e. a sample. So every time you tried to load a sample, you would have to download it. I'm not sure Maschine would even be able to read OneDrive's "online only"-files. Even if OneDrive monitors changes to files, if you always have a local copy, it will only be written on once there is a saved change that has happened to the file. Like if you have a sample of a kick drum, and you shorten it, and you save the edited sample - then it should sync. You would have the same, edited, kick on all of your computers. Sounds super handy in theory, but has already cost me hours of trying to get this simple thing to work in practice, so I'm giving up. 😅

nelligan tetrault

Itse Kukin, I got to agree with you, it should not be THAT cumbersome to just move around a folder to a new location. And by the way, why is everythin not in the same place. Imagine this ONE big folder containing a subfolder for the libraries, vsts, the application and user content. Okay sure, maby on two seperate hard drive for better performance. As of now, there's so many different location, i lost track : you got the steinberg Vst location, the c:/documents location, the apps location, the librairies location...

There must be many in the same boat as you, working with a desktop AND a laptop. Being able to sync user presets (not samples, and heavy files and whatnot, those can be installed in their own respective computer under the library location), but just user presets. I Feel you Kukin... maby in a couple of years xD!

I don't know if you could close both one drive application while making music. Open them up afterward for the syncing process?