Delete/Rename Komplete Kontrol Browser Patch?

Bodhi Beats

So I've been using Komplete Kontrol for years, and I guess I've never tried to delete and/or rename a User Saved patch — until now. And…it doesn't seem possible? Am I just missing it? I tried renaming the files in the Finder, but no amount of Rescanning and opening Komplete Kontrol standalone would get those changes read. Would really like to clean up my years worth of saved patches — how can I do so? Thanks in advance!

Jeremy_NI

@Bodhi Beats Yeah sorry for that, was just trying to find a workaround for the now. I've forwarded all the info here and comments to the Komplete Kontrol team. Will get back here if I get more information to share.

Bodhi Beats

Update — I think I just found it. But…it doesn't work. Hitting that pencil icon does nothing at all, for me.

Jeremy_NI

@Bodhi Beats I can reproduce the Komplete Kontrol behaviour, meaning, I can't edit inside the names of the presets inside the Komplete Kontrol plug-in/app. I am not sure if this is expected behaviour. I will try to get more info on the topic.

If you rename the files in the finder, you need to close and open the Komplete Kontrol app or plug-in again afterwards so Komplete Kontrol updates it's tags.

Bodhi Beats

Thanks Jeremy! Reopening the KK app or plugin after renaming in the Finder does not cause the Komplete Kontrol browser to update the patch names, for me. I've reopened it dozens of times since I renamed the files, and Komplete Kontrol still shows the old patch names. I'm on a Mac, latest versions of everything. It's a little weird, but this is why I experience:

1. Rename a file in the Finder and reopen KK app: Patch in KK browser still shows old name
2. Delete a file in the Finder and reopen KK app: Patch disappears in KK browser

So, it works as I'd expect for deleting, but not for renaming. The only way I've found to rename a patch is to open it in KK, "Save as…", and then delete the previous one in the finder. When I relaunch the KK app, the deleted file will not appear in the browser, and I'll be left with only the new, renamed one. As you can imagine, this is a bit of pain just to rename a patch.

I feel bad I never noticed this in beta testing. Not being able to rename or delete a patch in the KK browser feels like a massive oversight, to me.

Kymeia

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/174352#Comment_174352

It is “expected” unfortunately- one of the features that was “deprioritised” for the KK3 release. However a rename in the right click menu would be great too, that’s more of a FR

Jeremy_NI

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/174356#Comment_174356

That's strange, I can totally rename a preset in Finder and it will show with the new name. Are you storing these presets in a special location? Are you using kk inside a DAW? Is it the same in kk in standalone? Do Komplete Kontrol and your DAW have full disk access? How to Enable Full Disk Access on macOS

Jeremy_NI

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/174364#Comment_174364

I hear you, will try to get more visibility on that.

Kymeia

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/174432#Comment_174432

That's stranger - renaming a .nksf filename in Finder has never resulted in changing the name of the .nksf patch - the patch name is independent of the file name in NKS

Jeremy_NI

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/174440#Comment_174440

Well, it does change if I do that:

Or did I misunderstand something?

Kymeia

That's not a standard NKS patch (.nksf, .nksfx), that's a Kontakt snapshot (.nksn), so maybe the rules are different for snapshots? For me it has never been possible to change patch name by just changing file name - wish I could it would make things much easier eg:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pobnw3k1106mnki/Screen%20Recording%202024-08-27%20at%2012.03.27.mov?dl=0

Jeremy_NI

Yes you're right it doesn't seem to work for third party NKS presets.

Bodhi Beats

That's strange, I can totally rename a preset in Finder and it will show with the new name. Are you storing these presets in a special location? Are you using kk inside a DAW? Is it the same in kk in standalone? Do Komplete Kontrol and your DAW have full disk access? 

1. Standard location. /Users/[username]/Documents/Native Instruments/User Content/…
2. I usually use KK in a DAW, but I am a beta tester and well aware that you often need to open the app in Standalone to get library changes to take effect. I initially tried to rename these in a DAW. When I discovered there is no rename function, I opened in standalone to see if that had one. It did not. I then renamed files in the finder and closed/reopen KK standalone at least a dozen times. It doesn't work either way — as a plugin in Ableton or in KK standalone. It's not possible to rename a .nksf in the Finder and get it to change in the KK browser — no matter how you run it.
3. Yes, KK has complete disk access.

I appreciate the attempt to help, but the problem here is clear: KK needs rename/delete patch functions. Even if it worked (which it does not), it's frankly absurd that the expected workflow for this is to rename patches in the finder and then quit and relaunch your app. Why should users have to do that? A right-click "rename/delete" is the expected UI, here. Going out to the finder is silly, and having to reopen the app is REALLY silly.

Please don't worry about trying to solve my personal issue. I'm technical enough that I can sort though all this myself. Please focus instead on giving KK the rename/delete function it clearly should have had a long time ago. The idea that it's impossible to rename a patch in KK is.. wow. Just wow. I'll be excited to beta test it when it's available. Thanks!

FWIW, neither Maschine nor Kontakt have Rename options in the browser, either. Seems like something that should just be part of your standard browser components, to me.

Jeremy_NI

@Bodhi Beats Yeah sorry for that, was just trying to find a workaround for the now. I've forwarded all the info here and comments to the Komplete Kontrol team. Will get back here if I get more information to share.

Bodhi Beats

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/174440#Comment_174440

Thanks, Kymeia. Without your verification. I have a feeling I would have had days of the same support runaround NI gives everyone for every problem ("full disk access!' "open it in standalone!", etc.) before they realized this actually doesn't work. Appreciate you chiming in!

Bodhi Beats

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/174487#Comment_174487

All good, no worries! Appreciate the help. :)

JesterMgee

The name of the patch is stored within the NKS file itself, not related to the actual file name and even KK V2 had no "rename" feature, you simply resave the file with a new name to rename it:

If you peak inside the NKS file in a text editor you can see the name:

However, you cannot modify this directly unless you keep the exact same character length because the file is a binary file (hence all the jargon characters) and has CRC checks in several locations through the file that simply make the NKS file vanish from the browser if they fail. If you are handy at a hex editor and know how to calculate LE checksums, you can edit things, most people have no idea what that means tho.

This has also been a long requested feature but given we have still a lot of work to get KK even up to the standard it use to be, I wouldn't hold out much hope of this side improving much at all.