Can't see Tools on Kontakt 8

van der Haven
van der Haven Member Posts: 8 Member
edited October 2024 in Kontakt

This discussion was created from comments split from:

Ask Kontakt 8 creators anything

Hello,

I am using Komplete Kontrol a lot because I have a Komplet Kontrol S88 Keyboard.
The new Tools tab do not show up default.
So I tried Kontakt 8 directly, when I click on the new tools tab, there is nothing there!
I have tried it several times, also with an instrument loaded.
I also used the three sub-tabs Brand, Sound type and Character, no result

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Best Answer

  • Mistertoad17
    Mistertoad17 Member Posts: 15 Member
    Answer ✓

    Hello Salvatore

    First thing please don't take offence at the level of detail I use below 🥺. I don't know how save you are with OSX so I will always assume no knowledge at all. It's because I used to teach a group of users who mostly had few computing skills so forgive me if I seem to talk down to you. It isn't my intention I am just attempting to help a fellow user.

    So here we go.

    When you say you searched do you mean you used search or you went looking?

    It seems to be important to follow the exact steps for whatever reason. There were other messages on how to solve this issue that many including me followed only to fail. Some seemed to suggest basically what I came up with but didn't work so the instructions are quite specific as written?

    Now I come to think back I seem to remember I used search and for whatever reason nothing was found. I only said search because Gerard was using Windows and I was on a Mac.

    One thing does occur to me that maybe why it's not showing up. By default Apple have made the library folder found in the subfolders under USERS hidden. They did this to reduce the number of service calls caused by users messing about with it causing the Mac to go wobbly (Technical term 😁)

    Making it show up is easy but the steps are very, very specific. If you open the MacintoshHD drive then double click USERS and in there double click on the folder with your username.

    (if my login name on my "iMac" is "adriancox" the folder would have that name all in lowercase.)

    Once in there go to the VIEW menu at the top of your screen and select SHOW VIEW OPTIONS

    It will open a a tall thin window with a number of options in it. As long as you only do this when the finder window is showing what is inside you username folder where you will see folders like "downloads, movies, music, pictures" amongst a few others the options window will include a check box to show the library folder. Turn it on and close the options window

    NOTE if finder is showing any other directory the library option isn't shown

    Now that issue is fixed follow the directory path to:

    MacintoshHD>Users>(your username)>Library>Application Support>Native Instruments>Kontakt8

    You will see the files mentioned in the original post above.

    Let me know if you still have problems and I will do my best to help. I am bed bound these days so I am here all the time, Having said that the meds make me sleep a fair bit and It is midnight Saturday in the UK now so am going dark. I will keep an eye out for any messages tomorrow morning from 9'ish

    Best of luck

    Ade.

Answers

  • Jeremy_NI
    Jeremy_NI Customer Care Posts: 13,389 mod

    Please try resetting Kontakt's database:

    Reinitialize the Kontakt Database

    1. Click the Windows start button at the bottom left of your screen.
    2. Type "%localappdata%" and click the option that appears.
    3. Navigate to the Native Instruments folder.
    4. Then, depending on the Kontakt version you are using, delete the following folder:
      Kontakt 5: "Kontakt 5"
      Kontakt 6: "Kontakt"
      Kontakt 7: "Kontakt 7"
      Kontakt 8: "Kontakt 8"
    5. Start Kontakt in standalone mode (not in your DAW).

    Did that fix the issue?

  • van der Haven
    van der Haven Member Posts: 8 Member

    Hello,

    I tried the "Reinitialize the Kontakt Database". But the result is the same, so no tools available.

  • Jeremy_NI
    Jeremy_NI Customer Care Posts: 13,389 mod
    edited October 2024

    Well, please try reinstalling Kontakt 8 from Native Access. Make sure to run Kontakt 8 as admin as well: How to Run a Program as an Administrator

    To be 100% sure, this is how to show the Chords & Phrases tools:

    Screenshot 2024-10-02 at 13.32.18.png

  • van der Haven
    van der Haven Member Posts: 8 Member

    Yes, I click on the + beneath the "tool" and it stays empty under "Select Product"
    see also the screenshot:

    image.png

  • Jeremy_NI
    Jeremy_NI Customer Care Posts: 13,389 mod

    Have you tried reinstalling? You could also try all these steps: Kontakt Crashes

  • Mistertoad17
    Mistertoad17 Member Posts: 15 Member

    I have exactly the same issue. have uninstalled and completely reinstalled Kontakt with the same results. I reported the problem to support and they escalated the case to specialists who have not responded yet. According to the manual there should also be an instrument called Piano Uno which I don't have either. I'll update if I hear anything.

  • van der Haven
    van der Haven Member Posts: 8 Member

    Mistertoad17, thanks for the feedback !!
    I just followed all the suggested steps from Jeremy_NI and this did not give the desired result.
    @Jeremy, if it is helpful to pass on additional information, please let me know.

  • Mistertoad17
    Mistertoad17 Member Posts: 15 Member

    Hey Van der Haven.

    Sorry I meant to say that I'm using a Mac and using Komplete 14 with an update of Kontakt 8. Ould have updated the lot but I really object to paying £460 when ninety something percent of titles are ones I already have. The upgrade model really doesn't seem very fair.

    Anyway that aside being on a Mac I can't carry out the reset of the database using Jeremy's instructions. But I did remove think that the localdata command equated to taking you to your profile copy of the data and on the Mac Kontakt 8 puts that stuff in the documents folder. So I deleted that, relaunched standalone Kontakt and it rebuilt the folder. No change sadly.

    With the rest of his suggestion well I did mention that last week I did do a though uninstall of Kontakt 8. Tracking down every instance of Kontakt related stuff took an age in order to be certain I had found everything. That got me to the point where Native Access allowed an Install rather than a reinstall. Got exactly the same results.

    Is something more fundamental happening here. I'm in the UK and did wonder if it's the server the install came from? If it isn't the OS then is there something else we have in common perhaps? I know I'm reaching but it can't hurt to ask right?

  • van der Haven
    van der Haven Member Posts: 8 Member

    Hello Mistertoad17,
    No problem, I think we both like the issue to resolved.
    I do not have a clear view what could be a common factor.
    This is a summery of my situation.
    1. Recently put together a new windows 11 PC for music (So a clean installed PC).
    2. Recently upgrade from Komplete 14 to 15 (editor edition).
    3. I have the issue even when I am running Kontakt 8 stand alone, so the DAW is not of influence.
    4. I use a Focusrite Scarlett audio interface (probably not of influence)

    Can't think of anything else, maybe you have any suggetions?

  • Mistertoad17
    Mistertoad17 Member Posts: 15 Member

    Hi Van der Haven

    Problem solved. Simple when you ask the right question more broadly on the www. It's not a million miles from what Jeremy_NI suggested but I'm not certain it is exactly the same. This is a variation on something I came across on a web page somewhere by thinking laterally about how it might all be handled by the Mac but I see no reason if you stick to what I have below for you that this will not put a big Cheshire Cat grin on your face!

    It is actually very simple but I have written exactly what I did on the basis that this worked for me following these steps.

    Fingers and toes crossed for you.

    First shut down any running apps so this will work. That of course includes any DAW sessions, Kontakt, or Komplete Kontrol etc.

    You need to search for your Komplete.db3 file and rename it to something like Komplete dbX.

    Now move it to a safe location in case this doesn't help you and you need to bring it back.

    Now delete the Komplete.db3 file wherever that is on ta Windows PC but I think that is what the search term was for that is surrounded by % at each end in Jeremys instruction.

    (for Mac users it is found in MacintoshHD>Users>Username>Library>Application Support> Native Instruments> Kontakt 8. It will be one of 3 files with the same name but the other two have different extensions)

    The final step is open the STANDALONE version of Kontakt 8. Don't run Komplete Kontrol or anything else. Just have patience is a very important step. This can take a long time. It took my Mac an hour and a quarter. I have a big library.

    So open the standalone version of Kontakt and don't be tempted to click on anything else at all. Just leave it to do its own groovy thang as it rebuilds the library. You can check how it is doing by scrolling down the libraries list as they appear while it is rebuilding but honestly resist any urge to click on anything else at all. My advice is don't even click the Tools, Combinations tab or anything until it is finished.

    Handily my last library was Yangqin but as I say it did take a very long time.

    The only other tip that I can see could be useful is to turn off any screensaver software or anything else that might take the focus away from Kontakt so it really is left entirely to its own devices.

    Once done it resolved all of my missing libraries and everything else including the very illusive Piano Uno and Lo-fi Vibes.

    Good luck hope it is a positive result for you. As I said I have everything crossed for you… and I'm not even superstitious. Wait, you don't own a black cat or anything do you? 😀

    Ade

  • van der Haven
    van der Haven Member Posts: 8 Member

    Hello Ade,

    Thanks for the feedback!
    I have tried your suggestion, I renamed all the Komplete.db3 I could find.
    Started Kontakt8 and wait until everything was loaded and it worked!
    Thanks a lot!

    Regards,
    Gerard

  • Salvatore Angelone
    Salvatore Angelone Member Posts: 5 Newcomer

    I did a search on my Mac for Komplete.db3 - nothing -

  • Mistertoad17
    Mistertoad17 Member Posts: 15 Member
    Answer ✓

    Hello Salvatore

    First thing please don't take offence at the level of detail I use below 🥺. I don't know how save you are with OSX so I will always assume no knowledge at all. It's because I used to teach a group of users who mostly had few computing skills so forgive me if I seem to talk down to you. It isn't my intention I am just attempting to help a fellow user.

    So here we go.

    When you say you searched do you mean you used search or you went looking?

    It seems to be important to follow the exact steps for whatever reason. There were other messages on how to solve this issue that many including me followed only to fail. Some seemed to suggest basically what I came up with but didn't work so the instructions are quite specific as written?

    Now I come to think back I seem to remember I used search and for whatever reason nothing was found. I only said search because Gerard was using Windows and I was on a Mac.

    One thing does occur to me that maybe why it's not showing up. By default Apple have made the library folder found in the subfolders under USERS hidden. They did this to reduce the number of service calls caused by users messing about with it causing the Mac to go wobbly (Technical term 😁)

    Making it show up is easy but the steps are very, very specific. If you open the MacintoshHD drive then double click USERS and in there double click on the folder with your username.

    (if my login name on my "iMac" is "adriancox" the folder would have that name all in lowercase.)

    Once in there go to the VIEW menu at the top of your screen and select SHOW VIEW OPTIONS

    It will open a a tall thin window with a number of options in it. As long as you only do this when the finder window is showing what is inside you username folder where you will see folders like "downloads, movies, music, pictures" amongst a few others the options window will include a check box to show the library folder. Turn it on and close the options window

    NOTE if finder is showing any other directory the library option isn't shown

    Now that issue is fixed follow the directory path to:

    MacintoshHD>Users>(your username)>Library>Application Support>Native Instruments>Kontakt8

    You will see the files mentioned in the original post above.

    Let me know if you still have problems and I will do my best to help. I am bed bound these days so I am here all the time, Having said that the meds make me sleep a fair bit and It is midnight Saturday in the UK now so am going dark. I will keep an eye out for any messages tomorrow morning from 9'ish

    Best of luck

    Ade.

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