For the last month my software just gets downloaded failed when I try to update them via native access A small example screenshot below.
See this post for the solution
https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/50173/known-issue-download-failed-for-massive-x-factory-library-and-massive-x-expansions-on-windows?tab=accepted#latest
VP
that link didn't help but native access 2 has a modal:
that link is attached below
How to Uninstall Native Instruments Software from a Windows Computer – Native Instruments
It shows how to uninstall the problematic plugin and then re-install them:
that allows to successfully update it.
Tons of posts on this right beside yours right here in the Discussion area
Solution is to not update. Rather “reinstall”
Are you saying uninstall native access 2 and re-install that? can you provide clearer instructions?
Well. You do not need to Uninstall. Simply Reinstall. The solution was very prominent in that link I posted. VP
Reinstall (the troublesome app, not Native Access itself) fixes it for me.
For those who might be interested, here's what I've found while troubleshooting the problem on Windows:
When Native Access installs an app, it places a .json file in C:\Users\Public\Documents\Native Instruments\installed_products
e.g., in the case of Aquarius Earth, it creates C:\Users\Public\Documents\Native Instruments\installed_products\Aquarius Earth.json
It also creates and populates a folder in the Content Location path defined in Native Access Preferences -> File Management. In my case, that's E:\E\NI\
The name of the folder created in the Content Creation path appears to have changed in recent installers and updaters, and I think that change is causing the problem when trying to update apps.
When I installed Aquarius Earth in the past (maybe a year ago), the folder name was Aquarius Earth, so:
E:\E\NI\Aquarius Earth
However, new installations append the word "Library" to the folder name, so the content folder is now (after a successful update):
E:\E\NI\Aquarius Earth Library
The new .json file is still named Aquarius Earth.json (not Aquarius Earth Library.json)
The name of the .json file is not a problem, but the past and present contents of it might be. Previously (pre-update), the content was a single line:
{"ContentDir":"E:\E\NI\Aquarius Earth","ContentVersion":"1.0.1"}
After reinstalling Aquarius Earth, the content of the .json file at C:\Users\Public\Documents\Native Instruments\installed_products\Aquarius Earth.json reads:
{"ContentDir":"E:\E\NI\Aquarius Earth Library","ContentVersion":"1.0.2"} (now with "Library" included, a reference to the new name of the content folder post-reinstall).
I suspect the updater is looking for a content folder named < Aquarius Earth Library >, which doesn't exist because the original content was in a folder named < Aquarius Earth >.
Reinstalling the Aquarius Earth app creates a content folder with "Library" appended to the folder name, and replaces the Aquarius Earth.json file with one of the same name that contains a correct reference to the new name of the content folder < Aquarius Earth Library >.
BOTTOM LINE: While "Reinstall" alone works in most cases, it might be necessary to "Uninstall" the app, make sure the corresponding .json file in C:\Users\Public\Documents\Native Instruments\installed_products\ is deleted (delete it manually if it's still there after uninstall), and then "Install" the app again. This will create and populate a new content folder with "Library" appended to the name, and a new .json file with a correct reference to the new content folder name.
So for a failed download while updating Aquarius Earth:
You should see that the former < Aquarius Earth > content folder is now named < Aquarius Earth Library > after a successful reinstallation.
I hope this helps someone.
Nice catch. I think your analysis is bang on.
One thing I will do is when another batch of these Expansion "updates" come down - I am going to edit the JSON AND the actual folder location and append the word "library" to a specific product (or two) (BEFORE clicking Update) and see what happens.
I seem to recall this "Library" folder name addition caused issues a long while back and now I can see why.
These Expansions rarely - if ever - get any updates via Native Access. So no one would know or care about their initial paths - but now with tons of these updates coming down in succession - if one has had an Expansion installed for two years or something (like me) and this is the first ever update to it - I can see why this fails - instantly.
Thanks for sharing this.
Thanks, @Vocalpoint. I should note that the new JSON includes not only the word "Library" but the new version number as well. Something to keep in mind if editing the JSON before trying the update. I'm not sure if keeping the old version number while adding "Library" would cause a problem, but it's a potential point of failure.
I've found another quirk in further testing:
If I "Uninstall" and then "Install," E:\E\NI\Aquarius Earth disappears and E:\E\NI\Aquarius Earth Library appears as the new content path (fully populated).
If I simply "Reinstall," the Aquarius Earth folder remains (with its original contents) and the Aquarius Earth Library folder is added (with the same contents). In both cases the new JSON points to the new Aquarius Earth Library folder.
Not a big deal, but the duplication of content could really fill up a hard drive with successive "Reinstalls" on all failed downloads.
Cheers, GB
