Wrench icon and Edit Mode functionality missing in Kontakt 7 rack?

2

Answers

  • Gee_Flat
    Gee_Flat Member Posts: 906 Guru
    edited March 2023

    The K7 instruments are so heavily scripted that dabbling in the back end is either fruitless, pointless, or isn't even possible. Even with K6 it can be pointless with some instruments.

    Case in point:

    I edited the K6 Cello Ensemble so that I could duplicate two groups to create a keyswitch that would trigger the two groups and create a hard attacking sustain. But to do that I had to bypass the main script for the performance view.

    I achieved my goal but now the instrument is completely broken. The easier way would have been to use the instrument in the 'Legacy Instruments' folder, but that means no performance view at all, unless I borrowed an 'Options' script from another instrument.

    If editing is a necessity, continue using the old factory library. Or build your own by copying out groups and swapping them with others.

  • stephen24
    stephen24 Member Posts: 276 Pro

    Certainly you need to know what you're doing. And the first lesson is always save your editing efforts under a different name so the original doesn't get "broken".

    You may be unaware that not everybody uses the same methods. For myself, as it happens, I do build all my own instruments using the best samples I can find, and have no use for a Performance view. I could easily build an instrument doing what you tried to do, without breaking anything. (In fact all my instruments do what you describe as a matter of course.)

    My own (idiosyncratic) interest in the K7 library would be incorporating the samples into my own instruments if they are any good. Others who use more conventional methods might well wish simply to overcome problems they find affecting their own use: you have already mentioned attack times; balance in the transitional samples of legato instruments often needs a tweak; repairing/replacing duff samples; random samplestart for repeated notes - the list is endless.

    I don't seem to be the only guy who would like to campaign for editing to be allowed in the K7 library. If you want to disagree, try to be constructive.

  • Gee_Flat
    Gee_Flat Member Posts: 906 Guru

    I thought I was being very constructive, but if you feel my MO is to be de-constructive, well... whooptee-doo!

    I'm heart-broken 😀😎😂

  • EvilDragon
    EvilDragon Moderator Posts: 1,022 mod

    So the important point here is: K7 factory library uses the new UI toolkit (Native UI) internally, which is not yet publicly released. This is the main reason the instruments are locked for editing.

  • Gee_Flat
    Gee_Flat Member Posts: 906 Guru
    edited April 2023

    When this topic first came up in another thread, just after KFL 2 was released, I seem to recall you alluding to this, but not in this thread. And that was the last I saw any mention of it.

    https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/34683/#Comment_34683

    But more recently I recall a comment "hold your breath". 😎

  • Gee_Flat
    Gee_Flat Member Posts: 906 Guru

    Which libraries are available in HiDPI?

    As a sampling-platform, over its 20-years history, there is a portfolio of literally thousands of KONTAKT instruments - the vast majority created by third-party developers.

    To enable developers to create modern, high-definition instrument user interfaces in KONTAKT, we’re introducing a new user-interface language for products called the Native UI. This language is currently within closed-alpha and will be made available to developers over time as the language stabilizes. For now, the KONTAKT Factory Library 2 and CHOIR: OMNIA are the only products built on this technology but the number of instruments will quickly grow.

    https://support.native-instruments.com/hc/en-us/articles/6554022324637-KONTAKT-7-FAQ

  • stephen24
    stephen24 Member Posts: 276 Pro

    Not sure I can quite see the connection between a new GUI kit for developers and blocking instrument editing for users, but there, I'm just a bear of very little brain.

    Question: might we get our editing back in the future?

  • EvilDragon
    EvilDragon Moderator Posts: 1,022 mod

    If users can edit the instrument they can also see that new UI toolkit in action, and there's no public documentation for it, so... It's just not how stuff is done.

  • Mike Shafto
    Mike Shafto Member Posts: 13 Member

    But the new UI toolkit will be better than the AWT-Swing-JavaFx train wreck, right?

  • ramscapri
    ramscapri Member Posts: 10 Member


    Ok... now I currently just have the free "Kontakt 7 Player" and not the full version of Kontakt 7 yet.

    So pardon my ignorance please... but somehow I get this ridiculously fundamental question after going through this thread...

    If the full version of the latest Kontakt does not allow "full & deep" editing for instruments (meaning it does not have the wrench section but only the gears icon), then what really is the point of getting the full version of Kontakt over the Player version ?

    Doesn't matter if it's just for a few instruments or just some of them or all of them or anything, if it's the full version, it should have the wrench section for full editing (group editor, mapping editor, wav editor, script editor, et all). If not, what's the point of the full version over the free player version ?

  • Monochrome
    Monochrome Member Posts: 1,113 Expert
    edited May 2023

    @ramscapri The difference between Player vs. Full can be learned here:

    Now, it's worth keeping in mind that - whether or not the deeper instrument editing (Edit Mode) is available - depends on the library itself. Some libraries (like Spotlight Collection: East Asia) can be edited, while others (like Analog Dreams or Ignition Keys) can't. It's not bound to Kontakt.

  • Elendiir
    Elendiir Member Posts: 1 Newcomer

    I'm a brand new Kontakt user. K7 is my first actual exposure to Kontakt's software; so there might be something I'm missing. I'm trying to set up a multi with one of the drum kits (Aerobic Kit) and one of the synth pads. The kit absolutely refuses any and all attempts to lock itself down to one midi channel. It is always "channel + groups." After going around the internet for nearly an hour, I see there's a solution: go to "edit mode" and change the group settings... but because of this confounding lack of "deep editing" mode, we can't change the "+ groups" setting!

    Am I missing something simple? Is there a workaround? Or is this truly just how Kontakt wants us to do?

  • SteveInChicago
    SteveInChicago Member Posts: 3 Member
    edited June 2023

    I came to this topic when I observed that there's no way to access the script tabs in individual instruments in Kontakt Library 2. As a customer I find the text quoted above to be not at all the important point. The important point is whether it will be implemented soon enough that it would still be useful.

    Based on previous experience with NI I presume we are a couple years away from that.

    --unhappy customer

  • EvilDragon
    EvilDragon Moderator Posts: 1,022 mod

    It certainly won't be "a couple of years away", but there is no firm timeframe for public release of Native UI. I'm hoping it should be in the first half of the next year, myself.

  • Mike Shafto
    Mike Shafto Member Posts: 13 Member

    I assume NI is user-testing the heck out of Native UI along the way, so that it will be as easy and effective as tweaking a few effects (or, often enough) bypassing them) is today.


    No pressure

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