Why Can't Native Access Find Applications and Content Already Installed?

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R2Etude
R2Etude Member Posts: 18 Member
edited May 2023 in Native Access

Because instruments, plugins, and applications can take up multiple terabytes of space, I try to use a secondary hard drive (one not used for the operating system or personal data) so that if I have to replace the primary drive and/or reinstall Windows, I don't have to spend hours upon hours using up expensive bandwidth to reinstall everything from Native Instruments. When I install Native Access, I immediately choose folders in my secondary drive for installing NI Applications, Content, VST 32bit, and VST 64bit. My hope is that when I refresh Native Access or even reboot my computer, Native Access will look in the custom destination folders for everything I already have installed. This method works with other companies like EastWest and 8Dio, but this tends to be a headache with Native Instruments either because it's not supported, or I'm doing something wrong.

When I've logged into Native Access, and I click on the "3 horizontal dots" button for an instrument like Abbey Road 60's Drummer, I can click the "Locate" button and navigate it to the one specific to that instrument, and it confirms this action properly. It's time consuming to do this for each individual instrument rather than just have Native Access search for the appropriate data in the Content folder I specified for installation. Is this a feature than NI can add in the future, or am I not doing this right?

Additionally, applications like Absynth 5 or Battery 4 in Native Access don't provide the option to locate the installation, meaning I have to reinstall it, and overwrite what is already there. Same question: is this a feature NI can add, or am I doing this wrong?

If these are not features available through Native Access, do I need to create a new post under New Ideas to request them?

Please advise. Thank you.

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  • LostInFoundation
    LostInFoundation Member Posts: 4,293 Expert
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    You are doing it correctly. No “auto locate” feature is present in NA at the moment.

    And when it comes to applications and not libraries, reinstalling them is almost due, since applications don’t install files only in their folders but create also links here and there on the computer. Luckily they are not heavyweight champions like libraries

  • Gritty
    Gritty Member Posts: 1 Newcomer
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    Would love to second this request. I hope from multiple computers and it's a hassle to redo this every single time. It would be amazing to have a way to batch locate the libraries, and a way to scan a folder for the applications!

  • PoorFellow
    PoorFellow Moderator Posts: 2,791 mod
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    Quote Hayo_NI :

    Gosh Locate All is a feature that we've pushed back so often, and I keep saying we'll plan it in. The main reason it's been delayed for some time is because we committed to Uninstall instead. We're still working towards which topics we want to commit to in Q4, but one of them that I'm pushing is Locate All, but as a means to revisit the entire onboarding experience for both new and older users with aim to release around Q1. We're kind of just expecting users to figure it out and give them modals along the way, and we want to be more proactive. At the same time some users are existing and just wanna get set up quickly, so Locate All is CRUCIAL to that experience. We already have a few mockups, so we have some ideas on how to approach this technically, but not locked anything in yet.

    TL;DR: we have designs, but been pushing it back for a while now. We want this too, and we hear you.


    Ref. : https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/15027/delayed-devtalks-and-status-of-native-access/p4

  • KJAMM
    KJAMM Member Posts: 1 Member
    edited March 28
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    Me too. Except I don't get ANY locate option apart from for 3rd party libraries - latest NA and Sonoma 14.2. I'm having to leave the superfast mac studio M2 max on through the night to reinstall 1TB plus I already have on a HDD. Not fun at all. The broadband is 25MB/s as well. Yes B not b.

    And yes, I've told NA where the content folder is. It's totally ignored it - or at least it's ignored that fact that all the libraries are already there, and goes right ahead and reinstalls over the top of them. Replacing them. Grrr.

    btw when I select 'install all' I get the cumulative space nag, despite 750 GB free on the download SSD and NA housekeeping its ISOs as it goes. So I'm going to have to rinse n repeat for days until the 1.3TB I already have downloads again and 'installs'. This really is the worst of the major software package installers out there :-(

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