AudioUnit plugin ignored but loaded in other DAWs

Description:

I’ve written an FM synthesis AudioUnit Instrument plugin that loads in various DAWs like Logic, Ableton Live, etc., but it’s ignored in Renoise.

Steps to reproduce:

  • Copy the plugin into either the system or home components plug-in directory

  • Launch Renoise

  • (Optional: Disable/re-enable AudioUnit plugins in Preferences)

Expected results:

I expect the plugin to show up in the instruments list.

Actual results:

The plugin doesn’t appear.

Can I enable any debug logging to see why the plugin is getting ignored?

Can I enable any debug logging to see why the plugin is getting ignored?

No, but the log might reveal some clues about what happens during the plugin scan.

Main Menu > Help > Show the Log File

Out of curiosity, have you checked the Track DSPs plugin list (bottom left), to see if maybe the plugin was incorrectly classified as an effect?

Hm, I don’t see anything in the log regarding plugin scanning. I don’t see it showing up in the track plugin list at all, unfortunately.

Click to view contents
============================================================
Version : Renoise V3.1.0 (Jan 12 2016)
Date : 2017-10-07
Time : 13:27:48
OS : Mac OS X 10.12.6 (x86_64)
============================================================
CPU: Found 4 enabled unit(s) with 1 core(s) and 2 logical processor(s) per unit. 4 cores, 8 logical processors are enabled in total.
Application: Showing the splash window...
Application: Initializing the API...
IPP: Detected CPU type: 0x46
CoreAudio: Enumerating devices...
CoreAudio: ======== device enumeration: 1 of 6 ========
CoreAudio:
CoreAudio: --- Device Input information ---
CoreAudio: Driver name: ffff: Music Receiver
CoreAudio: GetStreamFormat FAILED
CoreAudio:
CoreAudio: --- Device Output information ---
CoreAudio: Driver name: ffff: Music Receiver
CoreAudio: SampleRate: 44100.000000
CoreAudio: mFormatID: 'mcpl'
CoreAudio: Flags: 0x 9
CoreAudio: Bytes per packet: 8
CoreAudio: Frames per packet: 1
CoreAudio: Bytes per frame: 8
CoreAudio: Channels per frame: 2
CoreAudio: Bits per channel: 32
CoreAudio: Device audio buffers:
CoreAudio: Number of buffers: 1
CoreAudio: -- Buffer 0 --
CoreAudio: Number of channels: 2
CoreAudio: Size in bytes: 4096
CoreAudio: Total number of output channels: 2
CoreAudio: ======== device enumeration: 2 of 6 ========
CoreAudio:
CoreAudio: --- Device Input information ---
CoreAudio: Driver name: Apple Inc.: Built-in Microphone
CoreAudio: SampleRate: 44100.000000
CoreAudio: mFormatID: 'mcpl'
CoreAudio: Flags: 0x 9
CoreAudio: Bytes per packet: 8
CoreAudio: Frames per packet: 1
CoreAudio: Bytes per frame: 8
CoreAudio: Channels per frame: 2
CoreAudio: Bits per channel: 32
CoreAudio: Device audio buffers:
CoreAudio: Number of buffers: 1
CoreAudio: -- Buffer 0 --
CoreAudio: Number of channels: 2
CoreAudio: Size in bytes: 4096
CoreAudio: Total number of input channels: 2
CoreAudio:
CoreAudio: --- Device Output information ---
CoreAudio: Driver name: Apple Inc.: Built-in Microphone
CoreAudio: GetStreamFormat FAILED
CoreAudio: ======== device enumeration: 3 of 6 ========
CoreAudio:
CoreAudio: --- Device Input information ---
CoreAudio: Driver name: Apple Inc.: Built-in Output
CoreAudio: GetStreamFormat FAILED
CoreAudio:
CoreAudio: --- Device Output information ---
CoreAudio: Driver name: Apple Inc.: Built-in Output
CoreAudio: SampleRate: 44100.000000
CoreAudio: mFormatID: 'mcpl'
CoreAudio: Flags: 0x 9
CoreAudio: Bytes per packet: 8
CoreAudio: Frames per packet: 1
CoreAudio: Bytes per frame: 8
CoreAudio: Channels per frame: 2
CoreAudio: Bits per channel: 32
CoreAudio: Device audio buffers:
CoreAudio: Number of buffers: 1
CoreAudio: -- Buffer 0 --
CoreAudio: Number of channels: 2
CoreAudio: Size in bytes: 4096
CoreAudio: Total number of output channels: 2
CoreAudio: ======== device enumeration: 4 of 6 ========
CoreAudio:
CoreAudio: --- Device Input information ---
CoreAudio: Driver name: Apple Inc.: DisplayPort
CoreAudio: GetStreamFormat FAILED
CoreAudio:
CoreAudio: --- Device Output information ---
CoreAudio: Driver name: Apple Inc.: DisplayPort
CoreAudio: SampleRate: 32000.000000
CoreAudio: mFormatID: 'mcpl'
CoreAudio: Flags: 0x 9
CoreAudio: Bytes per packet: 8
CoreAudio: Frames per packet: 1
CoreAudio: Bytes per frame: 8
CoreAudio: Channels per frame: 2
CoreAudio: Bits per channel: 32
CoreAudio: Device audio buffers:
CoreAudio: Number of buffers: 1
CoreAudio: -- Buffer 0 --
CoreAudio: Number of channels: 2
CoreAudio: Size in bytes: 4096
CoreAudio: Total number of output channels: 2
CoreAudio: ======== device enumeration: 5 of 6 ========
CoreAudio:
CoreAudio: --- Device Input information ---
CoreAudio: Driver name: Apple Inc.: Display Audio
CoreAudio: SampleRate: 44100.000000
CoreAudio: mFormatID: 'mcpl'
CoreAudio: Flags: 0x 9
CoreAudio: Bytes per packet: 4
CoreAudio: Frames per packet: 1
CoreAudio: Bytes per frame: 4
CoreAudio: Channels per frame: 1
CoreAudio: Bits per channel: 32
CoreAudio: Device audio buffers:
CoreAudio: Number of buffers: 1
CoreAudio: -- Buffer 0 --
CoreAudio: Number of channels: 1
CoreAudio: Size in bytes: 2048
CoreAudio: Total number of input channels: 1
CoreAudio:
CoreAudio: --- Device Output information ---
CoreAudio: Driver name: Apple Inc.: Display Audio
CoreAudio: SampleRate: 44100.000000
CoreAudio: mFormatID: 'mcpl'
CoreAudio: Flags: 0x 9
CoreAudio: Bytes per packet: 8
CoreAudio: Frames per packet: 1
CoreAudio: Bytes per frame: 8
CoreAudio: Channels per frame: 2
CoreAudio: Bits per channel: 32
CoreAudio: Device audio buffers:
CoreAudio: Number of buffers: 1
CoreAudio: -- Buffer 0 --
CoreAudio: Number of channels: 2
CoreAudio: Size in bytes: 4096
CoreAudio: Total number of output channels: 2
CoreAudio: ======== device enumeration: 6 of 6 ========
CoreAudio:
CoreAudio: --- Device Input information ---
CoreAudio: Driver name: Sonix Technology Co., Ltd.: USB Microphone
CoreAudio: SampleRate: 44100.000000
CoreAudio: mFormatID: 'mcpl'
CoreAudio: Flags: 0x 9
CoreAudio: Bytes per packet: 4
CoreAudio: Frames per packet: 1
CoreAudio: Bytes per frame: 4
CoreAudio: Channels per frame: 1
CoreAudio: Bits per channel: 32
CoreAudio: Device audio buffers:
CoreAudio: Number of buffers: 1
CoreAudio: -- Buffer 0 --
CoreAudio: Number of channels: 1
CoreAudio: Size in bytes: 2048
CoreAudio: Total number of input channels: 1
CoreAudio:
CoreAudio: --- Device Output information ---
CoreAudio: Driver name: Sonix Technology Co., Ltd.: USB Microphone
CoreAudio: GetStreamFormat FAILED
CoreMIDI: Creating client 'Renoise'...
CoreMIDI: Creating an input port...
CoreMIDI: Creating an output port...
CoreMIDI: Creating a virtual input port...
Graphport: Initializing Freeimage...
System: Using '/Applications/Renoise.app/Contents/Resources/' as resource base directory...
GraphPort: Initializing the Font Engine...
ReWire Slave: ReWire shared library is already installed and up to date...
ReWire Slave: ReWire slave engine is already installed and up to date...
ReWire Slave: ReWire Panel was initialized...
ReWire Slave: ReWire Slave mode failed to init (no master is running)...
ReWire Master: Successfully opened
Application: Start running...
Application: Loading the preferences...
Application: Init...
ScriptingTools: Initializing Scripting Tool: '/Applications/Renoise.app/Contents/Resources/Scripts/Tools/com.renoise.ToolUpdater.xrnx/'...
ScriptingTools: Initializing Scripting Tool: '/Applications/Renoise.app/Contents/Resources/Scripts/Tools/com.renoise.UpdateChecker.xrnx/'...
DspDevices: Registering native DSP effects...
CoreAudio: Using SampleRate 44100 (requested: 44100)...
CoreAudio: Output device buffer size: 672
CoreAudio: Output device extra latency frames: 399
CoreAudio: Using Latency 15.238096 - MaxBufferFrameSize: 672 (requested latency 15.238096)...
CoreAudio: Opening Playback Device 1 'Apple Inc.: Built-in Output' (1 Stereo Channels)...
CoreAudio: Enumerating Output Channel Names...
CoreAudio: Output ChannelName 0 -> Left:'' / Right:''
CoreAudio: Allocating Input Buffers...
CoreAudio: Allocating Output Buffers...
CoreAudio: Output IOProc was successfully installed...
CoreAudio: Starting Device Apple Inc.: Built-in Output...
CoreAudio: Output Device is up and running...
CoreAudio: Up and running
CoreMIDI: Enumerating devices...
CoreMIDI: Adding input device 'IAC Driver (Bus 1)'
CoreMIDI: Adding output device 'IAC Driver (Bus 1)'
Application: Creating a new document...
MIDI: Loading MIDI actions from file '/Applications/Renoise.app/Contents/Resources/Scripts/GlobalMidiActions.lua'...
Osc: Loading OSC actions from file '/Applications/Renoise.app/Contents/Resources/Scripts/GlobalOscActions.lua'...
Player: Constructing...
Player: Creating slave threads...
Player: 8 threads enabled. 8 CPUs are available.
Player: Start running...
GUI: Creating the Document GUI...
GUI: Successfully constructed
Application: A new document was created.
GraphPort: Initializing in FullscreenMode
Graphport: Running fullscreen at '0,0,2560,1440'...
GraphPort: Successfully initialized
Application: Init OK
Application: Enter MainLoop...
Application: Exit...
Shut down: Stopped the Player
MIDI: Shut down: Closing all acquired MIDI devices...
Shut down: Stopped and released all MIDI-Devices
CoreAudio: Stopping Device 'Apple Inc.: Built-in Output'...
CoreAudio: Releasing Device 'Apple Inc.: Built-in Output'...
CoreAudio: Device is down
Shut down: Stopped and released the active Audio-Device
Shut down: Destroyed the Player
Shut down: Destroyed the Document
Shut down: Destroyed the GraphPort
Shut down: Saving the Preferences
Shut down: Destroyed the Preferences
Shut down: App is down
Application: Exit OK
Application: Finalizing the API...
Closing log file...

Hm, I don’t see anything in the log regarding plugin scanning. I don’t see it showing up in the track plugin list at all, unfortunately.

Before you edited your post to remove the huge log text (hehe), I did notice an earlier mention of a VST scan in there, but indeed no mention of an AU/Component scan.

I didn’t manage to catch the date from that session, but simply search the log for “VST” and you should find it.

Nevertheless, did you try the “Rescan previously failed plugins” option in Renoise’s preferences?

And the option to use both VST and AU plugins is definitely enabled there?

Ah, sorry, yeah, I had multiple launches in there and some logging where I loaded some other VST plugin just as a test. I never see any mention of an AU scan but my other audio units are showing up and loading fine.

I thought maybe there was something weird with the way I built my plugin but it passes auval -strict fine. I wish there was a way to see more logging!

Also, rescan doesn’t appear to have any effect insofar as showing any additional plugins or logging.

If all else fails you can send us a copy of the plugin and we’ll try to check it out in the coming days: support (at) renoise (dot) com

If you have an SQLite database viewer such as http://sqlitebrowser.org then you can snoop around in Renoise’s plugin caches.

Main Menu > Help > Show the Preferences Folder

Look for any Cached*.db files in there.

If your plugin appears in one of the CachedFailed*.db files then something weird happened during the scan.

Edit: You can also simply delete those *.db files to force Renoise into performing a completely new scan.

Hm, I don’t see my plugin in any of the sqlite databases, cached or cached-failed. I’ll e-mail you all the plugin to see what you think. Thanks~