Apple Silicon support is here! Today, we are happy to announce that our Access Virus Editor & Librarian is the first product in our line-up which supports natively Apple M1 processors.

This transition has been long coming, but it is finally working. The entire plug-in framework has been revised and there are major changes in all aspects of our products.

First product we overhauled for new Apple Silicons is our Access Virus Editor & Librarian. We have renamed the product from Access VirusHC to Access Virus Editor & Librarian, since it is not the same product anymore. How come? Well, we now have:

* Native AAX support
* Standalone Application
* VST3
* VST2
* Audio Units

Only downside to this update is that METAL compatible graphics framework is required from end-users. You can check if your macOS supports Metal by clicking the Apple Logo -> About This Mac -> System report -> Graphics/Displays -> Metal : Supported. This also means, the we are forced to drop 32-bit support for this new version AND macOS 10.13 or greater is required. At least for now.

Access Virus Editor & Librarian v3 – for macOS 10.13 and beyond

Access Virus Editor for macOS 10.13 or greater

So what has changed? … Everything.

Here is a short list of changes and updates made since version 2: Realtime graphics resize and skin options, onscreen keyboard with part focus, midi learn, UI data save and load, improved license system, automatic update checking and much more.

Lets dive into the details we added, fixed and changed since v2:

* [New] Native Apple Silicon support for Standalone Application and Plugins (we are waiting for AVID to release M1 compatible Pro Tools, so AAX is only working via Rosetta2).
* [New] Apple Silicon forced us to change the data folder structure completely. You can find all plugin / application related files as follows;
(Patches): “/Library/Mystery Islands Music/Presets/Access Virus Editor/Patches/”.
(CC Maps): “/Library/Mystery Islands Music/Presets/Access Virus Editor/CC Maps/”.
(UI Data): “/Library/Mystery Islands Music/Presets/Access Virus Editor/UI Data/”.
(License and LOG file): “/Library/Mystery Islands Music/Access Virus Editor/”.
* [New] If plugin or application fails to load license, user can initiate license loading dialog from the top left corner of our plugin / application.
* [New] Plugin / Application window will be automatically resized if it will not fit to current display.
* [New] Extended tooltips. Once mouse is hover over the control, a popup will appear with explanation of the control function. Previously user could only see the control value and name in the plugin / app display.
* [New] Completely rewrote partition of the code which handles the patch and multi renaming. No more waiting of data transfers after renaming.
* [New] Initialize Bank from Patch Librarian -> Bank Edit Menu -> Other Helpful Things…
* [New] UTILITY button added next to Save UI Data button.
This opens a new menu with options to:
– Initialize Active Part, Multi or Arrangement
– Copy and Paste Data between parts.
– Load and Save MIDI CC Map files.
– Version Notifier:
(if internet and update are available, “Update Available” opens new window with
recent changes).
* [New] MIDI In & Out Devices listed with “FROM:” and “TO:” prefixes.
* [New] Part Solo, Part Mute and Part Selection switches added to main Multimode Mixer view.
* [New] All Notes Off ie, PANIC button can be found from the top right corner with MIDI plug icon (just in case…).
* [New] Part solo – user can now solo a single part or multiple parts from the part mixer view (patch librarian tab onwards).
* [New] Part Focus – If View Keyboard is toggled on, all MIDI CC data is driven to currently active part. There is a symbol in the mini mixer name view indicating data capture and a warning text below our logo. This only works when DAW is stopped.
* [New] Added missing input controls for other than TI models in multimode settings tab.
* [New] System Delays and System Arpeggiator On/Off switches added for models prior to Virus TI. These switches can be found from FX #1 and Arpeggiator tabs.
* [New] When data is being recalled / loaded from UI, visual feedback of data transmission is shown in the plug-in display.
* [New] Question mark in the bottom right corner now pops up a hints window.
* [New] Plugin has been completely overhauled.
* [New] AAX, VST3 and Standalone Applications included.
* [New] Retina graphics.
* [New] Realtime User Interface size adjust.
* [New] Realtime User Interface skin adjust.
* [New] QWERTY keyboard included and functional when Keyboard is toggled on.
* [New] Load and Save current Multi arrangement data from the User Interface.
* [New] MIDI Learn. Ability to assign MIDI CC to selected SysEx controls as well.
* [New] Installer and APP are now notarized.
* [New] M1 support for AudioUnit, VST2, VST3 and Standalone APP.

* [Fixed] Standalone Application menu titles shown as they should.
* [Fixed] Using “Menu 2” for Application / Plugins now has scrolling option if menu draw area exceeds the display area.
* [Fixed] Reverb Feedback value was not recorded properly when parsing patch data nor while sending data to hardware.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where multi fx settings were not updated accordingly when master fx part patch was changed.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where Oscillator 2 Local Detune was not working as expected.
* [Fixed] Virus TI models total recall rate adjusted. Might be slower, but this ensures better data processing in hardware.
* [Fixed] MIDI In and MIDI Out Device names were not assigned properly in some cases.
* [Fixed] Librarian right click menu “Paste” option is no longer available if clipboard is empty.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where DAW could crash in some cases if User Interface was closed.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where automation did not work as expected.
* [Fixed] Tempo from host was not updated to plugin and hardware until User Interface was opened.
* [Fixed] Requesting ROM banks returned wrong patch data in Patch Librarian while model was set to TI or TI Snow.
* [Fixed] Plugin / Application display will now indicate if Request Interval is too small.
* [Fixed] Save Data to Slot button is now properly disabled in Multi Mode.
* [Fixed] If part is muted by user or by requested multi, solo behaves as expected: if every solo switch is toggled off, then part mute set earlier keeps its value.
* [Fixed] Part Solo didn’t update plug-in display accordingly.
* [Fixed] Part Mute didn’t update plug-in display accordingly.
* [Fixed] Whole arrangement data was not sent to hardware once “Push Data To HW” was triggered.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where plug-in was caught in a void loop when Total Recall or Load UI Data was triggered.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where wrong tab was opened after opening the plug-in window in DAW.
* [Fixed] Plugin/Hardware tempo is now synchronized to DAW tempo by default.
* [Fixed] Virus C scheme background was blurry on default scale level.
* [Fixed] Changed the way how images are loaded once changing the UI Scheme.
* [Fixed] Plugin display always “reset” when DAW playback was toggled on.
* [Fixed] Double clicking resize handle now sets the window back to default state.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where wrong background & buttons were loaded for some color schemes.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue which could cause Live to crash when loading a project containing our plug-in.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where Bank popup menu items were not updated accordingly after initialization.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where part data was not properly set once data was synchronized from hardware or requested from hardware to part.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where incoming Global SysEx messages from other than TI models were not detected.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where data was overlapping when dumping data to hardware.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where data was not assigned to non-automated parameters correctly.
* [Fixed] Selected Program value changed in Patch Librarian after recalling a project.
* [Fixed] Some parameter alignments were off inside multi settings tabs.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where Total Recall or naming a multi in multimode mixer view would freeze the user interface.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where Virus TI Snow user might have experienced a crash in some cases.
* [Fixed] Patch / Multi rename input field aligned properly.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue which caused fatal crash when Clear MIDI was clicked.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where requesting temp multi data to librarian did not work as expected.
* [Fixed] Resolved small SysEx error when requesting data to librarian by slot & bank.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where TI low and high key ranges were not responding at user interface.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where “Remember Bank” button did not work as expected.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where model selection and various other parameters were “reset” after plug-in window was closed.
* [Fixed] Program Popup menu did not show correct program being selected when program number was 9 or greater.
* [Fixed] Wrong program was requested from or sent to hardware when program popup menu was used.
* [Fixed] Part change now reflects the current program number in librarian view.
* [Fixed] Toggling between single and multi program mode did not update the librarian view as expected.
* [Fixed] “Remember Bank” switch was shown in wrong tabs when data request was cancelled.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue which caused fatal crash when Randomizer was clicked.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue data transfer got timed-out while requesting data from hardware.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where wrong part LED was lit during part change with Virus TI models.
* [Fixed] Parameter display did not display value / control name while moving controls from hardware.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue where registered plug-in instance would crash up on opening the plug-in.
* [Fixed] In some cases, license.key was not written to disk even with right permissions.
* [Fixed] Resolved issue why some parameter changes did not update plug-in display status accordingly.
* [Fixed] Some parameters caused lag when value was changes from hardware.
* [Fixed] Part LEDs did not blink as expected when part change was applied from the hardware.
* [Fixed] Patch file Save As location hardcoded to Patches folder.
* [Fixed] If patches folder was missing, plug-in / app crashed under certain conditions.

* [Other] In order for data sending to succeed, you MUST follow these steps when loading new instance of Virus Editor:
1) Select your Virus model.
2) Select MIDI input device.
3) Select MIDI output device.
4) Click ‘SYNC DATA FROM HW’ button from the User Interface.
Enjoy usage as normal!
* [Other] Librarian right click menu now has “Copy” option available for Upper list as well.
* [Other] Drag and Drop works now from Lower to Upper list and within Upper list.
* [Other] Patch Librarian -> Bank Edit Menu -> Other Helpful Things… -> Check for updates now opens a new view if update is available.
* [Other] Clear MIDI button now opens a menu to Clear All or Active Parameter assignment.
* [Other] If user attempts to set MIDI output before MIDI input, plugin/app display notifies user to set MIDI input first.
* [Other] Updated Tips layer to reflect new changes in the User Interface.
* [Other] Request Interval default values set as follows: non-ti models (300ms) and ti models (400ms).
* [Other] Performance improvements with graphics framework.
* [Other] Removed Save (overwrite) function from Patch Librarian -> Bank Edit Menu since macOS latest changes does not give us the permission to save files outside their desired “safe” zone.
* [Other] “Abort Process” switch is now shown above “Release All Locks” button when librarian view is not active.
* [Other] “Save Part To Slot” button is no longer available in librarian multi mode.
* [Other] Program selector indicator does not move in patch librarian view, when librarian is set to view multi programs and part program changes are received / sent.
* [Other] “Set Virus to MULTI mode!” text will appear in the plugin / app display if single mode message is detected.
* [Other] SysEx control movements consume less CPU now.
* [Other] Mouse dragging / mouse wheel adjust for controls is a lot smoother now.
– For finer parameter control, hold down “ctrl” while adjusting the value.
* [Other] About window can be accessed from Patch Librarian -> Bank Edit Menu.
* [Other] Due to macOS development, macOS 10.13 or greater is required.

That is it! Most of the new features will be available on our other products as well.

Next on the list is Roland JP-80×0 Editor & Librarian, Waldorf Blofeld Editor & Librarian and the list goes on. We will not publish new products until this transition is completed. Yamaha AN1x Editor & Librarian is almost done, but we have to fix these issues before publishing.
Once all macOS features are fully functional, we will run the compiler on Windows too, so Windows users can enjoy the Native AAX, VST3 and Standalone Apps too.

Cost of update? … FREE.

It took me one full year to rewrite the code and re-design the user interface elements (4k) so, I will appreciate any donations made via PayPal or new Patreon Memberships. If I get enough funding, I can get some help to transition our other plugins for version 3 framework much faster so you don’t have to wait forever for next update cycle.

Download Access Virus Editor & Librarian v3 from My Account -> Plugin Downloads or try the demo instead!

NOTE: Audio Unit in Logic Pro has one issue we are investigating: When Virus Editor is opened as first plugin, it won’t show the UI. So, open another plugin first and then initiate Virus Editor to get the User Interface to appear.

Have a great holidays and use coupon ” ENDING2021 ” to get a proper discount during checkout!

p.s. Do not try to reach me via socials, I am not there. I am busy coding, so reach via Chat on our store pages OR iMsg / Signal / WhatsApp for urgent cases.

File a ticket if there is an issue and I will take a look at it. Ticket queue is solid ~200 at the moment / Online Chat requests queue is ~900.

We will get through this! 💪