OSX Panther Support for Metro / Metro SE?

[sfendless]

Just bought Metro SE this weekend... great program. I'm glad there is finally a simple, elegant and well-designed sequencer program on the market for a resonable price.

Just wondering if the latest version of Metro SE is Panther-compatible. I just got the new OS but am holding off on installing it as I haven't seen anything in the Metro documentation or in this forum indicating whether or not it works with 10.3. Jerm...?

[Jerm]

Okay this is a good question. I have done much testing in Panther and I will say, for the most part it is very compatible. Of course, version 6.1.0.3 is more compatible than the 6.0.8 version that is available.

There is one serious problem that we know about and we will be addressing this in an update within the next few days or so. This problem is related to MIDI interface devices (most notably USB) that have built-in MIDI sounds, such as the edirol/roland sound canvas or many others.

Panther, introuduces a bug (feature?) where the channel settings of MIDI interface devices are disabled. When Metro inquires as to which channels are available, Audio MIDI Setup (AMS) returns an error for these types of devices. Metro 6.1.0.3 and before will then assume that this means that NO channels are available. This means that Metro will not present ports for these devices. This is very bad. In Metro 6.1.0.4 and later (until Apple fixes this bug) Metro assumes that if the device returns an error that ALL channels are available. This makes those devices available but has a different undesirable side effect. Now, MIDI keyboard controllers that do not receive any MIDI will appear as 16 separate outputs when using the 'reflect MIDI setup document' setting in the modify outputs and busses dialog. At least with this fix, users can use their USB MIDI gear.

[sfendless]

Thanks for the detailed info. With that in mind, I think I will hold off upgrading my OS for awhile, since I have had a shaky time with AMS as it is. I am using a Midiman 2x2 Midisport with OSX 10.2.8 and the latest version of Metro SE. Earlier versions of Metro SE couldn't find my output ports; the only version that works with my setup is the newest release.

So it seems that even though everything is working OK now, I think it would probably be rocking the boat if I jump into OSX 10.3. Which is fine by me, really... Even though I hear that Panther is great, it seems to me that it only really adds a lot of bells and whistles. I'm liking working with Metro too much to mess things up for that.

[Jerm]

SF,

While I do not want to sway you from a working system, you should not have any problems in Panther since you are using a MIDI interface connected to devices. The problem only occurs for devices that have built-in sounds.

[Sami23]

The problem only occurs for devices that have built-in sounds.

I just tried to get Metro (latest release) running under Panther and found that my Edirol UM-2 usb interface shows up in Metro as "Port 1"... twice. This is a straight usb/midi interface with no built in sounds...

Basically I have a Alesis keyborad pluged into port 1 and a Dr. Boss drum machine running to port 2. Now.... both are whacked and showing up as connected to port 1...

It's a "mess"

[Jerm]

What does it look like in AMS? Do you have a picture?

[sfendless]

I went ahead and upgraded to Panther last night and so far everything works fine.

I should mention to Sami and others that even though I'm using a Midisport 2x2 box, my port info in Metro only offers "Port 1" as well... but it doesn't seem to affect my setup. Odd.

[buserror]

Apparently they have made a few hasty choices in panther for the MIDI configuration things. On the pretext of making things more "user friendly" they have screwed up all the "modern" devices with internal outputs.

[Jerm]

Regrettably there is a workaround that will work with all versions of Metro. This is a major cludge (sp?) but at least it works and I am pressuring Apple to fix this bug so that hopefully this workaround will not be necessary in the future!

Add a dummy device to any device that is built-in. For example, for a sound-canvas which has 16 channels on a single port that shows up as 1 in and 1 out in AMS this is what you may need to do in Panther.

1. Add a new external device and double click on it.
2. Rename the device 'sound canvas'
3. Click on the ports tab and double click on port 1
4. Rename it 'sound canvas'
5. Click on the properties tab and highlight the correct channels
6. Click apply and close the info window.
7. In AMS connect the output from the real device to the input of the one created in step 1

Now, although your AMS document looks NOTHING like your real set up, you can use Metro to create the correct channel and port setup by using the 'make outputs reflect studio setup document' option. This option is accessed from the 'modify outputs and busses' dialog accessed from the special menu.