FAQ

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What is a Dongle

A dongle is the name mostly used for USB-key protection device. There are two protection dongles, iLok from PACE AntiPiracy (iLok 1,2&3 iLok device) and USB-eLicenser from Steinberg
We provide our plug-in for both of these protection format. Only iLok is allowing a soft-base protection (meaning authorise a computer instead of an iLok device).
 

Can I install XILS-lab products on many computer ?

Yes, it is one of the major advantage on an USB protected plug-in. The installer can be freely downloaded and the plug-in installed on any computer and plateform you want. Of course, the plug-in can run only on one computer at the same time.

If you need to reinstall you computer, you don't have to ask for a new license or a new serial, just reinstall the plug-in and the protection drivers.

As there is no challenge response, you don't need to have an internet connection on your computer. Just transfert the installers thanks to an USB key.

For the iLok protection, up to two independent locations are allowed per license (Computer or iLok devices)

 

I have a eLicenser or an iLok plugged, but my plug-In doesn't work. It doesn't appear in the instruments or effets menu provided by my music software application:

  • Did you download and installed the latest version of the protection drivers ? (iLok or eLicenser)
  • Did you downloaded a valide license of your product into your USB protection key ?

 

How to use the iLok code I received ?

  • Download and install the iLok License Manage (on windows 10 activate "TrustedInstaller")
  • Launch it and log in.
  • Select "License-> Redeem Activation Code". Submit your code. This will create a license which will be listed on your iLok account.
  • Drag and drop ths license onto the icon of your chosen location (computer or iLok device). Up to two independent location are allowed per license.

How to use the eLicenser Authorization Code I received ?

  • Download and install the last eLicense Control License (eLC)
  • Launch it, plug your USB-eLicenser and select it.
  • Select "Action->Enter Activation code" and submit your code. This will download your license onto your USB-eLicenser.

I plugged my dongle, updated all the drivers. I can see my license, but my plug-in doesn't appear in my music application ?

Rescan your plug-ins folder with your music software application ? Most of the time when lauching your application with a none working protection, your plug-in was tagged "unavailable". After checking the protection (see above) you just have to rescan it (for Logic you have to select "audio unit manager" in the preference menu)

Can I resell a product as a second hand ?

You can resell a product as a second hand. For that all we need is the name/email of the new on owner for updating our database and follow up the product for further support. After this license transfer, you must delete the corresponding files.

We don't ask any fee for that, but in case your product is protected with iLok or eLicenser, you need to manage the transfer by yourself.

  • iLok is asking a $25 fee for trasfering a license through their server
  • eLicenser needs a physical shipping of a USB-eLicenser holding the license(s) to be tranfered.
  • In case you need a transfer for a different protection (iLok to eLicenser or eLicenser to iLok) see this question on the FAQ

 

My product keeps asking the serial

  • Are you sure you submitted the whole serial with the "-" charactere, without space before or after ?
  • On windows, make sure that the preset folder i read and write enable (this is the case for the installer's default location)
  • The XILS 3 CM, free ware provided by Computer Music has been updated, but they didn't change their server. Please contact us

How can I install a sound set ?

  • Launch your Product
  • Be sure your soundset is unzipped
  • Within the first preset menu, select "import bank" and browse to the soundset file
  • To be sure your soundset is installed, sort your presets by "BANK", for avoiding being mixed with the other presets.

Can I swap a license from eLicenser to iLok ?

Following recent announcement from Steinberg, saying that they won't sustain the eLicenser technology anymore, we are offering a free swap to iLok for all eLicenser products

If you wish to do so, contact us, we will do manually the change and send you new iLok codes

How to reduce the CPU ?

We are always trying to reduce the CPU as much as possible but keeping XILS-lab quality has a cost. This means that some preset can be quite heavy. Here are some tricks to keep in mind for using high demanding patches :

  • Keep in mind that for each activated notes, Oscillators, filters, envelopes has to be calculated. So in case of long release, reducing the number of polyphony can help a lot. Keeping 16 voices, long releases and circular mode would take all your CPU after a few chords.
  • Sample rate modulation is quite heavy, especially for oscillators and filters frequency modulation, zero-delay Pulse Width Modulation. So in that case, keep the number of polyphony quite low (or even Mono in case of a lead or a bass preset)
  • Reverbe is quite heavy, so use it only you need it.
  • No need to Switch ON an effect if the Dry/wet is dry only (unless you need automation or Midi CC assignation)
  • For Top Octave Divider based synthesizers (XILS V+, PolyM) , use the Lower and upper limits for reducing the internal loop.

Do I need a physical dongle ?

By choosing iLok, you can use our iLok or eLienser protected products without needing a physical hardware key. Only iLok is allowing the so-called "soft-location". With that feature, you can authorize your computer instead of using an hardware dongle.

This is not the case for eLicenser which needs the USB-eLicenser.

My Plug-in can't be found in Logic X menus

Often, after installing a new product, you will need to rescan it within Logic (if for a reason or an other something goes wrong when Logic analyses it, it will never been rescaned).

For this

  • Open Logic
  • Select Preferences->Plug-in Manager (or Audio Unit Manager)
  • Locate your product and click on "reset&rescan"
  • Check that the validation succeeded. If this is not the case, please kindly copy the result and send it us on our contact page

This video show you where to find the Plug-in Manager within Logic X


 

My Plug-In is not listed in LIVE

Sometime, for some reasons, something goes wrong when LIVE analysed your product and then tagged it as "invalid".

It won't then be listed anymore and a rescan is needed.

For this

  • Open LIVE
  • Select Preferences->Folder
  • click on "rescan" while pressing the ALT key. This will start a full rescan of every plug-ins, including the "invalid" ones

If you have a lot of plug-ins, this could take a long time, so in the case you don't want to do a full rescan, follow the next steps :

  • Uninstall previous version or delete the product from your Plug-in folder
  • Open Live in order it cleans the path of the plugin concerned
  • Install new version
  • Open Live again and (normally) it will see the new version

 

 

OSX forbid using the installer

Since a few OSX versions, an installer or an application has to be signed and known by Apple for being authorized to be launched.

The workaround once you've got this message is to open your OSX "System Preferences" and go to "Security & Privacy". At the bottom of the panel, you will see something like "Apple forbid to launch this application". Click on "Launch it anyway" and then click on "Open".

OSX won't ask you anymore for this installer.


 

I lost, broke, sold or repaired my computer and lost its activation, how can I retrieve it?

We can reset machine activations manually for XILS-lab products.

Please Contact Us and provide us with your iLok User ID and the Location ID of your computer, which you can be found on the Show Details page in iLok License Manager.  We will then manually reset the activation from this machine.

After downloading the installer on windows 10, double click on it doesn't do anything

  • In Parameters, authorize "All application" or "Prefer Windows Stor but authorize All application"
  • Right-click on the installer, select properties and click on Authorize
     

How to upgrade with iLok

For instance, you want upgrade your XILS 5000 vocoder to the Analog Vocoder Bundle. After buying the iLok upgrade license, the iLok License Manager will check if the XILS 5000 license is therse. It will then surrender it before creating the grouped licenses for the XILS 5000 and XILS 201. If the XILS 5000 is not found (the iLok holding the license is not plugged, the iLok Manager is not running on the computer authorizing the license, ...), the the upgrade is pending and can not completed. In that case, contact us. Once the upgrade is completed, you must authorize your computer or iLok device with the created grouped licenses.