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Helix plug-in on MacOS - permanent spinner


purusha
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Any thoughts? The demo worked, just after install, on my system, but now both the AU and VST versions (Ableton and Cubase) won't start. All I get, is a permanent spinner and a locked-up app.

 

This is MacOS 10.14, Cubase 9.5, Ableton 10.0.0.4. I think the Helix plug-in is 1.7, as of a couple of days ago.

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Make sure you have a good internet connection and your Line 6 user name and password are working smoothly. HXN needs an internet connection to authorize, even for the trial. Also, Mojave is really fresh, so not sure if that could be an issue in your case and with your setup.

 

 

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23 hours ago, soundog said:

Make sure you have a good internet connection and your Line 6 user name and password are working smoothly. HXN needs an internet connection to authorize, even for the trial. Also, Mojave is really fresh, so not sure if that could be an issue in your case and with your setup.

 

 


Thanks. My Internet connection is fine. Helix Native seems to be OK through multiple reboots on my MacBook (limited to 10.13), so it could be a Mojave related issue. In which case, Line6 will have to sort that out before I buy. Studio full of hardware and software here, all of which I tested on a Mojave partition before making the jump.

There is an error on this Mac Pro system though, in syslog:

Oct 28 10:48:16 MacPro Live[536]: objc[536]: Class L6HttpRequestHandler is implemented in both /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/Helix Native.component/Contents/MacOS/Helix Native (0x1377a9a60) and /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/Helix Native.component/Contents/Resources/HelixCocoaView.bundle/Contents/MacOS/HelixCocoaView (0x144abe140). One of the two will be used. Which one is undefined.

 

Might check that on the MacBook and send over to Line6 for further thoughts.

I'm afraid I'm wary of Line6 software, due to lack of support for 64 bit VST on Pod Farm, which means I can no longer use it on Cubase 9.5.

Edit: spoke too soon. My MacBook is now doing the same thing as the Mac Pro. It's not a Mojave thing.

Edited by purusha
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I am having the same issue since upgrading to OSX Mojave. In Cubase when I add a new audio track and open Helix Native as an insert, I get the spinner and the plugin won’t load and causes Cubase to hang. I am using the trail version and all was fine before updating the OS. Does anyone else have this issue?

 

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I am on a Mac Pro with El Capitan (10.11.6) and my DAW is Logic Pro. I installed the Helix Native demo and it worked fine for 2 days. Now when attempt to add the effect to my channel I get the 'beach ball of death' and must FORCE QUIT Logic Pro as my only way to start over. I have just 3 other (modern) plugins for amps, effects, etc. that continue to run with no issue. I was actually ready to pay $400 for this paid version of Helix but Line 6 can't get it to run as a demo why would I lock myself into a $400 expense? My Mac is super clean and reliable. I have never had an issue like this before. This thread is actually the only info I can find from others having the same issue. I have deleted all of the associated files from my folders, tried reinstalling Helix Native, deleted and re-establish my computer connection with Line 6 but still I get only the beach ball. Very disappointing.  Has anyone figured out a solution to this? Line 6 are you listening???

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Its working fine with Logic Pro and Sierra for me here. FYI, Line 6 doesn't monitor this forum .... you might want to open up a support ticket with them. Some folks have run into odd issues because Native was trying to phone home to verify authorization (although authorization is only supposed to require and internet connection when you first install). You may want to make sure you don't have a firewall or little snitch or something blocking a good connection to Line 6, just in case that's the issue.

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Thanks for this. I got excited when you mentioned Little Snitch but was able to determine that my connections to Line 6 are in fact getting through. I had also disabled the firewall. When I insert the Helix Native plugin to the channel I can see that Little Snitch allows it through on their activity screen. Perhaps LIne 6 is not providing the right info over the connection to satisfy the plugin's demand for verification. Who knows. I do appreciate your help. If I figure it out I will be sure to post my process.  I see if I can get through to Line 6. 

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Make sure you're running V1.7 and can log in to your Line 6 account from within the plug-in:

Click My Account at lower left corner of Native window (Version 1.7 only .... earlier versions had a gear icon). Preferences will tell you the version number. Log-In and My Account should take you to the Line 6 My Account page, and log-in should go smoothly.

 

Also check you plug-ins using Logic's Plug-In Manager and see if HXN appears as "successfully validated" or not. If not, try to validate again there. Do this in a fresh project, before any plug-ins are loaded into any channels. If its in the list, try adding HXN to a single channel and see if it works or causes a beach ball. All useful data for troubleshooting....

 

 ....another thing (if this is indeed the problem you're having, not sure about that) that some have done when having various weird problems was to de-authorize the plug-in, and then re-authorize it.

 

 

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Thanks for all of your good information. Unfortunately there is no way for me to get to a Helix window to make any choices or check settings. etc. because the plugin crashes Logic the moment I try to install it to the track. Therefore Helix never opens to provide a window. I open Logic, create a fresh project, create a guitar (instrument) track, insert Helix Native as a plugin and then I get the beach-ball.  I have tried removing and reinstalling all of the associated files. I have moved the component files out, refreshed the plugins within Logic and then replaced the components but the same thing keeps happening. As I mentioned; all of my other plugins work with out issue.  I have also tried deactivating my Mac from Line 6 and then reactivating.  I have explained of this to Line 6 via new ticket created just this morning. I am hopeful that I will learn something but I am not terrible optimistic that this will get worked out as it is a demo and not a paid application... and it will never be if I can't get it up and running. Thanks again for help. It is truly appreciated.

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Do let us know what happens. Line 6 should support the demo .... how are they going to make any sales if the demo won't run?!

 

I have this fix in my Logic Pro notes file (random stuff I copy from the web), and it has fixed problems in the past when I had a problematic plug-in. It seems an odd fix, but it might be worth a try. Shooting in the dark here....

 

If Logic crashes while scanning the installed plug-ins, follow the steps below to resolve this problem:
    1    Close Logic and open Finder.
    2    Navigate to the following folder:
    •    Macintosh HD > Library > Audio > Plug-Ins > Components
    3    Copy the plug-ins that are causing the problem from this folder to your Desktop. Once copied to your Desktop, delete them from the Components folder.
    4    Start Logic and open the Plug-in-Manager under Logic Pro > Settings > Plug-in-Manager
    5    Click the button Reset & Rescan Selection.
    6    Close Logic after the scan has finished.
    7    Move the plug-in files from the Desktop back into the folder "Components".

 

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Thanks but I tried that too. Last message: "I have moved the component files out, refreshed the plugins within Logic and then replaced the components but the same thing keeps happening." I probably just didn't explain it as well as you did. I am presently trying to figure out "Reaper" as a 60 day demo alternative to see if I can get it to work there for the time being. At least this way I can see if its a Logic problem or a Helix problem and so that I will be able to evaluate Helix. I will keep you posted on my success (or failure) with Line 6.

 

Update: Just got Reaper up and running and the Helix Native Plugin freezes it too, just like Logic with the beach ball of death. Very Disappointing. I think it might be related to its "Calling Home" to Line 6 for confirmation. The first time I ran Reaper and tried to add the Helix plugin to a track I got a Little Snitch window asking if I wanted to allow it to connect to Line 6. Of course I agreed and then the beach ball started and will allow me only to Force Quit.

 

 

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That sounds like a good idea and I hadn't thought of it since it seemed like the connections was getting through, but after trying that just now it did not help. I also just read that if I changed my password on the Line 6 site it would force Helix to ask me to confirm the new login info when I tried to run it. So, I changed the password but when I attempted to run it the plugin in  Logic Pro it just did as always and froze.

 

 

UPDATE:  I was able to get it working with Reaper so far. Here is what I did: I deleted anything related to Helix Native from my computer. I then created a different account on Line 6 with a different email and everything else. I download the demo and it finally worked.  This is actually my first real shot at evaluating this plugin and I must say that I like it so far. It is so nicely laid out and as such is very easy to navigate for quick, subtle changes at a glance.

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I received a helpful reply from Line 6 Tech Support which I have pasted below. I hope this help others out as well:

(Helix Native Plugin Beachball Beach Ball of Death Spinner Crashes Crash Reaper Logic Pro Cubase Mac Apple)

 

Hi,
I'm sorry about the trouble with your Helix Native.  Below are files paths for a number a files that need to be deleted in order to get your Native up and running again.  Please remove them all, and then perform a reinstall of the latest version of Native.

Plug-in Binaries, please remove these files.

/Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins/Line 6/Helix Native.aaxplugin
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/Helix Native.component
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/Line 6/Helix Native.vst /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/Line 6/Helix Native.vst3

Resources. You'll see a data and res folder; just delete the Helix Native folder for a clean slate.

/Library/Application Support/Line 6/Helix Native/

User Data
This folder contains the user data for Helix Native. This includes the Preset and Impulse Response libraries, local license file (Purchases.dat), user preferences (Helix Native.prefs), and various logs.  

WARNING as of this writing, it isnâÂÂt necessary to delete the PRESET_LIBRARY and IR_LIBRARY folders when uninstalling. Before deleting these folders, be sure to make a backup!

Remove the .dat and .pref files.
~/Library/Application Support/Line 6/Helix Native/

Once all these files are removed, re install Native from a new download of the latest version.

https://line6.com/software/

Please let me know your results.
Thanks,
Line 6 Support

 

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I am having a great time getting to know Helix Native! I saw one of your earlier posts discussing that Snapshots were coming soon. Did they ever add this feature to a Helix Native update? I have a friend who sent some of his patches to me (he has the floor unit) and he has Snapshots in many of his patches but I cannot find a way to switch through these via my Helix Native.

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Thanks for clarifying this!  I could see the Snapshot Drop-downs at the top of the Plugin window but for this particular 'tone' nothing changed when I clicked around cycling through them. Then I realized that it did work on some of the other tones. So, I guess some guys set them up to do something while others just have them there for no particular reason (?).  This Helix Native sure is fun and smartly laid out! I wonder if there is such a thing as a USB volume/wah/expression pedal that I could connect to my MAC to make this closer to the Helix floor version for functionality. This is the only thing I feel that I would be missing at the moment. Thanks for helping out the new guy!

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I am using rig kontrol 3 and using expression pedals for volume & wah - and foot switches on kontrol 3 for changing snapshots all works well - not a mac guy so maybe someone can chime in on how to add pedals to your interface your using or suggest an interface that works with adding on expression pedals - good luck 

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just tagging a +1 to this problem.

 

I use Ableton and when I initially installed Helix Native Demo it worked just fine. The second time I went to load it I had the same event occur ... the beach ball of death. I also wrote to Line 6 and received the same email as 'Petes63strat'. Unfortunately for me it did not fix the problem. Still waiting to hear from Line 6 whether they have any additional steps that I could follow.

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I have the same problem as Petes63Strat and have followed the instruction he got from the support. That worked yesterday but today I get the same problem again. As soon I try to open the Helix plugin the beach ball is back and Logic crashes. Anyone else have the same issue? I really would love to buy this $400 plugin but now I don't think I dare.

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You don't have to to reinstall anything, or delete anything, and this is not a Mojave issue.

 

After installation when you use the VST for the first time, it creates a set of folders in your user directory. There is a preferences file that you need to edit. On macOS, it's located here:

~/Library/Application Support/Line 6/Helix Native/Helix Native.prefs

 

In that file, there is a key called "Session Token" -- if you close the DAW, open that file, remove that key and value, and save the file... everything works again... for 24 hours. You'll have to authenticate and log in to Line6 every day until L6 fixes this.

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Based on the timing and the other responses L6 support has been giving out, they're slowly adding steps to the canned reply they are sending out. They didn't have the ~/Library/Application Support/Line 6/Helix Native/ folder in their instructions when I got them.

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I created a little Automatior application to remove that line from the file for me (attached).

 

I suppose if you scheduled it to run daily you would only need to re-login once a day when the plugin tries to check in with the L6 servers. Removing that token doesn't automatically cause the plugin to "phone home", it just means that when it DOES phone home, you'll have to log in.

Native De-Beach.zip

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Deleting everything in the ~/Library/Application Support/Line 6/Helix Native/ folder definitely works, but you don't NEED to do even that. Deleting all the other folders and reinstalling the plugin & your DAW (which is what L6 recommended) is just cray cray talk.

 

The L6 instructions are like swinging a sledgehammer to flip a light switch.

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9 hours ago, Petes63Strat said:

After getting my Helix Native demo

 

I noticed this also I played around with changing driver in daw from waspi to asio then reverse it - fool around with it - all of sudden it was day and night - not sure how it happened but it was way better - play around with switching driver - that may help - not sure this fixed it as I was trying everything also so cant say for sure, I ended up on my rig kontrol 3 asio driver and it was great, asio4all and I never got along 

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59 minutes ago, Petes63Strat said:

Thanks. I am on a Mac Pro so the driver  is provided atomatically. I don't think  I have an choice. 

 

Ah well you got me on that one Pete - sorry good luck - pc here - hopefully you get it sorted out because something is wrong - it does sound great when all is well

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  • 1 month later...

soundog: I have been enjoying my Helix Native but like many others I still find it nearly impossible to get the kinds of result I hear on Youtube & Vimeo dispute decades of playing experience and an arsenal of truly great guitars... but hope springs eternal!  I know this is way off topic but I have searched high and low with little or no meaningful results. My question relates to a hardware controller of some sort and here's why: I decided to temporarily take myself out of the equation and buy some tried and true patches from Glenn Delaune so that I could rule out any mistakes I might be making in my efforts to create realistic tones. In doing so I realize that Glenn's earlier tones are created in such a way that they require hardware buttons to properly navigate which of course I cannot do on my Helix Native. I contacted Glenn and he did assure me that he is going to modify these earlier tones to work with the Snapshots feature and then I should be okay. BUT, this got me think about how I might control Snapshot choice and other aspects of Helix Native with a foot or tabletop controller of some sort. Can anyone point to me to a some info on this or share their experience relating to this?  I see units from Behringer and others that look like they might work but have no way of knowing if Helix Native is setup to accommodate such a thing. I use a Mac Pro with Logic Pro DAW so perhaps something could be integrated through that but I have little experience in this aspect of Logic. Any tips or info would be greatly appreciated. 

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1 hour ago, Petes63Strat said:

soundog: I have been enjoying my Helix Native but like many others I still find it nearly impossible to get the kinds of result I hear on Youtube & Vimeo dispute decades of playing experience and an arsenal of truly great guitars... but hope springs eternal!  I know this is way off topic but I have searched high and low with little or no meaningful results. My question relates to a hardware controller of some sort and here's why: I decided to temporarily take myself out of the equation and buy some tried and true patches from Glenn Delaune so that I could rule out any mistakes I might be making in my efforts to create realistic tones. In doing so I realize that Glenn's earlier tones are created in such a way that they require hardware buttons to properly navigate which of course I cannot do on my Helix Native. I contacted Glenn and he did assure me that he is going to modify these earlier tones to work with the Snapshots feature and then I should be okay. BUT, this got me think about how I might control Snapshot choice and other aspects of Helix Native with a foot or tabletop controller of some sort. Can anyone point to me to a some info on this or share their experience relating to this?  I see units from Behringer and others that look like they might work but have no way of knowing if Helix Native is setup to accommodate such a thing. I use a Mac Pro with Logic Pro DAW so perhaps something could be integrated through that but I have little experience in this aspect of Logic. Any tips or info would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Get yourself one of these bad boys (rig kontrol 3) works awesome mac or windows - I luv it - you will not regret it - they are very hard to come by but this is your all in one solution - I just bought another from Reverb to have a backup - also my original wah was not working so bought another mostly for that reason 

 

I also use an Emotiva A-100 with a little Dot MKIII tube preamp with SHD650'S headphones - sounds amazing - little over the top but to me was well worth the investment - if I was to choose only one amp tough call Emotiva has raw power and the tube amp gives you more warmth - having both I can mix between the two amps

 

Oh I would buy a powered usb hub to plug Rig kontrol 3 into then plug into usb in your computer - helps to remove depending on pc to drive it as its only usb powered unit

 

https://reverb.com/item/17498438-native-instruments-rig-kontrol-2010-black

 

https://reverb.com/item/14791735-native-instruments-guitar-rig-kontrol-3

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Native-Instruments-Guitar-Rig-3-Midi-Controller-MIDI-Pedalboard/132886871781?hash=item1ef0acbee5:g:tmIAAOSwsQJcEfls:rk:7:pf:0

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rsvette: Many thanks for this info and for all of the links. I saw these units recently but it seemed as though they would be too dedicated to Guitar Rig only but now you have given me hope! Do you use it as an audio interface too as Guitar Rig does, or is that asking too much? I use a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 but often wonder if this is the culprit where my excessively tinny tone is coming from, especially when using headphones.  I am having a lot of trouble getting realistic tones thus far. I'll download a patch from Glenn, use and IDENTICAL guitar and playing style but the tones are not even close.  I know I'm not alone in this but with so many variables it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

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