Editing a Helix Native preset in HX Edit removes Native's automation blocks

[ggoss3]

Kind of a weird bug:  If i take a Helix Native created .hlx file that contain Automation settings for bypassing blocks, and expression pedals, and import it into HX Edit, to play with the same preset on my Helix Floor, and then re-export it from HX Edit and back INTO native, all the Automation settings are removed.  You can see this in the JSON on the .hlx file as well, it just gets stripped out.

 

I have attached both .hlx files.  One is directly after exporting it from native, and one is after exporting it from HX Edit, after importing the first one.

 

Anyone else seeing this?  Anyone from Line6 support that might be able to file this issue?

 

I am on Helix Native 3.82 (3.80 compatible) and HX Edit 3.82 Helix Floor 3.80

 

main_export_from_HXEDIT_post_import_from_native.hlx main_export_from_native.hlx

Edited April 13 by ggoss3
added tags

[rd2rk]

This is a user-to-user support forum.

Nobody from Line6 hangs out here.

Ideascale is no more. See the top of this page topic "Ideascale Retirement".

I don't much care about this sort of thing, but have you considered cutting the relevant code and pasting it back after exporting back to Native?

IDK if it would work, but it's worth a try.

If not, then opening a support ticket is probably the best way to get your problem to the attention of the developers.

[ggoss3]

Quote

I don't much care about this sort of thing, but have you considered cutting the relevant code and pasting it back after exporting back to Native?

 

Yup, that works, so it is a decent work around.  Thanks.  I'll try to figure out how to submit a support ticket.

[datacommando]

On 4/13/2025 at 11:02 PM, ggoss3 said:

I'll try to figure out how to submit a support ticket.

Hi,

 

Easy enough - at the top of this page click on the item named “SUPPORT”, then on the following page click on the “CONTACT SUPPORT” icon. 
 

Hope this helps/makes sense.

[ggoss3]

Support got back to me, they're checking if its on their radar, and if not opening a ticket.  The workaround is fine for now, and im just glad the file is valid JSON, makes it so much easier to deal with.

[amsdenj]

Not sure what platform and DAW you're using, but there may be an option to using parameter automation to control Helix Native that could work for you. I use macOS and Logic, your situation may be different, but I have also done the following with Reaper. 

 

There are two quite different ways to use Helix Native in a DAW. The simplest is to put Helix Native as a plugin in an audio track, and control Helix Native using the 16 knob and switch parameters it exposes to DAW automation. That works, and it keeps everything you need to playback and control the parameters in one track. And with macOS and Logic, you can use controller assignments to control the same automation parameters to indirectly control Helix Native with MIDI. But I've found this to be unreliable, overly complicated and inconvenient.

 

The other approach is to use two tracks for your guitar, one MIDI or software instrument track to record MIDI footswitch and expression pedal events, and another audio track to record your dry guitar signal. Put Helix Native as an AU MIDI-Controlled effect on the software instrument track. Run your guitar directly into the audio track. Set the output of the audio track to a bus and set the side-shain input of software instrument track's AU MIDI-Controlled effect to the same bus. Now Helix Native can receive MIDI directly into the plugin and there's no need to use the limited automation parameters, or deal with complex controller assignments. The MIDI events are recorded in the software instrument track where they can be easily edited later using the piano roll. Software monitoring and playback work as expected.