Possible to Install Rack Extensions and Content to external drive?

[CloudsOfSound]

I have rather limited space available on my MacBook's system drive and my RE's are now moving toward 20GB of space.
I have an external SSD drive formatted with APFS literally glued to my MacBook, so it's always available and it has the same mount options applied as the system drive.

What I've always done in other plugins with large sample libraries and / or large amounts of content is to move the original directory to the SSD, then create a symbolic link
(ln -s in Terminal) in the original location pointing to the actual content residing on the SSD.

This was also the common way to trick Logic into believing that the 60GB or so of content was still installed locally, before Logic got the option to re-locate the content from within the application.
It also works with the huge 70GB library of samples in IK Multimedia's Syntronik Deluxe Edition and with other plugins I have installed.

I was hoping that this method would work in Reason as well, but the after trying this with Reason I got error messages and none of the RE's showed up in Reason...

Does anybody have a way to "trick" Reason into accepting the content from an external drive? I have not seen any option to choose a content directory while installing Reason or RE's, so I guess that Propellerheads basically assumes that everyone has unlimited space available on the system drive.
Having the samples on a fast external drive is also be more efficient than having both OS, Application and Contents on the same drive from an I/O perspective.

Most other DAWs offer the option to move the content to a separate drive, and encourages users to do so if the I/O connection is fast enough, like using a Thunderbolt drive or a USB-C 3.1 connector interface.

[mjxl]

http://osxdaily.com/2015/08/06/make-sym ... -mac-os-x/

[CloudsOfSound]

http://osxdaily.com/2015/08/06/make-sym ... -mac-os-x/

Excuse moi, but did you read my post at all? 🤪

I was hoping that this method would work in Reason as well, but the after trying this with Reason I got error messages and none of the RE's showed up in Reason...

I'm well aware of what symlinks are and how to use them, I am a software developer, so creating a symlink isn't my biggest hurdle in life.
As I explained in the post, this works in most apps, but apparently not in Reason when symlinking the directory containing all the RE content.

I'm looking for an alternative method that actually do work.

[mjxl]

http://osxdaily.com/2015/08/06/make-sym ... -mac-os-x/

Excuse moi, but did you read my post at all? 🤪

I was hoping that this method would work in Reason as well, but the after trying this with Reason I got error messages and none of the RE's showed up in Reason...

I'm well aware of what symlinks are and how to use them, I am a software developer, so creating a symlink isn't my biggest hurdle in life.
As I explained in the post, this works in most apps, but apparently not in Reason when symlinking the directory containing all the RE content.

I'm looking for an alternative method that actually do work.

Oh yeah, I did but was way too distracted at work then lol.

I don't think there's an alternative to symlink, the other day I found a compression tool (for native win10 compression) and all games that i compressed didn't work properly anymore.

I meant to ask if you tried different levels (up a folder, sym that) and also Sync'ed the RE's ? I've not tried the REs yet, tho I have the soundbanks symlinked. (Windows)
(I've looked in the register if it's set through there)

[CloudsOfSound]

Oh yeah, I did but was way too distracted at work then lol.

I don't think there's an alternative to symlink, the other day I found a compression tool (for native win10 compression) and all games that i compressed didn't work properly anymore.

I meant to ask if you tried different levels (up a folder, sym that) and also Sync'ed the RE's ? I've not tried the REs yet, tho I have the soundbanks symlinked. (Windows)
(I've looked in the register if it's set through there)

Yeah, I've got the soundbanks symlinked, and this works flawlessly on macOS as well.
I think that the synchronization of the RE's and the Authorizer.app goes nuts when the REs aren't properly installed on the system drive where it probably does some file-hashing and checksumming stuff to verify the licenses etc.

The soundbanks doesn't require the authenticator app to kick in and verify licenses and stuff, so I guess that's why this works but the REs is a no-no.

[daltonjq]

The soundbanks doesn't require the authenticator app to kick in and verify licenses and stuff, so I guess that's why this works but the REs is a no-no.

Just replying, checking in to see if you or anyone else has come up with a workaround. I tried to made a symlink of just the "ElecticBass.data" file to see if maybe that would work but it did not. I'm guessing you already tried that but I wasn't sure when I read through the thread so I thought id give it a shot. However this is the first symlink I've made so Im not sure if Im doing it right but it seems like I am.

Anyway, it didn't work. Anyone know why they do it this way?

[CloudsOfSound]

Anyway, it didn't work. Anyone know why they do it this way?

No. Still don't think it's possible.
Regarding how to create symlinks, the best way is to use full paths when creating source and destinations, like in:

Code: Select all

ln -s /Users/Myname/Music/Propellerheads/foo /Volumes/MyExternalDrive/Music/Propellerheads/foo

Usually a good idea to leave out short-hands like ~/Music/foo and stuff like that.

[daltonjq]

No. Still don't think it's possible.
Regarding how to create symlinks, the best way is to use full paths when creating source and destinations,

Cool thanks! Yeah I just found out on the Mac you can right click a file or folder and then hit option as you are holding the right click and the line in the pulldown menu that says: Copy "filename" changes to: Copy "filename" as Pathname. It copies it with the full name so I'm glad it does that then.

[tumar]

How about stick yor external drive to main drive as one fusion drive?
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/pr ... ion-drive/
Better: create fusion drive with your main drive and capable sdxc card put into Air slot

[CloudsOfSound]

How about stick yor external drive to main drive as one fusion drive?
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/pr ... ion-drive/
Better: create fusion drive with your main drive and capable sdxc card put into Air slot

The term "Fusion Drive" comes from combining both a magnetic plate mechanical drive and a solid-state / NAND drive acting as one drive with the help of Apple's Core Storage API, so the term gets misused if you're simply trying to get two SSDs to act as one drive. This is not any form of fusion, but it is still a shared Logical Volume Group.

I haven't tried setting up the external drive as part of the main volume group, but I'll try that. Not a bad idea, except that the system will probably fail miserably if the external drive isn't connected at all times...

I haven't had time to dig much into the APFS file system, but I would suspect that if you manage to get the external drive to be part of the same APFS Container domain as the system drive, this could also probably work. This would also be a much safer alternative, as the system wouldn't treat the space as part of the space available to the operating system, and you would still have full control over what goes where.

With a Fusion Drive you let the operating system decide where to place files based on how frequent they are used among other things, so this sounds risky.

Personally I have a Samsung T5 SSD connected to my MacBook using a strip of velcro on the lid and drive, so it's always connected, but still... I'd prefer to have the ability to decide where to store what files.

[tumar]

OK. I have iMac 27 i7 with fusion drive (those good old times, when fusion drive was based on 128 GB) since 2012. Never had any problem. I totally don't know where files go, it just works As I remember, applications always go to SSD drive.

[CloudsOfSound]

OK. I have iMac 27 i7 with fusion drive (those good old times, when fusion drive was based on 128 GB) since 2012. Never had any problem. I totally don't know where files go, it just works As I remember, applications always go to SSD drive.

Yeah, the system files will be stored in Solid State, and the applications themselves (if inside /Applications), but not necessarily the application data.

[kitekrazy]

This is where they are in the dark ages. I don't want to mess with the makelink stuff. I never buy a sample based RE. 3rd party sample refills can be put on another drive. For Windows they put sample based REs in My Music folder - how messed up is that. I did move My Music folded to another drive and no issues for far.
No other DAW behaves like this. This would be my #1 request is to have data folders on another drive.

[mcatalao]

I think that the synchronization of the RE's and the Authorizer.app goes nuts when the REs aren't properly installed on the system drive where it probably does some file-hashing and checksumming stuff to verify the licenses etc.

The soundbanks doesn't require the authenticator app to kick in and verify licenses and stuff, so I guess that's why this works but the REs is a no-no.

This is odd, i have the Re folder simlinked in Windows and it works flawlessly.

In Windows, you have 2 levels for symlinks, and they are a bit different on security. When i first saw this discussed in the context of applications, what is most advised is to create a directory junction. They don't have the need for an administrator to use and the application is completely agnostic that its a link or a real folder.

Do you know if there is something simmilar on Mac Os?

[CloudsOfSound]

This is odd, i have the Re folder simlinked in Windows and it works flawlessly.

In Windows, you have 2 levels for symlinks, and they are a bit different on security. When i first saw this discussed in the context of applications, what is most advised is to create a directory junction. They don't have the need for an administrator to use and the application is completely agnostic that its a link or a real folder.

Do you know if there is something simmilar on Mac Os?

Not so odd really. Considering how fundamentally different the file-system works on a macOS / Unix / Linux box vs. on a Windows OS file-system.
What would be even more odd (outlandish) was if systems behaved the same across platforms / operating systems!
This is and has always been a major headache for developers.

[mcatalao]

I know the OS's are very different, what i mean is if there are different levels, or types of symlinks on OS x as in Windows.

[CloudsOfSound]

I know the OS's are very different, what i mean is if there are different levels, or types of symlinks on OS x as in Windows.

In macOS you can have:

• Hard links (basically a a mirror copy of the original file)

• Soft links, which is a less fancy name for symbolic links (symlinks)

• Aliases, which is basically a pointer to the original file's inode in the filesystem

Hard Links
These are basically light-weight copies, so even if you delete the original file, the hard links survive. (rock hard, man).
Can only be used on the same filesystem as the original file, and only reference regular files, not directories.
Shares (copies) the same inode and permissions as the original file in the filesystem on creation.

Soft Links
This is the well-known symbolic links that points to the specific path in the filesystem where the original file is located when the symlink is created.
Delete or move the original file and you'll end up with dead symlinks.
Soft links can cross the file system, and makes it possible to point to the same file from multiple directories.
Will have a separate inode from the original file and can also define different permissions in the different places it resides.

Aliases
These are pointers to the original file's location / inode in the filesystem, so even if you move or rename the original file, the aliases will still work.
But, naturally, if the source is deleted the alias will die with it.

[mcatalao]

Ok, obviously hard links are of no benefit if the data doubled. but have you tried to use the aliases method (assuming what you're using now is a soft link)?

[CloudsOfSound]

Ok, obviously hard links are of no benefit if the data doubled. but have you tried to use the aliases method (assuming what you're using now is a soft link)?

The only thing that's working for me without the Authenticator blowing up is if it has direct access to the files on the local filesystem / internal storage.
Not a big deal anymore though, as I don't use Reason on my laptop anymore, and I've got 2TB of space on the iMac.

I find Studio One much more flexible in almost every way, including where I store the installed content, 3rd party or not.
Just add it to the list of content directories, and it all works as it should, so I really only keep Reason installed for opening the projects I've not yet converted to S1.
Me and Reason broke up, sadly. It was a short but exiting relationship though.

[mcatalao]

The only thing that's working for me without the Authenticator blowing up is if it has direct access to the files on the local filesystem / internal storage.
Not a big deal anymore though, as I don't use Reason on my laptop anymore, and I've got 2TB of space on the iMac.

(...)

Me and Reason broke up, sadly. It was a short but exiting relationship though.

Well in that we agree, that's the way i think it should be implemented. It makes no sense to have files on the installation HD, and this should simply be costumizable on the preferences.

Sorry to see you go. Maybe R11 Vst can be an alternative for you nonetheless (thought the issues will still exist because i think the folders are the same despite the flavour you use...

[NostraDAWmus]

I´ll try to chime in here even I´m not on a MAC, just because I don´t thinki MAC or PC matters much ...

Simply,- w/ older Reason versions, it WAS possible moving factory- and orchestral soundbanks elsewhere, then include that drive/folder into Reason Browser/ "Reason Sounds" (or similar) and that was it.
IIRC it already came w/ Reason 4.x and I´m pretty sure I used it successfully on my old DAW machine running Reason 6.5 !

Since I upgraded to RSN 10.4 and 11.1,- it´s broken.
I hate that because I wanted the Reason library stuff on my fastest 1TB M.2 Ultra NVMe x4 SSD drive where I have all the NI Komplete12 content too.
ReasonStudios should fix this issue AFAP because all other DAWs I use allow user defined drives/folders for sample libraries, presets and VST plugins.
No external tools for special shortcuts and s##t necessary at all.
You can even change after installation.

I don´t have almost nothing of this stuff on drive C, not even a Steinberg VST Plugins folder.
VST3 plugins are the only exception.

RE´s might be a different story,- I never bought any and only use what came for free w/ Reason upgrades.

P.

[CloudsOfSound]

I´ll try to chime in here even I´m not on a MAC, just because I don´t thinki MAC or PC matters much ...

Simply,- w/ older Reason versions, it WAS possible moving factory- and orchestral soundbanks elsewhere, then include that drive/folder into Reason Browser/ "Reason Sounds" (or similar) and that was it.
IIRC it already came w/ Reason 4.x and I´m pretty sure I used it successfully on my old DAW machine running Reason 6.5 !

Since I upgraded to RSN 10.4 and 11.1,- it´s broken.
I hate that because I wanted the Reason library stuff on my fastest 1TB M.2 Ultra NVMe x4 SSD drive where I have all the NI Komplete12 content too.
ReasonStudios should fix this issue AFAP because all other DAWs I use allow user defined drives/folders for sample libraries, presets and VST plugins.
No external tools for special shortcuts and s##t necessary at all.
You can even change after installation.

I don´t have almost nothing of this stuff on drive C, not even a Steinberg VST Plugins folder.
VST3 plugins are the only exception.

RE´s might be a different story,- I never bought any and only use what came for free w/ Reason upgrades.

P.

I have no trouble with the sound banks.
As I've said multiple times, It's just the REs that's causing trouble because the Authenticator doesn't accept the symlinked / aliased whatnot files as legit.

It's just a log read away to confirm that the Authenticator goes into berserk mode if you try anything but to keep the REs on an internal HD / OS startup drive at a location that's probably hard-coded into the crappy piece of sh*t authenticator software. Even with everything in place the Authenticator fills my application log with tons of errors every two minutes or so...
It's a crappy system, plain and simple.

I have all my sound banks symlinked to external SSD without any trouble as they don't get checked for a valid license in the same way that REs do.

[Data_Shrine]

If only we could uninstall them, then.... especially the trials. Taking so much space for no Reason.

[uselessdetails]

I have the same problem and I haven't found a solution. Was looking again today and ran across this thread.

Aliases and symlinks are the same thing but implemented in different places. Aliases are only in the Finder. You don't really see them from shell. Similarly, symlinks are part of the unix style file system and just look like any other item to Finder.

In any case, neither one works for relocating RE I've found.

"Hard" links are a sort of lie but they don't work across file systems anyway so...

If there's a mechanism for fusing or eclipsing file systems or directories, (akin to aufs or the like), within any of the macos file systems, I haven't found it yet.

I suspect you're right about the reason being authorizing. I hadn't considered that.

IME, Reason keeps losing functionality and it's a slow decline. I haven't been able to do MIDI in in quite some time. My ticket has been outstanding with them for over a year. I've mostly moved over to Bitwig as my DAW although I keep Reason around as a plugin for my investment of sounds. But this aspect where it demands that it take 40+GB of my root device means that I'm going to need to remove it entirely if I want to use anything else. Sad. But they keep painting themselves out of usability.

[kurtg]

Hi, same problem here. I want to move the 12GB Rack Exentions to external drive. However, reason refuses the symbolic links. Anybody had some luck with it ?

I use a mac with Catalina on it.