Multiple issues with Cab-Lab.

Nicolas Roy

New Member
Hello ev everyone.
Proud owner of the FM3 here.

I just purchased Cab-Lab Standalone to use with my FM3, but I have multiple issues that prevent me to fully use it.

First it seems impossible to use Cab-Lab and FM3 Edit at the same time. Is it normal ?

If I start Cab Lab first, wait 30 years for the software to scan all the IR in the FM3, and then start FM3-Edit, FM3-Edit will give me an error saying: Unable to complete the following communication request: query device version: query_sys_info.

If I start FM3-Edit first, and then Cab Lab after, Cab-Lab will give me that error multiple times: Cab-Lab 3 was unable to complete the following communication request.

So is there something I am doing wrong ?

Also, when I start Cab-Lab alone, Cab-Lab always scan all the IRs in the FM3. I takes almost a minute. Is there a way to avoid that ? Really annoying for productivity.

Thanks in advance everyone.
 
Yes, you are doing something wrong. Two apps can’t connect to the same device at the same time. Pick either Cab-Lab or FM3-Edit. The same is true of FM3-Edit and the standalone Fractal-Bot.

Think of it this way: if two apps are connected and you use one to change something, how will the other app know? If you switched to the second app and made a change it would be working with stale information and would overwrite the previous change, causing loss or corruption of data. The only fix would be to immediately trigger a reload of the state of all information the apps need to know to function, which would result in more complaints about load times. Hence, the first has an exclusive lock on the device.

When starting Cab-Lab, it has to scan all the IRs to figure out what’s in the FM3. How else is it going to know what is there? You could have added, moved, deleted IRs since the last time you ran the application.
 
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Wow that is a huge disapointement and huge productivity killer.


Strangely, it looks like in this video, both were connected at tha same time...
 
The video you posted is showing the Axe Fx II not the FM3.

The USB implementation on the FM3 is different and may explain why.

I don't recall not being able to use both the editor and Cab-Lab at the same time with the Axe Fx II or III but it has been a while...
 
Yes, you are doing something wrong. Two apps can’t connect to the same device at the same time. Pick either Cab-Lab or FM3-Edit. The same is true of FM3-Edit and the standalone Fractal-Bot.

When starting Cab-Lab, it has to scan all the IRs to figure out what’s in the FM3. How else is it going to know what is there? You could have added, moved, deleted IRs since the last time you ran the application.

I can have Cab-Lab 3 Standalone and Axe-Edit III connected simultaneously to the Axe-FX III. I don't know if that may be different with the FM3
 
Reading all the CABs at the Axe-FX III (while Axe-Edit is connected) takes only 17 seconds
 
Thanks anyone for your input.
So here is the recap...

-For the FM3 only, it is impossible to use FM3-Edit and Cab Lab at the same time. But it works for the Axe FX III.
Anybody is aware if it is something that could be fixed in the future ? Hopefully yes...

-At startup, Cab Lab will need 24 seconds to scan the FM3 for current IRs. There is no way to avoid that or speed it up. This is by design. Hopefully this could also be improved in future updates.

Regards
 
If the unit set a 'cabs changed' flag from 0 to 1 when the cabs were changed, CanLab and the editors could save the list on disk and only scan if they changed. Wouldn't save time every time, but most times it would....
 
Hopefully this could also be improved in future updates.
How?

The authority for what is installed inside the FM3 or FX3 is the device itself because the user can use the front panel to change settings and delete IRs. The editors have to find out what is installed before they have accurate information so a scan is required when they connect.
 
If the unit set a 'cabs changed' flag from 0 to 1 when the cabs were changed, CanLab and the editors could save the list on disk and only scan if they changed. Wouldn't save time every time, but most times it would....
Yes, such a flag would help if it was a time stamp or UID. But it’s still possible that they would be out of sync if it was simply a 0/1 flag.
 
How?

The authority for what is installed inside the FM3 or FX3 is the device itself because the user can use the front panel to change settings and delete IRs. The editors have to find out what is installed before they have accurate information so a scan is required when they connect.
TBH, I don't really grok why CabLab needs to scan factory cabs, seeing as it doesn't let you use them to make pre-mixed IRs, as far as I can tell....
 
Yes, such a flag would help if it was a time stamp or UID. But it’s still possible that they would be out of sync if it was simply a 0/1 flag.
Yeah, I guess a 0/1 would be assuming you only ever connect to one proggy. A hash of the User Cabs list to MD5 or similar would do it....
 
I would be curious to know how other FM3 users are currently using Cab-Lab Standalone. Cause in this current form, it has almost no use to me.
If I can't use it simoutaneouslty with the FM3-Edit, to workflow is pretty much unpractical. It would have been nice to get that info somewhere before purchasing. It may have bought the plugin version instead...
 
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