Helix Native 1.91 Crashing

GP Crashes whenever I save a preset inside Helix Native 1.91 (Windows 10 x64). I’ve used two other VST hosts that do not have this issue. Any ideas?

thanks,
mark

What version of Gig Performer?
Do you have a crash report?
Did this ever work?
Have you performed a Windows update recently?

  • I am running GP 3.7.0
  • I’ve Sent the crash report to GP, If you let me know where it’s stored I can upload it.
  • Today was the first time I’ve tried to save Helix presets inside GP, so no it’s never worked.
  • Yes, I’ve run updates and I am running Windows 10 Pro 1909

thanks,
mark

Thank you for your crash reports. This is definitely a crash in Helix itself and it has nothing to do with GP.
Here is the information

<ExceptionAddress>0x23edffb81eb</ExceptionAddress>
<ExceptionModule>C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\Line 6\Helix Native (x64).vst3</ExceptionModule>
<ExceptionModuleBase>0x23edf9e0000</ExceptionModuleBase>
<ExceptionModuleVersion>1.91.0.0</ExceptionModuleVersion>

If you contact Helix 6 developers and provide them with this data as well as steps to reproduce - they will most likely be thankful and able to fix the problem quickly.

Cheers

Thanks for the info.

I’ve opened a ticket with Line 6. However, that plugin works properly in two other VST hosts on my same machine.

-mark

If a plugin crashes - it crashes inside the plugin’s code. The host cannot really crash the plugin code. This means that the bug is inside the plugin.

Also note that you used VST3 version of these plugins. When you are making comparisons - please make sure that you also use VST3 and not the VST2 version of the plugins in other hosts.

Doesn’t matter — some hosts use more parts of the plugin API than others — and if the developer only tests a few hosts, they may not find any issues.

Okay It crashes when the plug-in invokes its pop-up dialogs. These are standard windows UI dialogs not contained within the plugin window (see image captured using Bluecat’s Patchwork). The crash happens whenever the plugin trys to display one (changing global settings or saving presets).

I’m confused - what does Bluecat Patchwork have to do with this?

It was probably used as a wrapper within GP to show where the dialog window was crashing Helix (and subsequently, GP) when NOT using the Patchwork wrapper.

Sounds like Helix is trying to invoke UI stuff without using the main GUI thread. Definitely a Helix bug.

Blue Cat’s Patchwork is a VST plugin, but also a standalone VST host. I was using the host version to show the dialog.

Note: If I host Helix inside Blue Cat’s Patchwork inside Gig Performer it crashes.

Also, Windows message boxes do not have to be called from the UI Thread. But they may be trying to set the owner HWND.

I see that someone else responded to your post on the line6 forums reporting exactly the same problem with Cubase.

Thanks for the followup, I filed a ticket a few days ago and after some back and forth here’s the latest response from Line6…

Thanks for providing, Mark. From what I’ve traced this is a known GUI issue in Native, when using third party VST shells. I suggest only using the VST2 version, but I’m going to forward this to our QA team so they can review.

Note: The VST2 also fails…

OK - hopefully you responded to them that the VST2 version also fails? With respect to third party VST shells, to what are they referring? If you’re running Gig Performer, why should their system care about third party shells…what am I missing?

Hi,

I have the same problem with Helix Native 1.92 with GigPerformer 3.7.1. GigPerformer crashes when i use the “save to library” function in Helix Native. The error occurs with VST3 and VST2.

I have already opened a ticket with Line 6. This ticket was closed with a reference to the supported DAWs. Of course GigPerformer is not in this list.

But my ticket to Deskew was closed as well. I should contact the community first.
I find this a bit disappointing, since I bought a license for exactly this purpose.

I did some investigations and found a workaround for the problem.
I use the free VST host “NanoHost” https://www.tone2.com/download.html#imCellStyle_13

NanoHost is just a simple EXE which can be started in parallel to GigPerfomer. In NanoHost I load the Helix Native plugin and can save changes with “save to library”

Unlike GigPerformer, NanoHost does not crash during this action.

The library changes in Helix Native will be available in GigPerformer when the preset is reloaded.

But I hope that Deskew will find a solution to support Helix Native 1.92 natively.

Did someone find another way to use “save to library” in Helix Native 1.92 with GigPerformer without crashing it?

We have reached out to Line6. If the plugin crashes when it is saving a file, then there is a bug in he plugin as such operations don’t go through the host.
The fact that it works with some other hosts unfortunately does not prove anything.

What happens if you save a preset using Gig Performer’s preset system?

FYI. Others are reporting what seems like exactly the same problem with a different DAW

I just test it. Gig Performer’s preset system can save the settings.

Sorry, didn’t think about to do it in that way, because I used the plugin in the past in the same way as my Helix device to exchange patches between the PC and Helix.

A changed patch in Helix Native with Gig Performer can be exported to a physical Helix using the “Save to Disk” function. This function didn’t crashed the system.

I can live with this solution. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction.

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Hopefully, our contact at Line6 will be able to help investigate this but at least you have a process that works now