OSX Can't Find Samples - Spotlight, CatSearch, and EXS24

March 23rd, 2016 - Since Yosemite, Apple has fundamentally changed how OSX keeps tracks of objects within the file system. This is transparent to the user, but it has proven to have more faults and less functionality than earlier OSX's.

When doing a search for samples, OSX used a File Manager API called FSCatalogSearch (hereafter called CatSearch). This was directly based on the HFS disk format and dealt directly with disks - that was why it was so effective, accurate, and fast. However, it seems since Yosemite 10.10 OSX, this API maps to Spotlight indexes, and causes issues for us sampler folk. This ESPECIALLY affects EXS24 users, since it relies almost solely on CatSearch internally to find sample files.

There are two major issues to consider; we'll look at them and provide some solutions, and should how this connects up with Chicken Systems products.

Can't Find The Samples
Let's take an EXS file, which references external WAVE or AIFF files. Internally it stores the locations where these files are, with a "path" that looks something like this:

• /Volumes/My Sample Drive/String Samples/Violins/superstring 001.wav

As you can, all paths start with the boot drive, then it uses a slash as the divider. Each element is a folder-type of object,a nd the last element is the file name. The Volumes folder include symbolic links to each drive on the system. If superstring 001.wav is in the folder Violins (where that says it is), EXS24 should just load it and all is fine.

BUT: the current issue is that Spotlight may not have indexed this file yet, or is taking its time to do so. It's SUPPOSED to, but reports from many customers since OSX 10.9's introduction prove otherwise.

To solve this issue, you can try several things. The way we've gone about it is to rename the parent folder in some way, then name it back to it's original name. This often "wakes up" Finder/Spotlight/CatSearch and then when EXS24 looks for the file, OSX knows it's there and loads it.

Another method is forcing Spotlight to reindex: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201716

CatSearch Issues
This is similar to the prior problem, only it refers to paths in the EXS24 file that don't exist at all. In other words, in the above example, let's say the sample is ACTUALLY here:

• /Volumes/New Sample Drive/Concert String Samples/Violins 01/superstring 001.wav

What EXS24 does when it can't find a sample, it calls the CatSearch function (FSCatalogSearch), which does a search (it can be Local Volumes, External Volumes, or All Volumes; set this in EXS24-Options-Preferences). EXS24 never asks you where the file is, it relies completely on CatSearch to find it, in contrast to Kontakt or other samplers who ask for your assistance.

Now, consider the previous problem - if CatSearch uses Spotlight in OSX 10.9 and higher (we believe this is the case) and the file or folder isn't indexed, it won't find it even though it exists. The solutions are the same - wake up Finder/Spotlight/CatSearch or force Spotlight to index the parent folder.

Chicken Systems Product-related Issues
Many Chicken Systems products such as Translator, on Mac, use CatSearch to find samples. All (now) have an option called Use CatSearch which is checked by default, so when a file is not found, it calls CatSearch to find the sample, and then stores that path to look for remaining sample it can't find before it calls CatSearch again. (BTW, our programs call CatSearch a bit more judiciously, often not on that drive or all drives.)

Now, here's a new problem: a noticeable amount of customers have reported to us that Chicken System's product are crashing once it makes this CatSearch call; that is, the Apple function FSCatalogSearch is crashing. Apple API's should never crash given proper (or even improper) input.

We've reported this to Apple, with no response yet. So in the meantime, all Chicken Systems products have the Use CatSearch preference in their Preferences dialogs. If you find one of our products crashing when it has to find samples, the cause is likely CatSearch. Just turn it off after restarting and the crash should go away.

But better yet - with the upcoming versions of our products, we will warn you if CatSearch is going to be used, so you know if it crashes what it is. Once you are sure that your computer is fine with it, you can shut the warning off.

Any further questions: email us at [email protected] or call us at 320-235-9798 - 800-877-6377.