hi all,

@mrmusic: thanks a lot for this great post!!

but somehow, I still have some problem adding a library.

as far as I can follow the tutorial, I made everything as described.
After running the reg file, I can see the new entry in the registry, with the correct path. Inside the registry file, I have give the correct name as well.
I use k2lib0001 as number, because I saw that this number hadn't existed yet...

now in my library folder, there are some additional folders which already exist beforehand (I believe I shouldn't delete them, should I?), so I just add the missing folders, i.e. instruments and multis (samples were already there), than I move the .nki file into the instruments folder.

I used one of the wallpaper from mrmusic and put this into the library folder.

After running KONTAKT, I couldn't find my library.
The thing that I notice is that the .nkc file is only 1KB, and .nkx is 0KB, so there must be something wrong.
Can anyone help me with this?

Thanks

 

You have to click on add library from within Kontakt, then navigate to root folder of your library. However, if you are using Kontakt v5.02, then there is a likelihood that the method you followed will not work, as was the case for me. Instead, I create my own nicnt file for each library. While it is a little more tedious, I don't have to make changes to the registry (which can screw up your installation of Kontakt if you make a mistake).

 

thanks for the tutorial.

Have some of he-man's problems too. But .nkc seems to work - it's 40kb. But the nkx is 0kb. In Kontakt 5 the lib doesn't get load but in Kontakt 4 it gets load but - i guess - i can't use it because the samples are compressed with K5. I compared it with one of the commerical lib i have - made a xml file. Tried to set the path via Kontakt. Seems there is a difference between K4 and K5 but not sure about it.


Could you please tell us your way?

Thanks in advance.


Greets,
Jack

 

I have managed to create libraries in Mac using the above method and Plist Edit Pro. Make sure ALL the names in your directory match the names in the edited Plists EXACTLY and everything should work. Also the directory needs to have an "Instruments" folder and a "Samples" folder (I like to add the Documentation folder and Multis folder, but they are not necessary for the method to work) as well as an .nkc file and .nkx file and both must be named "libraryname_info.nkc" or "libraryname_info.nkx". The _info MUST be present in the names as well for it to work.

 

@trees415:

thanks for your reply; could you please explain how to create the nicnt file (if this is not bothering too much )? I have the version 5.0.1, but it also didn't work for me.

@serendipetey:

which version of KONTAKT are you using? As I said before, I exactly followed the instructions described above, tried this for 2 different libaries, but none works.

oh btw, I'm using Win7

Thanks

 

Thanks SerendiPetey,

think have renamed everything correctly. And have a PC. Could someone confirm the tutorial works with K 5.02 !?
I would like to see trees415 way and / or maybe make some more regedits.

Haven't found out that much - NI closes projects from third party developers and doesn't support to make your own lib shown by the browser.

Greets,
Jack

 

@he_man2003 - I'm using v5.02

@jack - you're welcome!

 

Update:

I compressed the wav files with K4 and now it's working (fine) but only with K4 - K5 still doesn't show the lib and also the nkx is still 0kb wondering if i missed something there. Should that nkx file gets (over)written automatically by Kontakt via adding lib or how does this file get written correctly?

 

I'm pretty sure the .nkx file is written by the library itself upon creation if it's not already present.

 

Thanks again!

My nkx files are all 0kb. But it works. I added (inclusive compressing files and adding/creating wallpapers) four other libs and they all work in K4 and wow some* of them also work in K5.02

Just for the information:
Add a folder "Documentation" and name the pdf inside to "template readme.pdf"
You can also add an "Image" folder - if you put a new "wallpaper.png" in this folder the old gets temp. overwritten <- works for commercial libs.
Ratio between K5 and K4 seems to be nearly the same
Libs get reduced down to 30% (some "only" 50%) of the original size.


* i guess only a small step is missing to see the other libs in K5.02 too

:dancing: :dancing:

Got it now. And hmm i'm happy, a little bit proud, tired and still confused.

However i got a solution with regedit that works for K5.02 - guess what - just keep the ID under 1000!

Greets,
Jack

 

@jack : could you please explain what you mean with compressing files? I also used ID under 1000, but still I can't get the library added to the list

btw, the libraries I was trying to add have .wav files in the samples folder, unlike other libraries which have .nkc and .nkx files. could this be the problem?

thanks for any help!

 

Sure.

1.) Compressing Files: Files -> Collect Samples -> collect samples + lossless compressed NCW - set source and destination folder. You could try to prepare the path - not sure if i have 100% solution here. Resaving the Presets goes fast.

1. b) During compressing the wav files - i do the wallpaper for the lib

2.) Prepare Path Structure (Instruments, Samples etc.) -> add data to the registration -> (and maybe that is the key) add lib with K4.*

3.) ID should be 0900 not 900

Works/ed with 90% of my libs - the only one i can't add are monolith files saved as nki.

Hope that helps.

Greets,
Jack

 

Any one can give any step by step video guide link ? Because I am just a simple user of windos 7 and xp and have no idea about command line.I just sampled 61 keys of a patch of my old keyboard I like very much.I just want to play this in my kontakt as my own lybrary with own picture.Pls help me....unlimited thanks in advance.

 

I would LOVE to know how to do this on my Mac. But I'm running Leopard 10.5.8 on a G5 PPC. I know, ancient. But maybe your method would work for me too. Can't seem to find the PM button or whatever so I hope you get this. Thanks a lot. Zin

 

I'm not sure it will work with a version of Kontakt under 5, but if you PM me your email or iChat I'll help you out. To PM me click on my username in my post and the choose 'send me a message'

 

MAC TUTORIAL TO CREATE CUSTOM LIBARIES FOR KONTAKT
Download this VST Library Kit
Once downloaded you'll only need PlistEdit Pro and four files to accomplish this:

• the Instrument_info.nkc and Instrument_info.nkx files (located in the Info Files folder in the Library Kit)
• the two .plist files com.native-instruments.custom_instrument.plist and com.native-instruments.Content_ORIGINAL.plist (located in the Plist Files folder in the Library kit)

Name the .nkx and .nkc files "Library Name_info.nkx" and "Library Name_info.nkc" after your Library and place them in that Library's containing folder. The name of the Library folder and the Library names you use for the .nkx/.nkc files must match exactly. You do not need to edit these files, only their names. The Library folder must contain at least these four items, with these exact names, for the Library to load:

• Instruments folder (for the .nki files)
• Samples folder (for the .wav files)
• Library Name_info.nkx file
• Library Name_info.nkc file
  
  You can also include these folders for additional Library functionality, though they are not necessary:
  
• Multis folder
• Documentation folder
• wallpaper.png

Once all of this is in place, open the file com.native-instruments.custom_instrument.plist with PlistEdit Pro and change the ContentDir line, which describes the directory path to the Library. The first item should match the name of the Hard Drive the Library is on, followed by a colon; the second item the Folder containing your Libraries, followed by a colon; third item is the sub-folder, if present, the Library you are adding is in. The third item is only necessary if your Library is in a sub-folder. For example my path for Symphobia is:

• Tulip:Project SAM:Symphobia

Tulip being the name of the hard drive all my Libraries are on, Project SAM the name of the folder my Symphobia Library is in.

Once this has been edited, save the changes and close the file. Select the "custom_instrument" part of the .plist file name and rename it to the same exact name as the Library folder, .nkx and .nkc files, the name you used inside the .plist, etc. ALL THE NAMES MUST MATCH. Remember that.

Now, open the com.native-instruments.Content_ORIGINAL.plist. Click open the Root arrow and select the first item "Akoustik Piano" [Note: the items you see already are some of my Libraries. Go ahead and delete all those lines except the first one, and the last one (User Patches)]. It's better for you to go to your Hard Drive's Preferences folder (not your User Preferences folder) and retrieve the com.native-instruments.Content.plist file from there to edit, as it has all your pre-existing Libraries in it, and you can just simply add the new ones to it.

If you do use the included one, then change "Akoustik Piano" under menu item Value to your new Library name, with the exact same name as before. The Key (k2lib0xxx) must have a number between 0001 and 0999; they do not have to be sequential, but you cannot use 1000 or greater. Save the changes. Click New Sibiling to add another Library [Note: you will have to remove the "_ORIGINAL" part of the .plist file name once you are done].

If you use your own com.native-instruments.Content.plist file drag a copy to your desktop to edit. Open it with PlistEdit Pro and go to the last Library in your .plist, click New Sibling and edit the Key column with a new k2lib0xxx number (keeping it under 1000 - do not duplicate an existing one, each Library must have its own k2lib number) and edit the Value column to reflect the exact name of your new Library. Save the changes. Repeat as necessary for each new Library you wish to add.

Now, take the two .plist files you've edited/created and drag them into your Hard Drive's Preferences folder (not the User Preferences folder). Authenticate to allow the changes to the folder, and select "Replace" to overwrite the existing copy of com.native-instruments.Content.plist file.

That's it. Done!
Close all your folders and open Kontakt. Click Add Library and navigate to your new Library folder to add it to your list.

You'll need to make your own display image named wallpaper.png (.jpg and .gif will work too, but it must be named "wallpaper" to appear). The dimensions of the "wallpaper" image should be 300 x 99 pixels, though I prefer a slightly larger one at 400 pixels width. In fact, the width can be smaller than 300 if desired, but the height must be 99 pixels for it to display properly.

And last, but not least:

• Backup your original com.native-instrument.Content.plist file before editing
  [*]Always edit the files outside their respective directories, then move them into their corresponding folder after your done editing.
  [*]Save copies of the new ones you create
  [*]Keep unaltered versions of the .nkc and .nkx files, and an empty com.native-instruments.custom_instrument.plist file as well for easier editing.

Good luck, and enjoy!!

Peter

 

I've noticed a few downloads of the kit....I'd love to get some feedback if this is working for you all.

 

working perfectly for me.

thanks

 

Hi SerendiPetey,
I just registered only to thank you for your very well done tutorial and info!!!
It worked for me too on MacBook Pro - Mountain Lion - Kontakt 5.0.3. For now I just wanted to put the beautiful cello instrument pocketBlakus into a library. The only problem I got is, before finding your tutorial, I was messing around with the nicnt file of Retro Machines MK2 trying to see if I could copy it, or part of it to use it for pocketBlakus, but I was unsuccsesfull. So now, when I open Kontakt, it gives me the window of a "mysterious" pocketBlakus library (where all the other libraries are) saying that it can't find the pocketBlakus nicnt file, but I already have a proper pocketBlakus library on my Kontakt browser. Also, if I try to load the Retro Machines library, it gives me the same error!!! What did I do??!

Anyway, thank you very much for your hard and excellent work, really appreciated!

 

Try this:
Take a .nicnt file from one of the functioning libraries, duplicate it and open it in a text editor, change the library name and registry number to match the old one, and save it in the library folder.