A Windows and Python based tool for linking a folder full of Native Instruments libraries at once rather than going into Native Access and linking each and every one of them manually!
I created this tool when my operating system storage drivek died. Once I installed a new one and put the OS on it, I went to add all of my Native Instruments stuff via Native Access. My instrument libraries (780+ GB) were on a separate drive so I assumed it would "point it to the root folder and it does the rest. WRONG! They wanted me to link each folder 1 by 1. Things like KOMPLETE come with 200+ instruments meaning 200+ folders to link. I searched on the forums for a better way and came across a thread (https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/8443/how-about-a-locate-all-function-in-native-access/p1) where someone from NI said a "Locate All" was in the backlog to be implemented. That was December 2022. I'm uploading this in April 2024.
This tool isn't perfect but it will speed up your process a lot. NOTE: This tool directly edits your registry! Also, this only locates things that actually have the "Locate" option.
- Step 1: Install Native Access (NA)
- Step 2: Open NA and install your applications
- Step 3: Locate your NativeAccess.xml file. Mine was in C:\Program Files\Common Files\Native Instruments\Service Center
- Step 4: Download and install Python (https://www.python.org/downloads/)
- Step 5: Download the ni-linker.py file from this git
- Step 6: Run command prompt. Click start, type "command" and it will pop up.
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- I ran mine as an administrator because I thought I might have to in order to make the tool edit the registry
- Step 7: While in the command prompt, navigate to the folder that the ni-linker.py file is in.
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- If you saved it in C:\LinkerTool\ni-linker.py then you'd type in "cd c:\LinkerTool"
- Step 8: Run the script in command prompt. Type "py ni-linker.py"
- Step 9: The script will ask you two questions. Answer them.
- Step 10: After you do that, it'll scroll a bunch of text as it updates your registry. It located and linked everything that it could!
- Step 11: Open NA (or refresh it if you never closed it). You should now see a bunch of files in your "Updates" area
- Step 12: Click "Update All"
You'll still have to update some things (or maybe not depending on when you last did an update) but the file sizes are much smaller. Example: the full Abbey Road drummer packs are well over 7 GB each. You only need to download 80 to 150 MB to have them up and running. This is in addition to you having the option to one-click "Update All".