# VE Pro 6 automatic startup (with .vesp64 file) - SOLVED!



## Skyroads

Hi folks

Can you guys please help me on how to get VE Pro 6 Server (64bit) opened at computer startup?

Important: the program itself starts up perfectly!

But the .vesp64 file doesn't load. It says: "Unable to open server project file." Next problem is that if I put only the file into the autostart folder it will open the VE Pro standalone version and not the Server.

Thank you for the help


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## jononotbono

I would like my PC slave to do this too.


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## stigc56

I'm on Mac and both my slaves (MacPros) has the preset file in the log-in section:




and it works fine. Yes I know it's in Danish


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## Skyroads

Oh and I must add that this is meant for my slave

Would be really practical if I just have to turn on my slave.


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## stigc56

Skyroads said:


> Oh and I must add that this is meant for my slave
> 
> Would be really practical if I just have to turn on my slave.


Not sure I understand what you mean???


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## Skyroads

My main question is meant for my slave because on my main PC I start Ve Pro and Cubase manually.

It would be nice if I could press the "on" button on my slave and would start automatically with my Ve Pro Server project. So I wouldn't have to "care about" my slave. Just on and off.

Hope it is clearer now

PS: Windows 7


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## bigrichpea

Skyroads,

Create a batch file, called "Start VEPro with Session.bat" or similar, using notepad.

Put the following 3 lines inside:

@echo off
@echo Starting Vienna Ensemble Pro
@"C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe" - server "C:\<Full Path to your server project file>\Project File.vesp64"
@exit

Put the batch file in the Startup folder and Robert should be your father's brother

EDIT: You should put the batch file somewhere else and then a shortcut to it in the Startup folder


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## Skyroads

Thanks bigrich

Gonna try this out!


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## Skyroads

bigrichpea said:


> Skyroads,
> 
> Create a batch file, called "Start VEPro with Session.bat" or similar, using notepad.
> 
> Put the following 3 lines inside:
> 
> @echo off
> @echo Starting Vienna Ensemble Pro
> @"C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe" - server "C:\<Full Path to your server project file>\Project File.vesp64"
> @exit
> 
> Put the batch file in the Startup folder and Robert should be your father's brother
> 
> EDIT: You should put the batch file somewhere else and then a shortcut to it in the Startup folder



The batch works fine so far. The only problem is that it opens the standalone version of VE Pro and not the server version..

EDIT: I just found out that _@"C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe" - server_ => there is no gap between - and server.
_
@"C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe" -server _=> opens the server version but then it says again: "Unable to open server project file."


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## bobulusbillman

wait VEP6 doesn't let you do this? On VEP5 I just put the .metaframe file in my startup folder and boom it loads up the project in VEPro Server every time I boot the PC.


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## Skyroads

bobulusbillman said:


> wait VEP6 doesn't let you do this? On VEP5 I just put the .metaframe file in my startup folder and boom it loads up the project in VEPro Server every time I boot the PC.


unfortunately not.. it just loads VE Pro standalone or server without the project file.


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## bigrichpea

Skyroads said:


> The batch works fine so far. The only problem is that it opens the standalone version of VE Pro and not the server version..
> 
> EDIT: I just found out that _@"C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe" - server_ => there is no gap between - and server.
> _
> @"C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe" -server _=> opens the server version but then it says again: "Unable to open server project file."



Hmmm, this setup works for me...
Are you opening the 64-bit version of the app and is the file also 64-bit?


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## stigc56

Skyroads said:


> My main question is meant for my slave because on my main PC I start Ve Pro and Cubase manually.
> 
> It would be nice if I could press the "on" button on my slave and would start automatically with my Ve Pro Server project. So I wouldn't have to "care about" my slave. Just on and off.
> 
> Hope it is clearer now
> 
> PS: Windows 7


Okay windows, that's another animal. Sorry all macs here.


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## Skyroads

bigrichpea said:


> Are you opening the 64-bit version of the app and is the file also 64-bit?


Yes, both are 64-bit.


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## bigrichpea

Skyroads said:


> Yes, both are 64-bit.



Maybe there's something about the project itself? You could experiment with a brand new, very simple server project and see if that works.


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## Skyroads

This is what I tried several times. Blank Projects, just some instruments or my full template won't open. Always the same error message. It's a bit frustrating but I really don't know what I do wrong. Could it be because of Win 7?


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## artomatic

Hmm. I'm on a Mac and slave is a Mac. I don't quit my current VEP session when shutting down the computer because there is an option to relaunch this app each time I start the slave. Is this option available on a PC?:


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## Skyroads

artomatic said:


> Is this option available on a PC?


I've never seen this option on PC by now.


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## rhye

I was having issues with my new slave opening the template at startup. Found this online which solved it for me(Windows 10 tho)

1. Hold the windows key+R and bring up the run dialog box and type in "regedit" and hit enter
2. Navigate to this registry key location:
"hkey_local_machine\software\wow6432node\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run"
3. Right click on the right side of the panel and go to New->String value and that will create a new string value that you can rename to the name of the program you want to run ("ve pro" in my case)
4. Double click your new string value and under where it says "value data" type/paste in the dialog box the path to the program (copying it from the desktop shortcut is the easiest) . For example: "C:\template.vesp64"
5. Restart


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## Skyroads

rhye said:


> 1. Hold the windows key+R and bring up the run dialog box and type in "regedit" and hit enter
> 2. Navigate to this registry key location:
> "hkey_local_machine\software\wow6432node\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run"
> 3. Right click on the right side of the panel and go to New->String value and that will create a new string value that you can rename to the name of the program you want to run ("ve pro" in my case)
> 4. Double click your new string value and under where it says "value data" type/paste in the dialog box the path to the program (copying it from the desktop shortcut is the easiest) . For example: "C:\template.vesp64"
> 5. Restart


Thanks for that guide and it works too. Unfortunately it opens again the standalone version of VE Pro and not the server version.

In the meanwhile I even installed VE Pro 6 new to check if there is something wrong with the software itself. I still have this problem.


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## bigrichpea

Skyroads said:


> This is what I tried several times. Blank Projects, just some instruments or my full template won't open. Always the same error message. It's a bit frustrating but I really don't know what I do wrong. Could it be because of Win 7?


It could be because of Windows 7 (I'm on Win 10), but I doubt it. Maybe someone else with Windows 7 can give it a try?


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## bobulusbillman

Skyroads said:


> unfortunately not.. it just loads VE Pro standalone or server without the project file.


ok that is super lame. They really need to fix that. I bought a VEP6 license 2 years ago nearly and I still haven't been able to justify doing the upgrade for reasons like this


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## heisenberg

Skyroads said:


> Thanks for that guide and it works too. Unfortunately it opens again the standalone version of VE Pro and not the server version.
> 
> In the meanwhile I even installed VE Pro 6 new to check if there is something wrong with the software itself. I still have this problem.



I have been reading this thread as it has been developing with great interest. Sure sounds like something simple. At the very least it sounds like standalone is taking precedence over the server version which leads me to believe the issue should be simple to solve. However, this whole thread begs the question, have you taken this issue to the VSL forum for input?


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## Skyroads

heisenberg said:


> have you taken this issue to the VSL forum for input?


Yes I have but it seems that they don't really care about this issue. There is already a thread with the same question but the problem remains unsolved.


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## Skyroads

Since I still haven't received a reply from VSL, I need to ask you again for some further help. It's really frustrating opening the template manually.


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## chrisr

Skyroads said:


> Since I still haven't received a reply from VSL, I need to ask you again for some further help. It's really frustrating opening the template manually.



Sorry to hear about this. I still use VEP5.

However one work around that springs to mind would simply be to use something like autohotkey  to make a macro of the steps you usually take to launch your template and then simply autostart that autohotkey routine upon boot. It should solve the issue you're having pretty easily.

Autohotkey itself is pretty straightforward (with a little bit of reading up).

best,
Chris


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## chrisr

... and here's a link forum topic that will point you in the right sort of direction to program a routine to do what you want.

https://autohotkey.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=43765&p=198515&hilit=launch+.exe#p198515

In your case, launch the VEP server app as you are currently, but also launch a hotkey script that waits until vep is active (as with linked forum topic) and then executes the commands you usually apply to open your template, for example in my case this would simply be to send "alt F", "down arrow", "down arrow", "right arrow", "enter", to load the most recently used metaframe.

Clunky but works.

Chris


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## Shad0wLandsUK

Gosh I love this is sort of thing!! 

Sorry but as someone who works in IT, I LOVE problem solving

I will try this out in a windows 7 virtual machine when I get home and see what i can come up with

I will also test it on my Windows 10 slave and even perhaps on a Windows 8.1 VM
Really would like to find a resolution for this and I am sure there must be one. Windows is extremely tweak-able and I bet Powershell would have some answers if nothing else works

Will let you know some results soon


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## antonyb

The "Vienna Ensemble PRO – User Manual" (v3.1), page 44 says:

*Startup / Log-in Items*
On Windows, you can place your favorite default Vienna Ensemble Server Project in your startup folder.
On OS X, it’s the Login Items defined in your “Accounts”, so that all samples and settings will be loaded up when
you come back from your morning coffee!​
Have you tried to simply copy your server project files (*.vesp32/64) in your startup folder?

The *.vep32/64 files are indeed single instances project files, so you don't want those in your startup directory.


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## Skyroads

Okay I've tried all your super inputs. Unfortunately none of them works. 

I have to say: they actually do work but in the end it appears the same error message. 

The server version of VePro 6 starts but is not able to load the .vesp64 project file. (all 64bit) I even tried another project to check if something is wrong with that file. 

Autostart or autohotkey work fine but as I mentioned, the error occurs while VePro tries to open the project file. I really don't know whats wrong.. the file opens fine manually and even if loaded works perfectly on my main pc where my DAW is installed. Just the startup won't succeed.


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## chrisr

Doing it via autohotkey is really the same as doing it manually, so i don't understand? Are you saying that the hotkey script you've written gets as far as prompting vep to load the metaframe, but then the load itself just fails?


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## antonyb

Now this teases my curiosity. Being a software guy, investigating issues is what i do for a living 

Would you have access to the VEP logs and see if there is anything reported there?
In windows they seem to be there
WIN: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\VSL\Vienna Ensemble Pro\logs

Obviously, this is for VSL Support to take care of but if you are stuck, let's see if we can help.


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## Skyroads

chrisr said:


> Doing it via autohotkey is really the same as doing it manually, so i don't understand?


By manually I mean to open Ve Pro Server and than load the project file "File" -> "Open Server Project..."

That step will not work whether with autohotkey, an automatic generated batch file nor over the autostart placement.



antonyb said:


> In windows they seem to be there
> WIN: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\VSL\Vienna Ensemble Pro\logs


There is no log file listed but what I can show is the configuration file if that helps.

Edit: This autohotkey opens the right server version of VePro6.
_#IfWinExist ahk_exe C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe
Run, C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe -server
_
My project file is located here:_ C:\Users\Andreas Trösch\Documents\Template_Slave.vesp64
_
If I try to link that path to the autohotkey it opens VePro Server but not the file.


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## chrisr

Skyroads said:


> By manually I mean to open Ve Pro Server and than load the project file "File" -> "Open Server Project..."
> 
> That step will not work whether with autohotkey



Yes it will. That's exactly how autohotkey works. To the computer, it is just as if you have sat down at the machine and waited until you see the application open, then you moved your mouse over to the window and clicked on it to make it the active window, then you selected "File" etc etc... It doesn't do anything more than that, which is the beauty of the approach. It's mostly just sending the same instructions that you'd otherwise be sending with your mouse and keyboard - and the computer doesn't know or care if you're actually using your mouse and keyboard, or a script is pretending to be your mouse and keyboard.

If I may be so bold, if you'd care to post here the autohotkey script you made I may be able to help?


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## Skyroads

Thank you Chris!

You can find the script in my post before. As I said the script is working but it doesn't matter what I try next. It just doesn't open the project file. It's like VePro gets the command but can't read the file.


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## chrisr

Skyroads said:


> Edit: This autohotkey will open the right server version of VePro6.
> _#IfWinExist ahk_exe C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe
> Run, C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe -server_
> .




Thanks for posting that - helps me understand what's going on.

To me that code looks like it does nothing - it says something like: If VEP is open, open VEP. (I'm not even sure it says that!!)

(I'm guessing VEP is open (or in the process of starting up) already, if it's in your autostart...?)

So, I think you just want to do something similar to what's posted towards the end of that thread, saying : Open VEP, and _wait_ until it's open (this example copied from above linked thread regarding cubase)
"Winwait, ahk_exe _Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe -server_ ; Wait for VEP"

then something like:

winactivate _Vienna Ensemble Pro - to make VEP the active window for keyboard input (you may have to query what the actual window is called - I'm note sure the macro will like all these spaces in the file/window names??)
_
then a simple series of keyboard instructions (with time for the vep software to respond) to mimic whatever you might type at the keyboard to load your template in VEP - probably something simple like...

send !f
sleep 50
send {down}
sleep 50
send {down}
sleep 50
send {right}
sleep 50
send {enter}
sleep 50

ExitApp 

All those sends are doing is literally opening the "file" menu in VEP (alt F) and then hitting the down key / right key to browse to the recently opened projects and then moving across and selecting the first one.

As I say it's a _very_ crude solution - just a bit of software pretending to be you sat at your keyboard ... but it will definitely work - which allow you to simply switch on the PC and then come back some minutes later and find your template automatically loaded.

It will be as if you had sat at the computer and carried out the key-presses yourself.

best,
Chris


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## Skyroads

Hey Chris

It's coming closer to an end

Here the new script:
_Run, C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe -server
Sleep, 7000
Send !f
sleep 50
send, {down}
sleep 50
send, {right}
sleep 50
send, {enter}
ExitApp
_
That way it works perfectly! There is only one thing left... when I start the PC (the autohotkey file is in the autostart folder) it only opens VEPro Server without the key commands or better said without the project.

Do I need to add something to the script?


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## chrisr

Hmm...

For some reason the key commands are not getting to VEP. Could be one of the following...

1) Is VEP also in the start folder? - if so remove it, and allow the .ahk script to start the vep server.

2) try a much longer sleep for the 1st sleep in case the machine as busy trying to do loads of other things at startup - if you make it veeerrry long that will give you some sort of answer at least.

3) also make sure that the VEP window is active - see below...

to find out the name of the vep window (usually just whatever is written in the window bar at the top) run the following as a .ahk script, to report the name of the active window:
------------------
1::
suspend On

DetectHiddenWindows, on
DetectHiddenText, on
wingetactivetitle vepwindowname
msgbox %vepwindowname% selected

suspend
return

------------------

start VEP (new blank instance), then run the .ahk script. when the script is running, and make sure the VEP window is active (click on it with your mouse)... then press the number 1 on your keyboard. this starts the above script and a message box will appear with the "official" window name. Make a note of it - it should be the same as what you see in the window itself but occasionally it's not - Protools I seem to remember liked to give unusual/hidden window names on a PC, which I suspect relates to being cross platform. Quit the hotkey script if it's still running - you'll find it in the hidden icon tray in your task bar.

You can also query a window name with window spy (??) but I just run that script 'cause I'm simple like that.

-------------------

add a winactivate command to your script like this:

_Run, C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe -server
Sleep 20000
winactivate Vienna Ensemble Pro Server [0110_C_IM_01] 5.4.14074 (64-bit)
Sleep 100
Send !f
sleep 50
send {down}
sleep 50
send {right}
sleep 50
send {enter}
ExitApp_

-------------------

.... but where I've got the name of my v.old VEP5 (with a cue I'm supposed to be writing now!!) - you write whatever the name of your blank instance of VEP6 window is called in that line - it will always be the same for a blank instance.

That should ensure that the keyboard commands are definitely going to the correct application.

NB I changed that first sleep above to 20 seconds(!) which should be waaaay too long - but if you're sat watching, waiting to see if the script works, wait longer than 20 seconds before deciding it's not worked, obvs!


I'm no programmer, as I'm sure is quite apparent to all reading this - but over the years I've been able to cajole AHK into doing all sorts of weird and wonderful automation tricks with PT / Reaper / Vegas / XLS / Word etc etc.. It's archaic but surprisingly effective.

Good luck. I'm in the UK so it's evening but lucky me I'll be working on this cue for a couple more hours yet, so let me know how it goes if you try tonight (unless you're out at the pub yourself)...

Chris


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## chrisr

... also there will certainly be more elegant ways (than a long sleep) of waiting for the application to load up before sending the key commands - a quick google turned up this :

nb - substitute your VEP window name where I've put "%VEP%"

------------------------------------
; WinWait, WinTitle, WinText, Seconds, ExcludeTitle, ExcludeText

WinWait, %VEP% ; Waits until the specified window exists
IfWinNotActive, %VEP%, ,WinActivate, %VEP%
WinWaitActive, %VEP% ; Waits until the specified window is active

----------------------------------

So your script (now without the long sleep) will read something like:

------------------------------------

_Run, C:\Program Files\Vienna Ensemble Pro\Vienna Ensemble Pro.exe -server

; WinWait, WinTitle, WinText, Seconds, ExcludeTitle, ExcludeText

WinWait, %VEP% ; Waits until the specified window exists
IfWinNotActive, %VEP%, ,WinActivate, %VEP%
WinWaitActive, %VEP% ; Waits until the specified window is active


Sleep 100

Send !f

sleep 50

send {down}

sleep 50

send {right}

sleep 50

send {enter}

ExitApp_
_
----------------------------

and if that doesn't work just go with the long sleep...

_


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## Shad0wLandsUK

Can I ask which version of VE Pro 5.x, 6.x you are using?

For my testing
As I have my VM ready to test now

Thanks,

Christopher


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## Shad0wLandsUK

Ok, so I have tested this with a Windows 7 Professional SP1 x64 VM

Steps taken:
I built my virtual machine
Updated Windows
Installed Drivers (Intel USB 3 so it would see my elicenser)
Installed elicenser centre
Installed Vienna Ensemble Pro 6.0.15864

Opened: C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Placed the file in the folder

Restarted!

And it worked..so perhaps the version of VE Pro you are using is the issue
I have gone back to this version from: 6.0.16778 because I had random artifacts and popping and connecting issues with the latest one


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## chrisr

Skyroads said:


> That way it works perfectly!
> Do I need to add something to the script?



Hi Andreas, did you add the new bits to the script yet?


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## Skyroads

Hurra!

I just added a pause of 7 seconds before the actual commands and it now works perfectly fine.

Thank you guys so much for your help. Really appreciate it


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## chrisr

Great news, well done


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