Unlocking the M-BOX
by Jeff Towne

Switching Between PTLE and PTFree on a Mac

Digidesign warns that ProToolsFree cannot coexist with other versions of the software, because they use different versions of files that share the same names. But, sometimes, it would be awfully handy to have both versions available, such as using the MBox to record tracks into a laptop, but leaving the interface behind when editing on the road, or on the couch, or in bed.

It turns out there is a trick to make this work, and although it's a bit complicated, it works fine if the instructions are followed carefully. Big, HUGE thanks to Barrett Golding for figuring this out, and to the tech at digidesign who confirmed that this should work.

* **This is for switching between PTLE and PTFree on a Mac only***

The digidesign tech did go to lengths to say that this is UNSUPPORTED and NOT RECOMMENDED by digidesign, and digi tech support won't help you fix this if you mess things up. So proceed at your own risk. A complete re-install of ProTools would be the only fix if you really confuse things. (not that big of a deal.)

But if you are careful and systematic, this is not too hard, I've done it a few times.

I'm paraphrasing the mysterious digi tech, but these are the steps. (don't use the "" marks as you rename things, they just indicate the exact names you should look for.)

First, make two folders on your desktop: one named "PTFree preferences" (or something specific like that, the exact name is not important) the other named "PTLE preferences".

Install the version of PTLE that came with your M-Box.

After the install is complete, you can use LE, but when you need to switch to PT Free (if you want to edit without dragging the M-Box around, for instance):

Rename both your Digidesign folder and your DAE folder (which is in the System folder) "Digidesign-LE" and "DAE-LE" respectively. (again the exact name isn't important, except that you are sure which version it is, and that is no longer just called "Digidesign" or "DAE")

Open the Preferences folder (which is in the System folder) and drag "Pro Tools LE 5.1.1 Preferences", "DigiSetup" and "DAE Prefs" into the folder you made on your desktop called "PTLE Preferences".

Then install PT Free.

That install will make a new "Digidesign" folder and a new "DAE" folder, and as you run the program, new preferences will be created.

You can now run PTFree, but not LE.

When you want to switch back to LE, you would rename the new "Digidesign" folder as "Digidesign-PTFree" and rename the "DAE" file as "DAE-PTFree" (or something similar, as long as you are sure to remember which version it is, and as long as it is not simply "Digidesign" or "DAE".)

Open the system folder, go to preferences, and drag the "Pro Tools Free v5.0 Preferences", "DigiSetup" and "DAE Prefs" into the folder on your desktop called "PTFree Preferences"

Then open up the folder you made on your desktop that you called "PTLE Preferences" and drag those files back into the Preferences folder.

Rename the "Digidesign-LE" folder as just plain "Digidesign" and the "DAE-LE" folder just "DAE". Now you are back to the LE set-up.

Each time you switch, you just need to change the names of the inactive versions of the Digidesign and DAE folders to something other than the default name, and make sure the versions you ARE using are simply called "Digidesign" and "DAE". I highly recommend that you name the inactive folders with the version they are, not just #1 or #2, or whatever, just so you always know which is which. And then move the preferences files associated with the appropiate program in and out of the prefs folder.

the digi guy told Barret: "The key here is you don't want any stray preferences from the other version in that folder when you're trying to run a certain version, and you don't want to get your DAE folders mixed up, either. OMS, you can leave alone. The same version works with both PT versions, as far as I know."

That's it. It's a little dizzying, but not hard.

Again, huge thanks to Barrett Golding for figuring this out, and sharing it with us. We were also discussing how one could make two different partitions on the start-up drive, each with its own system folder, but one with PTFree installed, the other with PTLE installed. Then one could choose a different start-up folder depending on what version you wanted to use. We haven't tried this yet, but it should work, and it would avoid all the file renaming.

More info on the M-Box at digidesign.com

For more on WHAT TO BUY, check here on Transom