Installation
Midi Quest License
Midi Quest uses Pace cloud based licensing services to manage each license. This allows Midi Quest to be installed on any number of Mac and Windows computers but it can only be run on one system at any given time.
If you already have the iLok License Manager installed on your system, it must be v5! Earlier releases of the software can display inappropriate messages.
Pace licensing is used by many software companies in the music industry so it is quite possible you already have an account. If not, it is easy to create your free account. Follow these steps:
1. Go to ilok.com
2. In the upper left area click on "Create Free Account"
3. Complete all of the required information on the form and ensure the User ID and password are recorded
4. When complete, click "Create Account" at the bottom of the page to create the iLok account
After creating the account, if the iLok License Manager has not been installed, follow these instructions to install it and log in:
1. Return to the main ilok.com page
2. Click on the appropriate version of the manager, Macintosh, 64-bit Windows, or 32-bit Windows to download it
3. Install the iLok License Manager software
4. Run the iLok License Manager software to display the application
5. In the upper left click on "Sign In" and the following dialog will appear
6. Enter your iLok User ID and Password to sign in. (The values created just above.)
Each Midi Quest purchase includes an activation code. The activation code is displayed on the purchase confirmation page and included in the confirmation email received when Midi Quest was purchased. The activation code is used to obtain a Midi Quest license using the following steps:
1. In iLok License Manager, from the menus choose "Licenses / Redeem Activation Code" to display the following dialog
2. Copy and paste the activation code included with Midi Quest into the dialog and press the Next button
3. Complete the process to obtain and install the Midi Quest license in the license manager
Sound Quest expects that most Midi Quest customers will choose to use a cloud session where Midi Quest occasionally verifies that the license is valid via the internet. Assuming that Midi Quest is used predominantly on one computer, in the iLok License Manager
1. From the menus choose "File / Open Cloud Session"
2. If another computer currently has the Midi Quest license open in a Cloud Session, it will be closed
Opening the Cloud Session will activate the Midi Quest license and the program will run with full licensing. Once a Cloud Session is opened, it will remain so until specifically closed. On rebooting the computer, it may be necessary to log back into your iLok account and open the cloud session again. Alternately, if there is already an iLok 2 or iLok 3 already in use in the studio, the Midi Quest license can optionally be transferred to it with no need to deal with cloud sessions.
In the uncommon case that the computer running Midi Quest isn't connected to the internet, the license must be transferred to an iLok 2 or iLok 3 (sold separately from Pace or your local music dealer) using the iLok License Manager software. In this case, Midi Quest will read the license information from the iLok instead of a cloud session.
Pace license management software has been designed well and is as efficient as possible. If you install Midi Quest before licensing management, the system will perform the steps necessary in order to work correctly. For example, if Midi Quest is run and the iLok License Manager hasn't been installed, the installation process is automatically initiated. If Midi Quest is run without a license installed, the dialog to supply the activation code and obtain a license is automatically initiated. If Midi Quest is started and a cloud session is not open, Midi Quest will display the activation dialog. Open the iLok License Manager and select "Open Cloud Session" from the "Files" menu. After the cloud session starts, the activation dialog will automatically close and Midi Quest will start.
iLok Cloud Activation Modes
For those who already have the iLok License Manager installed, cloud activation can be configured to operate in one of two different modes. When set to Automatic, any new license added to ILM is automatically activated in the cloud and made available for use. When set to Manual, the Midi Quest license will not automatically activate and Midi Quest won't run. In this case, the easiest way to activate the license is often to close the current cloud session and open a new on.
Midi Quest one Instrument Specific License
This section applies only to Midi Quest one. If you have purchased another version of Midi Quest, please proceed to the next section.
Midi Quest one is different from all other versions of Midi Quest since it supports up to six instruments where each instrument module is purchased separately. This requires that you obtain a instrument specific licenses (called an EditorSQ.bin file) from Sound Quest for each instrument after making your Midi Quest one purchase. If you have not yet requested your instrument specific license, please contact Sound Quest using midiquestsupport@squest.com and include your serial number and the instrument you would like Midi Quest one to work with. Sound Quest will send an "EditorSQ.bin" file which contains the instrument specific license information.
The EditorSQ.bin files will be emailed to you. To Install the file, copy it to a drive. From there the file can be dragged on dropped on the Studio windows or the Install Instruments dialog that is displayed when Midi Quest is first run. note: on Macintosh computers, we have received a number of reports that this EditorSQ.bin file must be copied to a folder, it s can't be copied directly to the desktop.
note: this license information is required by the Instrument Download dialog to download the Midi Quest instrument module.
Installing Midi Quest
All Midi Quest installers can be accessed from the Downloads page of Sound Quest's web site at www.squest.com. Download the installer that is appropriate for the computer, double click to start the installer, and follow the prompts to install the software.
Running Midi Quest
Windows
To run Midi Quest, select the Midi Quest icon from the Sound Quest Group in the Windows Start Menu.
Macintosh
To run Midi Quest, open the Applications folder and double click on the Midi Quest icon.
If the Pace iLok License Manager software isn't installed on your computer, you will automatically be prompted to download and install it. Failure to do so will mean that Midi Quest will not run.
After installing the license, Midi Quest will start. If the following dialog is displayed
it means one of two things:
1) The Midi Quest activation key hasn't been converted into a license. If this is the case, press the "Activate" button and use the dialog to obtain the Midi Quest license then activate a Cloud Session as described above.
2) If the iLok License Manager has a Midi Quest license stored in it, the dialog indicates that the license is not active in a Cloud Session. Open the iLok License Manager, sign in if necessary and from the application's menus choose "File / Open Cloud Session".
In both cases above, when the Cloud Session becomes active, the dialog will automatically close and Midi Quest will start.
For Midi Quest Pro, keep in mind that Midi Quest plug-ins require an active Midi Quest license either from the cloud or an iLok USB device. If you are using cloud based activation as described above, ensure that there is an active session running in the iLok License Manager software before attempting to open a plug-in. Without an active session, creating the plug-in will fail.
Installing Midi Quest on Additional Computers
When installing Midi Quest on additional computers, don't attempt to reuse the activation key. Instead, install and configure iLok License Manager and Midi Quest. Run the iLok License Manager and choose "Open Cloud Session" from the "File" menu. Midi Quest will now run on the system.
You can bypass the next section and continue with MIDI Ports.
Midi Quest Demo
Midi Quest Demos are separate applications which can be downloaded from Sound Quest's web site. These versions of Midi Quest have a selection of features disabled including file saves and bulk transmits back to the instrument. A full list of disabled features can be found here.
Midi Quest Demos can't be converted into full versions of the software. If you have downloaded a demo of Midi Quest and made the decision to purchase (thank you), you will need to download the full version of the software from www.squest.com/Downloads.html.
When the program is opened for the first time, you will encounter two dialogs for selecting the MIDI IN and MIDI OUT ports that will be used by the program. By default, all ports will be opened and this is the preferred configuration unless there are technical reasons for not doing so.
Choosing MIDI IN Ports
If you are running Midi Quest for Windows for the first time, you will be presented with the following dialog:
By default, Midi Quest will open and use all MIDI IN ports. If you want the program to use only specific MIDI ports, uncheck Use All Available MIDI Ports and highlight only those ports you wish to use. Press the OK button to continue.
If no MIDI IN Ports are listed, most likely you have not installed MIDI drivers for your interface(s). Please follow the steps above to add MIDI driver support for your instrument.
On Macintosh systems, Midi Quest will automatically open all of the MIDI IN ports for use so this dialog will only appear if there are no MIDI ports available for use on the computer. If you wish, you can choose to override this and open only selected ports but it is usually not necessary.
On Macintosh systems, MIDI ports can be named. Midi Quest expects each port to have a unique name. If two or more MIDI ports have the same name, port selection will not work correctly.
Choosing MIDI OUT Ports
After selecting the MIDI IN ports to use, if you are running Midi Quest for Windows for the first time, you will be presented with the following dialog:
By default, Midi Quest will open and use all MIDI OUT ports. If you want the program to use only specific MIDI ports, uncheck Use All Available MIDI Ports and highlight only those ports you wish to use. Press the OK button to continue
If no MIDI OUT Ports are listed, most likely you have not installed MIDI drivers for your interface. Please follow the steps above to add MIDI driver support for your instrument.
On Macintosh systems, Midi Quest will automatically open all of the MIDI OUT ports for use so this dialog will only appear if there are no MIDI ports available for use on the computer. If you wish, you can choose to override this and open only selected ports but it is usually not necessary.
On Macintosh systems, MIDI ports can be named. Midi Quest expects each port to have a unique name. If two or more MIDI ports have the same name, port selection will not work correctly.
Also, the Macintosh's handling of MIDI ports and MIDI messages is far superior and more reliable than that of Windows. As a result, it is extremely rare for port selection to be required on the Macintosh.