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Mac the Scope FAQ

Last Revised November 2004

(all versions) Does Mac the Scope support audio interfaces made by (insert name of manufacturer)?

If the manufacturer provides CoreAudio, ASIO or SoundManager drivers, the answer is most likely yes. Unfortunately, it's not practical to have every audio interface on the market in-house for development purposes. We rely on equipment manufacturers to conform to CoreAudio / ASIO specifications. A second, but rare point is that a user's particular computer may exhibit performance issues in conjunction with a particular audio interface, and that would be very impractical to replicate here. That's why we provide a full-featured demo, so that users can verify operation with their own computer and sound hardware. If a plethora of issues / reports arise involving a given interface, we will attempt to acquire a sample of the interface and strive to fix any problems, but we cannot guarantee this will be done in all cases. The best bet is to try the Mac the Scope demo with your interface before purchasing an activation code. If you have difficulty getting your interface to run with Mac the Scope, please be sure to consult the instructions that came with your interface, particularly those regarding the installation and configuration of the CoreAudio driver. Some drivers may require a special "authorization" procedure when being used with software not produced by the hardware manufacturer. This procedure will be explained in the manufacturer's documentation.

(Mac the Scope 4X) I can't get the example AppleScripts to run.

The latest Mac the Scope installer adds trailing spaces to the name of Mac the Scope on your hard drive. On the other hand, the application name in the example scripts lacks these spaces. Consequently, the script, when run, cannot "find" Mac the Scope. Unfortunately, these spaces cannot be removed without affecting the launch of Mac the Scope. The solution is to use the "padded" name in the AppleScript: In the script editor, place the cursor at the end of "Mac the Scope 4X" (just *inside* the closing quote) and press the space bar 12 times (add exactly 12 spaces to the end of the name). Press command-s to save the change.

The swept sine analyzer emits clicks when switching frequencies. Does this affect the measurement?

This is normal and does not affect the measurement.

(4.0) After trying the demo, I bought an Activation Code for Mac the Scope. Now, the QuickAnalyzer menu (present in the demo) is missing when I launch Mac the Scope.

Background: The current installer sometimes neglects to create the Mac the Scope Console Settings folder. Solution: The workaround is to move the Mac the Scope Console Settings folder created by a demo installation to the Mac the Scope folder installed with the Activation Code. To create a demo installation, double click the Install Mac the Scope/Waavebox application. The demo installation will not interfere with a Mac the Scope folder installed with the Activation Code. Note: some Settings files may not be appropriate with certain software configurations. For example, if you have Mac the Scope SE, with the Basic RTA Package options added, the following demo settings files will have no effect: 1 kHz Distortion Measurement Noise Floor Measurement Setup Spectrogram ­ Dual Channel Spectrogram ­ Single Channel While they won't cause problems, it's best if they are moved from the Mac the Scope Console Settings folder to the Trash. (Note: the QuickAnalyzer menu is obsolete in Mac the Scope 4X, which is controllable via AppleScript.)

(all versions) I was thinking of purchasing an activation code, but can't find any way to enter it in the demo.

A simple, automated procedure for entering the activation code is provided with the code.

(4.0) Several times I have attempted to install the demo version of Mac the Scope, and each time I get to the point at which a panel comes up saying "Reading tome 1" and then my computer freezes. I have downloaded the installer a second time with the same results. Any suggestions?

Be certain you have an installer obtained directly from our download page. Try installing with only the Apple "Base" Extension set (other extensions disabled). (Using only the Apple "Base" Extension set won't be necessary afterwards, when running the installed software, but will help during the installation procedure). Virus detection software also may interfere with the installation process, because the installer makes extensive use of the Macintosh File Manager.

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