The most common problem that stops MEAP working is the Graphic Not Found Error.
This happens when MEAP is looking for a particular graphic (for example the Solo button) and because the button may not appear the same on all systems, MEAP may not be able to find it.
This is easy to fix. And as you probably know, if you send a message and Support Zip File to MEAP Support, you will usually receive a custom graphic specifically for your system within a few hours.
However, if you are in a hurry or even just a little interested, you can do it yourself.
So here’s the steps:
Finding What Went Wrong
MEAP has already tried to give us a clue which graphic it could not find, in the error message.
Graphic Not Found – Argggh!
In this case it was the Solo button. It was lit up within Cubase but for some subtle (or sometimes obvious) reason, MEAP didn’t recognise it.
You can access the ZIP file that MEAP has created directly from this message by clicking the ZIP button.
The ZIP button
Or if you have already closed the message, you can go to the place that the ZIP file is stored:
ZIP File located
Usually this file can be found in the following location:
Windows Vista: Windows 7: C:\Users\YOUR USER NAME\AppData\Roaming\Phil Pendlebury\MEAP\zip\ Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\YOUR USER NAME\Application Data\Phil Pendlebury\MEAP\zip\
Open the Zip file and you will see a group of files. One of them should be named final.bmp (Note: If the final.bmp does not exist, simply use any screen shot that contains the graphic areas you need).
ZIP File open
If you look at this screen shot you should see the button or area that MEAP was looking for. To your eyes it may look OK but sometimes computers can be very picky.
MEAP’s final screen shot
Making Your Own
So now we are going to make our own version of the graphic – So it is exactly matched to your system and MEAP will always see it.
First, make some copies of the final.bmp so that you can rename them correctly before editing. The new graphic must be a Bitmap and stay in the same format that MEAP used.
Locate the MEAP graphic folder. In this case Cubase 6 graphics:
Windows Vista: Windows 7 – C:\Users\YOUR USER NAME\AppData\Roaming\Phil Pendlebury\MEAP\graphics\c6gfx\ Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\YOUR USER NAME\Application Data\Phil Pendlebury\MEAP\graphics\c6gfx\
Decide which graphic you are going to make and rename one of your final.bmp copies to the same name as that graphic. In this case the name would be c6solo.bmp
MEAP’s original graphics
Open your favourite photo editing software and load in the final.bmp
We now need to look at the original graphic (c6solo.bmp) and roughly crop a similar graphic from the newly created c6solo.bmp that came from you final.bmp
Zoom in so that you can see how the original graphic was cropped. It is important that the graphic is cropped in the same way, especially for the Path graphics.
Roughly cropped button
Then we can start to crop down the new graphic and zoom in until they look similar.
Cropped a little more
Finally you should end up with a graphic that looks almost identical to the original. But remember this has been made from your own screen shot so it will match your setup exactly.
The Final Cropdown
Now – Save the file. Do not change the file type or make any adjustments to colour or contrast, brightness etc. This is why we renamed the final.bmp to the button name before we started editing. So you can simply save the new file.
When you have saved the file and repeated this procedure with any other graphics that may have caused errors you can now copy your new graphics over the original. (Don’t worry the originals are all backed up should you ever need to restore them). Copy the new graphics here:
Windows Vista: Windows 7 – C:\Users\YOUR USER NAME\AppData\Roaming\Phil Pendlebury\MEAP\graphics\YOUR AUDIO APP\ Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\YOUR USER NAME\Application Data\Phil Pendlebury\MEAP\graphics\YOUR AUDIO APP\
In this case YOUR AUDIO APP would be c6gfx
You now have a set of graphics that are totally matched to your current system. Keep them safe! If you ever re-install MEAP or install an update, you will need to copy these graphics over the originals again.
If you get a GNF Error due to different graphic characteristics and you have sent off the MEAP Support Zip file; You will receive set of custom graphics in return.
First, Please download and install the latest version of MEAP. When you have finished the install please follow the instructions below:
Navigate to MEAP’s Main Graphics Folder and replace the existing graphics that are there with the ones you received.
Go to:
Windows 7/8/10: C:\Users\[yourusername]\AppData\Roaming\Phil Pendlebury\MEAP\graphics\[AUDIO APPLICATION]\
Whenever MEAP finishes running, (including when your export has been successful) there will be a zip file created that contains some relevant information.
If you have a problem with MEAP simply upload this zip file (meapinfo.zip) as an attachment, along with your message, using the Support Ticket System. (Don’t forget to enter your MEAP Order Number and User Name).
It’s as simple as that.
If MEAP fails there will usually be an option (the left hand button) to open the folder where the zip file is located.
Graphic Not Found
If you need to manually access the file – The default location for the meapinfo.zip file are as follows:
Windows 10 / 8 7 / Vista:C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Phil Pendlebury\MEAP\zipmeapinfo.zip
XP:C:\Documents and Settings\YOURUSERNAME\Application Data\Phil Pendlebury\MEAP\zipmeapinfo.zip
The MEAP technical support is already renowned for acting quickly and efficiently. Now it can be even more efficient. Response time is usually under 3 hours.
In Cubase 4, If you have just edited the name of a track and you open the Export Dialog then close it again, the track name will be selected for editing again.
MEAP adds an extra press of ESC to deselect this when MEAP selects the track name.
Therefore, if you have just edited your track name manually please open the export dialog, close it again and press enter or esc to reset the process before exporting.
(This is not a problem with MEAP it is an anomaly of C4 itself).
You want to include your send effects in your batch export. In other words you have send effects channels that you want to hear on each exported stem.
MEAP handles this very simply. Using Cubase’s own Solo-Defeat Function.
The answer is that simple.
Before export – Solo-Defeat your effects channels (and any other channels you want to stay “open” during the MEAP export). This means that on every track exported the send effects that were being used on that track will also be exported in the stem.
Brilliant.
Solo Defeat
The screen shot shows Solo defeat active on a channel in Cubase 7. To activate Solo Defeat – Alt+Click on the Solo Button (or in Cubase 7 use a Long Click), You will see a D when Solo defeat is active.
