BlueStar, emulating Yamaha's DX5, or two TX7 modules.

[Lostgallifreyan]

I added ASIO to my synthesizer, renamed it BlueStar, and changed the entire GUI interaction code, solving a few irritating errors I'd missed when changing it from a single instrument to a dual instrument more than a year earlier. It's now ready enough for a commercial release, but it's free. Have at it...

http://www.lostgallifreyan.net

I could have posted a more direct link, but where's the fun in that?

[Martin Walker]

[The Elf]

Windows is reporting a virus threat and immediately deletes the download...

[Lostgallifreyan]

Windows is reporting a virus threat and immediately deletes the download...

Paste the direct file link on the VirusTotal web site and see what that says. It's a program freshly compiled using GCC v6.3.0-1, and there is no virus in it. I would not scupper my efforts at the outset by putting a virus in there.

EDIT:
I just tried that test, results are at VirusTotal now:
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/url/37b7 ... 0bf205ffaf

67 vendors, ALL those who responded with a test result, say CLEAN.

[The Elf]

I wasn't suggesting you had put a virus in there!

I'm just reporting what my PC says. Maybe others are having the same problem...

[Lostgallifreyan]

I wasn't suggesting you had put a virus in there!

I'm just reporting what my PC says. Maybe others are having the same problem...

Well that's a relief.. Just bear in mind that this sort of thing is a raw kick to the teeth for ANY developer. The usual suspect is Avira. Are you using that as Antivirus? It's no suprise to me that Avira aren't on VirusTotal's list right now, and often aren't, because that firm has a strong record of false positives coupled with a failure to do anything about it. Most times I have seen this problem it was Avira on the system that complained.

I don't care how many users have the problem if they're all running Avira. I care that VirusTotal has SIXTY-SEVEN reputable security vendors currently testing that file, and finding it clean. I'd like to see the evidence that can trump that.

[The Elf]

Nope - Windows Defender.

[Lostgallifreyan]

Nope - Windows Defender.

Well, there may be a point of interest here:
https://community.native-instruments.co ... trojans/p2

Native Instruments! This crap is happening to them too! The same firewall you're using is causing them havoc.

Now, if you trust ME, and VirusTotal, here's a thing to try:

Disable the antivirus! Download the ZIP but DO NOT open it. Once you have it, test its CRC32 and MD5 checksums, see if those agree with what I posted on BlueStar's web page. If those match, you can be absolutely sure that the file you have, is exactly the same, bit for bit, as the one I created for upload to my web site, and has not been interfered with or corrupted in transit.

At that point, I suggest you run it through any and all security tests you feel like exposing it to, including uploading that ZIP file to VirusTotal. If after this, you're still unhappy, bin it.

I'd hoped by now that people might be discussing the program on its own merit, but it seems that it is already lost in a diabolical cloud of Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt from which it can never recover.

Maybe if someone has NOT got any trouble with it, they might post about that.

[BWC]

...but it seems that it is already lost in a diabolical cloud of Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt from which it can never recover.

The Elf wasn't accusing you of anything. Clearly, he was trying to help you by reporting an issue that might deter folks from trying out your synth. As you clearly know, av false positives are an issue all devs have to deal with, so deal with it. Shooting the messenger won't help.

Personally, I didn't even make it past your home page, because it shows me virtually nothing without allowing scripting, and I've never liked (or trusted) websites that are all scripts.

[Lostgallifreyan]

Personally, I didn't even make it past your home page, because it shows me virtually nothing without allowing scripting, and I've never liked (or trusted) websites that are all scripts.

The only script there is to highlight the current page entry in the menu on the left side. All links are direct, using frames in HTML. It is not the kind of site that needs scripting to get access to a page. Anyone who views the source of any of its pages can deduce that.

Guilty until proven guilty, I was never going to win, was I? I was offering software I worked on for years, and doing it for free, so WHY do I have to be on the defensive to you, or anyone else?! I'm done trying to defend my work because clearly it's never going to work here.

[BWC]

That's just it, you don't have to be defensive, no one's attacking.

I assumed it was scripting, I didn't look. All I knew was, I got a (mostly) blank page, I didn't see any links. I do now (barely).

[The Elf]

I can't do any the things you suggest, as Windows deletes the dowloaded file before I have a chance to do anything with it.

You do seem to think I'm accusing you of something. I'm not!

I was just making you aware of what happened. Maybe others are going to hit the same problem. I was trying to be helpful. And I was hoping for a simple solution, as I was looking forward to trying out the synth.

Frankly now I wish I hadn't bothered.

[Wonks]

I could download the file to my iPhone without any problem, but the site does come up as ‘not secure’, which probably doesn’t help.

[Drew Stephenson]

All works fine for me. I get a warning about it coming from an unknown publisher but otherwise no problems.
W11, Chrome, Defender.

EDIT - well, the download process works fine. Can't get it to open or play but that's par for the course with me and synthesizers.

EDIT again - have now read the instructions.

[The Elf]

Yep, it's working on my PC now as well. Somebody, somewhere fixed something.

[Lostgallifreyan]

Yep, it's working on my PC now as well. Somebody, somewhere fixed something.

Thanks. That's good news. I can never control how antivirus firms do their thing, so it can be frustrating. I could send them a copy of the program so they fix their signature data, but it's a pain given that the worst of them them just break again after a while, hence VirusTotal being so helpful, it's like having tens of extra judges rather than being overruled by one.

Wonks, I agree, it's not a good look, but it just means I don't lock the door. No HTTPS. It's safe though because the site has no need or method for a person to submit data to it, so no danger of such data going astray. In short, it's 100% safe, but browsers do like to shout about a site not using HTTPS.

Now.. I read that DexEd wasn't accurate, didn't do carrier attenuation based on carrier count per algorithm, didn't do compound feedback right for algs 4 and 6, didn't do pitch EG right, some other stuff. How much was fixed I know not, I never used DexEd, but for those of you who have, it might be interesting to do comparisons to see how deep that rabbithole goes. Comparing with a Yamaha TX7 might be more fun, it's how I did it...

One other thing: I saw images of DexEd, and the colour resemblance amazed me! I wasn't conscious of that when I changed it for BlueStar, I was after the colours I remember from DX7/DX5 hardware, but anyway, maybe it's just as well. You can change them if you don't like them.