Development exposes macOS Logic Pro folder permission issue

Does anybody know how to fix this error message seen in Logic?

It appeared the for first time when I tried to test a 5.1 surround six-channel config with the hex tracker using the AUv2. I have since changed back to a regular mono input, but this error message persists.

Full disk access has been granted to the host and the standalone app. The AUv2 opens in other hosts, no problem.

Strangely, some old projects with the MG3 plug-in will load correctly some of the time. Others wont. It’s rather unpredictable.

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So, I’ve found a repeatable interaction in Logic Pro 12.3:

  1. Instantiate an empty Audio Inception AU first.
  2. Then instantiate MIDI Guitar 3 on another track.
  3. MG3 opens and works normally.
  4. Remove Audio Inception while MG3 is still active.
  5. The working MG3 instance immediately fails and displays this:

If MG3 is instantiated before Audio Inception, it does not recover simply because Audio Inception is added later.

The macOS log shows sandbox denials from AUHostingServiceXPC_arrow when MG3 tries to read:

~/Library/Group Containers/X6D2Q4W5A8.midiguitargroup

Audio Inception currently declares:

temporary-exception.files.all.read-write = true

MG3 declares:

sandboxSafe = true

Audio Inception must already be present (not active) when Logic creates MG3’s hosting environment, and removing it withdraws the broader filesystem access that MG3 is relying on.

I have not reproduced this MG3 AUv2 failure in any other macOS host; it currently appears limited to Logic Pro. However, because the problem emerged during Audio Inception development — and Audio Inception’s sandbox declaration directly determines whether MG3 can open — I suspect my plug-in or my recent sub-hosting tests may have created or exposed this state in Logic. I’m reporting it because I need help understanding what my implementation may be doing to Logic’s AU hosting environment, not because I’m assuming there is a defect in MG3.

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Aha! Thank you for this detective work. This is something that puzzled me for a long time and related to various issues with plug-ins inside plug-ins. I will try to make some test with other entitlements to see I’d that change anything.

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I have the same problems with MIDI Guitar 3 in Logic and yesterday the pop-up screen appeared that I’m using the trial version of MIDI Guitar, which is not true. I paid for it.

Is this behaviour restricted to using MG3 in Logic?

Yes only in logic the stand alone version still does his job .

I find a way around it with 3 midi outputs on different midi channels with a string split.

Very nice with the Hex that i bought today.

Which versions of MacOS and Logic are you using?

I meant, what happens if you load the MG3 audio unit in another DAW/host? Is the problem isolated to Logic Pro? That is my experience.

It’s mac version 26-6-1 and logic 12.3.

I think that the problem started with the latest mac update(last week)and i hardly use any otherDAWs so I don’t know about that.For now I use it in the sandbox way which I don’t prefer buts it’s usable.

Me too. I personally didn’t use Logic very much up until recently. I have tested various plug-ins in it over the years though, and I don’t recall having these exact problems in the past.

Thanks guys. I can reproduce this.

After updating to Tahoe 26-6-1, the MG AU no longer has access to its data folder.

Basically there is no workaround, with the AUv2 version, right? Please let me know if you found a workaround to run the AUv2 in Logic.

I’am sure that LofiLeif will find a way he can do anything with Logic.

Hi @JamO,

The workarounds I’ve found:

  1. run MG3 (AUv2 or VST3) hosted inside Hex Inception (my unreleased app) – Only Hex tracker works in this method.
  2. run MG3 (AUv2 or VST3) hosted inside Blue Cat Audio’s PatchWork – Standard tracker works in this method.
  3. if I have my own plug-in loaded, I can also load MG3 in Logic Pro on a different track and it somehow carries over/bypasses the permission settings. But, giving MG3 an audio input triggers initially does this, see screenshot.

If I click “recover”…

And now MG3 is alive and well again. Note, the plugin loaded in Hex Inception is arbitrary.

But wait, there’s more!

Thank you.

I have been running some tests and MGs data folder (which is a so called App Group) used to store data and also share data among plug-ins and apps, is no longer accessible from within Logic on Tahoe 26.1.

Unfortunately we will have to migrate the data folder into ~/Library/Application Support in the upcoming update.

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That would be great,I tried to change it inside Tahoe but I chickened out.

For now my solution is:first open Logic choose 3 instrument tracks and give them midi channel input 1,2,3.Then open de standalone version of MG3 with 3 channels and 3 midi outputs with also midi channel 1,2 and 3 .This is for the Hex version where you can do you’re channelsplits give the bass a different note for drone notes and so on.In the normal version you only need 1 midi output.

I work with a break out box with 6 channels and a Kemper(via sp diff) for the guitar channel.