Aquarius Desktop application online user guide

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• INTRODUCTION
• QUICK GUIDE
• AQUARIUS DESKTOP PAGES
• AQUARIUS DESKTOP SETTINGS
• DEVICE AUTHORIZATION
• THE STAGE AREA
• CREATE SUPPORT DATA FILE

The Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) is Acustica's manager application for downloading, installing, and authorizing your products for macOS and Windows operating systems.

By using the Aquarius Web services on the Acustica Audio website, it's possible to de-authorize your products on non-accessible computers to recover your old authorization slots.

Prerequisites:

• Supported macOS or Windows operating system.
• macOS 10.15 64-bit operating system or higher (Apple Silicon M computers are also supported).
• Windows 10 22H2 64-bit operating system or higher (Windows 7 and 8.1 are not supported).
• Fast and reliable internet connection (offline mode is not possible).
• An account in Acustica Audio with mandatory email user-name format (example@example.com).
• Enough free space in the SSD or HDD for downloading, storing, and installing the products.
• Working and up-to-date GPU drivers.
• Working Acustica Audio framework (installed with the products).
• Have Transport Layer Security (TLS) version 1.1 or superior working and accessible.
• Have Internet ports: 80, 443, 8080, and 17500, open and accessible.
• Up-to-date Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (MSVC) for Windows operating systems.

NOTE: Avoid using unsupported beta or non-officially supported operating systems.

IMPORTANT: Your antivirus or antimalware application may conflict with the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA)installation process. We would recommend that you stop your antivirus and/or antimalware if you find any conflicts.

Downloading Aquarius Desktop application for macOS:

1. Go to the Acustica Audio website using the link: https://www.acustica-audio.com.
2. Click on Installation using the link: https://www.acustica-audio.com/pages/plugins-installation.
3. Click on the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) download for macOS.

Downloading Aquarius Desktop application for Windows:

1. Go to the Acustica Audio website using the link: https://www.acustica-audio.com.
2. Click on Installation using the link: https://www.acustica-audio.com/pages/plugins-installation.
3. Click on the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) download for Windows.

Installing Aquarius Desktop application for macOS:

1. Run the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) setup file.
2. Click on continue.
3. Click on continue.
4. Click on agree.
5. Click on continue.
6. Click on continue.
7. Click on install.
8. Enter your macOS password.
9. Click on Install software.
10. Click on close.

Installing Aquarius Desktop application for Windows:

1. Run the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) setup file.
2. Click on next.
3. Click on install.
4. Click on finish.

Log in to the Aquarius Desktop application:

When you open up the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) for the first time, you will be prompted to enter your user
name (email format) and password, which are the same ones you used during the registration process on the Acustica Audio website.

After logging into your account, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) will perform a scan of the products you have and then will create a local inventory. This process may take a few minutes, depending on the number of products you have and your internet connection speed.

When the account scan has finished, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) will be ready to work, and in the upper left area will report the running version and current user name you are using.

By clicking on the remember me box, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) will remember your credentials, and you won't need to enter them again.

The main toolbar has three sections: the left section, the right section, and the main or center section.

• In the main (central) section, you can find the home page button, the my products page button, the search page button, the subscription page button, and the installed page button.
• In the left section, you can find the Aquarius logo, which can be used to refresh the Aquarius status by clicking on the logo.
• In the right section, you can find the progress bar, the purge icon, and the settings icon.

The Aquarius Desktop pages:

The Aquarius desktop application (ADA) is organized into five main pages that are located in the top central section of the graphical user interface.

• Home page: On the home page, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) shows products and their popularity in the form of charts. The home page includes information like the latest products available, the most recent updates, the top-selling plug-ins, and so on.
• My products page: On the product page, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) shows you the products currently owned or that you have tried in the past. You can also use this page for installing your products.
• Search page: On the search page, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) allows users to search for products or groups of products.
• Subscriptions page: On the subscriptions page, the Aquarius Desktop Application (ADA) will allow you to check the status of your subscriptions.
• Installed page: On the installed page, the Aquarius Desktop Application (ADA) will allow you to update your products. Clicking on the drop-down makes it possible to re-authorize, de-authorize, uninstall, or downgrade your products. The guess mark helps to understand the product authorization status.

Installing a product:
My products page contains all products on your account, including commercial, trial, and free products. Each product is presented in the form of a channel strip. Select the plug-in format among VST2, VST3, AAX, or AU formats and click on the install button. Your product will be downloaded, installed, and authorized automatically, ensuring a seamless experience for you.

Before you make any changes to your computer system, we strongly recommend that you develop and run a contingency plan that integrates a solid and reliable backup system.

1. Close your audio host (DAW or NLE).
2. Run the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA).
3. Log-in to your Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) using your username, email, and your password.
4. Go to the my products page and scroll down until you find the product to install.
5. Select the correct plug-in format(s) for the installation.
6. Click on install.
7. The Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) will automatically download, install, and authorize the product.

The progress bar at the top of the Aquarius desktop will keep you informed of its progress. This is the main progress bar, which will always tell you what Aquarius Desktop is doing. While a product is being downloaded or installed, putting other products on hold is possible. As soon as the first installation is complete, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) will continue with the next selected product.

Trial products expire 30 days after the authorization, and we strongly recommend not using them in commercial sessions or any important project. They will appear in your list of plug-ins with a T (for trial) at the end of the plug-in name. Trial products only contain samples with a sample rate of 44.1 and 96 kHz; using the products in sessions with a different sample rate may result in malfunctions or errors resulting from sample rate conversion.

Updating and uninstalling a product:
On the installed page, you can update your installed products with newer (upgrade) or older (downgrade) releases by

Clicking the drop-down menu on the right. You can also uninstall products from here. Uninstalling a product will automatically de-authorize the product as well.

Clicking on the drop-down also makes it possible to re-authorize and de-authorize your products. This is an important functionality in case you make major changes to your computer system, for example, hardware changes or big operating system updates.

NOTE: Only products installed through the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) can be uninstalled through it.

IMPORTANT: Most of the product problems are solved by uninstalling the current version and installing the latest version.

Getting assistance: The Acustica Audio single point of contact (SPOC) is the Acustica Audio help-desk portal. To access to Acustica Audio help-desk portal go to the Acustica Audio website and then to the support section. We do not provide help, assistance, or support via social networks, public forums, or through our email accounts.

The Home page:
On the home page, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) shows products and their popularity through charts. The home page includes information like the latest products, most recent updates, top-selling plug-ins, and so on.

Products are grouped into multiple sections, and each product is presented in the form of a product strip, similar to those found on the my products page. Clicking on any product thumbnail, category name, or more button will open the Product page.

My Products page:
On my products page, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) shows you the products you currently own or that you have tried in the past. You can also use this page for installing your products.

Products are presented in the form of strips using several sections, and the installation process will always install the latest version of the selected product. Clicking on the product thumbnail or name category will open the product page.
While a product is being downloaded or installed, putting other products on hold is possible. As soon as the first installation is complete, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) will continue with the next selected product.

If the more button appears instead of the install button, it indicates that the product is commercial and is not currently accessible on your account because it hasn't been purchased yet. The question mark button will provide a hint regarding possible actions that can be taken. 

You can filter your purchased products using the filter box. The filter only applies to the product name. To remove the filter, click on the three lines.

The Search page: 

On the search page, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) enables users to look for products or product groups by utilizing the search box located in the upper center below the main toolbar

Each search result is presented in the form of a product strip, similar to the my products page, and clicking on a product thumbnail, name category, or install button, will open the product page.

The Subscriptions page:

On the subscriptions page, the Aquarius Desktop Application (ADA) will allow you to check the status of your subscriptions.

By clicking on the manage link, Aquarius Desktop Application (ADA) will run your web browser to the Acustica Audio website subscriptions section.

To use products in the subscription model, it is mandatory to have access to a reliable internet connection since Aquarius Desktop Application (ADA) needs to renew authorizations every 30 days.

The Installed page: 

On the installed page, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) will allow you to update the status of your products. Clicking on the dropdown makes it possible to re-authorize, de-authorize, uninstall, or downgrade your products. The guess mark helps to understand the product authorization status.

To install a product update, select the desired update release from the menu; the update description and size will be displayed, and then click on the update button. The product will be updated and authorized automatically. If multiple updates are available in this section, you can install all of them using the update all button.

• To downgrade a product, select the old release option in the menu and click on the update button.
• To re-authorize a product, select the re-authorize option in the menu and click on the re-authorize button.
• To de-authorize a product, select the de-authorize option in the menu and click on the de-authorize button.
• To uninstall a product, select the uninstall option in the menu and click on the uninstall button.

The Product page:

On this page, you can choose the product format to install, and by clicking on the install button, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) will download, install, and authorize the product automatically.

You can use the product page to add related trial products simply by clicking on the trial product thumbnail.

The Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) settings are located in the upper right corner with the icon of a nut. This menu includes four options: logout, settings, show actions, about, and exit. The settings window contains five main tabs: the customize tab, the installation tab, the search path, the activations tab, and the troubleshooting tab.

Logout, about, and exit are straightforward. While the floating window of actions allows you to have a visual report of the actions that Aquarius Desktop application ADA is executing, making it possible to know if a product has finished installing.

The customize tab:

The customize tab contains the basic application preferences, allowing users to adjust settings such as user interface calling and other essential features to tailor their experience according to each individual needs.

• GUI calling: This option enables the scaling of the user interface (UI).
• Show trash can: This option lets you display or hide the trash can icon from the main user interface.
• Hide trial products: This option enables you to hide the trial version on the my products page.
• Hide legacy products: This option enables you to hide the legacy products on the my products page. Keep in mind that you can always locate your legacy product through the search page.
• Enable acqua libraries for Nebula: This option enables you to install Acqua libraries for N4 like an Acqua Effect.

After making the desired changes, you should confirm them by clicking the save button.

The installation tab:

The upper section includes a variety of options; however, we suggest that you refrain from altering the installation settings unless you are fully aware of the precise impact of each option.

• Default format(s): Choose your preferred plug-in format; you can select multiple formats if you wish.
• Engine type: Standard type is the recommended default configuration. It is advised not to experiment with the legacy or troubleshooting types unless instructed to do so by the help-desk agents.
• Enable VSTGUI v3: Enable this option only if you install obsolete products. Caution! Compatibility is not guaranteed.
• Enable 32-bit installers: Enable this option only if you install products in a legacy 32-bit operating system. Caution! Compatibility is not guaranteed.

The lower section contains the options to set custom paths for the stage area, product installation path(s), and
N4 shared (repository) path. We recommend you not change the installation settings if you do not know the exact effect of each option.

• The stage area is where Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) downloads and uncompress the product files before installing them. When installing, reinstalling, or updating a product that has already been downloaded, its files from the stage area are re-used instead of being downloaded again. This way, the installation process is much faster. When Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) runs for the first time, it creates a default path for the stage area.
• VST2 x64 path: sets a custom path for the VST2 64-bit plug-ins format.
• VST2 x86 path: sets a custom path for the VST2 32-bit plug-ins format (normally in grey). 
• VST3 x64 path: sets a custom path for the VST3 64-bit plug-ins format.
• VST3 x86 path: sets a custom path for the VST3 32-bit plug-ins format (normally in grey). 
• N4 repository path: sets a custom path for the N4 shared repository folder (the factory paths are usually the most appropriate).
• AAX presets path: sets a custom path for the AAX format product presets (the factory paths are usually the most appropriate).

• Products re-scan button: This button removes the product cache file and creates a new one. The products re-scan can be useful if Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) displays the wrong information on the installed page.
• Purge stage area: This button clears compelling the stage area, forcing the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) to download your product entirely once more before a new installation. The purge stage area can be useful if Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) fails to download a product due to the presence of corrupt files.

If you decide to change the stage area's destination, ensure it is always inside a folder since everything in that path will be deleted when purging.

After making the desired changes, you should confirm them by clicking the save button.

The search paths tab:

The search paths tab contains two sub-sections.

The upper section shows the factory-defined product(s) search paths. All standard paths are covered. The factory list cannot be changed, and if you have some or all of your plug-ins installed in non-standard folders, you can use the lower section to add them.

On the user-defined paths, you can add folders, which will then be included in the product(s) searching and scanning process. Use the plus button to add new paths and the minus button to delete the existing path(s). Use the x button to delete all existing user-defined paths. You should confirm the changes with the save button, which will close the settings window, and then the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) will scan your installed products.

After making the desired changes, you should confirm them by clicking the save button.

The activations tab:

After making the desired changes, you should confirm them by clicking the save button.

The troubleshooting tab:

The purpose of this tab is to provide troubleshooting information.

• Computer identification: The computer identification is a unique code or number assigned to a computer or device used to keep track of the authorization of your products.
• Server URL: The server URL is the address where Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) is connected to authorize and download your products.
• OS user: The operation system user is the unique identifier that a user uses to access and interact with an operating system.
• Enable log file: If the checkmark is visible, a log file will be generated documenting events, activities, and usage, acting as a historical reference for monitoring and troubleshooting. 

• Show settings file: Clicking on the show settings file will show the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) configuration file.
• Reveal stage area: Clicking on the reveal stage area will show the current stage area folder.
• Reveal Acustica Audio Framework: Clicking on the reveal Acustica Audio framework will show the current framework folder.
• Aquarius Desktop user manual: Clicking Aquarius Desktop user manual will direct you to this online guide.
• Acustica Audio help-desk portal: Clicking the Acustica Audio help-desk portal will direct you to the official Acustica Audio help-desk portal.
• Create support data file: The support data file (SDF) comprises a set of information that facilitates effective troubleshooting; the resulting file will be compressed in .ZIP format and generated on the user's desktop.

• Reset settings: Clicking on reset settings will delete the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) settings, and Aquarius will load the factory settings in the next launch.
• Reset actions position: Clicking on reset actions position will load the factory position for the actions floating window.

After making the desired changes, you should confirm them by clicking the save button.

Your products are automatically authorized by Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) when installed or updated. If a product is installed for the first time on a particular computer, a new authorization slot will be used, and the number of
available authorization slots for the product will be decreased by one.

Manual authorization or re-authorization can be performed on the installed page, where you can view the count of used authorizations alongside the total number of available authorizations. Naturally, you cannot utilize more authorizations than you possess. In such a scenario, you should recover your authorization slots using the my products section on the Acustica Audio website.

Depending on those two numbers and the computers involved in the authorization process, the question
mark button can have different colors and meanings.

GREEN: It means everything is correct. Your product is properly authorized, and you don’t need to
do anything. You should use the authorization button only if you experience unexpected problems with the
product, despite it being properly authorized. Your existing license slot will be re-used, and the used
authorization count will not increase.

RED: No further action is possible. The authorization button is unavailable, and for more information, you should contact the Acustica Audio help desk service. To access the Acustica Audio help-desk portal, go to the Acustica Audio website and then to the support section. We do not provide help, assistance, or support via social networks, public forums, or through our email accounts.

The de-authorization process frees a slot and increases the number of available slots by one. Manual de-authorization is available on the installed page, and you can see the number of used authorizations and the total number of available authorizations. Just to let you know, products are automatically de-authorized when are uninstalled, so the de-authorize button should only be used if you want to de-authorize a product without uninstalling it.

If you have installed multiple plug-in formats (VST2, VST3, AAX, and AU) of a single product on the same computer, uninstalling or manually de-authorizing any of them will de-authorize all product formats. The quick solution is to re-authorize any of the product formats that are still installed on your system. This will re-authorize all formats in one step.

The Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) stores downloaded files in the stage area folder. The stage area path is defined in the settings installation tab. When installing, re-installing, or updating a product that has already been downloaded, its files from the stage area are re-used instead of being downloaded again. This way, the installation process is much faster. 

• The default path for the stage area in macOS operating systems is "~/Acustica/Aquarius/" (without quotes).
• The default path for the stage area in Windows operating  systems is: "C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Acustica\Aquarius\" (without quotes).

When files are not found in the stage area, they are downloaded from Acustica Audio cloud servers. The download bar located inside the product update strip will show you the download and installation progress. 

You can purge installation files from the stage area at any time, but we suggest you keep them, if possible, as a safe backup and also to speed up download and installation time.

The installation process can be halted by clicking the stop button. In this scenario, any files that have already been downloaded will remain intact, and if you choose to initiate the installation again, the Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) will pick up where it left off and will only download the files that are missing.

Some products have dependencies between the main product and additional products or packs. The Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) allows you to automatically manage these dependencies by updating the different products or packs to the most appropriate version.

NOTES:

• Acqua libraries for N4 and Nebula libraries for N4 require N4 or N4 Player to be installed first.
• N4 and N4 player uninstallation will not remove installed Acqua libraries for N4 and Nebula libraries for N4.

IMPORTANT: Your audio host (DAW or NLE) should not be active during Aquarius Desktop application (ADA) operations. Additionally, if your computer hasn’t been rebooted or turned off for a period of time, please restart it before using Aquarius Desktop application (ADA).

The Acustica Audio single point of contact (SPOC) is the Acustica Audio help-desk portal. In order to access to Audio help-desk portal go to the Acustica Audio website and then to the support section. We do not provide help, assistance, or support via social networks, public forums, or through our email accounts.