Mark Durham

I have created a new Max for Live Device that I want to distribute. It is currently a frozen .amxd. I have made several Live presets for this that are .adv files on my machine.

How can I now send the device to others - with the presets?

I have tried sending the complete thing as a folder containing the amxd and the presets, but they do not appear for the user at the other end, or are unlinked from the device.

This seems like a simple thing I must be missing....

I have created a new Max for Live Device that I want to distribute. It is currently a frozen .amxd. I have made several Live presets for this that are .adv files on my machine. 

How can I now send the device to others - with the presets? 

I have created a new Max for Live Device that I want to distribute. It is currently a frozen .amxd. I have made several Live presets for thi

embedding-adv-presets-with-a-max-for-live-amxd-or-how-to-send-device-to-someone-else-with-presets

Just gently bumping this - as still looking for an answer...

I would embed them into device, without external files.

if that are kind of factory presets,
I would embed them into device, without external files.
Create umenu with title factory
and list available presets to recall.


I did think about that option, and could go that route, sure. It just feels a bit clunky though - considering Ableton has this great preset system in its own menus.

Perhaps someone has used or made a free device that manages this? I did check a few and the presets always needed re-linking my end.

I did think about that option, and could go that route, sure. It just feels a bit clunky though - considering Ableton has this great preset system in its own menus. 

I am not Live user, and can't help you with that.

But 100 % working solution is to use embeded preset object or coll

or something that has nothing to do with Live automation, presets etc.

Then you don't need to bother where files need to be copied in user library structure.

I am not Live user, and can't help you with that.
But 100 % working solution is to use embeded preset object or coll
or something that has nothing to do with Live automation,  presets etc.
Totaly independent.
Then you don't need to bother where files need to be copied in user library structure.


Most people tend to share .alp Projects (with a "presets" or such sub-folder).

This is done by going to File > Manage Files, then click Manage Project in the right-panel, then Create Pack (with the Project you want to export open).

BTW, that same Manage Projects panel offers a relatively easy way for the user to fix multiple presets that show the "missing X" message.

I basically made a new empty "Fix_Presets" Project. Then I simply copy the presets to that Project folder, open the set, go to that Manage Projects panel and use the Locate button (under Missing Files).

After locating the .amxd, you click Save (in the bottom-right), it will save all the presets fixed with the new .amxd location, then you can copy/move them elsewhere.

 BTW, that same  Manage Projects panel offers a relatively easy way for the user to fix multiple presets that show the "missing X"  message.

I was looking for a way to make a .alp but couldn't find it...

I've copied the presets into the project manually and these seem to unpack and import correctly, though it is a little difficult for me to tell as I already have the project on my drive.

Perhaps you or someone else could try this and report back @NAMAKEMOM?

Pitch Tracking Distortion.alp.zip

Downloaded and uncompressed the Project, the presets are not loading correctly, because they still refer to the .amxd file in the User Library\Presets\Audio Effects\Max Audio Effect (instead of the one inside the Project folder).

Maybe Collect All And Save works (before exporting the .alp), or you need to manually make the presets refer to the .amxd file inside the Project folder.

That's super helpful - thanks for trying it out.

I'll try re-making the presets within the project then packing it up again.

To make a preset work when placed next to the device, regardless of the path, you can do the following:

The presets should now load correctly when placed next to the device.

Add .zip to the file name (after the .adv or .adg extension)

Open the resulting .adv or .adg file in a text editor, it should look like XML.

Search for the name of the plugin in the text file and locate it inside a <FileRef> tag.

It should contain a <RelativePath> tag pointing to the file. Remove all of its child tags and change the Value to just the file name of the device.

In the <RelativePathType> tag above this, change Value to 1

Embedding .adv presets with a Max for Live .amxd (or how to send device to someone else with presets)