Zen 1.5 is finally out ! Download it here….

Here is the changelog:

• Major code rewrite, separating Zen into a core library (ZenCore) and the Zen Browser itself
• Added midi-controlled “virtual bank” slots, where presets from different vstis can be stored
• Replaced tooltips with a contextual help box
• Added support for Zen-aware plugins, including assets management
• Added ‘hidden’ flag to permanently hide presets from search results
• Fixed various UI refresh issues
• Fixed crashes when duplicating instances in Ableton Live
• Fixed button for creating own tags on OSX
• Invalid designer keys are now rejected immediately
• Optimized dynamic memory allocations
• Changes for 64bits compatibility

The biggest change was the creation of a core library, mostly because I am starting to have requests from companies who want to license the Zen engine (database searches + online synchronization) to build their own preset browser.

The virtual banks feature is a nice new addition, very useful for live use, where loading a new vsti, with a given preset, can now be fully automated with a single program change. Zen has 32 slots, corresponding to Midi programs 01..32. To assign a preset to a slot, just drag it from the results list. The video below shows the basic usage.

Tooltips have gone, and are replaced by a context box which is much more user-friendly, and can also be used to display information messages.

The designers keys system has changed, so please contact me if you need a new key – the older ones won’t work any more.