The SmartMusicSoftSynth.component is 32bit only and incompatible with a 64bit app like Finale 25. No problem, actually. It's likely still there.

25 should be able to find SmartMusicSoftSynth64.component in the same directory. Clicking Yes should cause 25 to use it instead. This is what you want. 

Library/Audio/Plugins/Components is where you should find both.

I have just gone through the process of isolating the AU plugin that is causing the crash with Finale 25.

The culprit is:

smartmusicsoftsynth64

Please advise

>Please advise<

Please tell us what we need to know so that we may help if we can. Read this:

https://makemusic.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/215729367-General-Discussion-House-Rules

Sorry Mike. I thought I was responding to a query From Kevin MacPherson regarding Ticket 109605. 

Finale 25 crashes when smartmusicsoftsynth64 is in my components folder. It took some time, but the crashing which happens when using the Setup Wizard doesn’t occur if that component is not there. Of course, Finale wants it to be there and says: “Failed to load the smartmusicsoftsynth. Can you help? Should I trash a plist or something?

Thanks

Paul Read

The reason I responded with the link is so that you might read it and include such vital information as your OS, the version of Finale you are using, exactly how you are using the Setup Wizard etc.

Yes, it's important.  smartmusicsoftsynth64 is in my Components folder but 25 does not crash when using Setup Wizard.

Ok, Mike. Actually I read it but thought the information was already known by support from my original post. I've already submitted crash reports, etc.. But, clearly I'm starting over, so you don't know my setup.Sorry about that.

MacOSX 10.12.6

Finale 25.5.0.259

What causes the crash is creating a new ensemble. It doesn't appear to matter how many blank staves or grand staves I add. 

Existing ensemble templates do not cause a crash.

Also: my smartmusicsoftsynth64 component shows that it was modified on 2017-04-23. Is that correct?

Need more info? Any idea what is going on? 

Many thanks, Paul

The "Community Expert" title may be a bit confusing, but this is the Community Board where other Finale users/customers help each other out. There just happens to be individuals out there who are very knowledgeable and generous with their time.Sometimes MM (MakeMusic) staff do chime in. When they do, their name and title are in green.

If you've been in contact with a MM representative about a technical issue, you should try replying back to them instead of here on the Community Board. If you've used the "Submit a request" link at the top of the browser where your MM profile is to report your issue, you should get emails that you can reply to directly (without having to sign-in here on the MM site).

Hello George and Mike

Thanks for explaining and apologies for not following the community forum protocol. I had no idea my request had wound up on the community board and wonder how it got there. My email was a reply to Chad Mathis (Make Music) whose address turns out to be customersuccess@makemusic.zendesk.com. Maybe he is from the community forum and I didn’t realize it. Chad said he was stepping in for Kevin McPherson who had replied to my support request. Kevin gave detailed instructions as to the info he needed and I had responded a while ago. This was at the top of Chad’s email:

“Your request (Ticket# 109605) has been updated. To add additional comments, click the 'Reply' button in your email client and type your response.” I did exactly that and somehow wound up in the forum.

I do understand the “Community Expert” title and appreciate the help the work of all Community Experts you provide on the forum. I have used the forum service in the past and understand all you have explained. 

Finally, I have responded again to Chad with the details of the crash incident (details in Ticket# 109605). So hopefully that went to the correct place.

If I still have not contacted the correct person, I should start over. Please let me know and I will re-start with tech support.

With thanks

Paul

Hey, Paul,

You'll notice that many of us have our basic setups as part of our signatures. This saves time. In my case, I know that this is not a High Sierra issue and you aren't on 25.1 etc. You can update your profile by clicking on your name—you'll eventually find the fields.

Problems like this often show up in Console.app. Normally it is either a) Finale is looking for something it can't find b) loading an older version of something or c) something is loading that shouldn't. Although these should show up in the crash logs, often they won't. Console logs are time stamped and you often have to drill down to find the incident. Regarding (c), I once had a problem with Time Machine caused by Finale 2009 Help files; another time, it was an HP print driver from 2005 trying to load into Digital Performer 9.02. These did not show on crash reports because the apps never crashed. Removing the offending old code did the trick.

Anyway, Console may show something else happening (or failing) as Finale tries to load smartmusicsoftsynth64. Failure to load should generate a message and it may be something ancient trying to load at the same time.

Update on this issue.

Whatever the cause of the crashes, perhaps a corrupted file, all is resolved. I downloaded a fresh copy of Finale and re-installed it. Presto...problem solved. Thanks Mike et al.