Novation Automap causing Cubase 12 to hang while initializing VST Connect

I’m having issues with novation automap (version 4.12). This does not happen with older versions of Cubase, and it wasn’t even happening with C12 earlier today. Then I tried to start/reinstall automap, and now C12 hangs when trying to do VST connect. I’d post an image if I could find a way to do that.
Lower left corner says:

Version 12.0.52 - Built on 24 November 2022
Initializing: !VST Connect (automap).vst3

Task Manager (win10) says Cubase 12 not responding

This happens if I use current preferences, or if I disable 3rd party plug-ins and disable preferences. In the 2nd case, task manager says that it’s the secondary process
Checking Licenses…
which is not responding.

Now, if I delete choose delete preferences from the troubleshooting menu, and disable 3rd party plugins, I get the same result as when I use current preferences. But I notice the task manager says C12 is not responding when everything appears to be going fine during the earlier part of the initialization. Similar results happen if the automap server is not running.

Novation has not updated automap for 4 years. They say it’s not needed with modern DAWs. Fair enough, but how do I stop C12 from trying to load it. There is no file called “(automap.vst3)”, but there are a number of files starting with “!” and ending with "(automap.vst3)"in folders for specific versions of cubase, and in “C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3”. The most recent of these is dated in November of 2021.

Should I archive and delete these files?

Answer: just delete the file C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Cubase 12\VST3!VST Connect(Automap).vst3.
It appears that Cubase 12 attempting to load this file is what causes the hang. There’s some incompatibility which wasn’t there for earlier versions of Cubase.

Update: I’ve found files named “!VST Connect (Automap).vst3” dating from 2018 in “C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Cubase *”, where * = 8 or 8.5 or 9 or 9.5 or 10 or 10.5 or 11 or 12. They all have the same date. Tomorrow, I’ll try deleting the version for Cubase 12 and see what happens. Unless I hear otherwise.

I know I’m not much use but i still use and love automap for building templates, it’s a damn sight better than the new remote app which i fear will be causing the issue you are having, ive tried to get an Sl 2 and an Sl zero both to work on the new app and you can’t use the buttons, or pads. I’ll leave it there as that’s a different subject. . If it is the new app that’s causing the conflict with automap we are in controller brick land .
Hope you find away around it

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It was very good when working but no longer.

If you see crashes with projects saved with wrapped plugins and want the instance parameters to comeback, I thought you have to install automap first, wrap the plug-in then unwrap.
If it’s just about vstconnect you can just remove those wrapped files.

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Answer: just delete the file C:\Program Files\Steinberg\Cubase 12\VST3!VST Connect(Automap).vst3.
It appears that Cubase 12 attempting to load this file is what causes the hang. There’s some incompatibility which wasn’t there for earlier versions of Cubase.

Simply drag the image file onto your reply editor window. See the Forum Guide (New here? Read this.)

I’m pretty sure that automap wraps existing vst plug-ins as they are installed. Hence all the names starting with ! and ending with (automap). This is its way of trying to allow the MIDI keyboard to control the plugins. Cubase sees Automap as a device. The existing plugins are not deleted, they are simply copied and wrapped. (“Wrapped” = Adapter design pattern, Go4). Thus there’s no need to unwrap them. Just get rid of them.

Yes this was the way to resolve the graphic issue with the big meter , delete the Vst 3 Automap file , it meant not being able to control the newer plugin’s but we still had control of 80% of the program

The problem is when you open projects with wrapped plugin on systems that have no automap installed, cubase may crash, not 100% depending on which plugin are wrapped and used. You can’t replace those ! plugins until you install automap on the system.