I can see some chatter about this in the past, but I can’t really find an answer.
Does anyone know where Cubase gets a "Port System Name” for a midi device?
I’m talking about this field here on the right:
It is not the “FriendlyName” name in Windows - so what is it?
WHY, DO I ASK?
Well, I have a couple MOTU MIDI interfaces, because they rock.
An XT, and a Micro Express. The Micro Express outs you can see there - “Port 1-6 on Micro”
SO…
I recently got ANOTHER micro express. Cuz I want more ports.
And what do I find in Cubase? They have the same forking "Port System Name” . Not numbered - the same. Check it out, doubles:
Furthermore - it seems that Cubase decided they WERE the same, and gave them the same “Show As” Name as well.
So To ID these ports I have to, like, record something off it and see which is which 
So how can I fix it? Am I simply not allowed to have any more MOTU gear :)?
I would change the registry info, except I already have. These names are not in there. So where are they?
Thanks if anyone can help!
1 Like
Hi,
It comes from the driver itself. The driver provides the name to the operating system and Cubase asks the OS to provide the MIDI Ports, including their names.
I believe that’s true, since MIDI OX shows me these names - but where in the driver do hey come from? I look at every field in the driver details, and find nothing that matches.
I want to find that string, edit it, and make this work.
But I fear it is impossiboru.
If only Cubase used a PID or a Friendly name or something unique.
If you’re on Windows you can do this in Registry. You’ll have to have a Google around for the correct location as I’m afraid I cannot remember it.
Note that if you update the drivers the registry naming will be reset.
1 Like
See that’s what I was hoping, because then I could edit it. But I am deep in the registry and can’t find it.
Do you know this to be true for real, or is this like, an educated guess type thing? (no worries if it is!)
This is a cool tool - but this is not the problem I am having.
I don’t have one device with two names… but TWO devices with ONE name!
Why not just unplug both of them, run USBDevview to delete their (duplicate) entries, reboot, plug in one, label the ports od that one as desired, plug in the other, and label the ports of the second one accordingly?
I tried it.
This is how it goes-
In Cubase, I plug in Device A, and label its ports in the “Show As” section “Ports A”
Then I unplug it, and plug in Device B.
Cubase shows it, with its posts already labeled as “Ports A”.
So I re-label them as “Ports B”.
Then I unplug it, plug in Device A again - and it’s ports are labled “Ports B”
MORE CURIOUSLY:
If I run both, I can label one as A and one as B,
But then if I go and assign midi clock output:
BOTH of these go to ‘device A’. Neither target Device B.
At least in MIDI-OX I can choose the output consistently, though the duplicate name is confusing.
I think I simply cannot run these devices together under Cubase. Which I can live with, I will setup the second one as a standalone router for clock.
But I do like fixing problems!
Interesting. Makes one wonder if anyone back in the day ever thought we’d need more than 8 MIDI ports (or 128 MIDI channels).
If my Midex ever dies, I’d try one of these: mioXL
Looks like a more modern take on things.
That does look awesome.
I might go that way if these MOTUs ever die. But lets be real, they never will 
Yes it’s true.
I had this exact issue a number of years ago.
Iirc you need to get the reg key from the driver page in device manager. But sorry I don’t have time to research it all again right now.
My mistake was not documenting exactly what I did.
My apologies, internet stranger, I mean you no harm.
I will scour the registry if it means I can fix this. I just already have and didn’t find anything. I’m pretty sure you are talking about FriendlyName, which didn’t work.
Did you really have exactly this problem?
For years now I just run a stand alone instance of bidule and route everything through virtual ports (loopMIDI allows naming virtual ports, and setting up as many as you want). I pretty much have Cubase set to ‘ignore’ MIDI hardware.
Why?
Too many drivers that aren’t good with multiple hosts (the first one that runs grabs the device and locks it from other software getting access). Naming issues. Also lets me set up a OSC server and work in some wireless stuff (tablets and such on the WAN). Plus a few other nit picky reasons (preference as opposed to real problems).
I might look into this.
I think for now I just run the new micro in standalone, and pipe a 5 pin into it.