Fractal-Bot

About Fractal-Bot

Fractal-Bot is a free software utility for Fractal Audio devices.

Use Fractal-Bot to:

• Update the firmware of the device.
• Update the USB firmware of the device.
• Send and retrieve single presets or preset banks.
• Send and retrieve a single IR or cab banks.
• Backup and restore system data, including Global blocks.
• Backup and restore the configuration of FC controllers.

You can download the latest standalone version of Fractal-Bot for Windows or macOS.

Fractal-Bot is also available embedded inside the editors in Tools > Fractal-Bot…. The embedded version is more convenient, whereas the standalone version has some additional capabilities.

For more information see:

• The Owners Manuals.
• The Fractal-Bot forum.
• The WICKED WIKI 5: No Excuse for No Backup discussion.

Read this first

• Always create backups of your presets etc. on a regular basis! Fractal-Bot makes it fast and easy.
• To connect Fractal-Bot to your computer, you may need to install a driver for your operating system. read this: USB.
• Use the correct USB port (USB-B, or USB-C on VP4).
• Fractal-Bot is available as a standalone application, and as an embedded tool in the editors.
• In case of issues, verify that you're running the latest version of Fractal-Bot.
• In case of connection issues, try another USB cable first.
• To prevent communications issues, don't run Fractal-Bot and the editor at the same time.
• If Fractal-Bot hangs during transfers, check for corrupted presets or cabs.
• When using Global blocks in your presets, make sure to back up the system data too.
• After restoring system data to your device, shut down your device and boot it again.
• The "Auto-Update Firmware" feature in Fractal-Bot doesn't signal beta versions of firmware.
• Fractal-Bot doesn't save your editor's Library. The contents are already stored on your computer.
• If you've restored presets to your device with Fractal-Bot, and they don't seem to appear on your device, make sure that the device is running current firmware.
• When using an Axe-Fx II, disable USB Adapter Mode.
• If something goes wrong when installing new firmware, and your device won't boot, read this: Emergency boot recovery.

Working with Fractal-Bot

Connect

Fractal-Bot uses the same kind of connection as the editor does. Read this: Editors

Launch from within the editor

The embedded version of Fractal-Bot is located in the editors' Tools menu. It is the same as the standalone version.

Auto-update

Fractal-Bot checks for updates itself and will notify you if an update is available.

Update firmware

Read this: Firmware

Install factory presets

Read this: Factory presets

Utility mode (hidden)

In some cases, the standalone version of Fractal-Bot is used to operate in a special mode:

1. Hold CTRL on Windows or COMMAND on macOS.
2. Click Select Device to reveal and select the hidden Utility menu option.
3. Select the output port.
4. A MIDI Buffer Delay will appear, set this to 300 ms.

Tips, tricks and troubleshooting

Check available firmware

Hold down the Control key on windows or the Command key on Mac and click on the device in the device drop down. Fractal-Bot will display the most recent firmware available on the server. [1]

Snapshots

Saving Snapshots in the editor is another way to quickly create backups of presets. Read this: Editors

Speed up transfers

Switching to an empty preset before launching Fractal-Bot may speed up data transfers.

Don't run Fractal-Bot and the editor at the same time

The standalone version of Fractal-Bot and a software editor cannot run at the same time. This is to avoid confusing the hardware.

Trying to do so will result in an error message from Fractal-Bot if the editor was already running…

or similar to this from Edit if Fractal-Bot was already running…

If the Browse button doesn't work

If the Browse button doesn't work, exit Fractal-Bot, delete the file Fractal-Bot.settings and restart.

Emergency Boot Recovery

In the event of issues during or after upgrading firmware, try the Emergency boot recovery process.