Where do VST plugins belong?

slacy wrote on 4/26/2005, 2:28 PM

Seems there are several locations for plugins, particularly if you're running multiple versions of Vegas. In what path do I place the dlls for VST plugins?

Comments

Spot|DSE wrote on 4/26/2005, 2:30 PM

I recommend creating a folder on your root directory called "VST."
Some apps will autosniff there, but others (including Vegas) won't. But you can point anything to it when you need to.
Of course, you can put this folder anywhere you want, I simply find it easiest to have it in a root.

Gary_G wrote on 4/26/2005, 3:49 PM

Vegas 6 creates a directory under the "Program Files" directory called "Vstplugins", if you put your plugins there they'll be recognized. You can also do as Spot suggested and point Vegas to your other VST Plugin directories by going to the options:preferences:VST effects menu.

The only other thing I discovered was that Vegas can only use VST effects not instruments. It's pretty obvious really, but not knowing much about VST plugins it confused me at first :-}.

Gary

Ben wrote on 4/26/2005, 4:29 PM

>>> The only other thing I discovered was that Vegas can only use VST effects not instruments.<<<

Please see the audio forum for enlightenment. And see every other host/multitrack app for a taste of what you and the Vegas community is missing. Four letters for you - MIDI.

Ben

Spot|DSE wrote on 4/26/2005, 5:09 PM

Gary, I forgot that Sony now creates a folder. I've been using VSTs for years with a wrapper in Vegas, and so just was using my manually created VST folder.
Your suggestion is the better one, only because Vegas will scan that one automatically.

JohnnyRoy wrote on 4/26/2005, 6:30 PM

Actually, the "official" path to scan for VST’s is recorded in the Windows registry. If Vegas creates a directory then it probably updates this. Look for the key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VST\VSTPluginsPath

This is where VST applications should search for VST plugins. Mine is C:\Program Files\Vstplugins. Probably because I was using VST’s with ACID before Vegas. If you install any Steinberg apps it will be C:\Programs Files\Steinberg\Vstplugins. Applications like Tracktion will search here but also place them in their own directory (go figure). So there really isn’t one set place.

~jr

pwppch wrote on 4/26/2005, 7:34 PM

Johnny's got it right.

This is what the VST SDK "suggests" be done. However, not all vendors follow this rule - especially plug in vendors. Some just assumet that you have a Steinberg app installed and attempt to install there. Some plugs let you install copies to multiple directories.

Yes, a bit of a pain, but this is the nature of the VST world.

However, Vegas lets you defined two additional locations for VSTs that it will scan in.

I do recommend that if you are installing/trying out some of the freeware/shareware VSTs, that you make a special dir to test them from. That way if a misbehaved VST causes Vegas grief, you can easily remove it with out having to muck around with registry settings and such.

Peter

Spot|DSE wrote on 4/26/2005, 7:37 PM

I do recommend that if you are installing/trying out some of the freeware/shareware VSTs, that you make a special dir to test them from.

This is exactly why I work from a directory on my root drive....fast to find and kill bad VST plugs. For those who haven't worked with the freebie VST's, about one in ten is bad, or will cause system problems.