KVR Audio

Ben [Camel Audio] · Post by **Ben [Camel Audio]** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 2:23 pm

Hi,

I'm just in the process of writing an installer. I want the installer to figure out where the users VSTPlugins directory is, and offer that as the default place to install to. I read on the VSTPlugins list that

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\VST is the key. The value is a REG_SZ called VSTPluginsPath,
with the string being the complete path of the folder.

However, my machine has Nuendo 2 and FL Studio installed on it, and there doesn't seem to be a 'VST' within 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software'. Do you have any idea why? How should I go about getting the Vst plugins directory?

Also, I'm planning to use the opensource installer NSIS http://nsis.sourceforge.net/home/ which looks good. I don't suppose anyone else has used this, and would care to share their installer .nsi file, would they?

Thanks
Ben

scuzzphut · Post by **scuzzphut** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 2:38 pm

mine is here, Ben

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VST\VSTPluginsPath

the value is the actual path to the plugins.

just as it says.

What is your OS? Is it possible that it's under Current_user instead? Maybe your machine is set up as multi user and so settings like that are stored on a user-by-user basis?

Wopelka · Post by **Wopelka** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 2:40 pm

i'm not a developer, only a FL owner (and lover)...

i've noticed that the installers that can search for Vstplugins folders never find the FL VST folder... so i guess it's not possible to do it... on the other hand, as a user i find much more useful to have the possibility to manually search for the right folder (thanks to an explorer window) - the automatic search is usually a very long process (counted in minutes).

just my 2 cents...

Ben [Camel Audio] · Post by **Ben [Camel Audio]** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 2:45 pm

Hi Scuzzphut,

What is your OS? Is it possible that it's under Current_user instead? Maybe your machine is set up as multi user and so settings like that are stored on a user-by-user basis?

Thanks for your thoughts. I'm running 2000. I've checked in current_user, and its not there either. In fact, I just searched for 'vst' and it didn't turn up anything relevant. Maybe neither Nuendo or FL Studio create this key? If someone can provide a counter example, that would be handy (eg. they have just FL Studio installed and the key is present). I am admittedly not too familiar with fiddling about with the registry, but it really doesn't seem to be there.

Wopelka - thanks for that. My theory that neither of these apps create the key is looking likely. Mind you, given that Steinberg invented the standard, you might think they'd create it, but perhaps not. Anyway, I think perhaps the best behaviour is to default to the key if its there, and if not, default to something sensible like $PROGRAM_FILES\VstPlugins, and then let the user browse for their VstPlugins directory? Any thoughts on this?

Ben

Ben [Camel Audio] · Post by **Ben [Camel Audio]** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 3:03 pm

I've got another question. Whats the generally preferred way of doing things - to install straight into Vstplugins, or to into Vstplugins\Myplugin? The reason I ask is that things like the manual will be easier for the user to find if its in a subdirectory, but on the other hand, its a bit more hassle for people to find from their hosts. Any thoughts?

And here's another I'd be interested in comments on. I could create entries in the start menu to the manual and so on. I could also create a link for the demo version, so that people can buy. On the one hand, this would make things easier for users to find, on the other, it will clutter up their start menu. Any thoughts?

Thanks
Ben

scuzzphut · Post by **scuzzphut** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 3:11 pm

My thoughts.

(1) I prefer it when plugins install to vstplugins\pluginname. That way I can keep patches in there and know where to find the,. Your other reasons - the help file, the readme, the manual - are all good ones too. The downside is that in some hosts (Cubase for a start) will structure your plugins according to directories. It's not really a big enough downer to warrant "everything in one big barrel"

(2) If you're going to put stuff on the start menu, ask first. Also make sure to put an uninstall link on the start menu if the user allows. If not - pop up a dialog with "to uninstall - run 'vstplugins\myplugin\uninstall.exe' or whatever.

I agree with Wopelka in that you shouldn't run a search for the right folder. If the key isn't there, default to something sensible and ask the user, just like you said.

Wopelka · Post by **Wopelka** » Tue Jun 01, 2004 3:12 pm

all my VST(i)s are in the FL VST folder under Program Files/FL Studio 4/etc. That's needed by FL Studio for the scanning of existing plugins, i believe. My other host being Sonar, that's not a problem as all the plugins are 'DXied' by the VST Adapter...

i think the best way of doing things is to let the users decide where they want the plugins to be installed - the browser thing in other words.

cheers

stefankuhn · Post by **stefankuhn** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 6:40 am

Ben [Camel Audio] wrote:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\VST is the key. The value is a REG_SZ called VSTPluginsPath,
with the string being the complete path of the folder.

Hello Ben,

Steinberg's products used to create and use this key for their products until SX 1 and WaveLab 4.
A lot of other vendors accepted this key as sort of "standard location" to look for vst plugins.

However, since SX 1 / WaveLab 4 (can't say about Nuendo) they do not create this key and also do not seem to look it up when scanning for plug-ins.
At least my Cubase SX 1 doesn't. You have to specify each plug-in directory explicitly in the program and it's stored in a different registry location.

It seems to be a sign o' the time to move away from standards and turn to proprietary solutions...

Best,
Stefan

Miles1981 · Post by **Miles1981** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 8:04 am

In fact, you can have several vst folders - in Traktion or Cubase SX or Nuendo, it is the case -. Installers detect one of them, but I don't know how. I'll have to check that once...

valley · Post by **valley** » Wed Jun 02, 2004 12:44 pm

Ben [Camel Audio] wrote:I've got another question. Whats the generally preferred way of doing things - to install straight into Vstplugins, or to into Vstplugins\Myplugin?

Personally I tend to organize my plugins by:

vstplugins\<type>\<company>\<plugin>\

where type is fx or synth

I don't really care how vsts go about installing themselves as long as they give me a choice where to install them, and more importantly they SHOW THE FULL CORRECT INSTALL PATH in their dialog box. If a plugin is going to put itself in a sub folder, it should alert the user to that before doing it.

antti · Post by **antti** » Thu Jun 03, 2004 1:06 pm

Ben [Camel Audio] wrote:I've got another question. Whats the generally preferred way of doing things - to install straight into Vstplugins, or to into Vstplugins\Myplugin? The reason I ask is that things like the manual will be easier for the user to find if its in a subdirectory, but on the other hand, its a bit more hassle for people to find from their hosts. Any thoughts?

Allow the user to choose. Suggest a reasonable default so they can just click OK if the default place is fine.

I hate it when plugins automatically want to install to some system directory and write to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and thus require admin rights for something that should not require any such things.
Two simple rules that'll avoid annoyance and give professional look: Ask where to install and ask whether to install globally (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) or for this user (HKEY_CURRENT_USER).

exponent10 · Post by **exponent10** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 5:33 pm

Also, I'm planning to use the opensource installer NSIS http://nsis.sourceforge.net/home/ which looks good. I don't suppose anyone else has used this, and would care to share their installer .nsi file, would they?

If you still need it, I could give you a partial installer for you to look at (cant give you all of it, cos that would release part of our CP).

But all the important stuff i could show you.
Drop me an email at paul[at]expdigital[dot]co[dot]uk if you still need it

And by the way - good choice on NSIS - It rocks!

Paul

jouni · Post by **jouni** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 6:26 pm

One possibility would be try to search for several keys and take the first one to find (or give list from which to choose - good installer software can do that).

Eg. Search for Cubase, Nuendo, Orion, Logic, Fruity and such host registry keys and determine their default vst paths (and check for the existance of the directory). Then list all existing paths in a drop down menu. Also let user to choose different path than the suggested. I haven't seen installer yet to do this.. yet it shouldn't be hard to do.

sjm · Post by **sjm** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 6:34 pm

allow the user to type in the install path (don't just use a window displaying the directory structure) - sometimes it's just quicker to type the path; especially if you have a decent directory structure. Nothing worse than having to use the mouse when the keyboard is quicker...
The focus should automatically be on this field (as if the user wants to use the mouse to select the folder, they will click on the directroy structure anyway)

stefancrs · Post by **stefancrs** » Thu Jun 17, 2004 7:12 am

sjm wrote:allow the user to type in the install path (don't just use a window displaying the directory structure) - sometimes it's just quicker to type the path; especially if you have a decent directory structure. Nothing worse than having to use the mouse when the keyboard is quicker...
The focus should automatically be on this field (as if the user wants to use the mouse to select the folder, they will click on the directroy structure anyway)

Tab completion! Tab completion!

Vst plugins registry key