KVR Audio

McLilith · Post by **McLilith** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 3:12 pm

After being away from things for a few years, I decided to return to the music software scene and learn to create my own VST plugins. What is currently the best choice of C++ compiler and/or IDE for creating VST plugins?

I'll be using a 64-bit, Windows 10 system for my development. I'm hoping to find a compiler and IDE that are available at no cost, but still well suited for VST development. I want to make sure my development environment is a good match for the current Steinberg VST SDK. What are my best options?

Also, should I primarily concentrate on 64-bit VST3 creation? That seems to be the latest standard.

Once upon a time, I did tech support for Camel Audio, back in its early days. I even wrote a utility program that created morphing files for their Cameleon 5000 synth. That small program is my only piece of music software so far, but that's a long way from the complexity of VST creation. So, I'm still a beginner in this area. I appreciate any tips people can give me to help me get started.

Thanks,
Glen

Miles1981 · Post by **Miles1981** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 3:38 pm

Visual Studio 2017 hands down. You won't be able to find anything better for free.

Then try to use a framework for plugin support like WDL-OL or JUCE, and I would also recommend using a DSP library to jump start everything (hint: use mine :p)

McLilith · Post by **McLilith** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 3:50 pm

Miles1981 wrote:Visual Studio 2017 hands down. You won't be able to find anything better for free.

Then try to use a framework for plugin support like WDL-OL or JUCE, and I would also recommend using a DSP library to jump start everything (hint: use mine :p)

Is "Visual Studio Community 2017" the version I should download then? That seems to be the only free option, unless I overlooked something.

I'll definitely check out those other suggestions too.

Thanks!

whyterabbyt · Post by **whyterabbyt** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 3:58 pm

Miles1981 wrote:Visual Studio 2017 hands down. You won't be able to find anything better for free.

I was rather impressed with VS Code not being a massively overblown monolith, FWIW.

PurpleSunray · Post by **PurpleSunray** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 4:04 pm

I use Visual Studio as an IDE and "clang with Microsoft CodeGen" as compiler (uses clang frontend with msvc code-generators on the backend).
Using it mainly because I'm sick of fixing compile issue between MSVC and gcc when switching platfroms... clang 4all has solved it.

resynthesis · Post by **resynthesis** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 4:22 pm

Is The Projucer working correctly with VS2017 now? Last I looked VS2017 support was still in the dev branch.

nonnaci · Post by **nonnaci** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 5:01 pm

VST2 is still more commonly supported by DAWs than VST3.

Miles1981 · Post by **Miles1981** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 5:14 pm

whyterabbyt wrote:
Miles1981 wrote:Visual Studio 2017 hands down. You won't be able to find anything better for free.
I was rather impressed with VS Code not being a massively overblown monolith, FWIW.

VS Code doesn't support C++. And it's nothing like VS.

Miles1981 · Post by **Miles1981** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 5:19 pm

resynthesis wrote:Is The Projucer working correctly with VS2017 now? Last I looked VS2017 support was still in the dev branch.

yes

whyterabbyt · Post by **whyterabbyt** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 5:48 pm

Miles1981 wrote:
whyterabbyt wrote:
Miles1981 wrote:Visual Studio 2017 hands down. You won't be able to find anything better for free.
I was rather impressed with VS Code not being a massively overblown monolith, FWIW.
VS Code doesn't support C++.

You might want to let Microsoft know that, they seem to be labouring under a misapprehension.

https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/languages/cpp

And it's nothing like VS.

Did someone claim it was?

resynthesis · Post by **resynthesis** » Tue Jun 06, 2017 7:54 pm

Miles1981 wrote:
resynthesis wrote:Is The Projucer working correctly with VS2017 now? Last I looked VS2017 support was still in the dev branch.
yes

Ace, thanks

Miles1981 · Post by **Miles1981** » Wed Jun 07, 2017 4:22 pm

whyterabbyt wrote:You might want to let Microsoft know that, they seem to be labouring under a misapprehension.

https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/languages/cpp

Thanks, this is new, but it still only preview. I wouldn't trust it yet.

syntonica · Post by **syntonica** » Thu Jan 25, 2018 6:18 am

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but my code is ready to go through the Windows grinder to see what comes out the other end. Since my latest version is XP, and I am loath to spend money on a newer version because m$, are there any recommends for a Wine-based C/C++ compiler, IDE, editor, etc. that people are using successfully? I'm pretty sure I can do all my testing in Wine.

stratum · Post by **stratum** » Thu Jan 25, 2018 9:18 am

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but my code is ready to go through the Windows grinder to see what comes out the other end. Since my latest version is XP, and I am loath to spend money on a newer version because m$, are there any recommends for a Wine-based C/C++ compiler, IDE, editor, etc. that people are using successfully? I'm pretty sure I can do all my testing in Wine.

A wine based c++ compiler for targeting windows and supposedly that choice is better than XP? I guess this is a joke.

Install windows 7 instead. You can evalute it for 120 days.
Just type 'slmgr -rearm' at the console (admin rights needed) at the end of every activation period, and a new one will start 4 times. Completely legal..

syntonica · Post by **syntonica** » Thu Jan 25, 2018 7:54 pm

Wow. Sorry you get so ****hurt over Wine. However, strange as it may seem to you, I hate Windows. I dont like using it, I don't like installing it, I don't like supporting it, and I'm discovering that I really don't like programming for it.

Wine can pretend to be 32-bit or 64-bit and from Windows XP on up, so is more flexible than the no-longer-supported XP. I'm looking for modern tools which will refuse to run on XP.

So no, I am not looking for a "wine based c++ compiler", I'm looking for modern programming tools which can be used with Wine, preferably a full-blown IDE (what can I say? I'm optimistic.), but short of that, a compiler that I can use Make with to produce executables. Since I'm not experienced with Make (coming from Mac and Java background), I would rather get suggestions rather than trying to muddle through swampy territory with no guarantee of success.

If you have proven suggestions directly related to this topic, I'm happy to hear them.

Current Best Suggestions for C++ Compiler / IDE?