How To Create VST Plugins? Information for those just getting started

DSP, Plugin and Host development discussion.
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aciddose wrote:The latest version does include the stuff you need, you just need to configure it correctly. Ensure you have the tools/sdk installed, and import the stuff needed to the project.

Using an old version of xcode/compiler is the absolute worst decision you could make. I do not advise this. I've had people recommend this to me and I disagreed with them. All you are doing is enabling yourself to become dependent upon an obsolete, unsupported version of a buggy and discontinued product. Xcode now uses completely different interfaces and formats. The compiler is completely different. Features are different. Libraries are different. The way things are set up is different.

In the near future you might see it becoming impossible to implement the functionality of modern OSX versions.

Only a fool should choose to do such a thing.
I guess I'm a fool. ;)
SOR8, Free AAX/RTAS/VST/AU
Classic Compressor plugin.
Based on acclaimed 8X compressor.
http://www.cocellproductions.com/Pensad ... lugin.html

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I agree with aciddose. Far better compiler and thus langage support, bug fixes in the APIs (when they didn't change, and they will for the future AU version)...

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I'm definitely going to use the latest tools.

Just to be sure:
Isn't the AU SDK automatically included in the standard Xcode install package? Atleast Apple's dev page said something along those lines.

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cocell wrote:I guess I'm a fool. ;)
We all make mistakes. There is a huge difference between being ignorant and remaining willfully ignorant.

In this case, Apple isn't exactly helping us. My opinion is that the documentation they provide is the worst documentation for anything, ever, period.

In my experience however I've found other developers who have worked with xcode/OSX/ios are often very willing to lend a hand and advice on how to deal with getting what you want out of the OS, compilers and IDEs or SDKs. Definitely a good idea to ask for help.
Free plug-ins for Windows, MacOS and Linux. Xhip Synthesizer v8.0 and Xhip Effects Bundle v6.7.
The coder's credo: We believe our work is neither clever nor difficult; it is done because we thought it would be easy.
Work less; get more done.

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Kraku wrote:Isn't the AU SDK automatically included in the standard Xcode install package? Atleast Apple's dev page said something along those lines.
They've been changing the xcode package from the app store so often that to be honest I have absolutely no idea.

I can tell you that:
  1. When I wanted to compile an AU, I needed to download additional components which were very difficult to source and configure correctly.
  2. When I wanted compatibility with older OSX versions, I had to manually add the libs to the xcode package as they for some reason do not provide a system to download/install these automatically, although xcode is designed to enable it.
Expect things to be difficult.

That said try going through the process of adding those (libs? what do they call them in xcode?) to the project and see if you can select the ones needed for an AU to compile. The latest versions of xcode have become much better.

You just need to watch out for and expect most of the third-party documentation and knowledge online to talk about versions of xcode released five or more years ago. The releases have come so quickly for OSX and xcode in the recent past that it seems even Apple's own documentation is for the most part completely out of date. It'll say something like "do X, Y and Z to enable this", and the latest version of xcode doesn't have "X, Y" anymore :)

Identical situation on the Windows side with visual studio and its documentation. Try figuring out how to install the latest directx debugging libs for 64-bit and VS2015 without using the "community" version. Microsoft recently changed their site so you get 404 errors on a lot of links from the main pages as well as "Microsoft no longer operates the _____ service so you'll need to download what you need elsewhere." Elsewhere!? Like where? :)
Free plug-ins for Windows, MacOS and Linux. Xhip Synthesizer v8.0 and Xhip Effects Bundle v6.7.
The coder's credo: We believe our work is neither clever nor difficult; it is done because we thought it would be easy.
Work less; get more done.

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Wow! How does Apple think the devs get anything done for their system?

Hmm, what about VST SDK on OSX? Is it much easier to get up and running?

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Easier than what?

It would be difficult to generalize here, but I can tell you that a working VST plugin on OSX does not require any additional linkage or the same sort of special configuration that an AU requires.

That said, it is in exactly the same package format and requires near identical effort to configure the output correctly.

On Windows where the .dll is specified with a single option "compile as exe" vs. "compile as dll" and the entry point main() or WinMain() is renamed to DllMain().

Linux uses dynamic libraries named .so, which are approximately like .dll libraries on Windows.

OSX plugins are in a special format (a directory) which contains additional resources/data and metadata/configuration.
Free plug-ins for Windows, MacOS and Linux. Xhip Synthesizer v8.0 and Xhip Effects Bundle v6.7.
The coder's credo: We believe our work is neither clever nor difficult; it is done because we thought it would be easy.
Work less; get more done.

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Hi guys, i'm new to making vst's. Been using fruity loops for about 10 years and decided to have a go at making my own synth, on FL11 using Synthmaker/Flowstone. My vst works fine within Synthmaker and fine when i export as a vst and use in FL11, but when i send the .dll to anyone else or try it in another version of Fruity Loops it wont load and comes up with an error message 'There was a problem opening 'my vst' for an unknown reason. Please make sure it has been installed correctly'.

Does anyone have any idea why this is happening?

Thanks
Ste

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djbrucey wrote:Hi guys, i'm new to making vst's. Been using fruity loops for about 10 years and decided to have a go at making my own synth, on FL11 using Synthmaker/Flowstone. My vst works fine within Synthmaker and fine when i export as a vst and use in FL11, but when i send the .dll to anyone else or try it in another version of Fruity Loops it wont load and comes up with an error message 'There was a problem opening 'my vst' for an unknown reason. Please make sure it has been installed correctly'.

Does anyone have any idea why this is happening?

Thanks
Ste
Hi Ste, welcome to the forum. Create a new topic for your question. You might get a few more responses that way.

Shannon

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Hi, I make another plugin framework: https://github.com/p0nce/dplug

And here is a tutorial: http://www.auburnsounds.com/blog/2016-0 ... ith-D.html

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ponce wrote:Hi, I make another plugin framework: https://github.com/p0nce/dplug

And here is a tutorial: http://www.auburnsounds.com/blog/2016-0 ... ith-D.html
Tried it, installed everything, compiled without errors on first try - doesn't happen often to me. :tu:

Although the GUI is a bit too colourful for me, I was pleasantly surprised about the rest so far, especially about the ease of use. I'd like to say thank you for this contribution, it really looks like something that could finally be up my alley after not being satisfied with other frameworks (read: .. after failing to try oh so often)

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Much appreciated! And a good opportunity for getting familiar with D (language).

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Has anybody here used Blue Cat’s Plug’n? Most of the coding I've done is web development stuff, so this seems more my pace.
Thoracius Appotite | Classic, retro, lo-fi synth patch banks for: microKORG, microKORG XL, KORG minilogue, KORG monologue, Arturia MicroFreak

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I just made this "awesome list" with my favourite DSP and audio programming resources (focussing on C++).

https://github.com/olilarkin/awesome-musicdsp

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hibrasil wrote:I just made this "awesome list" with my favourite DSP and audio programming resources (focussing on C++).

https://github.com/olilarkin/awesome-musicdsp
Awesome list, indeed!

Thank you for including AudioKit.

AudioKit Synth One. Free & open-source iOS Synthesizer:
http://audiokitpro.com/synth

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