ML crash on exit with my plugin

[sl23]

I have spent many hours trying to resolve this, but I am not sure if it is me or MuLab. Likely it is my project at fault. I found a repeatable crash, but although it is repeatable, I can't seem to resolve it.

I load my plugin, PolyHostInterface.vst3, it runs fine no issues. But I've been trying to test plugin load and missing plugin failures. PHI works ok in this regard, but if a plugin is not found for some reason, on closing ML, there is nearly always a crash. Is this likely my plugin or MuLab?

Ok, so a bit more detail... PHI loads other VST2x64 and VST3x64 plugins as preset chains. It provides several other features, but the main issue is that if a PHI preset is loaded with a plugin not found or failed to load it, then ML crashes only on exit. I'm guessing it has something to do with how ML saves the project maybe and it is getting confused by the missing plugin in PHI, just a guess, as I said.

I can post the plugin and link to source if required. But just wanted a quick response before doing that.
Thanks Jo.

[MuTools]

First of all:
Are you loading plugins inside your host-plugin that are also plugged into MuLab directly?
For example:
Plug X is inserted into a MuLab rack slot.
PHI is inserted in another MuLab rack slot.
That same Plug X is also plugged into PHI.
Because that's a case not supported by VST3 due to the initDll and exitDll design issue.

but the main issue is that if a PHI preset is loaded with a plugin not found or failed to load it, then ML crashes only on exit. I'm guessing it has something to do with how ML saves the project maybe and it is getting confused by the missing plugin in PHI.

MuLab/any plugin host does not know what happens inside a plugin.
A plugin could be generating/processing audio, it could be making a salad, it could be navigating starships... anything. There are only a restricted amount of interface functions between host and plug as defined in the VST3 API.

[sl23]

No its simpler than that. PHI is a plugin host itself, it loads and contains those plugins, not in a sidechain type way you stated. Phi loads plugins directly into it, I suppose like MuLab does? Not sure.
Here's a pic of ML and PHI:

Th.09-6.17.10.jpg

effectively, it is a host within a host.

[MuTools]

It sounds like you misunderstood what i wrote. Maybe i wasn't clear. It has nothing to do with side-chaining. It has to do with DLL loading. Anyway, if you encounter an issue with the plugin you're developing make sure to test it in various hosts using the exact same circumstances. Ask help in plug dev fora on the web. I'm sorry but i can't help with developing plugins, I already have a huge shortage of dev time myself.

Oh by the way: What's missing in MUX Modular that you want to implement in your host-plug?

[sl23]

Yeah no worries, I tried Reaper, but couldnt get it to load so there are some issues, but I just have a lot of testing to do in other hosts. I appreciate you dont have time, I just wondered if this might be a MuLab issue or something. Thanks for your time.

Missing? Oh, I see what you mean. Well, if you try out my plugin, you'll see it is a massive expansion on Stefan Mattings PointerCC app. This had many issues, I asked if he could fix them and gave several other ideas, which he agreed on, but then nothing happened. I wanted a host like MiniHost etc, made an app version of PHI, then made an even better VST3 version. I added PointerCC and have blown that program right up. This plugin does that and a lot more:
- Loads VST2/3
- PointerCC is basically a function that allows users to use Midi hardware to control the mouse. Why? because instead of having 50 hardware knobs to control a synth, you use between 3 and 5, with some other Midi CC's assignable to Mouse buttons Left, Middle, Right for navigating menus etc. Today I added and improved many other things.
- Midi Monitor window
- Missing/Failed plugin repairs
- Tabbed interface for loading chains of Synth/FX. All Synths are played in parallel, then you can reorder them all on the Routing View to have different synths go through different FX, only basic, but works ok. I thought about implementing full on modular, but didn't want to take anything away from you and MuLab! But also, a lot more work, not that I would mind, but I wanted something faster and simpler.
- I had to add Midi Macros as traditional direct Midi mapping isn't possible inside the JUCE platform, at least, not when JUCE is the middle man. Up to 128 Macros available.
Just some features.

But years ago I asked if you could add a feature and you declined, understandable! No worries!
The feature I requested was wherever the mouse is, allow a hardware to act as the scroll wheel. But PHI does that and also allows setting points on a plugin gui where it snaps to and then you can scroll.

If you're interested in the ideas, feel free to copy them implement what you want or steal my code, it's only AI generated anyway, and probably nowhere near your standards I expect! lol
Here's my github page for PolyHostInterface. Check the gifs at the bottom of the page to see pointerCC in action. I'll upload the latest version soon, so you can actually test it if you like!

EDIT: Btw, the whole purpose of PointerCC is that it requires very little setup, in fact almost none if a point map is already available, and I've made these shareable too! You simply load your plugin and can use your hardware to control X, Y, Adjustment (switchable between Scroll and Drag emulation), Left/Middle/Right mouse buttons, Keyboard emulation of Up Arrow/Down Arrow/Enter for menu operation. This means setting a total of 12 CC's on your hardware, but they never have to change! You use the exact same CC's to control ANY plugin!

EDIT: If you like the idea enough to implement PointerCC into ML, I would credit Stefan Matting for the original idea, and please do the same for me for the expansion on it. Thanks.

[sl23]

Actually, is anyone out there willing to test and give feedback for use in other DAW's?
Doesn’t load in Reaper though, I will try to get it fixed!