SN Zero Synthesizer

I installed it yesterday (using the instructions in the .txt file), and the plugin isn't recognized by REAPER; a plugin scan doesn't find it.

I'm a bit confused because the installation instructions for the synth are in the zero-manual.pdf. In any case, Zero runs in Reaper (tested in v7.56), just make sure you have also installed all the necessary files (please, see Installation Notes at the bottom of this page: "If SN Zero does not load complaining about missing libc++.dll and libunwind.dll, download those files here and put them in the same directory where you've put zero.dll."). Then open Reaper and got to Options > Preferences... > Plug-ins > VST > Re-Scan > Clear cache and re-scan VST paths for all plugins.

txt/pdf...in any case, as you say, I read the instructions.
I edited the JSON file, I placed it and the dll in the VST2/Sender Spike/ folder.
REAPER didn't like zero.dll - it was in the list of failed plugins.
So, today I have:
I moved the support files mentioned on the download page (FWIW, those instructions would benefit your users if they were also in the pdf manual's installation section), and, using the list of failed plugins, clicked on zero.dll to trigger REAPER to trigger it to re-scan that one dll.
still no luck; REAPER doesn't like it.
I had avoided clearing REAPER's cache and doing a full re-scan because I have 2000+ plugins in the system (I'm a packrat, don't judge ?), and it takes a LONG time.
REAPER is re-scanning, now, I'll update you if it still doesn't like Zero.

While waiting for REAPER, I had cantabile lite do a scan. it found zero.dll, and loaded it, so that's something...I couldn't test it because while it's scanning/open, REAPER has control of the audio.

update:
REAPER (latest version, Windows 11) still rejects zero.dll (version 1.01)
however: Tracktion Waveform (a picky DAW) versions 12.5 and 13.5 scanned it, loaded it, and can play it.

HTH.

On the second thought, if my "shot in the dark" from my previous reply was true, Zero would not load in any DAW. So, I guess you can scratch that and look into manual editing of that reaper-vstplugins64.ini file.

"TBC: the update above, where I said REAPER STILL rejects zero.dll was post clear-cache-and-re-scan-all-plugins."

As I said, I cannot replicate that. Clearing cache solved the issue in my case (v7.56). Well, those are the mysteries of digital world :D. Then again, I'm not exactly interested in supporting hosts with, to put it mildly, non-standard VST2 support. My main yardstick is MPC Beats, which has rock-solid VST2 implementation, and I use Reaper only for its performance meter and also to see how such "non-standard" hosts will deal with Zero. So, taking all of your reports into account, I would not hold my breath that you'll be able to use Zero with Reaper in the future. Sorry;).

Oh, and another thing occurred to me -- since Reaper royally f*s up directory reporting/search, you may try to put those support libraries somewhere outside of VST directory and add that path to Windows Path variable (alternatively, put them in directory that already is in Path). Just a thought...

"REAPER didn't like zero.dll - it was in the list of failed plugins."

Yes, that was my experience too. I removed the path to those support files and made Zero fail to load. Reaper put it into its cache as failed plugin and when I enabled the path again Reaper simply didn't list it (restarting Reaper or normal scan for new plugins didn't work). The thing that resolved it was to clear the plugin cache. I can imagine that a mere thought about complete rescan can invoke nightmares in you. So, you may try to manually edit Reaper's plugin file C:\Users\<your user name>\AppData\Roaming\REAPER\reaper-vstplugins64.ini (that's the path I have on Windows 8) and delete Zero's entry. I, personally, didn't try it, but from what I gathered, such manual edit solved a lot of people's problems with Reaper and plugins. Another thought that occurred to me, and as far as I get it, those support files depend on Visual C++ Redistributable Packages for Visual Studio. In my case it's version 2013 (VC++ 12.0), which is not installed by default on Windows 10 and later. Frankly, I still don't exactly get how Clang deals with MSVCRT versioning, so this is really just a shot in the dark.

"FWIW, those instructions would benefit your users if they were also in the pdf manual's installation section"

Good point. Perhaps the most straightforward solution would be to simply distribute those files directly with the install package. Well, what can I say, I had to be told that those files are needed in the first place -- as I said, I'm totally new to Clang/MinGW and it clearly shows :D.

In any case, thank you very much for feedback :).

TBC: the update above, where I said REAPER STILL rejects zero.dll was post clear-cache-and-re-scan-all-plugins.

Good luck with the hacking, and I'll keep updating the plugin, and you, as things, um, develop. ?.

I just checked it and Reaper really cannot load those libraries from plugin's location. I had to put them in Windows/System32 for it to work. But as I said, I assume that any directory that is in Windows Path variable will work.

I installed v2 the other day, and it still wasn't appearing in REAPER; I came here to update you, and that when I saw your note about putting the .dlls in /System32.
Eureka! the plugin appears in REAPER and loads.