Custom VST plugins folder location = not as simple as it looks!

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jyeager11
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2011/03/27 22:32:43 (permalink)

Custom VST plugins folder location = not as simple as it looks!

Installing new DAW on new Solid State Drive.

I am trying to consolidate all my VST's and VSTi's into a new hierarchy :

D:\VstPlugins\32\Company
D:\VstPlugins\64\Company

When Sonar X1 x64 prompted me for location of FX dll's, I put them in D:\VstPlugins\64\Cakewalk.

And there's a whole bunch there. BitMeter, Boost11, DropZone, Linear EQ, etc.

However, other dll's, like Sonitus, Ampsim, Classic Phaser, etc. are in C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\Shared Plugins.

Am I being too naive in thinking it's actually POSSIBLE to consolidate all the dll's under one roof? Other software, like MusicLab RealGuitar 2L, will automatically drop their .dll's in Cakewalk's default plugin folder without prompting me for a custom location, so I'd really like to just DELETE all VST folders from C:\ altogether.

Can't I just grab all these DLLs in C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\Shared Plugins and move them to D:\VstPlugins\64\Cakewalk?

Or am I asking for trouble down the line by being so stingy?
#1

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    A1MixMan
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    Re:Custom VST plugins folder location = not as simple as it looks! 2011/03/27 22:35:34 (permalink)
    I put all of my 3rd party VST's in folders just like you above. But I let Cakewalk put there's where ever they wanted. Works great that way.
     
    Which SSD drive did you buy? And was it worth it? 

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    jyeager11
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    Re:Custom VST plugins folder location = not as simple as it looks! 2011/03/27 22:39:05 (permalink)
    A1MixMan

    I put all of my 3rd party VST's in folders just like you above. But I let Cakewalk put there's where ever they wanted. Works great that way.
    The problem with that idea is that, as I explained in the OP, some programs like Musiclab RealGuitar 2L will auto-scan your system and drop the .dll in the default Cakewalk VST folder, if it exists. I figured that if I OUTRIGHT DELETED the VstPlugins folder located in the Cakewalk hierarchy, these programs would stop automatically putting stuff there, and prompt me for location. But then what if Cakewalk tries to put stuff there? Hence the idea to move everything - even Sonar's own FX .dll's - to another new location.

    But you're probably right, I should leave well enough alone.
    #3
    wormser
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    Re:Custom VST plugins folder location = not as simple as it looks! 2011/03/27 22:59:25 (permalink)
    I believe the system has a default VST folder set in the registry and is usually a folder designated by the first DAW program you install.

    It's a complicated mess because some plugins use that folder, others are hardwired for \steinberg\cubase\vstplugins as if everyone on earth uses Cubase.

    As if that weren't bad enough, some plugins don't allow you to just move the *.dll file without somehow letting the program itself know about it.
    Others will let you put the file anywhere you like and will work.

    I say tread carefully.

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    #4
    John
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    Re:Custom VST plugins folder location = not as simple as it looks! 2011/03/27 23:24:36 (permalink)
    Some CW plugins are DX plugins and should not go in the VST folder.

    Best
    John
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    konradh
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    Re:Custom VST plugins folder location = not as simple as it looks! 2011/04/10 15:34:17 (permalink)
    I am having major issues with RealGuitar2 and Sonar X1.  Under insert Soft Synth, RealGuitar is in a Musiclab folder, not the VST folder—but when I try to insert it, I get a message that the soft synth is not properly installed.  Note that RG works in standalone mode.

    I have tried letting Musiclab put the dll where it wants, manually adding the dll to the VST folder under Cakewalk, and even creating a second instance under Program Files (the non x86 folder).

    I have a theory that when I loaded an old Sonar 2.2 file that had RealGuitar tracks as DXI, it somehow goofed things up in a registry somewhere and—despite uninstalling and reinstalling RealGuitar—I can't get Sonar to recognize RG correctly even on a brand new file.

    Any thoughts?  I really need this to work.

    Thanks.
    #6
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