*SOLVED* Can 86 VST folder and 64 VST folder have identical contents?

No need to run the JBridger and make the new dlls if you are using Sonar. Sonar supports JBridge so you just need to tell the plugin manager which plugins you want to use via JBridge.

I'm trying to avoid going through all my plugins because there are over 1000.   What I'd like to do is put ALL my plugins in a directory and hope that Sonar and jbridge can make sense out of it.  I guess that's just wishful thinking?

I guess I tend to move cautiously, considering how foolish I would look in front of someone when plugins I toss into a project wreak havoc - as some 32-bit plugins certainly do when put into 64-bit Sonar.
 
I look at that situation as a lawyer might - never ask a question you don't know the answer to.  I no longer have 32-bit plugins to worry about, but I certainly would not want to look like a bumbling yo yo in front of a client, nor would I want to have to redo or recover work.
 
Bob Bone
 

robert_e_bone
I have just finished a permanent switch to ONLY using 64-bit plugins in 64-bit Sonar.
 
That being said, I did have good success with the 32-bit plugins that I DID allow in 64-bit Sonar, by being careful to firstly test each one I wanted to potentially use in 64-bit Sonar, and once satisfied that a given 32-bit plugin did work OK in 64-bit Sonar (using either BitBridge or JBridge), I moved each 'certified' 32-bit plugins to a SUB-folder within my 32-bit VST Plugins folder.
 
32-bit Sonar will still see those 32-bit plugins, because it automatically sees sub-folders.
 
64-bit Sonar will ONLY pick up the specific 32-bit plugins from the sub-folder holding them, after I added ONLY that sub-folder with the approved 32-bit plugins in it.
 
The above made things quite simple, with no duplication or confusion, or issues.
 
I hope the above suggestion helps clear things up for you - it certainly did for me.
 
Bob Bone

To be clear I agree with this should you wish to spend the time (looks like you don't though). Get rid of useless plugins and plugins you won't need though. Get your plugins out the PROGRAM FILES folder I would suggest as well (in order to avoid permissions issues). I had to do this myself although I didn't have as many plugins. Spend a day on it. Otherwise #5.
 
No pain no gain!

We are not telling you that you HAVE to sort through all of them.  Ultimately, you are in total control of however you want to do it.
 
I posted above because some 32-bit plugins DO cause problems in 64-bit Sonar, both with BitBridge and with JBridge, and I gave you one way around that - should you choose to follow it.  I do not have the volume of 32-bit plugins that you do, so for ME, certifying mine was no big deal.
 
An additional method is to do as you were inquiring about - throw them into one giant folder.  I would never choose to do that myself, but it is your planet.  PLEASE NOTE that this would be to access both 32 and b4 bit plugins in 64-bot Sonar.  I would NOT recommend making your 64-bit plugins available to even be seen in 32-bit Sonar.
 
A third choice is to add your 32-bit plugin folder paths into the search path for 64-bit Sonar, which would let 64-bit Sonar 'see' all of them, but would still keep them separate, for possibly weeding them out at some later time, or if there are issues or whatever.  With THIS method, both 32-bit and 64-bit Sonar would see all of the plugins that can potentially be used.  64-bit plugins would not be seen by 32-bit Sonar, but would of course be seen in 64-bit Sonar, AND all of your 32-bit plugins would also be seen in 64-bit Sonar.
 
Any of the above choices are doable, you just have to reason through what makes the most sense for you.
 
The X3 Plugin Manager was revamped, and does a nicer job of presenting/managing/incorporating all of your plugins.
 
Bob Bone
 

Throwing all VSTs into one folder can be problematic IF and I say IF a 64 and 32 bit dll is named the same. Believe it of not, some vendors still do that.
 
A sub-folder for 32bit (ONLY) plugs is one way to go and I do that. That sub-folder (for me) is dwindling. I only have two plugs that are wonky in 64bit.