Dan Gonzalez [Cakewalk]
 
Is it safe to say that everyone in this post has 400+plugins? Don't be shy to tell me your number. :)
 

 
Dan, not sure of my exact number, but in SONAR X2 Producer, as you may know, it's not capable of handling more than 255 plugins unless you organize them into folders, which is a pain. This applies to be VSTi and VST plugins. I sure hope this problem has been fixed in X3 which I'm now downloading. Certainly the promise of unlimited should also apply to plugins!
 
Update, October 3, 2013
 
I've had my PC off and on and it finally finished the scan this evening, but I think that only happened after I removed one of the folders it was looking for which was C:\Program files\Steinberg\VSTplugins or something like that. The plugins installed under C:\Common files\Steinberg\VST3 are all now there. Also, the first time I fired up X3, the auto scan hung up on MeldaProduction's MDrummer large with 16out. I uninstalled the program and will now install it as it supports the VST 3 format.
 
I was amazed that my plugin count was over 900!
 
I'm very much looking forward to working further with X3.

Nebula is one vst that updates a .xml file in the vst directory while in use. I've noticed the background scanner kicking in with X3 while using Nebula. But I haven't experienced a scan loop on launch.

scook
Noel answered you
there is no limit to plug-in count in X3

Has anyone tested this yet? It seems that X3 will process unlimited number of plug-ins and show a total count (VST, DX, VSTi, DXi etc) that is large but from my testing, it seems that there is still some limitation when you actually try and access the individual VSTS as I'm noting that some VSTis are missing from the 'Default All Plugins' list....is there still a limitation of 255 VSTis in X3?

Thanks for your input Noel.
I was referring to TheSteven's posting on KVR dated 25 Jul 2012 entitled "Latest notes on Sonar's maximum plug-in count limit" ( ) which states that plugin limits for X2 are as follows:
"735 audio plug-ins
255 synths
31 rewire devices"
When I scan my X3, "Scan complete. 1008 plugins found" in the little pop-up box in the lower right.
Based on the X2 limit numbers it seems that for audio plug-ins (VST, DX etc) I am within limit but for synths (VSTi, DXi, VST3 synths etc) I seem to be above the limit by almost 20. So I checked them one by one against the files in the selected VST filepaths scanned and also the Manage Layout list vs the Browser list for the missing ones, I also checked that they did not have a corresponding VST3 version eg. Massive (and ensured that these were not redundant choices that were filtered out)
Another example: Retrologue which I have both VST3 and VST2 versions was missing in both.
(For all of these I am using "Default All Plugins")
 
Anyway, when I took away the excess plugins and kept it within the earlier stated X2 limit, all the missing plug-ins reappeared. This seems to suggest that some sort of limit might be present.
Lest the naysayers say that I should just use a limited number of VSTS, do note that for X2, I keep it within limits and just use the VSTs I need but since it was stated that there were no limits for X3, I was trying to load lots of my freebie VSTs that I had not used for ages just to test them out.
 
Hence, that is why I was asking if anyone tested the plugin limit - I did and I seem to have missing plug-ins. If I am doing something wrong, I would gladly welcome being pointed in the right direction. Note that I also did the Full VST Rescan Recommended for Upgraders here:
 
 

maxxx
When I scan my X3, "Scan complete. 1008 plugins found" in the little pop-up box in the lower right.
Based on the X2 limit numbers it seems that for audio plug-ins (VST, DX etc) I am within limit but for synths (VSTi, DXi, VST3 synths etc) I seem to be above the limit by almost 20. So I checked them one by one against the files in the selected VST filepaths scanned and also the Manage Layout list vs the Browser list for the missing ones, I also checked that they did not have a corresponding VST3 version eg. Massive (and ensured that these were not redundant choices that were filtered out)
Another example: Retrologue which I have both VST3 and VST2 versions was missing in both.
(For all of these I am using "Default All Plugins")

 
Interesting. I'd like to get a registry dump of your VST inventory to look into this. I'll send you a PM with instructions...
Please look at this post for details on which keys to export 
 

Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk]

maxxx
When I scan my X3, "Scan complete. 1008 plugins found" in the little pop-up box in the lower right.
Based on the X2 limit numbers it seems that for audio plug-ins (VST, DX etc) I am within limit but for synths (VSTi, DXi, VST3 synths etc) I seem to be above the limit by almost 20. So I checked them one by one against the files in the selected VST filepaths scanned and also the Manage Layout list vs the Browser list for the missing ones, I also checked that they did not have a corresponding VST3 version eg. Massive (and ensured that these were not redundant choices that were filtered out)
Another example: Retrologue which I have both VST3 and VST2 versions was missing in both.
(For all of these I am using "Default All Plugins")

 
Interesting. I'd like to get a registry dump of your VST inventory to look into this. I'll send you a PM with instructions...
Please look at for details on which keys to export 
 

I just got a PM from Noel that indeed there was an error in the code that was checking for the 255 synth limit and he's managed to fix it. So I do assume that in the next update, the VST plugin limits will be gone for X3 as advertised. Thanks for following up on it Noel.

I'd hope that such fix claims were checked by QA...

I had a similar problem (93 plugs). I would get two instances of every plug in the finished list and the two instances had the same path. That suggests that the scanner is looping, perhaps due to a plug that failed?
 
I eventually took Sonar off the machine and reinstalled it. That fixed the scanner looping issue but it now fails to show all plugs in the Default list. I can successfully Add a plug to a custom folder inside the Manager but that plug won't show up in my custom folder outside the manager, i.e. when I want to use it.
 
Anyone have a clue about that problem?