Hi. I have 8.5 - 64 bit Producer installed, and of course there are 32 bit VST's and FX's that I can't run. But I read somewhere that 8.5 has Bitbridge built in, so I should be able to use the 32 bit applications, right? But how do I get Bitbridge to start up, is it already started, how can I tell if it is started, etc., etc.
 
I realize that some apps still won't work, even with Bitbridge, and I don't have a specific app in mind. I just want to know how it all works, and I can't find anything in the help files.
 
Your assistance is greatly appreciated, and there will be something a little extra in your Christmas basket.

Bitbridge is a separate program that starts automatically in the background when a 32bit VST plug-in is added to a project in 64bit SONAR. BitBridge only works with VST plug-ins. 32bit DX plug-ins only work in a 64bit host by using a DX-to-VST wrapper allow the plug-ins to load via BitBridge. Not all 32bit VST plug-ins work well with BitBridge. In this case, jBridge may work better. There are some VST plug-ins that don't work well at all in 64bit hosts.
 
Bitbridge shows up in the Windows task manager. Plug-ins wrapped in BitBridge do not display the standard VST header. To get the standard VST header, hold the SHIFT key while opening the plug-in UI. The header opens in a separate window usually behind the plug-in UI.
 
In general, when running 64bit SONAR avoiding 32bit plug-ins is a good idea. Many vendors offer 64bit upgrades of their plug-ins free of charge.