I'm about to get my first DAW running a 64bit OS. I'd like to install just 64bit audio apps but realize that I can install older 32bit apps as well.

What I am wondering is how people have adapted projects filled with plugins based on 32bit.


I run so few plugins that it is conceivable that I can have an all 64bit setup, except for the fact that all my projects are loaded with the 32bit examples from my previous DAW(s).

What did you do? Did you install the 32bit plugins and just learn not to instantiate them in new projects? That seems like it could be confusing.

Did you just replace the plugins in a project as you encountered the need?




Thanks.


best regards,
mike

You shouldn't have any problems. You have separate x64 & x86 folders for your plugins, correct?
If you're using Sonar just remember to re-scan, the x64 plugins should load. If I wanted to find out if x86 plugins are used or needed I'd simply delete the x86 plugins folder TEMPORARILY, open a project & a message box will show if any x86 versions are missing from the project.


Also for the few x86 plugins I have & need I put an x86 next to the name of it in my plugin menu layouts to avoid confusion.

How do the 32 and 64 bit plugins show up in plugin lists?

I'm not just asking about SONAR.

I guess I am anticipating that there may be a lot of plugins with the same name.

I think I may try to go all 64 bit and just replace stuff when I open an old project. Is that crazy? Maybe plugin presets will transfer from 32 to 64 versions?

Thanks.

best regards,
mike

mike_mccue

How do the 32 and 64 bit plugins show up in plugin lists?

Somebody recommended the following once, which makes your question irrelevant.
 
You probably do not want both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of most plugs anyway.  So just install only the 64-bit versions.  Should you actually want both, or if the installer gives you no choice, put the 32-bit versions in a directory (named, say, VST-32-bit-duplicates).  Do not include that in Sonar's VST directory list, and you'll be in great shape.  For me, the only VST I wanted both was IK ARC.
 
If I recall, 64-bit X2 does provide a indicator in the effects bin name list that indicates if it's using a 32-bit version.  That clue, indicating Sonar was not using the version I thought it should be, was what prompted me to take the above action.  Has worked like charm so far.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

"just install only the 64-bit versions"

So, what do you do when you open an older project that had a bunch of 32 plugins in it?

Do you replace them one by one with the newer 64bit version?

best regards,
mike

If there is a 64 bit version of a plugin available for the 32 bit version you used - then it's really simple.
Install the 64 bit version (not the 32) and when you open the project it just opens the plugin as it always has - it's just going to be 64 bit.

If it's an older 32 bit plugin that does not have a 64 bit version available, you will still need to install it and bridge it but you won't have duplicates, because there is no 64 bit version installed.

I can't be 100% certain that all plugins will be this transparent during the switch, but the ones I use were (some waves, some toontracks, Valhalla room & shimmer, the sonar plugins, etc...)

mike_mccue


Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

"just install only the 64-bit versions"

So, what do you do when you open an older project that had a bunch of 32 plugins in it?

Do you replace them one by one with the newer 64bit version?

best regards,
mike

Mike - it's been a couple years but I believe in a lot of cases I had to replace one by one.  It's because companies with both 32 and 64 versions frequently have different .dll file names.  They have to to keeps things straight.  The whole process was a royal pain but in the end totally worth it.  


You don't want to delete the 32 versions at first (or ever).  Once you get all the 64 bit versions installed you want to open up a project and go into the first 32 plugin, save a preset, open up the 64 version, load the preset, disable the 32 plugin and listen to make sure everything sounds right.  Then you can delete the 32 bit version from your project if you want to.  


I'm not sure you have to use that method on all plugins.


It's a pain but I did it in all my projects.  


The worst was Dimension but that was because I was going from dxi to vst.

I moved from XP to W7-64 recently.  One particular softsynth that does not seem to like W7-64 is SampleTank.  This has been discussed elsewhere and it is apparent that this software is badly in need of an update.

One plugin that I had problems with was 2c-Aether.  It would not install properly until I updated to the 64-bit version.  Now it works fine, even in old projects that make use of this plugin.  In contrast the 64-bit version of Rapture would crash any old Sonar project that included Rapture.  So I re-installed Rapture and this time selected the 32-bit option instead.  The problem disappeared.

My biggest annoyance is Battery 3.  This has nothing to do changing operating systems, but is due to the fact that I updated to a more recent version before installing, not realising that this newer version no longer includes a DXi.  I have dozens of old projects that rely on the DXi version of Battery.  Substituting the VSTi version is a tedious process.

I fear this transition for all of the reasons here and others. I may just get a faster processor and stay 32 bit...

Thank you all very much for the thoughtful and detailed replies.

The explanations are really helpful.


best regards,
mike