Hi,
I just came across the below forum post and would like to know your opinon about the validity of the suggestions made therein:
from:
This is the way I run things on advice from my DAW builder. Never, ever point your VST2 plugin paths (Devices/Plugin Information/VST2 Plugin Paths) to folders that result in you scanning both 32 & 64-bit versions of the same plugs.
The trouble starts when you need to use 32-bit plugins that are installed to the default location for shared plugins (C:/Program Files (x86)/Steinberg/VSTplugins) where that folder includes a mixture of both 32-bit plugins as well as 32-bit plugins that also have a 64-bit version installed too.
That last part is extremely important. Scanning both 64 & 32-bit versions of the same plugin will seriously wreck your day sooner or later.
Here’s how we handle it (and we do not have plugin related troubles).
1 - VST3. With 64-bit VST3 there are no issues. You will usually let these install to the default location (C:/Program Files/Common Files/Steinberg/VST3). 2 - VST2.x. These are your problem.
With UAD, Steinberg & Waves I leave defaults.
With VST3 I leave defaults.
With VST2, I split into 3 folders:
A - C:/Program Files/64 B - C:/Program Files/32
C - C:/Program Files/32_Shared
Folder A is pointed to by 64-bit host Folder B is pointed to by both 64 & 32-bit host
Folder C is only pointed by 32-bit host.
Usage:-
Install 64-bit VST2 to Folder A, install 32-bit ONLY plugs (those that do not have a 64-bit version at all) into Folder C. Install 32-bit plugs that also have a 64-bit version into Folder B.
Point your Plugin Paths to the right locations and close/relaunch - all should now be spot-on.
In general, on a windows system at least, no 32 bit programs should be installed in C:/Program Files. They should all be in C:Program Files (x86). This goes for VST plugins as well. If the plugin has an installer, it will probably install it to the correct location, but if you are just copying the *.dll then you should know if it is 32 or 64 bit and put it in the right place.
I can’t see any reason you would want a duplicate in 32 bit of the same 64 bit plugin because all 32 bit plugins have to run through the bridge which is taxing on the CPU. As far as their specific folder scheme, and the difference between VST3 32 bit or VST2 32 bit, I don’t know about that. Maybe they are doing that because they have native 32 bit DAWs they are sharing the same plugins with as Cubase 64 bit.