Hello, I find it documented that VST3 plugins install to the Common Files folder on Windows.
A user wants to install on a machine without administrative access. This is not possible in the state of things, or is it?
I notice that there exists such a thing as a per-user Common Files directory.
Innosetup mentions this in their documentation (as usercf).
https://jrsoftware.org/ishelp/index.php?topic=consts
You can install your VST plugins wherever you want.
The question is: How do you make the various hosts find your plugin?
If you’re OK with telling the user to “configure your host to scan folder Foo” then you can install the plugins in the folder Foo just fine.
I don’t think this to be true unfortunately, as VST3 is concerned.
Hosts will accept this, but documentation mentions otherwise.
“The VST3 format has a dedicated installation path all VST3 plug-ins must comply with. All your VST3 plug-ins should be installed here:”
We are adding this into the VST3 specification: FOLDERID_UserProgramFilesCommon (next update)
We will inform then VST3 hosts about this change, but it will take some time until VST3 hosts support this new location on Windows…