VST Plugin Location Guidance Request

[Bill Phillips]

How does Cakewalk recommend that Cakewalk VST plugins be managed? I'm aware that the Advanced Install VST location option has been eliminated (greyed out). See Johathan Sasor's reply to a previous post below. I've updated that registry entry to point to my preferred Cakewalk VST plugin folder. So I think I've got that handled.

But, I've noticed that Cakewalk is also installing a lot of VST plugins in two other folders: (c:\program files\Cakewalk\shared utilities\Internal and C:\Program Files\Cakewalk\Shared Plugins). So I'm ending up with two copies of a lot of plugins for ones I'd previously installed in my preferred Cakewalk VST plugin folder. Many of these were installed with SONAR Platinum and earlier versions as I'm a long time SONAR user. What I'm currently doing is excluding the duplicate plugins using the Plugin Manager. So far I've got 10 disabled VST2s.

PS: Are the Softube plugins that were included in Platinum included in Cakewalk? I noticed that they are on my duplicate plugins list. And is BREVERB not included? It's not on my duplicate list?

 

Edited November 16, 2020 by Bill Phillips

[Glenn Stanton]

in general, i leave the CW folders as-is. i create C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins; C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VSTPlugins; C:\Program Files\Common\VST3 and the equiv in the x86 folder.

i've found that these folders allow VST installers to put them in these places and i don't have to fight them in the registry, INI files, or elsewhere... i have 9 or 10 folders in my VST scanner, and i periodically run the VST inventory app which dumps a CSV of all my folders configured in CW so i can check for any outliers - 32 vs 64, duplicates, etc.

i keep copies of the installer files on my backed up cloud folder so i have them should i need to reinstall, and when newer versions come out, replace the backup version. lastly, keep a PDF etc of the product license(s) with the installers so i have the keys, codes, activations, purchase receipt etc all handy... this has proven invaluable many times over years when upgrading machines, OSes, etc.

Edited November 16, 2020 by Glenn Stanton