Removing all VST2plugs that have a VST3

[Pathfinder]

Hi
Wish I had done things different, but hindsight! I have appx 500 VSTS. But around 33% are VST2'as that have a VST3 installed. 
Is there an easy way to remove them? I was thinking the only "somewhat" easy way is to remove them in CW plug Utility menus just so they don't show up in projects etc, when searching for a pug in.

Would this be the best way? hope this makes sense folks.

Thanks in advance
Frank

Edited August 24, 2023 by Pathfinder

[Shayne White]

There's an option that allows you to hide VST2 versions of VST3 plugins you have. I actually prefer having both versions because I need to access the old .fxp presets for some synths and effects. I don't remember if that option is in the Plug-in Manager or the main Preferences window, you'll just have to look. It's called something like "Hide related VST2 plugins."

[John Vere]

Yes in preferences under VST you can check the box

In plug in manager if you open the VST 2 lists you can choose to exclude plug ins. That’s what I do. Then it’s easy to bring it back if you need it again 

Edited August 24, 2023 by JohnnyV

[A Tolerable Quietude]

If I'm understanding your question, you can't remove the VST2 plugins from your system from inside Cakewalk.  The best you can do is hide them with the plugin manager.  If you want to remove them, you can presumably delete them from wherever they were installed on your c drive, or use the plugin manufacturer's install tool to uninstall the vst2 versions if that feels safer.  Then the next time you open Cakewalk, it will rescan for plugins and remove the ones you've deleted (or you can manually rescan if you've turned off the automatic scanning on startup).

That said, I don't mind having the VST2 plugins around, because I've had experiences in the past with buggy VST3 versions of plugins that work fine as VST2.  Although that hasn't happened to me in a while.

 

[Glenn Stanton]

I believe JohnnyV had the best option - exclude in CW using the plugin manager, they're still available (in case you need a VST2 version if the VST3 is misbehaving) but hidden w/o being uninstalled. many plugins updater apps, if you uninstall the VST2, will see the configuration as "broken" and reinstall them. so, by excluding them, the updates can happen as expected, but the exclusion setting in CW means they're not visible. and it also means if you have apps which only support VST2 (but not VST3), they still have access to those plugins...

[John Vere]

23 hours ago, Glenn Stanton said:

 it also means if you have apps which only support VST2 (but not VST3), they still have access to those plugins...

This! lot of us use these same plug ins in other software. Like I can use them in Wave Lab, Gold Wave, Cubase and even my Video editing apps. They all have different systems but you can generally access the plug ins you want and create a short list just like Cakewalk.  Some of Cakewalks plug ins cannot be used outside of Cakewalk. 

[Max Arwood]

If you are doing this to save space on your hard drive. It is not recommended, reasons as stated above. You would go to a ton of trouble for an ounce of space.

[Pathfinder]

On 8/31/2023 at 12:40 AM, Max Arwood said:

If you are doing this to save space on your hard drive. It is not recommended, reasons as stated above. You would go to a ton of trouble for an ounce of space.

Come on man--No.....................

Edited September 2, 2023 by Pathfinder

[Max Arwood]

It use to be worse, but still today some VST3s are problematic. I have tried to use all VST3 for many years, but on occasion have had to revert to a VST2 because of problems. Opening older CWP's could also be a problem if VST3's do not migrate properly.

[Pathfinder]

9 hours ago, Max Arwood said:

It use to be worse, but still today some VST3s are problematic. I have tried to use all VST3 for many years, but on occasion have had to revert to a VST2 because of problems. Opening older CWP's could also be a problem if VST3's do not migrate properly.

I am just going to exclude them in CW Plug mgr as suggested above. I appreciate the info.

Imay be moving away from CW because I just have this feeling they will go a subscription type thing like Gibson tried.

I refuse to play that game.

I have been using CW since the early 90's. 

[RexRed]

4 hours ago, Pathfinder said:

I am just going to exclude them in CW Plug mgr as suggested above. I appreciate the info.

Imay be moving away from CW because I just have this feeling they will go a subscription type thing like Gibson tried.

I refuse to play that game.

I have been using CW since the early 90's. 

I have been using Cakewalk since the early 80s (since the first version for MSDOS) and I would NEVER dream of leaving Cakewalk. I have over 500 song projects created in Cakewalk and I will continue supporting Cakewalk in whatever way solidifies the path forward for the company developing it.

Besides, all the other DAWS are terrible.

Many people failed to support Gibson and many people pirated the software and Cakewalk almost went under.

I bought updates for life and paid for the subscription as well, I also understand that future development requires working capital.

If Cakewalk goes subscription, I will probably pay it, if the price is reasonable, $9.95/month for Sonar and $15.95 for a subscription for both Sonar and Next would be around my sweet spot. (After a certain time you own it, unless you upgrade. Subscribers should get a deal on the upgrade.)

If it requires purchase, I will purchase it, if the price is not too steep. (I will probably buy both versions of Cakewalk)

I would like to see both a subscription and the option to buy it outright.

I will probably choose the subscription because I don't like coming up with a lump sum all at once for a new version.

It is better for me to pay for that new version gradually over time. 

In Maine we have a saying, "If you can't stand the winters, you don't deserve the summers."

Edited September 2, 2023 by RexRed

[Pathfinder]

22 hours ago, RexRed said:

I have been using Cakewalk since the early 80s (since the first version for MSDOS) and I would NEVER dream of leaving Cakewalk. I have over 500 song projects created in Cakewalk and I will continue supporting Cakewalk in whatever way solidifies the path forward for the company developing it.

Besides, all the other DAWS are terrible.

Many people failed to support Gibson and many people pirated the software and Cakewalk almost went under.

I bought updates for life and paid for the subscription as well, I also understand that future development requires working capital.

If Cakewalk goes subscription, I will probably pay it, if the price is reasonable, $9.95/month for Sonar and $15.95 for a subscription for both Sonar and Next would be around my sweet spot. (After a certain time you own it, unless you upgrade. Subscribers should get a deal on the upgrade.)

If it requires purchase, I will purchase it, if the price is not too steep. (I will probably buy both versions of Cakewalk)

I would like to see both a subscription and the option to buy it outright.

I will probably choose the subscription because I don't like coming up with a lump sum all at once for a new version.

It is better for me to pay for that new version gradually over time. 

In Maine we have a saying, "If you can't stand the winters, you don't deserve the summers."

If I can BUY it outright (well you know, what software makers call Buying it -RENTING IT) I would. Subscriptions are BS imho. 

If it comes to that I will just adjust ALL my projects and use Sonar Platinum......................

Like I said, I would BUY it outright, probably no matter how high the price- 

[Noel Borthwick]

On 8/24/2023 at 12:25 AM, Shayne White said:

There's an option that allows you to hide VST2 versions of VST3 plugins you have. I actually prefer having both versions because I need to access the old .fxp presets for some synths and effects. I don't remember if that option is in the Plug-in Manager or the main Preferences window, you'll just have to look. It's called something like "Hide related VST2 plugins."

Yes this is the simplest solution. No need to use plugin manager.

[Max Arwood]

Just say I just start checking marking really quickly to speed hiding all those VST twos. What if I don’t pay attention and I have a vst2 but no vst3 and I choose both boxes. Would I be able to see the vst2 even when both boxes are chosen and there is no vst3? 
 

 

[Noel Borthwick]

6 hours ago, Max Arwood said:

Just say I just start checking marking really quickly to speed hiding all those VST twos. What if I don’t pay attention and I have a vst2 but no vst3 and I choose both boxes. Would I be able to see the vst2 even when both boxes are chosen and there is no vst3? 
 

 

Yes it only hides the VST2 when an equivalent VST3 is available.

[Pathfinder]

Should have tried this when it was suggested. Duh!

What a difference when looking thru my FX options, etc.  Very cool! ?

[Salvatore Sorice]

On 9/9/2023 at 9:01 AM, Noel Borthwick said:

Yes it only hides the VST2 when an equivalent VST3 is available.

Reviving this thread as the "Hide related VST2 plugins" that @Noel Borthwick mentioned (and which I knew about) does not work for me in latest Sonar build (2024.04-BSP Build 431).

Not sure if it's across the board, or only for some plugins.

Here's an example - I still see the Kilohearts VST2s even though I've got the hide option checked. Is there something I'm missing?

[Glenn Stanton]

i just go into my plugins manager and exclude VST2 for which i have a VST3. takes a few minutes. then if i need the VST2 version for some reason (seldom) then it's right there, re-enable it and ready to go. no messing with installations, paths, and updates fro mthe vendor work as expected and very few times does it ever affect the excluded setting.

[Salvatore Sorice]

Thanks Glenn. Guess I'll do that as well - just wondering why the "hide" function does not work for all/some plugins.

[Glenn Stanton]

no idea. so i just make it a hard selection and ignore it. presumably it's because of whatever matching criteria is used is different - names, CRC, uuid, etc etc which don't align because the vendor gets creative and wants to make a splash with their VST3 version...