32bit vs 64bit VST/VSTi - Reorganization

[BillW]

I've decided to reorg my plugins to some more standard file structure - rather than the mess I have today.

I've received some suggestions from another thread and I'm summarizing that - plus my preferences - in this one.

Categories and comments:
Acoustica - leave them alone; when I load Mixcraft I let it put them where it wanted and I assume it finds them without my needing to specify those folders in the VST folder preference section

Third party purchased:
For me, these include such things as EZDrummer, Waves GTR, and iZoptope Elements suite. Plus a few more.
I think I want to re-install these for two reasons -
First, let them go in the defaults decided by the package (and make a note of that)
Second - I don't have the 64bit versions so I will get them that way

Third party freebies:
Not sure - what I THINK I want to do (I can be talked out of it) is put them in a folder of my own making - called VST files or something like that. A separate one for 32 vs 64bit.

I think that covers everything. I fear however that every prior project that I have will in some way be affected. I intend to package them up (using the "Copy Project Files To....") but if the location of the VST changes, will it still find it if I reopen this project? I suspect so. (For that matter, how do I open a project that was copied to a folder or zip file?)

But if these projects still get messed up after my reorg - oh well. I'm "done" with them anyway. I have to do this because things just will get worse as I start loading 64bit files in a haphazard method.

Thoughts?

[Mark Bliss]

I've decided to reorg my plugins to some more standard file structure - rather than the mess I have today.

I've received some suggestions from another thread and I'm summarizing that - plus my preferences - in this one.

Thoughts?

Well if you must.....

Acoustica:
leave them alone; when I load Mixcraft I let it put them where it wanted and I assume it finds them without my needing to specify those folders in the VST folder preference section

Yeah, that about sums it up. One could mess with the installation, for instance eliminating some plugs he would never use, but then the next time you have an upgrade or reinstall the DAW for any reason, its going to default back to the original installation. Better in this case to use the internal "ignore" function in the program IMO.

Third party purchased:
For me, these include such things as EZDrummer, Waves GTR, and iZoptope Elements suite. Plus a few more.
I think I want to re-install these for two reasons -
First, let them go in the defaults decided by the package (and make a note of that)
Second - I don't have the 64bit versions so I will get them that way

Yeah. Some install additional data, license schemes, sample libraries. Moving or modding installations probably causes more headache than any benefit. Reinstall any that you originally chose 32 bit. Installing both if they were used in prior projects where you wish to retain the ability to re-open the 32 bit project is probably going to be found as redundant in the long run IMO, but yeah, I did initially.
Not much reason to worry about where or how they install, whatever makes them work. But you seem to be one of those folks with a strong urge to know..... I understand.

Third party freebies:
Not sure - what I THINK I want to do (I can be talked out of it) is put them in a folder of my own making - called VST files or something like that. A separate one for 32 vs 64bit.

There's probably no need to create anything as the desired folder should already exist in each case. And in fact, that's usually where the plug ins install by default, with some minor exceptions that I'll come back to.
32 bit plug ins should go in: C:\Program Files (x86)\VST (or similar)
64 bit plug ins should go in: C:\Program Files\VSTPlugIns (or similar)
And VST3 plug ins should go in: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3 (or similar)

And like I said, this should all happen pretty much by default.
One common exception/example is where some 64 bit plug-ins choose to add a subfolder such as:
C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VstPlugins

Honestly, I have in the past addressed this by moving contents to the other 64 bit folder, but then another installation recreates the path and..... You know what???? I practiced guitar today instead of worrying about it.

I fear however that every prior project that I have will in some way be affected. I intend to package them up (using the "Copy Project Files To....") but if the location of the VST changes, will it still find it if I reopen this project? I suspect so. (For that matter, how do I open a project that was copied to a folder or zip file?)

Most of these worries are unwarranted Bill.

"Copy project to" has nothing to do with plug ins. It simply keeps the project folder and associated assets together in one folder.

If the plug in loads upon scanning by the DAW, it will still load when an archived project is opened.

You have to unzip a zipped folder to open files generally, otherwise, open the project as normal. IE: Browse to it from within Mixcraft (preferred IMO), or double click on the project file in the folder, etc.

I have to do this because things just will get worse as I start loading 64bit files in a haphazard method.

In my relatively small amount of experience, the main reason the installations get "haphazard" is because I moved stuff or tried to overide default installations...... For the most part anyway.
I have a good track record of messing things up good.
Also keep in mind, these are generally very small files (sample libraries aside of course) and therefore space is a minimal concern.

Still think your fretting too much about this Bill. The important factor remains that they just load and work, wherever they are installed.

[BillW]

Still think your fretting too much about this Bill. The important factor remains that they just load and work, wherever they are installed.
Stay in tune, Mark

I'll respond in more detail when I have time, but in my work today, this has proven to be true.

The issue is, I think, I created confusion for myself by thinking 'wait - I know a better way than the defaults'

In my step by step process in converting to 64bit, I see it's all coming together nicely and much smoother than I thought.

[mixyguy2]

I think you like to way over-complicate things. Just put all your freaking plugins in one place. What's the point of doing otherwise?

[BillW]

This is moving along smoothly. Last step will be putting the third party free plug ins in a standard place.

[BillW]

More info -
It turns out I had the 64bit versions of my purchased plugins except EZDrummer - and that was easy to get from them.

So...

On to the third party freebies. I intend to put them in the recommended folders - separating 32bit and 64bit.

Not at my Mixcraft computer - but the only thing that might be difficult is determining the file names of the 32bit vs 64bit. I'll see - maybe it's obvious.

AND - time to clean out the stuff I loaded and tried and decided not to use. If I ever change my mind, I can always load it again.

Final note - my Nights in White Satin project works fine in 64bit. So it's very possible I'm close to turning away from 32bit completely.

[BillW]

DONE! Well worth it I think.

I inventoried every VST and VSTi that Mixcraft found in the many folders I had it point to.

Noted which ones had 64bit alternatives vs those that didn't.

(A surprising number of those that came with Mixcraft are 32bit only)

Obviously kept all the Mixcraft ones. For the others, I noted which ones I doubt I'd ever use - or had tried and decided against them (looking at YOU, DSK!)

Then I deleted the non-Mixcraft ones I don't care about.

Then tried to organize in this way:
32 bit in a VST folder under Program Files (x86)
64 bit in a VST folder under Program Files

A couple of exceptions. Waves for example creates a folder under Program Files (x86) and includes both 32bit and 64bit there. I left that alone.

I saw a couple under a folder called Steinberg even though they came from another company. (Did Steinberg invent or popularize VST/VSTi?) There were just a couple so I moved them.

The point being I want all of them in just a few places so I can remember them and easily include those folders to my backup without backing up the whole (huge) program file folders.

Then I changed the folders in the VST preferences to reflect just these three places. Scanned them - closed MX, reopened it - and loaded my most recent project. Discovered I missed a folder in my old location - fixed it; repeated the scan and closed/opened - and everything is good.

So i'm now a 64bit user. Will likely uninstall 32 bit (and MX 7, which I had forgotten I still have).

Next I think I'll clean up my project folders and pay more attention to the points Greg made on my questions regarding that.

Thanks for the suggestions / encouragement everyone!

[BillW]

Hmmm - rereading this I see I forgot about VST3 plugins. Maybe I'm not done yet.

Yes - this is a lot of work for "nothing". But worth it for me because I unnecessarily created a mess by creating VST folders of my own (avoiding them being in the Program folders because I don't think of them as programs) - and over time and a couple computer moves and lack of organization found myself with 7 folders with plugins. And a LOT of redundant ones (same versions) and outdated ones (where I had newer versions).

When done, I'll have a much cleaner look and it will make moving to another computer (if/when) much easier than it would have been leaving the mess I had created for myself.

[Acoustica Greg]

(A surprising number of those that came with Mixcraft are 32bit only)

We keep older plugins around for backwards compatibility. We don't want to suddenly break a bunch of projects by leaving out the Classic plugins, for example.

And of course, there's no particular reason to use only 64-bit plugins if you're not running into audio performance issues.

[BillW]

Hi Greg -
I certainly understand why there are 32bit plugins as part of the 64bit version.

But as you said, it will use the 64bit version if available. It appears in many of the 3rd party plugins that come with Mixcraft, there is no 64bit version. Some of the Mixcraft ones as well.

And while I'm on the subject - can I assume that Acoustica Instruments / Acoustica Expanded Instruments / Studio Drums are 64bit? No way to tell (that I know of) when assigning them to a track.

And as you say, if no performance issues, it doesn't matter.

[Mark Bliss]

It appears in many of the 3rd party plugins that come with Mixcraft, there is no 64bit version.

I think some of those are old enough to predate 64 bit plug ins being a "thing" Bill.

[Acoustica Greg]

Hi,

Yeah, the maker of the Classic plugins never made a 64-bit version.

Acoustica Instruments, Acoustica Expanded Instruments and Acoustica Studio Drums all have 64-bit versions.

Greg

[aj113]

I think you like to way over-complicate things. Just put all your freaking plugins in one place. What's the point of doing otherwise?

Two places for me: 32 bit and 64 bit, otherwise I agree.

[Thomas]

"I saw a couple under a folder called Steinberg even though they came from another company. (Did Steinberg invent or popularize VST/VSTi?)"
Yeah, Steinberg is credited as the inventor of the VST technology. AFAIK, it's the older plugins that point to Steinberg.

[mixyguy2]

I think you like to way over-complicate things. Just put all your freaking plugins in one place. What's the point of doing otherwise?

Two places for me: 32 bit and 64 bit, otherwise I agree.

I'm curious: why?