VST Plugins Adapter's Notice

©2000, Georges-Edouard Berenger, berenger@francenet.fr
Hamburg, January 22nd 2001.

What is VST Plugins Adapter?

VST Plugins Adapter is a SoundPlay plugin that will bring VST Plugins support to that application.
In other words, it will allow SoundPlay to use the BeOS version of VST Plugins.
If you haven't done so already, you should get the latest version of SoundPlay.

You will also need the SoundPlay Plugin SDK available at the same location. Be sure to install the development kit inside SoundPlay's folder.

You will also need information about the VST Plugins architecture. For that, get the VST Plugins Developer Kit.

What is this package?

This package is aimed at developers who want to know more about VST Plugins, and how to support them in their own applications. This package contains the source code for that SoundPlay plugin, and its BeIDE project.

What is a plugin? "SoundPlay plugin?" "VST Plugin?"

A plugin is a program designed to add functionality to a program which provides support for such an extension. Both the program & the plugin have to be designed for one another. SoundPlay supports its own specific kind of plugins, but not VST Plugins. The VST Plugins Adapter is a plugin designed for SoundPlay. For SoundPlay, it is just a "normal" plugin, which defines a number of audio effects.
The VST Plugins Adapter itself knows very little about audio. It barely knows how SoundPlay expects its plugins to process audio, and how VST Plugins process audio data. It will use those VST Plugins to process audio, adapting what needs to be adapted.

For the user, everything happens just as if SoundPlay itself knew how to use VST Plugins.

Where can I find VST Plugins for BeOS?

For example, Here!

How to install VST Plugins's Adapter itself? How does it work?

For Indications on how to use the VST Plugin Adapter as a user, read its documentation. It is called "VST Plugins Adapter's Notice.html" and comes with the latest version of SoundPlay.

How to install VST Plugins's Adapter Source Code?

You have unpacked the zip archive already, since you are reading this document! You now simply need to place the "VST Plugins Adapter" folder inside the Plugin-dev folder which should be be inside SoundPlay's folder. That is, you should have the following (among other files):
"SoundPlay's Folder"/SoundPlay's folder
"SoundPlay's Folder"/SoundPlaySoundPlay itself
"SoundPlay's Folder"/Documentation/The documentation folder
"SoundPlay's Folder"/Documentation/VST Adapter's Notice.htmlThe user documentation for the VST Plugins Adapter Plugin
"SoundPlay's Folder"/lib/More SoundPlay folders...
"SoundPlay's Folder"/Plugins/The folder containing SoundPlay's plugins binaries
"SoundPlay's Folder"/Plugins/VST Plugins AdapterThe VST Plugins Adapter binary
"SoundPlay's Folder"/Plugin-dev/The SoundPlay plugins development folder
"SoundPlay's Folder"/Plugin-dev/VST Plugins Adapter/The folder containing all VST Plugins Adapter files.
"SoundPlay's Folder"/Plugin-dev/VST Plugins Adapter/VST Plugins Adapter.projThe VST Plugins Adapter project.

The easiest is to open the VST Plugins Adapter folder, and look at the source files. The source is documented were relevant.
The biggest difficulty you will have to face is to understand what is done for the SoundPlay plugins interface, and what is done for the VST Plugins interface...

Special Thanks!

A number of special thanks must be given:

License

This software is a freeware.

This software is not endorsed by Steinberg Media AG, and therefore, questions, requests, bug reports should only be sent to the author.

The author makes no warranties, express or implied, including without limitation the implied warranties of merchandability and fitness for any particular purpose, regarding this software. The author does not warrant, guarantee or make any representations regarding the use or the results of the use of the software in terms of its correctness, accuracy, reliability, currentness or otherwise. The entire risk as to the results and performance of the software is assumed by you.

I'll be glad to hear about your bug reports, problems, comments, flames...
You can mail me directly : Georges-Edouard Berenger.

Before you get to me though, please be as sure as possible that the problem lies in VST Plugins Adapter itself, and not in a specific VST Plugin or SoundPlay itself... In those later case, please get in touch with their respective authors.

For questions/problems regarding the implementation of VST Plugins and/or VST Plugins hosts, you should subscribe to Steinberg's mailing list for VST Plugins Developers.

Known bugs & problems

History

v1.0 (January 22nd)