where do i put plugins !?

L

lilcapn

New member
ok, i got some great recommendations for free plugins and shareware -- but now when i download them i'm not sure where to put them so that i can actually access them!

fruity loops, acid, cooledit, steinberg (not even sure why i have that folder -- it must have come with some software i bought), sonic foundry -- all these programs/folders have "plugins" folders within them.

i'd like to be able to use them with ALL of the above when i get them -- where should i put them?

the few i've downloaded, once i've unzipped them i still can't find them with any of those programs -- for instance in Acid they don't show up as available in the FX chain.

thanks for your help!
 
what software are you using? Usually as you said I place them inside the plugin folder and when the program loads they are loaded into it. Some plugisn require an "installation." Depends on the software and the plugin.
 
I've never seen a plug that didn't require an installation. After they're installed they'll assosiate themselves with any audio software you use that supports whatever format they are (directX for PC).
 
actually a lot of the free plugins you find online do not have installations. You download a DLL. You must place them manually into the plugin folder though.
 
check out if you have a "VST plugin" folder in the Steinberg directory. I think that's where all the plugins should be and the sequencers should automatically add them.
 
Track Rat said:
I've never seen a plug that didn't require an installation.
Click to expand...
Most plugins I have didn't require installation. I just drag & drop the .dll files into the "VST plugin folder". In most cases Logic and Cubase recognizes them automatically. If not I just open the "Plugin Enabler" tool that came with Logic and add them manually. I guess what you are referring to as "installation" is just unpacking the files and copying them into the plugin folder. I might be wrong, though, as usual ;-)
 
dll

well you're right about most of these freeware ones -- they come zipped (so i extract them) but then they're just DLL files -- but i don't know what those are!

i do know that they don't need proper "installation," but i'm wondering if i can put all my plugins in one file that all my software can find (acid, fruity loops, cool edit, etc) or if i have to associate them with one or the other....

thanks!
 
Well, the DLL files are "dynamic link libraries". They are the plugins and there are no other files associated with plugins. Just drag & drop them into your system-wide "Plugin Folder" and every sequencer should automatically detect and link them to your list of installed plugins. You can even create sub-directories in that folder if you want to keep you system tidy. That's all there is to it.
 
I know with Cool Edit, there's a command somewhere in the menu where you tell the program to "refresh" the plugin list. But that's the thing. You have to tell it to do that because it won't automatically detect them. Anyway, I guess that means its scanning your hard drive for whatever new plugins it sees. Depending on what software you're using, you might have to do something similar.
 
DirectX plugins will have an installer program that puts them into your system; just run it.

VST plugins should be put into one central folder. Programs like FruityLoops, Cubase, Logic and N-Track can be told in their preferences where to look for the VST .dll files. Putting them all in one folder on you system makes them easier to manage.
 
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