Building 64-bit only VST plugin on Mac

Audio Plugins
1

Due to one of the frameworks we’re using (Paddle) being 64-bit only, I need to create a 64-bit only build of a VST plugin for Mac. (I’m waiting to see if they will be able to supply a Universal Binary version)

I’m able to create a 64-bit build, but then it doesn’t show up either in the Plugin Host or in Ableton Live 64-bit. The AU does show up but Ableton then says it can’t be loaded. I managed to get it building and running as a standalone app. Do Mac VST plugins have to be Universal Binary to show up? I’m wondering if there’s something going on with the build that’s causing something to go wrong while the plugin is scanned.

Using @dave96’s pluginval I get the following output:

!!! Test 1 failed: Expected value: , Actual value: No compatible plug-in format exists for this plug-in
!!! Test 2 failed: Unable to create AudioPluginInstance

Any clues as to what’s going on here? The plugin has been building and loading fine prior to adding the Paddle framework and building as 64-bit only.

2

If it’s the test I think it is, that means that the plugin couldn’t be loaded. I.e. an AudioPluginInstance couldn’t be created by JUCE. I think you need to run it in the debugger and see at what point the plugin creation bails out (probably somewhere in the VST plugin code).

An no, plugins don’t need to be both 32 & 64-bit to run in hosts. You can have just an x86_64 arch in the binary and it will run just fine.

Good luck in the hunt!

3

Running the Audio Plugin Host and checking its output was enough to show me the relevant error message… now to work out how to fix it!

Thanks for the info