# I can't fix the error C1189 "You need to enable at least one plugin format"

**URL:** <https://forum.juce.com/t/i-cant-fix-the-error-c1189-you-need-to-enable-at-least-one-plugin-format/44490>\
**Category:** Audio Plugins\
**Created:** [February 18, 2021, 8:50am UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/i-cant-fix-the-error-c1189-you-need-to-enable-at-least-one-plugin-format/44490 "2021-02-18T08:50:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WillRecords](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.juce.com/willrecords/32/10505_2.png) [@WillRecords](https://forum.juce.com/u/WillRecords)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 8:50am UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/i-cant-fix-the-error-c1189-you-need-to-enable-at-least-one-plugin-format/44490/1 "2021-02-18T08:50:03Z")

</div>

I want to program a plugin manager (audio application).  
When compiling the code in Visual Studio 2019, I always get the error “You need to enable at least one plugin format”.

I am using the Modules:  
juce\_audio\_basics  
juce\_audio\_plugin\_client  
juce\_audio\_processors  
juce\_core  
juce\_data\_structures  
juce\_events  
juce\_graphics  
juce\_gui\_basics  
juce\_gui\_extra

for the module “juce\_audio\_processors” I only set the option “JUCE\_PLUGINHOST\_VST” to “Enabled”, so that the command “VSTPluginFormat” is recognized.  
This is the only code I have written so far and it is in MainComponent.cpp

```
// Create object of list of known plugins.
juce::KnownPluginList knownPluginList;
knownPluginList.clearBlacklistedFiles();

// Specifiy the plugin format.
juce::VSTPluginFormat format;

juce::FileSearchPath searchPath("C:/learn_juce/AudioPluginManager/test_scan_plugins");

// Create scanner for directory and populate plugin list.
juce::PluginDirectoryScanner pluginDirectoryScanner(knownPluginList,
    format,
    searchPath,
    true /*is reccursive*/,
    juce::File(),
    true /*is asyncronous*/);
```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![reuk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.juce.com/reuk/32/21494_2.png) [@reuk](https://forum.juce.com/u/reuk)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 10:27am UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/i-cant-fix-the-error-c1189-you-need-to-enable-at-least-one-plugin-format/44490/2 "2021-02-18T10:27:14Z")

</div>

If you’re building an app rather than a plugin, you shouldn’t need the `juce_audio_plugin_client` module. I think removing this module should solve the issue.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WillRecords](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.juce.com/willrecords/32/10505_2.png) [@WillRecords](https://forum.juce.com/u/WillRecords)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 10:59am UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/i-cant-fix-the-error-c1189-you-need-to-enable-at-least-one-plugin-format/44490/3 "2021-02-18T10:59:45Z")

</div>

thank you, it worked.  
Now I get the error  
“pluginterfaces/vst2.x/aeffect.h”: No such file or directory

Do you know a solution for this too?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![reuk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.juce.com/reuk/32/21494_2.png) [@reuk](https://forum.juce.com/u/reuk)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 12:23pm UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/i-cant-fix-the-error-c1189-you-need-to-enable-at-least-one-plugin-format/44490/4 "2021-02-18T12:23:10Z")

</div>

To host VST2 plugins, you’ll need a copy of the VST2 SDK. This is no longer distributed by JUCE or by Steinberg. You’ll also need to have written permission from Steinberg in order to distribute a VST2 host/plugin.

If you don’t have permission from Steinberg and a copy of the SDK, you’ll need to disable VST2 support in your project. To do this, open your project in the Projucer and select `juce_audio_processors` in the modules list. Then, change `JUCE_PLUGINHOST_VST` to ‘disabled’.

 ![Screenshot 2021-02-18 at 12.21.45](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/juce/original/2X/8/897c6aeda3372f2f95748148ab5756947873b267.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![WillRecords](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/forum.juce.com/willrecords/32/10505_2.png) [@WillRecords](https://forum.juce.com/u/WillRecords)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2021, 2:47pm UTC](https://forum.juce.com/t/i-cant-fix-the-error-c1189-you-need-to-enable-at-least-one-plugin-format/44490/5 "2021-02-18T14:47:01Z")

</div>

Thanks, the error is gone