Plugin (VST) naming issues

Audio Plugins
1

Something’s not right here.

Create a project in Projucer with the project name: ProjectName
In the Xcode exporter, set the binary name: BinaryName

Build the project and you get binaries that you’d expect: BinaryName.component, BinaryName.vst, BinaryName.vst3. Great.

MainStage shows the plugin as BinaryName. Great.

Cubase, Ableton, AudioPluginHost show it as ProjectName.

Shouldn’t the plugin’s internal name match it’s binary name? I’m guessing this is a VST wrapper issue?

2

Some hosts (MainStage) simply show the file name as the name of the plug-in. Cubase, Ableton, AudioPluginHost actually interrogate the plug-in for it’s name (which, personally, I think makes more sense). This will be whatever the pre-processor define JucePlugin_Name is. You can change this in the Projucer. By default it’s the project name:

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3

I just made a new project and changed the Plugin Name and the binary name. Ableton still shows the VST as the Project name, not the Plugin Name.

4

This isn’t a JUCE issue. it’s the fact that each host do things differently which makes a plug-in developer QA/Testing hell :wink:

Ableton Live (at least with v9 I’ve tested thoroughly on that subject).

  • Audio Unit: uses AU API so naming is based on the PluginName.
  • VST: VSTs simply uses the binary name. If you wish your plug-in the have a specific name you must set your bundles binary name to the desired name.

In addition for sanity, keep in mind Ableton shows BOTH - the global plug-ins and the user’s plug-ins.