Subject:cant detect VST synths

Posted by: androgyne

Date:12/17/2003 6:21:15 PM

I own 4 NI synths - Absynth, FM7, B4 and Pro-53. Had these previously installed on my old PC with Acid 4.0. Old PC had Win 98SE and all 4 synths came up fine in Acid as VST instruments with the .dll files sitting in C:\Program Files\Vstplugins. Everything worked perfectly until...
Just bought a new PC running Win 2000. Re-installed Acid 4.0 and the 4 synths and Acid will only see two of them - the B4 and the Pro-53. Checked the default VSTplugins folder (C:\program Files\VSTplugins) and all of the .dll's are there, but Acid refuses to see the other two synths. Have uninstalled, reinstalled to no avail. Even tried reinstalling the VST's to another folder on the two problem synths and designating that folder as the alternative VST folder to search and still no good.
Any suggestions? Emailed tech support and never heard back from them so this forum appears to be my last resort.
Thanks for any suggestions, tips, etc.
F.

Subject:RE: cant detect VST synths

Reply by: marcarotsky

Date:12/17/2003 11:15:42 PM

i found a trick to this:

1. open up your acid folder. C:\program files\sonic foundry\acid
2. right click and insert a "new folder"
3. label it "VST'S" (or whatever you want)
4. install ALL your VST's in this folder.

for some reason, sometimes in XP pro, and win 2000, acid cant find that default vst folder. if you install your own folder right in the acid directory, it works like a charm. not to mention, it makes it much more efficient cuz all your vst's are in the same program directory.

any other program you use that supports VST'S, just go to its setup utility and browse to the acid folder for all your VST plug-ins!!
WORKS LIKE A CHARM!!!! :-)
HTH
--MARC

Subject:RE: cant detect VST synths

Reply by: androgyne

Date:12/18/2003 8:14:00 AM

Tried your suggestion and it detected every other synth but the two I really need - Absynth and FM7. Install to Acid4.0/VSTPlugins folder. .dll's and all that is needed is in the folder but Acid wont find them. It finds every other synth in that folder.
Is there a plan B?
:)
F.

Subject:RE: cant detect VST synths

Reply by: marcarotsky

Date:12/18/2003 11:04:22 AM

hmmm....

i use absynth also. and it finds it fine!! you made your OWN vst folder. youre not using the default vst folder acid installs right? (i believe the default acid vst folder is C:\AUDIO\VST'S) if youre using that one, DONT!!! make your own!! i know absynth has a 2 install folder. it installs to 2 different folders because it can be used as a "vst" plug in and it can be used stand alone. make sure you install the "vst plug-in" part to the VST folder you make. read the install set up CAREFULLY!! you will be prompted to "browse" twice during the install. install the standalone absynth app to your program files. install the vst part of absynth in the ACID VST DIRECTORY you make!!!

Subject:RE: cant detect VST synths

Reply by: androgyne

Date:12/18/2003 8:47:27 PM

You are so kind to help me out. I did the two stage install. I installed the program to C:\Program Files\Absynth and the VSTi to C:\Program Files\Sonic Foundry\Acid 4.0\VSTplugins (folder I created). Still no good. I going to keep un/reinstalling - it has to work one of these times. Any other ideas, please share.
Thanks again
Flo

Subject:RE: cant detect VST synths

Reply by: marcarotsky

Date:12/18/2003 11:21:47 PM

hmmmm.....

this is boggling lil ole marc's head...and i dont like being stumped!!! :-)

ummmm....
ok, when you un-install absynth when you are done with the un-install, make sure you restart your computer!!!! (restarting will wipe any remnants of the program in your registry. you should do that with any program you un-install and plan on re-installing) actually, right before you restart, go to the directorys and manually erase any remnants left behind also. (folders) and make them again. (i know, this is a pain in the arse, but it might help) it seems to me that you installed it correctly. the paths you have are the exact same as the ones i have them installed to on mine. so this should work!!!
ok, i just noticed something....
on my system it is set up like this...i might have just found a solution....
(im gonna do this in a tree form)
C:PROGRAM FILESSONIC FOUNDRYACID 4.0VST'S (WHAT I NAMED MY VST FOLDER)
** what i just noticed, is that in this "VST" folder, for some strange reason, i have another folder that says "vst plugins" (i didnt make that folder, i think absynth did)
- double click on that folder, and another folder is going to come up that says "absynth vsti 1.3"
-double click on that folder and you should see 2 things one folder that says "absynth" and the other that says "absynthVST.dll"

what i want you to do is RIGHT CLICK on that "absynthVST.dll" and click "COPY"

now go back to your C:\program files\sonic foundry\acid4.0\vst folder (or whatever you named yours) click in this directory and right click and select "PASTE"

this should paste the "absynthVST.dll" in the main directory. (a .dll is the actual program coding) so this should work. if it doesnt....let me know and ill try to think of something else.
good luck, lemme know....
--marc

Subject:RE: cant detect VST synths

Reply by: pwppch

Date:12/19/2003 6:53:51 AM

Try this:

Close all apps.

Run regedit.exe
Locate the key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Sonic Foundry\ACID\4.0\Metrics\VSTi Synth

and delete it.

Start ACID.

This will force a complete reset of all VSTi information in ACID.

FWIW: You should not have to do any of the things that marcharotsky has suggested. ACID should find each and every VSTi in the provided search paths.

Peter

Subject:RE: cant detect VST synths

Reply by: marcarotsky

Date:12/19/2003 10:57:25 AM

OUCH!!!!! :-(

most people dont know how to go in and edit their registry, so i was trying to give a workaround for an "everyday computer user"

it worked for me.
good luck
--marc

Subject:RE: cant detect VST synths

Reply by: pwppch

Date:12/20/2003 11:57:32 PM

I understand that you solution/suggestions could solve the problem, My only point was that you shouldn't have to do the things you suggested. I keep all my VSTis in a single directory (as long as the VSTi permits this) and never had to change things. Why some don't like being found is very misterious to us here. It is very inconsistent and we have not had specific case we could repro. Clearing out the registry is sometimes the only (and easiest) way to reset a plugin that failed for some reason.

Peter

Subject:RE: cant detect VST synths

Reply by: plastique

Date:12/21/2003 6:10:25 AM

i had the one or two synths which didn't appear in ACID cause they had a space in their dll-name , like for example "vst synth.dll" , which happened to be solvable by simply renaming it (here: "vstsynth.dll") .
maybe this applies here.

regards,
plastique

PS: as i dont have NI synths i can't tell you if that's the case , but you may want to check first if the standalones aren't dependant on the right dll-name to be functional.

Subject:RE: cant detect VST synths

Reply by: androgyne

Date:12/30/2003 2:03:27 PM

Thanks to all of you! I was able to resolve the issue by resetting the registry as PCH suggested, although I absolutely appreciate the efforts of marcarotsky. You guys are what make this a great forum for problem solving!