Use installer VST path as default scan PATH for VST plugins

[elieserdejesus]

At moment Jamtaba is using the default VST path stored in registry by other software. Is better use the PATH stored by jamtaba installer (the path choosed by Jamtaba user).

[jonjamcam]

I agree.

[Ezeer]

How can i help ?

[elieserdejesus]

Ezee, at moment Inno Setup is automatically storing the VST path choosed by the user in installing time. This VST path is stored in windows registry. I search this entry in registry and founded, but the key/folder is a black magic hash code. So we can't access a simple key in registry and get the value (the VST path choosed by the user).

So, a solution is manually store the user VST path and read this entry when the VST path list is empty in Jamtaba.

[Ezeer]

PATH stored by jamtaba installer (the path choosed by Jamtaba user But where the installer writes that PATH ? ... Why we need the default path , the user can choose the path in settings ? But we also can ask the user at startup , at the first launch , with a dialogbox asking for the vst path ? Then store it in Json ?

[elieserdejesus]

But where the installer writes that PATH ? Installer write the PATH in a weird key in registry. I suppose Inno setup use some kind of hash, and probabily this hash change in every machine Jamtaba is installed. So we can trust in this to get something in registry.

Why we need the default path? It's a convenience to users, all DAWs use some similar. In Reaper, for example, we see the "Auto Detect" button. Reaper load the default VST path by default.

The default paths are define in VST 2.4 documentation On the Windows platform, a VST Plug-In is a multi-threaded DLL (Dynamic Link Library). A standard (default) folder for the VST Plug-Ins is defined in the registry under "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\VST\VSTPluginsPath".

[Ezeer]

So you want to read the key that was wrtten by jamtaba in the registry . But this path was given by the user ? If yes , why not remove the question from the installer and put it at the first runtime of jamtaba ? It's the same process .

[elieserdejesus]

Ezee,If we ask users about VST path at the first runtime we are probably asking 2 times for the same info: 1 - We will first ask user "where you want install Jamtaba VST plugin" in installer. 2 - Jamtaba is opened at first time and we ask again: "Where are your VST plugins?"

Off couse the answer for the 2 questions can be different in some cases, but I think 99.99% of users will install Jamtaba VST plugin in your preferred plugins folder. So, I we have the right info (the preferred plugin folder) in installing time, no need to ask again in runtime.

[Ezeer]

I was saying to REMOVE THE INSTALL question to ask at launch time . Not to keep the two . It's a better design to ask at install time , but if it's too complicated to deal with the registry , let the lazy user moove his ass ! ah ah ah

[elieserdejesus]

I think the "add another entry in registry" solution is not complicated. 1 - In installer we can add stuff in registry (the selected VST install Path). 2 - Jamtaba read the well know entry in registry to get the Vst Path, so we don't rely in "Default VST path" proposed by Steinberg.

I will work in this soon, my brain is a bit over clocked at moment :)

[Ezeer]

ouf ! that is too much boring for me . You give me time to find another way to crash Jamtaba with my joystick . eh eh eh