How do i organize vst for ease of categorization?

[rpc9943]

Hi,

Not sure if this really makes much sense, but what methods could I use to organize my vst/vsti files so that they are more "neatly organized" in tracktion?

RonC

[ost12666]

I have a directory tree under the vstplugin directory:

Instruments
--Monophonic
--Drums
--...
Effects
--Reverb
--Chorus
--...
Utils
--Chainers, etc.
Test
--New stuff to try before categorizing..

I found this much better than using company names or just flat...when I install using a setup program I just tell it to install where I want it

[valley]

I have a small guide that covers organising plugins here:

http://www.adbe.org/guides/tracktion/pluginssetup.html

[rpc9943]

This is very appreciated... I knew it kind of was a stupid question...

RonC

[DarkStar]

I organised mine by type, with the following folders in the VSTplugins folder: -
Synths
Samplers
Sampler-Synths
Dynamics FX
MIDI FX
Time FX
Tonal FX

Then sub-folders in each category.

A similar approach to ost12666.

And to avoid the problem others have found I have renamed each one to add an abbreviation for the developer/supplier.

[Mr. Tingle]

..but more importantly where do you put the preset files?

[valley]

in the same folder as the vst to which it belongs, that way when I deltree c:\progra~1 prior to a windows reinstall I can be sure I'll lose all my lovingly crafted patches.

[AD80]

I only organize my effects into subfolders. Delays, Reverbs, Compression, Phasers, ........etc. I keep all my synths on the main folder. I like having quick access to all my synths and samplers so I can choose instruments I havent used in a while. If I start separating my synths I'll probably forget about some and never use them.

I keep all my presets in a separate folder called Patches. It has all my synth presets in folders named after each synth. And a different folder for effects.

[_oswald]

I like to punish myself by just putting everything in folders sorted out by the developers. Makes the list damn long and keeps my brain energized by having to memorize a ton of crap

[AD80]

[Lunch Money]

I've been thinking about this one a bunch lately, so it's not THAT dumb a question. The two obvious choices are by category or by developer. By category makes so much more sense, but until now I've had mine by developer.

What would be nice is to have it like the Windows Explorer trees... you click a button to change between sorting methods-- in windows, it'd be by file type, by size, by date, etc...

In Tracktion, it'd be by Developer, by Effect type, by License type, etc. The problem is that since this information isn't inherent in the files, we'd have to define it ourselves. But I certainly wouldn't mind!

Greg

[GaryG]

i've got my 'trusted' folders with all the old favourites in them (by type) and then a big ol' 'evaluate' folder with everything else chucked in to be, like, evaluated then deleted.

.g

[Mr. Tingle]

A good idea would be to have flexible tree structure that tracktion remembers. That way all our vst's can be put into one large plugins/3rd pary folder (unsorted), and then you can drag and drop them within the tracktion filter tree menu (like windows start menu). Right click on the menu should have 'create new folder and rename folder' options.

[ost12666]

The developer information can be in the file if the developer put in his info in the DLL version info (look in DLL properties and see a tab named Version)