Bug Report 18.0.0 VST_PATH variable does not work

[Sekra]

I have tried using the VST_PATH system variable like suggested in https://github.com/jp9000/obs-studio/wiki/OBS-Studio-Filters-Guide#vst-plugin yet OBS will NOT find the plugins from the specified directory. I already have gigabytes of VST plugins installed at a second HDD I have, and since I have other software that also use them and I dont have enough space on my system drive to install them there. Things I have tested so far:

For testing purposes I used reaplugs to be certain they will work with OBS
-Installed in my D-drive in my VST plugins folder where all the others are installed in and set VST_PATH in both system AND user variables, does NOT work
-Installed in default location, works but cannot use this method because of reasons specified earlier
-Installed in a secondary location on my D-drive to make sure no other plugin is causing issues, set variables again, does NOT work

Logfile provided although it does not show anything at all related.

 

[WizardCM]

You'll notice in that guide that VST_PATH is defined for Linux only, so that solution won't work.

However, I have an idea for you - and it won't require you to move any VSTs. Symlink.

So, head into C:/Program Files/VSTPlugins/ and run the following command in a command prompt window (Shift-right click on a blank space in Explorer, and select "Open in command prompt").

mklink /J "StoredVSTs" "D:\Other Location\My Existing VST Collection"

Making that second string the path to where you already store VSTs. This'll trick Windows into treating "C:/Program Files/VSTPlugins/StoredVSTs" as if it was a normal folder, however it'll display the contents of your existing VST collection.

Let me know if you need any more help.

 

[Sekra]

That indeed does work as a workaround, forgot about junctions. Still, its NEVER a good idea to assume nobody ever installs anything outside the default locations, I try to avoid installing anything in my system drive and Program Files folders because windows protects these folders with often requiring admin level access to change things in them and it makes me super paranoid to run some (definitely not all) things as admin just so they work from those default locations.

I know Steinberg is super protective about the VST licenses (or at least have been in the past), but I doubt they limit the locations where you can look plugins for. While I'm super ecstatic about being able to use VST plugins in OBS, a feature that most people don't even realize how amazing it is, providing a simple setting for VST location(s) shouldn't be too much to ask for. And please, do provide the possibility to add _multiple_ locations, like every other software that uses VST plugins does.

 

[WizardCM]

Glad the temporary solution works for you. According to this issue on Github, it is a known missing feature - so keep an ear out for when it gets added. Keep in mind that at the moment, VST functionality is super experimental and I'm sure it'll improve dramatically over time.