How come my plugins won't populate in UNIFY?

@synth-god

I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble. For reference, the manual page describing the process is here: https://pluginguru.net/unify/manual/doku.php?id=scanning. Please explain exactly what's happening (what you do, and what you see or don't see on the screen), and we can try to advise.

Posted by: @getdunne

@synth-god

I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble. For reference, the manual page describing the process is here: https://pluginguru.net/unify/manual/doku.php?id=scanning. Please explain exactly what's happening (what you do, and what you see or don't see on the screen), and we can try to advise.

Hello @GetDunne, 

I believe I followed the instructions I came across on YouTube. Where I click the plugin icon, then the operations button and then scan for AU or VST plugins choices. The scans would always stall. Sometimes at 9% or a little higher like 16%. I've been trying for days since my purchase with no success. 

@synth-god

Well that's not good. Sometimes one specific plug-in won't scan properly using the PlugScanner app, but you can register it individually by dragging the plug-in file directly into the Known Plug-Ins list. Once this is done, you should be able to run the scan again, and it will skip over the problem plug-in.

For example, in your screenshot, the scan seems to be stuck at Massive X, but it might also be stuck at the next (in alphabetic order) in the same folder. Please try the drag-drop trick (see "Registering individual plug-ins" on the manual page I referenced, right at the top) with Massive X and the next couple of plug-ins in the Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components folder, and then see if you can run the scan again. If it stops somewhere later in the list, repeat the process.

Another thing that occasionally causes scanning to get stuck is when a particular plug-in tries to pop up a window that you need to click in, but you can't see the window because it's hidden behind another one. Should this happen, try dragging windows around to see if there's a pop-up hiding somewhere.

@synth-god

I'm heading out of town today, so I won't be able to follow up further. I've passed this thread on to John and Taylor. They are on Pacific time (I'm on Eastern) so you might not hear from them for a little while.

In a pinch, don't worry about scanning ALL your plug-ins just now, and simply register them one at a time (using the drag/drop trick) as you need them. I realize this isn't a long-term solution, but it will allow you to get on with exploring Unify.

@getdunne

Hey man,

I thought I'd tag my question/observation onto this thread for you as it may well be related to the above. I've noticed that if I update my plugins, say the recent Arturia or Korg V3 plugin updates for example, and then in Unify/Plug-ins/Operations perform a "scan for new and updated xxx plug-ins", Unify will find & update the version number of the AudioUnits without a problem, but the VST & VST3 versions, it stays on the same version number!

Here's the weird thing though... for example, if I drag the updated VST3 onto the list, it still doesn't update the list, the only way I can force Unify to recognise the updated plugin is to remove it from the list, say the VST3 for example, so it's no longer in the list, then drag the updated VST3 plugin onto the list THEN it will update the list with the newer version number. Even stranger, it works with VST3 plugins, but if I do the same method as above with a VST plugin, it won't show the updated version number but the OLDER version number! If I do a "Get Info" (I'm sure you noticed already by the earlier reference to AudioUnits that I'm on a Mac) on the VST then it definitely shows the new version number so it's not as if it didn't get updated when I installed the newer plugin packages. 

Any ideas mate? It's not then end of the World for sure, but irritatingly I do have to remember to check and sometimes do the manual process as noted above as the "scan for new and updated..." misses quite a few updated plugins. New ones are fine, but updated ones? Not so much! 🙂

@djtobes

This is indeed a weakness in Unify. Unify's plug-in management code was inherited from the JUCE framework upon which it's built. I didn't write it, and I haven't tried improving on it very much, because it's complicated and difficult to follow (and I've had enough other issues to fight with).

What I usually do, whenever I update a plug-in with a newer version, is manually remove the old entry in the known plug-ins list, then drag the newer plug-in (usually a VST) in to re-scan it from scratch. That way, the version number will always be correct.

As you say, it's not the end of the world. Most often, when you run a plug-in's installer to install a newer version, it will overwrite the old one. Unify will then load the newer version, despite what the known plug-ins list entry might say. Version management can become an issue, though, on Windows, where VST folders are not standardized, and you can easily install a newer version into a different location than the previous one, i.e., the newer plug-in file does NOT overwrite the old one, and as a result, Unify will still run the older version, because it's still looking in the old location. Manually deleting the old list-entry and then dragging in the newly-installed plug-in avoids this.

@getdunne Thanks for replying and trying to help, but in the interest of time, I think I'm going to give up on UNIFY for now. It looks like a great tool, but I hope the scanning issue will be resolved in the near future. I bought UNIFY because I needed a quick and easy solution for my MPC software which sadly doesn't support MIDI effects. Once again thank you for your help...

@synth-god

It saddens me to hear that you're willing to give up on Unify because its plug-in scanning isn't perfect, but of course it's your decision, and your point about time is well-taken. The saddest thing is that insisting on scanning everything in one go (which I'll admit is a chore) is holding you back from getting the actual benefits of the product.

All I can suggest is that you do as I do, and register plug-ins individually each time you need a new one.

Posted by: @getdunne

@synth-god

It saddens me to hear that you're willing to give up on Unify because its plug-in scanning isn't perfect, but of course it's your decision, and your point about time is well-taken. The saddest thing is that insisting on scanning everything in one go (which I'll admit is a chore) is holding you back from getting the actual benefits of the product.

All I can suggest is that you do as I do, and register plug-ins individually each time you need a new one.

@GetDunne

I currently own 1,803 AU/VST plugins and virtual instruments and carry a sizable client load of production projects.

It will take me weeks to sift through all of that.

The caliber of Boom Bap artists I work with isn't going to be that patient and wait for me, especially with artists who are releasing 4 - 8 mixtapes and albums a year to stay competitive in our culture.

When a lyricist or their manager emails you for beats, you have to be ready to go right there and then or you'll lose out on important placements. 

There are no days off, no vacations, no date night, and no family social events in this business.

I purchased UNIFY because I needed a specific solution and for now, it hasn't worked out for me, so I will have to wait it out until it does. 

For now, I will keep an eye out for updates... 

Hello SG, I'm sorry Unify's scanner didn't work as well as expected for you.

I know you said you're terribly busy but it would be tremendously helpful if you could list the plugins that are not working for you that you need to have work for you. I have over 800 plug-ins loaded and for the most part functioning as expected in Unify. Slate Digital, Softube and the Korg plug-ins in Gadget 2 are known to not work properly. With 1,800+ plugins, there are quite a few that could be older and not even compatible with Catalina causing the lockups you experienced.

As Shane mentioned, this area of Unify is built and supported by the larger JUCE community. Shane pulled it out of the plug-in code and wrapped it into an application so if it crashes it doesn't take down Unify and can instead restart itself, try to skip the offensive plugin and keep working. but what is happening inside the plugin code is not something Shane wrote.

Sorry the experience was not up to the standards we are trying to achieve - we will continue to try to make Unify better.