HelloWorldVST

A basic "Hello World" style Visual Studio 2017 project for creating a virtual instrument in VST format. The official Steinberg VST SDK is included (GPL v3 licensed).

To build the SDK

• Install CMake (and make sure it is in your Path)
• Create a build folder next to the SDK (recommended name: build_sdk)
• From inside the build folder, run 'cmake -G"Visual Studio 15 2017 Win64" ../vst3sdk'
• Open the .sln file that now exists in your build folder. In Visual Studio 2017, build the solution.

To create your plugin (without copying this one)

• Start with a c++ console application sln (without its own folder for the sln) in a folder next to the VST3 SDK.
• Include dllmain.cpp from public.sdk/source/main.
• Write an Entry.cpp file
• Write a Processor class
• Write a Controller class
• Add a .def file
• Add "$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\vst3sdk;$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\vst3sdk\vstgui4" to your include paths
• Add "$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\build_sdk\lib\Debug\base.lib;$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\build_sdk\lib\Debug\sdk.lib;$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\build_sdk\lib\Debug\vstgui_support.lib;$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\build_sdk\lib\Debug\vstgui_uidescription.lib;$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\build_sdk\lib\Debug\vstgui.lib" to your linker additional dependencies
• Important: In linker options -> All Options, add "/EXPORT:GetPluginFactory" to Additional Options
• Set the project configuration type to "Dynamic Library (.dll)"
• Set the target extension to ".vst3"
• Build from Visual Studio

To run validation as a build step

• Add "$(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\build_sdk\bin\Debug\validator.exe $(MSBuildProjectDirectory)\..\VersatileSynth\x64\Debug\VersatileSynth.vst3" as a post-build step. (Repeat for Release if needed.)