Designing Software Synthesizer Plug-Ins in C++

Chapter 2Writing Plug-ins

A plug-in is a soft ware component that interfaces with another piece of soft ware called the client in order to extend the client’s capabilities in some way. In order to start writing plug-ins, you need to know how the plug-in connects to and communicates with the client. Windows plug-ins are packaged as Dynamic-Link Libraries, or DLL files. Apple plug-ins are packaged in a bundle, which is configured as a component. The plug-ins in this book are designed for three different platforms: RackAFX (Windows), VST3 (Windows) and Audio Units (MacOS). The synthesizer core objects that you design in Chapters 4–8 are virtually identical across the three platforms with only minor differences in the file opening and reading operations ...