It's 2017 and there's STILL no Plugin Manager in PT

[WombatStudio.Org]

This topic originally posted a year ago and then got a bump in October 2017, here is the New Year 2018 bump.

It's 2018 and "industry standard" PT still doesn't have a plugin manager.

I just went Universal Audio and having a bunch of UAD-2 plugins on my drop-downs that I haven't authorized is frustrating. Google searching "Pro Tools Plugin Manager" found this thread.

I will go through the files and move them in the meantime, but from what I've read, every update you have to go through this process again. Also, I think Universal Audio is the only plugin manufacturer that have ever installed plugins on my system that won't work unless activated by free trial or purchase.

[lesbrunn]

Originally Posted by Carl Lie

Another thing would be a check for potential conflicts. I'm sure I'm over simplifying this but the idea that we need to search for "trouble causing" plugins is ridiculous.
C

+1. Absolutely ridiculous. Remove everything, then load them one by one and check by trial and error.

I like what Studio One does, it prevents incompatible plugins from loading.

[Top Jimmy]

Originally Posted by WombatStudio.Org

I will go through the files and move them in the meantime, but from what I've read, every update you have to go through this process again. Also, I think Universal Audio is the only plugin manufacturer that have ever installed plugins on my system that won't work unless activated by free trial or purchase.

UA and IK Multimedia both do this. I tend to avoid updating unless there's a need to since I too comb out the unauthorized plugins. I don't want them in my plugins menu.

Personally I believe the onus is on the plugin developer. I have complained to both UA and IK Multimedia that their installation process should only install what I have license for but neither was receptive to the suggestion. Waves and others provide a managed installation process so it's definitely feasible.



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[noah330]

One thing I like is the menu where you can sort by type or brand.

What would be nice would be a favorites tree that could be sorted by brand, manufacturer or type.

Doesn't seem like a huge deal but those of us with Diamond or Mercury have a lot of EQs or Comps and looking at Waves is daunting as well.

First world problem!

[nigelpry]

Don't know about IK but it wouldn't be in UA's interest, or I guess some of it's users, to only install the plugins you've bought. After all, part of UA's system allows you to attempt to load a olugin you haven't bought, and then get a 14 day demo before buying.

And, of course, you probably know that everytime you buy a plugin, all your demo plugins get reset, so you can have 14 day demos for a plugin you multiple times, if you are not ready to buy it yet.

But I'm with you, I prefer not to see the plugins I don't own, to save clutter.

For me, I do the following ...
1) Use the UA Console plugin manager to hide (in Console only) the plugins I don't own, and
2) While that window is open, use it to help remind me which plugins I don't own, and so need to move to the unused plugins folder.

To be honest, I mostly KNOW which ones I own ;-)

I have also created an unused plugins folder that I move AU and VST plugins to. It only takes me a couple of minutes to select them and move them.

[EdgarRothermich]

Originally Posted by WombatStudio.Org

This topic originally posted a year ago and then got a bump in October 2017, here is the New Year 2018 bump.

It's 2018 and the "industry standard" PT still doesn't have a plugin manager.

Yes, it's 2018 and the "industry standard" Pro Tools still doesn' have Track Folders or even folders in the Clip List. That is just insane.

[priorytools]

Originally Posted by TOM@METRO

I assume you are referring to something Studio One does... Examining each plug-in and only allowing those that pass the stability test. If so, I agree. This would be a big time saver.

Yes please

[K Roche]

Interesting thread
I have no opinion, as for me it has never been all that much of an issue. The mfg and type option is nice and the favorite Dynamic and EQ...... then Session Templates and the track preset "hack" actually handel most of my organizational needs .

But then I have only the HD bundled , Waves Diamond, a few extra AIR , the Elysia Alpha comp pair , and a couple Massey.

[WombatStudio.Org]

I found this Pro Tools Plugin Manager that was able to easily move out my unused UA plugins using a GUI and I kept the UA Console side by side for reference (I don't hide Unauth in console).

I do sort by Category and Manufacturer in Pro Tools, but I have every (Waves, Soundtoys, FabFilter, Eventide, iZotope, IKMultimedia, Slate) plugin and most Plugin Alliance, McDSP and UAD-2 plugins (Complete List).

I did find a "hidden shortcut" to add more than 2 to your favorites list here by holding down the Command key. I didn't try it yet though.

[TNM]

I would plus one a built in plugin manager, and one that also allows us to rename plugins and put them in custom groups. Would be wonderful. Not a deal breaker, but a workflow improver for sure!

Little tip.. this is how i manage my waves bundle plugins.. i go to my waves application folder, manually created a plugins unused folder there, and move the waves plugins from apps/waves/plug-ins V9 to the unused folder.. this way I have been able to de clutter the massive sprawling waves menu in PT.. and remove things like Q10 entirely that I would never use, for example, which takes up like 6 menu slots on it's own.

@WombatStudio I will check out the offline third party plug in manager, thanks for the tip, hope it works with PT12 and sierra.

offline is a decent idea as a workaround indeed. But, in OSX, i just create a two tabbed window anyway, and move the stuff i don't' want from plugins to unused. This doesn't work for waves of course as there is only one aax wave shell component (or 2 or 3 depending on how many waves plugins installed), which is why i came up with the little workaround to move them in waves app folder itself.