VST to RTAS Wrapper

[JLSIII]

I bought a VST to RTAS wrapper (or adapter) so I could play VST instruments as RTAS plug-ins in my Pro Tools LE 6.9 sessions (the wrapper for version 7.0 isn’t available yet).

The sounds I want to access came with my new Proteus X software. It is dongled to my new sound card (E-MU 0404) and must be loaded to authenticate the card.

Now my saved MIDI tracks’ output assignments are italicized and the previous selections are not available (Digi 002 OUTPUTS one and two are not in the drop down menu, and as a matter of fact, the Digi 002 INPUT selection is now missing from the choices, too).
I scoured the Users Guide, and it does not explain inactive or deleted MIDI output assignments.

But even if I get that mystery solved (the disappearing MIDI in and out assignment choices), that still leaves me with my original puzzle, and that is this . . . . . . . .

Where can I find the sounds? How do I access them, now that they are loaded and converted (by the VST to RTAS wrapper)? There are instructions for loading a single preset file or a bank of presets into the plug-in.

But WHAT plug-in? There are no instruments listed in the RTAS menus, only effects, like D-verb. Am I supposed to find a synth in that list?
Or maybe something called Proteus X?

Is the whole thing a REWIRE setup?

I bought the Proteus X package so I could use some Proteus sounds in my Pro Tools sessions.
But I can’t even find how to access the sounds.
Does anybody know how to do what I want to do?

It looks like the whole setup is disabling my MIDI input and output selections.

[spkguitar]

According to this dude over at the FXpansion forum, he got his working just fine.

Did you scan the whole computer or just the fxpansion directory?
If just the directory, had you copied the proteus dll file in there to get wrapped?
Did the proteus show up in the list when you ran the wrapper?
Did it show as being wrapped correctly?

[cheekypaul]

VST2RTAS is about to be updated. i would imagine within the next few weeks. should solve most problems caused by....

[JLSIII]

According to this dude over at the FXpansion forum, he got his working just fine.

Did you scan the whole computer or just the fxpansion directory?
If just the directory, had you copied the proteus dll file in there to get wrapped?
Did the proteus show up in the list when you ran the wrapper?
Did it show as being wrapped correctly?

I didn't scan anything. I put the disk in, chose PC, then chose Digidesign (instead of Reason or others on a list) and clicked OK. It took about two seconds and said it was finished. There was no display of what it was doing. There is nothing in the RTAS drop down menu that wasn't there before.

What is an fxpansion directory and where would I find it and what should be in it? What kind of scanner do I need to buy?

Are you saying I should move some dll file from somewhere or just copy it and paste it in multiple places?

[spkguitar]

You need to read the VST-RTAS wrapper instructions.

[JLSIII]

You need to read the VST-RTAS wrapper instructions.

Thanks. I went back through it, and re-followed the instructions to the letter. Now, after nothing in Pro Tools had changed, I did a search for vstplugins in my computer. One led to an empty folder at C:\Program Files\FXpansion\VST2RTAS\vstplugins. The only other search result was C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VstPlugins\EMU, which has proteusx.dll.

Please describe what my next step would be.

[spkguitar]

Sounds as if:
a. C:\Program Files\FXpansion\VST2RTAS\vstplugins is not set up to be your systemwide VSTplugins folder
or
b. You didn't check the option "Scan Systemwide VST folder"

Most of this info is contained in the vst-rtas manual, but here you go anyway:
Make sure Pro Tools is shut down.

Copy proteusx.dll into C:\Program Files\FXpansion\VST2RTAS\vstplugins
Open the VST-RTAS conversion utility and press "Detect and Convert VST Plugins"
Make sure the information in the messages window indicates that the plugin was converted correctly
close the converter
Open Pro Tools

You plugin should appear in the list.

[JLSIII]

Copy proteusx.dll into C:\Program Files\FXpansion\VST2RTAS\vstplugins
Open the VST-RTAS conversion utility and press "Detect and Convert VST Plugins"
Make sure the information in the messages window indicates that the plugin was converted correctly
close the converter
Open Pro Tools

Your plugin should appear in the list.

Hey! Amazing!
It works!
The plug-in I wondered about turns out to be the Proteus X "SYNTH"
that shows up under "other" in the Audiosuite drop-down menu.
That's great.

Now....

As I follow the instructions, it says I should load a preset, so I should first
click on file>open, and click on "presets" in the tree that presents itself.

Guess what.
Empty! The limbs of the tree are empty.
No presets.

Hmm. So.. maybe.... back to one of my original questions.
Where are the sounds, please?

I am grateful to have finally found the way to display the plug-in that came with the card.

But, where are those doggoned sounds I want, need,
and so far have spent two hundred fifty dollars to hear,
and are nowhere to be found yet?
Not that there is anything wrong with that.

And, oh yeah, here's a beautiful one...you'll probably LOL at this one.....
I expected the Proteus X synth (or plug-in, or whatever was going to be revealed) was going to be a MIDI sound module. That is, I thought I could hit my MIDI keyboard and trigger the Proteus X sounds. Now I see that they are intended to be an insert on an AUDIO TRACK!
HMMMMMMM!
How the heck can I get the sound from software-land into an audio track using a MIDI controller?
What bus or output path do I use for the audio track or a midi controller to play the dang sounds?

What the heck kind of goofy setup of an instrument is this supposed to be, anyway?
What if I had a .mid file on my deskto9p and I double clicked on it, expecting to hear a MIDI file played with Proteus X sounds. Is that a possibility?
What about getting the sounds from the screen to my ear? How do I accomplish that?

Also . . . .
I hope some day, some way to solve the mystery of where my Digi 002 MIDI ins and outs have disappeared to, and WHY.

What if I wanted to use the virtual sounds (VST/RTAS) on one MIDI track,
and a hardware Proteus 2 Orchestral Sound Module on another?
I am unable to choose to use either of the Digi 002 MIDI outs.
They just don't show up in the selection any more.

Where's that at?

[JLSIII]

Copy proteusx.dll into C:\Program Files\FXpansion\VST2RTAS\vstplugins
Open the VST-RTAS conversion utility and press "Detect and Convert VST Plugins"
Make sure the information in the messages window indicates that the plugin was converted correctly
close the converter
Open Pro Tools

Your plugin should appear in the list.

Hey! Amazing!
It works!
The plug-in I wondered about turns out to be the Proteus X "SYNTH"
that shows up under "other" in the Audiosuite drop-down menu.
That's great.

Now....

As I follow the instructions, it says I should load a preset, so I should first
click on file>open, and click on "presets" in the tree that presents itself.

Guess what.
Empty! The limbs of the tree are empty.
No presets.

Hmm. So.. maybe.... back to one of my original questions.
Where are the sounds, please?

I am grateful to have finally found the way to display the plug-in that came with the card.

But, where are those doggoned sounds I want, need,
and so far have spent two hundred fifty dollars to hear,
and are nowhere to be found yet?
Not that there is anything wrong with that.

And, oh yeah, here's a beautiful one...you'll probably LOL at this one.....
I expected the Proteus X synth (or plug-in, or whatever was going to be revealed) was going to be a MIDI sound module.
That is, I thought I could hit my MIDI keyboard and trigger the Proteus X sounds.
But now I see that they are intended to be an insert on an AUDIO TRACK!

HMMMMMMM! An insert on an audio track instead of a preset in a MIDI track.

How can I get the sound from software-land to audio track using a MIDI controller?

What the heck kind of goofy setup of an instrument is this supposed to be, anyway?


What about getting the sounds from the Pro Tools MIDI track, through the proteus X soundcard/software to my ear? How do I accomplish that? What output selection can be chosen from the MIDI track that will trigger the software sounds (the four selections are: E-DSP MIDI Port; Microsoft GS Wavetable; Microsoft MIDI Mapper; Out USB Keystation).

And what input selection on the audio track do I select to have the soundsfrom the Proteus X synth arrive at the audio track input? None of the input selections refers to an Proteus X or anything besides IN 1 & 2, or bus 1 & 2, etc.

This is CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also . . . .
I hope some day, some way to solve the mystery of where my Digi 002 MIDI ins and outs have disappeared to, and WHY.

What if I wanted to use the virtual sounds (VST/RTAS) on one MIDI track,
and a hardware Proteus 2 Orchestral Sound Module on another?
I am unable to choose to use either of the Digi 002 MIDI outs.
They just don't show up in the selection any more.

Where's that at?
But anyway, first the sounds.
Can anybody tell me what this program is supposed to do and how it relates to what I want to do with Pro Tools and MIDI tracks and software sounds?

What if I had a .mid file on my desktop and I double clicked on it, expecting to hear a MIDI file played with Proteus X sounds. Is that a possibility?

And if this is not the right program, then what, please, would you recommend for me to buy
get as a software MIDI sound module?

ARRRRGGHHHHH!!

[spkguitar]

Oh dear lord...

You can't be serious?