validate-vst3-editorhost

Name: validate-vst3-editorhost
Author: iPlug3

84stars3forks

How to install validate-vst3-editorhost?

iplug3/audio-plugin-dev-skills/validate-vst3-editorhost

$npx -y skills add iPlug3/audio-plugin-dev-skills --skill validate-vst3-editorhost

Installs into the current project.

Summary

Test VST3 plugin UIs (.vst3 bundles) using Steinberg's EditorHost without a full DAW. Use when user says "test the plugin UI", "open in editorhost", "show the .vst3 editor", or wants to visually inspect the VST3 editor. For functional validation use validate-vst3 instead.

Files · 1

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SKILL.md

1	# VST3 EditorHost
2
3	Minimal VST3 host for testing plugin UIs without a full DAW.
4
5	## Plugin Install Locations
6
7	`editorhost` accepts a direct path to a `.vst3` bundle.
8
9	\| Platform \| User Location \| System Location \|
10	\|----------\|--------------\|-----------------\|
11	\| macOS \| `~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/` \| `/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/` \|
12	\| Windows \| `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Common\VST3\` \| `C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\` \|
13	\| Linux \| `~/.vst3/` \| `/usr/lib/vst3/` or `/usr/local/lib/vst3/` \|
14
15	## Instructions
16
17	1. Build EditorHost from the VST3 SDK if not already built (see Building EditorHost below)
18	2. Run: `editorhost /path/to/plugin.vst3`
19	3. The plugin UI window should appear — verify layout, controls, and resizing
20	4. Test multiple editor instances with `--secondWindow`
21	5. If the UI doesn't appear, verify the plugin passes `validator` tests first
22
23	## Usage
24
25	```bash
26	# Basic usage - load plugin and show UI
27	editorhost /path/to/plugin.vst3
28
29	# With component handler (tests host callbacks)
30	editorhost --componentHandler /path/to/plugin.vst3
31
32	# Open second window (tests multiple editor instances)
33	editorhost --secondWindow /path/to/plugin.vst3
34
35	# Specify a particular effect class by UID
36	editorhost --uid "ABCD1234..." /path/to/plugin.vst3
37	```
38
39	### Binary Locations
40
41	\| Platform \| Typical Path \|
42	\|----------\|-------------\|
43	\| macOS \| `<vst3sdk>/build/bin/Release/editorhost.app/Contents/MacOS/editorhost` \|
44	\| Windows \| `<vst3sdk>\build\bin\Release\editorhost.exe` \|
45	\| Linux \| `<vst3sdk>/build/bin/Release/editorhost` \|
46
47	## Building EditorHost
48
49	Clone the [VST3 SDK](https://github.com/steinbergmedia/vst3sdk) if you don't have it, then build:
50
51	```bash
52	cd <vst3sdk>
53	cmake -B build -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
54	cmake --build build --target editorhost
55	```
56
57	Linux: Requires X11 and GTK3 development libraries:
58	```bash
59	# Debian/Ubuntu
60	sudo apt install libx11-dev libgtkmm-3.0-dev libxcb-util-dev libxcb-cursor-dev libxcb-keysyms1-dev libxcb-xkb-dev
61
62	# Fedora
63	sudo dnf install libX11-devel gtkmm3.0-devel xcb-util-devel xcb-util-cursor-devel xcb-util-keysyms-devel libxkbcommon-x11-devel
64	```
65
66	## Troubleshooting
67
68	### Plugin doesn't load
69	- Check the plugin path is correct
70	- Verify the plugin passes `validator` tests first
71	- Check logs: Console.app (macOS), Event Viewer (Windows), or stderr (Linux)
72
73	### UI doesn't appear
74	- The plugin might not have an editor (`hasEditor()` returns false)
75	- Check if `createEditor()` is returning a valid view
76	- Linux: Ensure X11 display is available (`echo $DISPLAY`)
77
78	### UI appears but is blank/wrong size
79	- Check `defaultEditorSize()` returns valid dimensions
80	- For WebView UIs, check the HTML content is being set correctly
81	- Try with `--secondWindow` to see if the issue is with first-time setup

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validate-vst3-editorhost

84stars3forks

View on GitHub

How to install validate-vst3-editorhost?

iplug3/audio-plugin-dev-skills/validate-vst3-editorhost

$npx -y skills add iPlug3/audio-plugin-dev-skills --skill validate-vst3-editorhost

Installs into the current project.

Summary

Files · 1

View on GitHub

SKILL.md

1	# VST3 EditorHost
2
3	Minimal VST3 host for testing plugin UIs without a full DAW.
4
5	## Plugin Install Locations
6
7	`editorhost` accepts a direct path to a `.vst3` bundle.
8
9	\| Platform \| User Location \| System Location \|
10	\|----------\|--------------\|-----------------\|
11	\| macOS \| `~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/` \| `/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/` \|
12	\| Windows \| `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Common\VST3\` \| `C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\` \|
13	\| Linux \| `~/.vst3/` \| `/usr/lib/vst3/` or `/usr/local/lib/vst3/` \|
14
15	## Instructions
16
17	1. Build EditorHost from the VST3 SDK if not already built (see Building EditorHost below)
18	2. Run: `editorhost /path/to/plugin.vst3`
19	3. The plugin UI window should appear — verify layout, controls, and resizing
20	4. Test multiple editor instances with `--secondWindow`
21	5. If the UI doesn't appear, verify the plugin passes `validator` tests first
22
23	## Usage
24
25	```bash
26	# Basic usage - load plugin and show UI
27	editorhost /path/to/plugin.vst3
28
29	# With component handler (tests host callbacks)
30	editorhost --componentHandler /path/to/plugin.vst3
31
32	# Open second window (tests multiple editor instances)
33	editorhost --secondWindow /path/to/plugin.vst3
34
35	# Specify a particular effect class by UID
36	editorhost --uid "ABCD1234..." /path/to/plugin.vst3
37	```
38
39	### Binary Locations
40
41	\| Platform \| Typical Path \|
42	\|----------\|-------------\|
43	\| macOS \| `<vst3sdk>/build/bin/Release/editorhost.app/Contents/MacOS/editorhost` \|
44	\| Windows \| `<vst3sdk>\build\bin\Release\editorhost.exe` \|
45	\| Linux \| `<vst3sdk>/build/bin/Release/editorhost` \|
46
47	## Building EditorHost
48
49	Clone the [VST3 SDK](https://github.com/steinbergmedia/vst3sdk) if you don't have it, then build:
50
51	```bash
52	cd <vst3sdk>
53	cmake -B build -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
54	cmake --build build --target editorhost
55	```
56
57	Linux: Requires X11 and GTK3 development libraries:
58	```bash
59	# Debian/Ubuntu
60	sudo apt install libx11-dev libgtkmm-3.0-dev libxcb-util-dev libxcb-cursor-dev libxcb-keysyms1-dev libxcb-xkb-dev
61
62	# Fedora
63	sudo dnf install libX11-devel gtkmm3.0-devel xcb-util-devel xcb-util-cursor-devel xcb-util-keysyms-devel libxkbcommon-x11-devel
64	```
65
66	## Troubleshooting
67
68	### Plugin doesn't load
69	- Check the plugin path is correct
70	- Verify the plugin passes `validator` tests first
71	- Check logs: Console.app (macOS), Event Viewer (Windows), or stderr (Linux)
72
73	### UI doesn't appear
74	- The plugin might not have an editor (`hasEditor()` returns false)
75	- Check if `createEditor()` is returning a valid view
76	- Linux: Ensure X11 display is available (`echo $DISPLAY`)
77
78	### UI appears but is blank/wrong size
79	- Check `defaultEditorSize()` returns valid dimensions
80	- For WebView UIs, check the HTML content is being set correctly
81	- Try with `--secondWindow` to see if the issue is with first-time setup

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6 picks

Type