[linux-audio-dev] Re: initial release of libfst - in-process VST support

[Kjetil Svalastog Matheussen]

Paul Davis:
>
> Torben Hohn and I are pleased to release an initial version of libfst,
> a small GPL'ed C library that provides support for using win32/x86 VST
> plugins (FX and VST/i) within native Linux applications, with the
> assistance of the Wine project's libwine.
>
>   ==========================================================
>   We expect there will be several minor problems with this
>   initial release. Please help us fix them!
>   ==========================================================
>
> How is this different from VSTserver?
> -------------------------------------
>
> This work differs from Kjetil Mattheusen's VSTserver because the
> plugin is loaded into the address space of the program using the
> library, not into a server. As a result, it is a more appropriate
> solution for audio applications that might support many VST plugins,
> where the context switches required in the VSTserver case do not scale
> well. The downside, of course, is that a misbehaving plugin will crash
> the host application, which VSTserver avoids.
>


Another small point, I might add, is that the API against vstserver
is far far simpler, at least for adding native plugin-gfx support. But
regarding the performance and simplicity for the user, this solution is of
course better.


--