Starting PMX without Plugins

[Larry Elliott]

Is there anyway to start PMX and not load all the plugins?

I never need these when recording on location.

Thanks

Larry

[fl]

As far as I know there is no start-up key combo which will prevent Pyramix from scanning the VST folder during its launch. I'm assuming that you wish to avoid the long start-up delay where all your plugins get scanned automatically.

The only way to dodge this safely, is to create a new, differently named folder for your plugins, and move them all there. Then, launch Pyramix and add this new folder to the Settings > Mixer > VST Plugins Settings window - allowing you the option of removing it prior to going out for a location session. As the existing C:/Program Files > VSTPlugins folder is created by the Pyramix installer and is scanned by default during the program startup, you can't simply remove it from the Settings window, as it will re-appear automatically after your next start up.

Whatever you do, do NOT simply rename your C:/Program Files/VSTPlugins folder - this will cause Pyramix to have to re-configure and partially reinstall itself, which will take longer than the simple plugin scan you're living with now. If you're like me, the last thing you want to see when you're starting up at a location session is a pop-up proclaiming, "Please wait while Windows configures Pyramix Virtual Studio. Remaining time: 130 minutes".

I do miss the old standalone VST Scanner...

[DJS]

Hi Larry,

Are you wanting to NOT load VST or VS3 plugins?

[Larry Elliott]

All plugins
L

[Rob]

I would find this feature helpful as well. No need to load plug-ins that you will not use during a tracking session.

On a similar topic, is there a best way to remove all of the sample plug-ins that come bundled in PMX 9 but you know you will never want to purchase?

Also, is there a way to kill a misbehaving plug-in without exiting PMX?

[fl]

I would find this feature helpful as well. No need to load plug-ins that you will not use during a tracking session.

With all due respect, I have to confess that I just don't get why. It's not as if the VSTs engage any system resource (other than occupying hard-drive space) until you actively insert them into the project mixer. Agreed, the longer start-up time is annoying - especially with clients breathing down your neck during a tightly scheduled location session, but unless you're Dr. Fred, do you really own enough plugins to turn starting up into a marathon like in ProTools? Would it not make sense to simply remove excess plug-ins from your location recording machine, while leaving them all installed in the power workstation back home?

For the record, I'd love to have the old stand-alone VST Scanner program back. That way, scanning becomes one operation, starting up Pyramix something else. My guess is that Merging found a number of users came to grief having to use it, and thus decided to take the function out of our hands. Bummer.

On a similar topic, is there a best way to remove all of the sample plug-ins that come bundled in PMX 9 but you know you will never want to purchase?

The VS3 plug-ins are buried in a sub-folder inside the Windows folder - which means I'm way too chicken to even go look for it, let alone mess with it. I suspect that manually removing these has the potential to trigger some kind of Registry error, which might cause Windows to re-configure/re-install the whole program, the same way that renaming the C:/Program Files > VSTPlugins folder will.

Personally, I would like to have the ability to manually select which plug-ins are White and Black-listed in the Settings > Mixer > VST Plugins Settings - expanding that to include the VS3s as well. That way, I could enable/disable any I want to, any time.

Also, is there a way to kill a misbehaving plug-in without exiting PMX?

There's misbehaving and then there's misbehaving. On my system, the Melodyne plugin will cause an immediate white screen and program lock-up whenever it's scanned by either Pyramix or Izotope RX. I can usually call the Task Manager and Force Quit either the plugin or program from there, allowing me to re-boot the machine. In this case, manual removal from the VSTPlugins folder is about my only option. For those I want to remove but still hang onto (such as the various versions of Voxengo's Elephant, where the controls got remapped differently between versions 3, 4 and 4.1), I created a "VSTPlugins Unused" folder just for this purpose, allowing me to swap things in and out and then re-scan as needed.

[DJS]

I'm with Larry, when configuring the system for site recording, particularly with Horus/Hapi/ASIO, sometimes a few restarts of PMX is required. All one is doing is data acquisition, no plug ins required. Its easy to remove VST, but not VS3. The PMX startup and plugin scanning is very time consuming and sometimes stays in limbo even when not enumerating plugins.

It would be good to have an option to ignore plugins under some circumstances.

Computers work best when features are minimised, particularly if they are superfluous.
https://www.thurrott.com/windows/window ... ix-problem

[Rob]

I would find this feature helpful as well. No need to load plug-ins that you will not use during a tracking session.

With all due respect, I have to confess that I just don't get why. It's not as if the VSTs engage any system resource (other than occupying hard-drive space) until you actively insert them into the project mixer. Agreed, the longer start-up time is annoying - especially with clients breathing down your neck during a tightly scheduled location session, but unless you're Dr. Fred, do you really own enough plugins to turn starting up into a marathon like in ProTools? Would it not make sense to simply remove excess plug-ins from your location recording machine, while leaving them all installed in the power workstation back home?

I have one primary PMX computer, a MBPretina that I use for everything. I do have an older MBP that is fully configured for an emergency backup but I prefer to use the newer, faster, SSD-equipped, MPBr. A reduction in startup time, peace of mind, and simplicity is the goal. When I recorded mission critical live performances in Mac OS X I spent the extra money for Boomrecorder, a bare bones app whose sole purpose in life is to capture digital audio and stuff it into files for future retrieval. It has other cool convenience features for tracking as well but is generally uncluttered and ROBUST. (The feature I miss the most for live capture is the ability to start a new recording file on the fly by simply clicking the (already active) record button, like on my Sound Devices 744t. This closes the current recording file(s) and starts new ones, seamlessly. I have found no way to do this in PMX.)

On a similar topic, is there a best way to remove all of the sample plug-ins that come bundled in PMX 9 but you know you will never want to purchase?

The VS3 plug-ins are buried in a sub-folder inside the Windows folder - which means I'm way too chicken to even go look for it, let alone mess with it. I suspect that manually removing these has the potential to trigger some kind of Registry error, which might cause Windows to re-configure/re-install the whole program, the same way that renaming the C:/Program Files > VSTPlugins folder will.

Personally, I would like to have the ability to manually select which plug-ins are White and Black-listed in the Settings > Mixer > VST Plugins Settings - expanding that to include the VS3s as well. That way, I could enable/disable any I want to, any time.

Yes, a true plug-in manager would be nice.

Also, is there a way to kill a misbehaving plug-in without exiting PMX?

There's misbehaving and then there's misbehaving. On my system, the Melodyne plugin will cause an immediate white screen and program lock-up whenever it's scanned by either Pyramix or Izotope RX. I can usually call the Task Manager and Force Quit either the plugin or program from there, allowing me to re-boot the machine. In this case, manual removal from the VSTPlugins folder is about my only option. For those I want to remove but still hang onto (such as the various versions of Voxengo's Elephant, where the controls got remapped differently between versions 3, 4 and 4.1), I created a "VSTPlugins Unused" folder just for this purpose, allowing me to swap things in and out and then re-scan as needed.

Yes, I have suffered full PMX lockup as well. Not fun. I own Melodyne as well but have not yet had the guts to try to use it as a PMX plug-in.