VST Location in Catalina

[ShoreSound]

Hi, All,

I recently went dual platform (MacBook for location recording, PC for home recording/mixing - long Thunderbolt-related story). I decided to switch to Reaper (from Cakewalk) so I can use the same DAW on both platforms. So, this is kind of a Mac question since I know PCs inside and out.

When installing a third-party VST plug-in that doesn't automatically place the .dll (or whatever the Mac-equivalent VST extension is) in the appropriate directory, how do you do that manually?

I read that they are supposed to go in the new data drive (Mac HD - Data on my system) but I can't figure out how to get to that in the Finder. When I click on C:\, all I get is Mac HD, not Mac HD - Data. However, in Reaper preferences, it very much appears that "Data" is where my existing vsts are (including the ones with automatic installation).

So, any Reaper users on Catalina know how to get there from here?

Thanks, Rob

[serr]

The Finder displays the "Volume_name Data" partition as "Volume_name". The read-only (when booted from) partition "Volume_name" is hidden.
The OS files, some Library files, and some applications live on the data partition by default. The Finder stitches the dueling Applications folders together when you're booted into that system and viewing with the Finder window. Same with other folders. It's supposed to be cagey keep you in the dark if you don't look up the details. And then the 'user' that clicks 'OK' to close annoying windows and typically gets infected with Mac Keeper, Crypto Locker, etc should be safer.

Just treat it as invisible and pretend there's only one partition just like the Finder window is making it look like when booted into that system. Put the .vst plugins in what still appears to be Volume_name/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST.

You can boot into a different system and see the separate partitions for other system drives and mess around if you wish. (If you need to get at system extensions and tinker.)

On the one hand, the read only partition for some of the OS files makes sense and might be hard to argue with. On the other, the caginess smells of Microsoft style. It is what it is.

[ShoreSound]

Thanks for the response, serr. The problem is that when I click on Mac HD\Libraries, there is only one visible folder under that: Apple, and I can drill down several more folders, each with only one subfolder underneath, until I run out at "Prelinked Kernels." I can't find the vst directory.

Thanks, Rob

[serr]

Originally Posted by ShoreSound

Thanks for the response, serr. The problem is that when I click on Mac HD\Libraries, there is only one visible folder under that: Apple, and I can drill down several more folders, each with only one subfolder underneath, until I run out at "Prelinked Kernels." I can't find the vst directory.

Thanks, Rob

I'm not sure where you are browsing...
I'm talking about the Library folder at the root level of your system drive as viewed from the Finder when booted into that system.
Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST

It's the same folder location it was before. You don't see both partitions when viewing in the Finder. If you don't know about that in the background, you would be none the wiser. Same location it was before and nothing would have appeared to change.