[GH-ISSUE #48] Where do I get the VST SDK? #40

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opened 2026-05-05 22:03:01 -06:00 by gitea-mirror · 8 comments
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Originally created by @rexendevar on GitHub (Dec 14, 2023).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/airwindows/airwindows/issues/48

I want to build my own version of an Airwindows plugin (a version of NonlinearSpace where the sample rate slider is continuous and used as decay control) but the documentation is telling me to get files that I cannot find anywhere. I need to get aeffect.h, aeffectx.h, vstfxstore.h and possibly CMakeLists.txt (assuming that's a separate one from the one used by Airwindows), but these files are not in either VST-related archive I can download from the Steinberg site. I can't use any other build method, either, as I'm on Linux and LinuxVST with the vst2.x SDK is the only available method for my OS. What can I do?

Originally created by @rexendevar on GitHub (Dec 14, 2023). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/airwindows/airwindows/issues/48 I want to build my own version of an Airwindows plugin (a version of NonlinearSpace where the sample rate slider is continuous and used as decay control) but the documentation is telling me to get files that I cannot find anywhere. I need to get `aeffect.h`, `aeffectx.h`, `vstfxstore.h` and possibly `CMakeLists.txt` (assuming that's a separate one from the one used by Airwindows), but these files are not in either VST-related archive I can download from the Steinberg site. I can't use any other build method, either, as I'm on Linux and LinuxVST with the vst2.x SDK is the only available method for my OS. What can I do?
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@airwindows commented on GitHub (Dec 14, 2023):

I can't help you with that because Steinberg is fighting you, and me, to stop us using VST2. Furthermore if you don't have a license to legally make VST2, it's impossible to get one now: you had to be making them before they withdrew permission. I'm sorry, but it's beyond my power to help.

<!-- gh-comment-id:1856952909 --> @airwindows commented on GitHub (Dec 14, 2023): I can't help you with that because Steinberg is fighting you, and me, to stop us using VST2. Furthermore if you don't have a license to legally make VST2, it's impossible to get one now: you had to be making them before they withdrew permission. I'm sorry, but it's beyond my power to help.
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@bangcorrupt commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2023):

I'm on Linux and LinuxVST with the vst2.x SDK is the only available method for my OS.

Are you sure you need VST2? Airwindows builds native Linux using VST3 SDK. If you need to run the Windows versions, try yabridge.

<!-- gh-comment-id:1857475322 --> @bangcorrupt commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2023): > I'm on Linux and LinuxVST with the vst2.x SDK is the only available method for my OS. ~~Are you sure you need VST2? Airwindows builds [native Linux](https://github.com/airwindows/airwindows/tree/master/plugins/LinuxVST) using VST3 SDK. If you need to run the Windows versions, try [yabridge](https://github.com/robbert-vdh/yabridge).~~
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@airwindows commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2023):

Hang on, really? I'd have thought I'd need to make major changes. I'm certainly not using the VST3 so far as I know, nor are the plugins placed in a VST3 directory. Thought it was VST2 I was using.

<!-- gh-comment-id:1857707451 --> @airwindows commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2023): Hang on, really? I'd have thought I'd need to make major changes. I'm certainly not using the VST3 so far as I know, nor are the plugins placed in a VST3 directory. Thought it was VST2 I was using.
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@bangcorrupt commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2023):

Sorry, my bad. I misunderstood the readme.

@rexendevar: If your project is only for personal use, you can still find those files, you just can't get a license for distribution. This comment shares a link to where they used to be. The Internet Archive has a snapshot in the Wayback Machine at archive.org.

<!-- gh-comment-id:1857711403 --> @bangcorrupt commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2023): Sorry, my bad. I misunderstood the readme. @rexendevar: If your project is only for personal use, you can still find those files, you just can't get a license for distribution. [This comment](https://github.com/obiwanjacobi/vst.net/issues/11#issuecomment-443443012) shares a link to where they used to be. The Internet Archive has a snapshot in the Wayback Machine at archive.org.
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@visagemsc commented on GitHub (Aug 9, 2025):

Is there any way to find the CMakeLists.txt out there? Tried pasting whatever file the #include directives wanted but it didn't work as well. Also is there any way to directly use the VeSTige aeffectx.h library?

<!-- gh-comment-id:3169606233 --> @visagemsc commented on GitHub (Aug 9, 2025): Is there any way to find the `CMakeLists.txt` out there? Tried pasting whatever file the `#include` directives wanted but it didn't work as well. Also is there any way to directly use the VeSTige `aeffectx.h` library?
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@airwindows commented on GitHub (Aug 9, 2025):

CMakeLists is at root level in specifically the Linux folder, here: https://github.com/airwindows/airwindows/blob/master/plugins/LinuxVST/CMakeLists.txt

I don't know how to use a VeSTige library, and legally I can't provide you the VST2 sdk. If people have come up with a good workaround for this and it's cool with Steinberg (ah, there's the rub) I'll run with that :)

<!-- gh-comment-id:3170550568 --> @airwindows commented on GitHub (Aug 9, 2025): CMakeLists is at root level in specifically the Linux folder, here: https://github.com/airwindows/airwindows/blob/master/plugins/LinuxVST/CMakeLists.txt I don't know how to use a VeSTige library, and legally I can't provide you the VST2 sdk. If people have come up with a good workaround for this and it's cool with Steinberg (ah, there's the rub) I'll run with that :)
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@visagemsc commented on GitHub (Aug 9, 2025):

I fixed my problem by using Airwindows Consolidated. I was building it just to get all of the plugins legacy or not, and found that AC comes with a CLAP port too.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3170575420 --> @visagemsc commented on GitHub (Aug 9, 2025): I fixed my problem by using Airwindows Consolidated. I was building it just to get all of the plugins legacy or not, and found that AC comes with a CLAP port too.
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@l1npengtul commented on GitHub (Aug 10, 2025):

If you want build instructions, nixpkgs has a nix file that has a way to build airwindows with the native VST2SDK.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3172348390 --> @l1npengtul commented on GitHub (Aug 10, 2025): If you want build instructions, nixpkgs has a nix file that has a way to build airwindows with the native VST2SDK.
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