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VST Packaging

As a Maker, this guide will help you prepare your VST plugin for listing on the Elgato Marketplace. Please follow the guidelines carefully to ensure compatibility with Wave Link and to maintain a consistent user experience.

Plugin Compatibility and Requirements​

Windows Requirements:​

  • Plugin Format: Wave Link supports both VST 2 and VST 3 plugins on Windows. However, we strongly recommend using VST3 for better performance and compatibility.
  • Sample Rates: Your plugin must support sample rates of 48 kHz and 96 kHz.
  • Block Size: The maximum block size is 512 samples. This is a fixed size and cannot be exceeded.

Mac Requirements:​

  • Plugin Format: Wave Link on Mac supports only the AU (Audio Unit) format. VST formats are not supported on Mac within Wave Link.
  • Sample Rates: Like Windows, your plugin must support sample rates of 48 kHz and 96 kHz.
  • Block Size: The maximum block size on Mac is not fixed and can vary, even between calls of your plugin's process method.

Acceptable Download Files​

For your plugin to be accepted on the Elgato Marketplace, it must be packaged as one of the following:

For Windows:​

  1. A single, unwrapped VST 3 file.
  2. A folder with a .vst3 suffix.
  3. A Windows installer package, either .msi or .exe format.

For Mac:​

  1. A single .component file for AU plugins.
  2. A macOS installer package, either .app or .pkg format.

Packaging Zip Files​

If you choose to provide a zip file, please adhere to the following structure:

Zip File Content Rules:​

  1. One or more VST 3 files placed in the root layer, with no additional content.
  2. A single folder with a .vst3 suffix placed in the root layer, with no additional content.
  3. One or more .component files for Mac, placed in the root layer, with no additional content.
  4. A single Windows installer, with no additional content.
  5. A single macOS installer, with no additional content.

Plugin Format Structure for VST 3​

For details on the plugin format structure for VST 3, please refer to the Steinberg VST 3 technical documentation: Steinberg VST 3 Plugin Format

Note: Previous SDKs defined a VST 3 plugin as a single .dll file with the .vst3 extension. This format has been deprecated since VST 3.6.10 and should not be used.

Additional Information for VST 2 Plugins:​

  • VST2 plugins typically have a .dll file extension.
  • For reference on VST 2 file structure, you may look at plugins like reaeq-standalone.dll.

Adding a VST Plugin into your DAW on Windows​

If you need guidance on how users can add your VST plugin to a Windows DAW, you can direct them to Sweetwater's comprehensive article: How to Add a Plugin to a DAW on Windows