Re: Risky VST linux plugin installation instructions

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On Wed, Jun 23, 2021 at 9:00 PM Calum McConnell <
[email protected]> wrote:

> Thank you! The new version looks great! :)
>

Thanks Calum - glad you like the changes.  =F0=9F=98=83

And thanks for the nudge  =F0=9F=98=8E

Peter.



> On Tue, 2021-06-22 at 10:41 +0100, Steve Fiddle wrote:
>
> I agree with most of this, so I have substantially updated the page in th=
e
> alpha manual (for Audacity 3.0.3).
>
> The revised version is available here:
>
> https://alphamanual.audacityteam.org/man/Installing_Effect,_Generator_and=
_Analyzer_plug-ins_on_Linux
>
> Steve
>
> On Fri, 18 Jun 2021 at 18:47, Calum McConnell <
> [email protected]> wrote:
>
> Dear Audacity developers,
> The VST plugin installation instructions for Linux (as they currently
> exist at
>
> https://manual.audacityteam.org/man/installing_effect_generator_and_analy=
zer_plug_ins_on_linux.html
> )
> aren't a good idea.  On many linux systems (at the very least, Debian,
> Ubuntu, and all other users of dpkg), the contents  of the folders
> /usr/lib and /usr/bin should not be modified by a human.  This is because
> the package manager is designed to have sole control over those folders.
> Now, there are enough safety checks that this probably won't lead to
> issues, but there are many management headaches that can result.
>
> The preferred location for VST plugins should be in the user's home
> directory: the ~/.vst directory is mentioned on the instructions, but is
> not given as the advised location.  This same dichotomy (where a home
> directory is available, but not the one given as a recommendation) is tru=
e
> for several other plugins.
>
> Second, /usr/local/lib/ should be the installation directory for system-
> wide plugins, not /usr/lib, even if it is a packaged version of Audacity
> that is installed.  This is once again because of the filesystem
> standards: any files that aren't managed by the package manager should be
> kept distinct from those that are controlled via package manager.  Now,
> this might not be a simple documentation fix: if packaged versions of
> Audacity don't check /usr/local/lib for plugins, then editing the wiki is
> obviously insufficient.  However, it should be improved in the code to
> allow that.
>
> Lastly, VST plugins DO NOT belong in /usr/bin.  /usr/bin is specifically
> for executable files, and vst plugins are formatted as libraries.  Given
> that alternatives exist, please don't recommend placing VST plugins in
> /usr/bin
> _______________________________________________
> audacity-devel mailing list
> [email protected]
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/audacity-devel
>
> _______________________________________________
> audacity-devel mailing list
> [email protected]
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/audacity-devel
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> audacity-devel mailing list
> [email protected]
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/audacity-devel
>

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><br></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">=
<div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Wed, Jun 23, 2021 at 9:00 PM Calum=
 McConnell &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]">calumlikesap=
[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" =
style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);pa=
dding-left:1ex"><div><div>Thank you! The new version looks great! :)</div><=
/div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>Thanks Calum - glad you like the chan=
ges.=C2=A0 =F0=9F=98=83<br></div><div><br></div><div>And thanks for the nud=
ge=C2=A0 =F0=9F=98=8E</div><div><br></div><div>Peter.</div><div><br></div><=
div><br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px=
 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex"><div><div><=
br></div><div>On Tue, 2021-06-22 at 10:41 +0100, Steve Fiddle wrote:</div><=
blockquote type=3D"cite" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:2px =
solid rgb(114,159,207);padding-left:1ex"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr">=
<div style=3D"font-size:small">I agree with most of this, so I have substan=
tially updated the page in the alpha manual (for Audacity 3.0.3).</div><div=
 style=3D"font-size:small"><br></div><div style=3D"font-size:small">The rev=
ised version is available here:</div><div style=3D"font-size:small"><a href=
=3D"https://alphamanual.audacityteam.org/man/Installing_Effect,_Generator_a=
nd_Analyzer_plug-ins_on_Linux" target=3D"_blank">https://alphamanual.audaci=
tyteam.org/man/Installing_Effect,_Generator_and_Analyzer_plug-ins_on_Linux<=
/a></div><div style=3D"font-size:small"><br></div><div style=3D"font-size:s=
mall">Steve<br></div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" =
class=3D"gmail_attr">On Fri, 18 Jun 2021 at 18:47, Calum McConnell &lt;<a h=
ref=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">calumlikesapp=
[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote type=3D"cite" style=3D"=
margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:2px solid rgb(114,159,207);padding-lef=
t:1ex"><div>Dear Audacity developers,<br>The VST plugin installation instru=
ctions for Linux (as they currently<br>exist at<br></div><div><a href=3D"ht=
tps://manual.audacityteam.org/man/installing_effect_generator_and_analyzer_=
plug_ins_on_linux.html" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://manual=
.audacityteam.org/man/installing_effect_generator_and_analyzer_plug_ins_on_=
linux.html</a>)<br>aren&#39;t a good idea.=C2=A0 On many linux systems (at =
the very least, Debian,<br>Ubuntu, and all other users of dpkg), the conten=
ts=C2=A0 of the folders<br>/usr/lib and /usr/bin should not be modified by =
a human.=C2=A0 This is because<br>the package manager is designed to have s=
ole control over those folders. <br>Now, there are enough safety checks tha=
t this probably won&#39;t lead to<br>issues, but there are many management =
headaches that can result.=C2=A0 <br></div><div><br>The preferred location =
for VST plugins should be in the user&#39;s home<br>directory: the ~/.vst d=
irectory is mentioned on the instructions, but is<br>not given as the advis=
ed location.=C2=A0 This same dichotomy (where a home<br>directory is availa=
ble, but not the one given as a recommendation) is true<br>for several othe=
r plugins.<br></div><div><br>Second, /usr/local/lib/ should be the installa=
tion directory for system-<br>wide plugins, not /usr/lib, even if it is a p=
ackaged version of Audacity<br>that is installed.=C2=A0 This is once again =
because of the filesystem<br>standards: any files that aren&#39;t managed b=
y the package manager should be<br>kept distinct from those that are contro=
lled via package manager.=C2=A0 Now,<br>this might not be a simple document=
ation fix: if packaged versions of<br>Audacity don&#39;t check /usr/local/l=
ib for plugins, then editing the wiki is<br>obviously insufficient.=C2=A0 H=
owever, it should be improved in the code to<br>allow that.<br></div><div><=
br>Lastly, VST plugins DO NOT belong in /usr/bin.=C2=A0 /usr/bin is specifi=
cally<br>for executable files, and vst plugins are formatted as libraries.=
=C2=A0 Given<br>that alternatives exist, please don&#39;t recommend placing=
 VST plugins in<br>/usr/bin<br>____________________________________________=
___<br>audacity-devel mailing list<br></div><div><a href=3D"mailto:audacity=
[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]=
forge.net</a><br></div><div><a href=3D"https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/=
listinfo/audacity-devel" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://lists=
.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/audacity-devel</a><br></div></blockquote></=
div></div><div>_______________________________________________<br></div><di=
v>audacity-devel mailing list<br></div><div><a href=3D"mailto:audacity-deve=
[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]=
.net</a><br></div><div><a href=3D"https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listi=
nfo/audacity-devel" target=3D"_blank">https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/l=
istinfo/audacity-devel</a><br></div></blockquote><div><br></div><div><span>=
</span></div></div>
_______________________________________________<br>
audacity-devel mailing list<br>
<a href=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">a=
[email protected]</a><br>
<a href=3D"https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/audacity-devel" rel=
=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listi=
nfo/audacity-devel</a><br>
</blockquote></div></div>

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