<p>
The <dfn>Plugin Manager</dfn> provides a convenient interface to various
operations on plugins and is the primary troubleshooting tools when something
- goes wrong with plugins. It works on both physical plugin files and
- the plugins index.
+ goes wrong with plugins. It works on both plugin files and the plugins index.
</p>
<figure class=center>
<h2>What is a plugins index?</h2>
<p>
- For each type of a plugin (e.g. VST3 or LV2) there are pre-configured paths
+ For each type of a plugin (e.g. VST3 or AU) there are pre-configured paths
where these plugins are located. Every time Ardour runs, it re-scans plugins
in these paths and recreates an index — a kind of inventory of available
plugins. Whenever you open the <a href="@@plugin-selector">Plugin Selector</a>
plugins.
</p>
+<p>
+ Ardour also treats LV2 plugins slightly differently and scans them on startup
+ unconditionally. You can disable the scanning of VST2, VST3, and AU plugins
+ entirely in the <kbd class="menu">Preferences</kbd> dialog.
+</p>
+
<h2>Plugins info</h2>
The main part of the Plugin Manager window is the table where all plugins known
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Concealed</th>
- <td>VST2 if corresponding VST3 exists. same for LV1 when LV2 exists</td>
+ <td>A VST2 plugin will be hidden from Plugin Selector, if a corresponding
+ VST3 plugin exists. The same applies to LV1 (LADSPA) and LV2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Error</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>Stale</th>
- <td>A VSTx/AU plugin changed on the disk but hasn't been re-scanned
+ <td>A plugin changed on the disk but hasn't been re-scanned
by Ardour yet</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<h2>Searching</h2>
<p>
- FIXME
+ You can search for a specific plugin or a group of plugins. Simply place the
+ cursor inside the input text box in the upper left corner and type. Ardour
+ will search in the index
+</p>
+
+<p>
+ By default, Ardour will search through plugin names, makers, and file names.
+ Additionally, you can search through Type, Tags, and Paths.
</p>
<h2>Scan actions</h2>
<p>
- FIXME
+ This section of the sidebar contains commands that operate
+ on the plugins index.
</p>
+<table class="dl">
+ <tr>
+ <th>Discover New/Updated</th>
+ <td>This will run a full scan on all known paths to plugin of all supported types</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th>Update Index Only</th>
+ <td>This will check which plugins were updated without scanning them</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th>Re-scan Selected</th>
+ <td>This will re-scan plugin files selected in the main part of the window</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th>Re-scan Faulty</th>
+ <td>This will only re-scan plugins that previously failed to load</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th>Re-scan All</th>
+ <td>This will re-scan all currently known plugins</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th>Clear Staled Scan Log</th>
+ <td>This will remove all entries from the index on plugins that changed
+ on the disk but haven't been re-scanned</td>
+ </tr>
+</table>
+
<h2>Preferences</h2>
<p>
- FIXME
+ This section of the sidebar allows settings paths to VST2 and VST3 plugins,
+ as well as quickly open the <kbd class="menu">Preferences</kbd> dialog
+ on the <kbd class="menu">Plugins</kbd> page where you can set various options
+ for scanning plugins and controlling their default behavior.
</p>
-