Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- files-folders [2020/06/10 17:13] – created shane
+++ files-folders [2023/05/08 18:59] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ===== Four distinct groups of files =====
-Unify uses three groups of files, which are stored in three very different places. The exact places are different for Windows PCs and Macs; see the next two sections for the details.
+Unify uses four groups of files, which are stored in three very different places. The exact places are different for Windows PCs and Macs; see the next two sections for the details.
-  - Unify's **program folder** contains the Unify stand-alone app, the bundled third-party VST plug-ins, and a "helper" app for scanning your own plug-ins.
+  - Unify's **app folder** contains the Unify stand-alone app, the bundled third-party VST plug-ins, and a "helper" app for scanning your own plug-ins.
   - The **Unify plug-ins** (the ones you load into a DAW) are stored together with your other plug-ins.
-  - Unify's **data folder** is a single folder containing //libraries//, //presets//, and //patch database//.
+  - Unify's **content folder** is a single folder containing //libraries//, //presets//, and //patch database//.
   - Unify's **settings** (preferences) and its [[plugins#unify_s_plug-in_database|plug-in database]] are kept together in a special folder
 ===== Finding Unify's files on a Windows PC =====
+  - **App folder**:
+    * //C:\Program Files\PlugInGuru//
+    * This location is fixed by the Unify installer, and should not be changed.
+  - **Unify plug-ins**:
+    * VST2: whatever location you chose, when asked in the Unify installer
+    * VST3: //C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3// (this is the standard VST3 location for Windows)
+    * AAX: //C:\Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins//
+  - **Content folder**:
+    * Wherever you chose to put this, when you ran Unify for the first time
+    * Default location is //C:\Users\Public\Documents\PlugInGuru\Unify//
+    * Current location is displayed in Unify's Settings view, where there is also a button to change it
+    * (Note: You must move or copy the content manually before changing; Unify does not do this automatically.)
+  - **Settings**:
+    * On Windows 7 and later, there is a hidden //AppData// folder inside //C:\Users\**your username**\//. Unify's settings folder lives in the //Roaming// sub-folder, and is called //PlugInGuru//.
+    * A useful reference is https://support.pointlogic.com/faq/troubleshooting/accessing-the-appdata-folder
+    * A quick way to get to //C:\Users\**your username**\AppData\Roaming\// is to type ''%appdata%'' into the title bar of any Windows Explorer window and press ENTER.
+{{:unify-folders-win.png|}}
+Note you may see more or fewer files/folders than indicated in the above screenshots. As of Unify v1.1.x, the //PG-8X// VST synth plug-in is no longer bundled with Unify, for example.
+===== Finding Unify's files on a Macintosh =====
+  - **App folder**:
+    * The Unify stand-alone app lives in ///Applications//
+    * Bundled VSTs and "helper" apps live in ///Applications/PlugInGuru//
+    * These locations are set by the Unify installer, and should not be changed.
+  - **Unify plug-ins**:
+    * Audio Unit: ///Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/Unify.component//
+    * VST: ///Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/Unify.vst//
+    * VST3: ///Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/Unify.vst3//
+    * AAX: ///Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins//
+    * These are the standard Mac plug-in locations, and should not be changed.
+  - **Content folder**:
+    * Wherever you chose to put this, when you ran Unify for the first time
+    * Default location is ///Users/Shared/PlugInGuru/Unify//
+    * Current location is displayed in Unify's Settings view, where there is also a button to change it
+    * (Note: You must move or copy the content manually before changing; Unify does not do this automatically.)
+  - **Settings**:
+    * ///Users/**your username**/Library/Application Support/PlugInGuru//
+{{:unify-folders-mac.png|}}
+Note you may see more or fewer files/folders than indicated in the above screenshots. For example:
+  * As of Unify v1.1.x, the //PG-8X// VST synth plug-in is no longer bundled with Unify.
+  * As of Unify 1.9.x, a new //Presets// sub-folder is included in the Unify app folder.
+===== Troubleshooting basic file/folder issues =====
+==== VST folder in content folder? ====
+If you see a folder called //VST// inside the Unify content folder, that's a leftover from a very old version of Unify (prior to Unify v1.0.6). You should delete this //VST// folder. It has been replaced by the //VST// and //HelperApps// folders, which now live in the Unify app folder.
+==== Leftover .guru files ====
+Unify libraries (and certain other files under the content folder) are delivered in the form of //.guru files//. These are basically //.zip// files, and they contain a folder structure which mimics that of Unify's main content folder. When Unify opens a //.guru// file (either because you drag it into the Unify GUI, or use the "Select .guru file..." button in Settings view), it unpacks the zipped files into the appropriate content folders.
+We use //.guru// files to install and update Unify content, instead of a regular installer, for two reasons:
+  - Only Unify "knows" where you have chosen to keep the content folder (stored in the //Unify.settings// file); installers do not.
+  - Installers are mainly for executable files like programs and plug-ins, and are treated specially by the operating system to facilitate things like un-installing. Unify's content files are just ordinary data files, which don't require such special treatment.
+**Once Unify has unpacked a //.guru// file, you can discard the file.** The contents have been copied into the proper places in the Unify content folder, so the //.guru// file is no longer needed, and is just taking up valuable disk space. You may wish to keep //.guru// files for backup, but this is not strictly necessary, because you can always re-download them later.