Reorganizing the Audio Units menu

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Tristan
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Reorganizing the Audio Units menu

Post by Tristan »

Hi,

I have accumulated a lot of Audio Unit plug-ins. When I'm looking to use a particular one, it always takes me a while to find it in the Audio Units menu, as the menu is organized by the names of the developers and I can never remember those. I'm thinking I would like to reorganize that menu in Amadeus Pro (and perhaps in all my other audio applications that host Audio Units) according to a customized system that makes sense to me -- e.g., grouping all the unregistered demos in one submenu, all the delays in another submenu, etc.

Anyone know a hack that might allow one to edit the Audio Units menu's organization, either system-wide or just for Amadeus?

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Lou Kash
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Post by Lou Kash »

That would be a great hack!
Experimentally I just checked a couple of AUs and found at least a relatively easy way to modify each one by one:

1) Get a resource editor. Rezilla is freeware and it should work just fine.

2) Open the AU package and navigate to /Contents/Resources/<plugin_name>.rsrc

3) Duplicate the file, just in case anything goes wrong. You can leave the copy in place.

4) Open the original rsrc file in your resource editor.

5) Look for "STR" resources. Usually there should be four of them. Open (double click) the 1st (usually no. 1000) and the 3rd (usually no. 1100 or no. 2000).

6) Change the string "vendor_name: plugin_name" to "your_submenu: plugin_name". DON'T remove the colon! Save and close the file.

7) After you have edited all AUs you wanted, remove ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.audiounits.cache (which will cause apps like Logic or GarageBand to rescan all plugins).

The changes are system wide for any app that can use AU plugins. To revert the change(s), open the AU package, remove the modified rsrc file and rename the duplicate you made earlier back to its original name, usually by removing " copy" (in your default system language) from the file name. You should also remove the AU cache again.

(Just in case you don't understand any part of my instructions right away, you might likely better leave it alone... :) )

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Tristan
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Reorganizing the Audio Units menu

Post by Tristan »

Thanks for the solution and the excellent instructions. It works perfectly. I have been able to reorganize all my Audio Units the way I wanted. It took a while, but it will pay off when I am in the midst of a creative workflow and no longer have to get lost looking for the effect I want. :D

Tristan

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Lou Kash
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Post by Lou Kash »

Good to know it worked.
Yes, it might pay to have them sorted. I might likely process all my plugins as well when I'll have some time, since I really don't care much to know who programmed them, rather than what they do....
Just keep in mind that any plugin update will revert to its default menu.

If there's anybody out there with programming skills who would be able to build an app à la Service Scrubber (which does a similar thing to the Services menu), well go ahead, we're waiting for you... :)

realdannys
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Post by realdannys »

Hi,

Sorry to resurrect this old thread, but you guys might be interested in this http://auganizer.com full renaming and organising of your Audio Units without the need for rescanning.

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ioannis
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Post by ioannis »

or one can just assign the plugins you mostly use at your own keyboard shortcuts via System Preferences / Keyboard...

simple and very fast, no need to use the mouse or menu.

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