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Updated README
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apohl79 committed Nov 23, 2020
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# AudioGridder

AudioGridder is a plugin host, that allows you to offload the DSP
processing of audio plugins to remote computers running OSX or
Windows. This can come in handy when mixing complex projects or
running CPU intensive instruments for instance. AudioGridder comes
with a plugin and a server and supports VST2, VST3 and AudioUnit
plugin formats. Plugins can be hosted and accessed across the network:
simply run the AudioGridder server on a remote machine and connect
your DAW using the AudioGridder plugin. This allows you to add remote
insert chains or instruments into your DAW's signal paths. The DSP
code of the loaded remote plugins will be executed on the remote
machine and the remote plugin UI's will be streamed over the
wire. With AudioGridder you get an experience very close to hosting
the plugins directly in your DAW but not using your local CPU.
AudioGridder is a plugin host, that allows you to offload the DSP processing of
audio plugins to remote computers running OSX or Windows. This can come in handy
when mixing complex projects or running CPU intensive instruments for instance.
AudioGridder comes with a plugin and a server and supports VST2, VST3 and
AudioUnit plugin formats. Plugins can be hosted and accessed across the network:
simply run the AudioGridder server on a remote machine and connect your DAW
using the AudioGridder plugin. This allows you to add remote insert chains or
instruments into your DAW's signal paths. The DSP code of the loaded remote
plugins will be executed on the remote machine and the remote plugin UI's will
be streamed over the wire. With AudioGridder you get an experience very close to
hosting the plugins directly in your DAW but not using your local CPU.

For more information and intstallation instruction, please visit
[https://audiogridder.com](https://audiogridder.com).

<p align="center">
<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/apohl79/audiogridder/master/images/overview.jpg" width="600" />
</p>

Wired networks prove to be working very well. Wireless networks work
as well given you have a proper connection that provides low enough
latency and enough bandwidth. AudioGridder has no limitation on the
network side, but your DAW has some latency needs. Thus a common DSL
connection through a VPN tunnel might be problematic but not
impossible.

# Table of Contents

* [Downloads](#downloads)
* [Features](#features)
* [Compatibility](#compatibility)
* [Reporting of Bugs/Issues](#reporting-of-bugsissues)
* [AudioGridder Server](#audiogridder-server)
* [Server Installation](#server-installation)
* [AudioGridder Plugin](#audiogridder-plugin)
* [Plugin Installation](#plugin-installation)
* [Bug Report Diagnostics Locations](#bug-report-diagnostics-locations)
* [Donation](#donation)

# Downloads

Please find the latest binaries to download in the
Expand All @@ -55,6 +36,7 @@ Please find the latest binaries to download in the
- Streaming of plugin UIs
- Local control of remote plugin UI's
- Generic Plugin Parameter Editor
- Automation

# Compatibility

Expand All @@ -70,157 +52,8 @@ Please find the latest binaries to download in the
If you report a new issue, please be as precise as possible. To
identify the root cause of an issue, it is necessary to be able to
reproduce it or at least get some conclusions from the info you
provide.

- Report only one issue at a time, if you have multiple problems,
please create multiple issues.
- Minimize the log files:
- Stop the server and the DAW
- Wipe all AudioGridder log folders (server and plugins, see below).
- Enable tracing (see below).
- Start the server.
- Start the DAW.
- Load only the minimal amount of plugins needed to run into the
problem you have.
- Take only the actions that lead to the problem you have.
- Attach the log files to the issue (see locations below) as zip.
- If you see a crash on OSX, please attach the crash report to
the issue (crash report dialog or see locations below) as zip.
- If you see a crash on Windows, the log file directories contain dump
files, just follow the steps to "minimize the log files" and you are
good.

## Tracing

Version 1.1-beta8 introduced tracing support (extensive function call
logging) to give better analysis possibilities in case AG crashes or
hangs.

Tracing can be enabled while AG is running or via configuration file.
Both the plugins and the server have tracing options in their
respective settings.

To enable tracing via configuration file, you have to add/enable the
following option:

```"Tracer": true```

# AudioGridder Server

The server supports VST2, VST3 and AudioUnit plugin formats. There is
multiple possibilities for your setup. It's suggested, that you
dedicate each server instance to a single remote DAW workspace. That
is because each server can only stream a single UI at the same time.

You can run multiple parallel UI user sessions on OSX and
Windows. Setup a user for each remote workspace, create a UI session
(via VNC, note that RDP is not working reliably with AudioGridder) and
run a separate server instance in each session. You need to assign a
different server ID to each instance (in the server settings). In your
DAW you can address each server instance from the AudioGridder plugin
via "server[:ID]" notation.

You can also run multiple servers within your network and access
different servers from your DAW at the same time (in different plugin
instances).

## Server Installation

1. Install the PKG on OSX or the Setup EXE on Windows.
2. **On OSX**: Grant AudioGridderServer the "Accessibility" (Mojave,
Catalina) and "Screen Recording" (Catalina) permissions (System
Preferences -> Security & Privacy -> Privacy Tab) - This is also
required after upgrading to a new version! **You will not be able to
see/control the remote UI otherwise**.
3. **On Windows**: It's recommended to deactivate scaling. Even though
AudioGridder works with scaling enabled, it has a negative impact
on the performance.
4. Run the server
5. Manage your plugins (if you do not want to enable all plugins).
6. If you want to run multiple servers on a single machine, you will
have to assign a different server ID to each instance.

<p align="center">
<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/apohl79/audiogridder/master/images/server.jpg" />
</p>

# AudioGridder Plugin

The plugin is currently supported as VST2, VST3 and AudioUnit on
OSX. *Note:* AAX is likely never coming, as AVID does not seem to
support open source projects unfortunately. See the compatibility
section for a workaround.

With the AudioGridder FX plugin you can plug a remote insert effect
chain into your DAW's channel inserts. From there you can insert any
FX plugin available on the connected server.

Instruments work similarly. Create a software instrument track in your
DAW and select the AudioGridder plugin as instrument. Now you can load
any of the instrument plugins available on the server.

Each AudioGridder plugin instance will connect to a single remote
server instance. But each separate loaded plugin instance can connect
to a different server, so you can connect to multiple servers from your
DAW at the same time.

## Plugin Installation

1. Install the PKG on OSX or the Setup EXE on Windows. For Linux you
have to extract the VST2/VST3 binaries into your plugin folders.
2. Run your DAW and insert the AudioGridder plugin.
3. The plugin will discover servers on the same network automatically
via mDNS. If that does not work for you, you can add your server
endpoint(s) (IP or DNS name) by clicking the server icon (this needs
to be done only once, as the server settings will be shared with new
plugin instances)<br/>**Note:** Server and client have to be able to
directly reach each other. This is because the server will have to
connect the client at initialization time.
4. Add remote plugins.

<p align="center">
<img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/apohl79/audiogridder/master/images/plugin.jpg" />
</p>

# Bug Report Diagnostics Locations

**OS X:**

Server Logs:

```~/Library/Logs/AudioGridderServer/AudioGridderServer_DATE_TIME.log```

FX Plugin Logs:

```~/Library/Logs/AudioGridderFX/AudioGridderPlugin_DATE_TIME.log```

Instrument Plugin Logs:

```~/Library/Logs/AudioGridderInstrument/AudioGridderPlugin_DATE_TIME.log```

Crash Reports:

```~/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports```

```/Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports``` (system wide)

If the server crashes the report will be named
AudioGridderServer_DATE-TIME*. If a plugin crashes, it will crash
the DAW. Thus the crash report will be prefixed by the DAW name.

**Windows:**

Server Logs:

```C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Roaming\AudioGridderServer\AudioGridderServer_DATE_TIME.log```

FX Plugin Logs:

```C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Roaming\AudioGridderFX\AudioGridderPlugin_DATE_TIME.log```

Instrument Plugin Logs:
provide. [Please follow these steps...](https://audiogridder.com/bug-reports/)

```C:\Users\<Username>\AppData\Roaming\AudioGridderInstrument\AudioGridderPlugin_DATE_TIME.log```

# Donation

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