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Remote Representation of Parameters Support

Extended Plug-in interface IEditController for a component.

# Introduction

Since VST 3.5 a new interface is provided: Steinberg::Vst::IXmlRepresentationController

- [plug imp]
- [extends IEditController]
- [released: 3.5.0]
- [optional]

A Representation based on XML is a way to export and structure, group Plug-ins parameters for a specific remote (could be hardware or software rack (like quickcontrols)).
It allows to describe more precisely each parameter (what is the best matching to a knob, different titles lengths matching limited remote display,...).
See an Example.

- A Representation is composed of Pages (this means that to see all exported parameters the user has to navigate through the pages).
- A Page is composed of Cells (for example 8 Cells per page).
- A Cell is composed of Layers (for example a cell could have a knob, a display and a button which are 3 Layers).
- A Layer is associated to a Plug-in parameter using the ParameterID as identifier:
  - it could be a knob with a display for Title and/or value, this display uses the same parameterId, but it could an another one.
  - Switch
  - link which allows to jump directly to a subpage (an another page)
  - more... See Vst::LayerType

This Representation is implemented as XML text following the Document Type Definition (DTD): http://dtd.steinberg.net/VST-Remote-1.1.dtd

# Example

Here an example of what should be passed in the stream of getXmlRepresentationStream:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE vstXML PUBLIC "-//Steinberg//DTD VST Remote 1.1//EN" "http://dtd.steinberg.net/VST-Remote-1.1.dtd">
<vstXML version="1.0">
<plugin classID="341FC5898AAA46A7A506BC0799E882AE" name="Chorus" vendor="Steinberg Media Technologies" />
<originator>My name</originator>
<date>2010-12-31</date>
<comment>This is an example for 4 Cells per Page for the Remote named ProductRemote
from company HardwareCompany.</comment>
<!-- ===================================== -->
<representation name="ProductRemote" vendor="HardwareCompany" version="1.0">
<page name="Root">
<cell>
<layer type="knob" parameterID="0">
<titleDisplay>
<name>Mix dry/wet</name>
<name>Mix</name>
</titleDisplay>
</layer>
</cell>
<cell>
<layer type="display"></layer>
</cell>
<cell>
<layer type="knob" parameterID="3">
<titleDisplay>
<name>Delay</name>
<name>Dly</name>
</titleDisplay>
</layer>
</cell>
<cell>
<layer type="knob" parameterID="15">
<titleDisplay>
<name>Spatial</name>
<name>Spat</name>
</titleDisplay>
</layer>
</cell>
</page>
<page name="Page 2">
<cell>
<layer type="LED" ledStyle="spread" parameterID="2">
<titleDisplay>
<name>Width +</name>
<name>Widt</name>
</titleDisplay>
</layer>
<!--this is the switch for shape A/B-->
<layer type="switch" switchStyle="pushIncLooped" parameterID="4"></layer>
</cell>
<cell>
<layer type="display"></layer>
</cell>
<cell>
<layer type="LED" ledStyle="singleDot" parameterID="17">
<titleDisplay>
<name>Sync Note +</name>
<name>Note</name>
</titleDisplay>
</layer>
<!--this is the switch for sync to tempo on /off-->
<layer type="switch" switchStyle="pushIncLooped" parameterID="16"></layer>
</cell>
<cell>
<layer type="knob" parameterID="1">
<titleDisplay>
<name>Rate</name>
</titleDisplay>
</layer>
</cell>
</page>
</representation>
</vstXML>

# Graphical overview

# Example of implementation using helper class

See Steinberg::Vst::XmlRepresentationHelper.

# Location table for VST XMLs Representation

When a host needs to use a VST XMLs Representation (for internal use like Quick-Controls assignment to get the most important parameters sorted per Page of a Plug-in), the host will check the presence in a specific location for a given remote and for this given Plug-in a Representation XML file with the remote name as filename (check below about how the path is defined). If this is not found the host will ask the Plug-in by using Steinberg::Vst::IXmlRepresentationController (if implemented).

Explanation:

- priority column:
  - specifies the scan order by the host. Path #1 will be checked first, #3 will be checked last. The first XML found will be used and overrides the others.
- Type of column:
  - user : specific to the currently logged in user
  - shared : for all users of this machine
  - factory : installed by Plug-in installer with the Plug-in
- $COMPANY and $PLUGIN-NAME folder names contain only allowed characters for file naming (replace characters "\\*?/:<>|\" by "_")

## For Mac platform:

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Priority  Type      Path
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1         user      $USER/Library/Audio/VST XMLs/$COMPANY/$PLUGIN-NAME/
    2         shared    Library/Audio/VST XMLs/$COMPANY/$PLUGIN-NAME/
    3         factory   $PLUGIN-PATH/Contents/Resources/VST XMLs/
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

## For Windows Vista/7/8/10 platform:

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Priority  Type      Path
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1         user      Users/$USERNAME/AppData/Roaming]/VST XMLs/$COMPANY/$PLUGIN-NAME/
    2         shared    [ProgramData]/VST XMLs/$COMPANY/$PLUGIN-NAME/
    3         factory   [$APPFOLDER]/VST XMLs/$COMPANY/$PLUGIN-NAME/
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

## For Windows XP/2000 platform:

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Priority  Type      Path
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    1         user      [Documents and Settings/$USERNAME/Application Data]/VST XMLs/$COMPANY/$PLUGIN-NAME/
    2         shared    [Documents and Settings/$ALLUSERS/Application Data]/VST XMLs/$COMPANY/$PLUGIN-NAME/
    3         factory   [$APPFOLDER]/VST XMLs/$COMPANY/$PLUGIN-NAME/
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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