How do I install the Validate Vst3 skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/validate-vst3 in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Validate Vst3 safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Validate Vst3?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Validate Vst3 free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Validate Vst3?

tomevault-io (@tomevault-io) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Validate Vst3 by tomevault-io — Agent Skill

Name: Validate Vst3
Author: tomevault-io

Validate Vst3

Validate VST3 plugins (.vst3 bundles) using Steinberg's official validator tool. Use when user says "run VST3 validator", "validate VST3", "test the .vst3", or needs Steinberg-specific test suites. Prefer this over pluginval for multi-bus VST3 plugins. Use when this capability is needed.

tomevault-io 74d0cbc 2 files · 4.3 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

VST3 Validator

Plugin Install Locations

The validator accepts a direct path, but validator -list only scans standard locations.

Platform	User Location	System Location
macOS	`~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/`	`/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/`
Windows	`%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Common\VST3\`	`C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\`
Linux	`~/.vst3/`	`/usr/lib/vst3/` or `/usr/local/lib/vst3/`

Instructions

Locate the built .vst3 bundle (in your build output directory or one of the standard locations above)
Locate the validator binary (see Common Binary Locations below)
Run: validator /path/to/plugin.vst3
For thorough testing add -e: validator -e /path/to/plugin.vst3
Check output for FAILED lines — see Common Issues below for fixes

Basic Usage

# Validate a VST3 plugin (validator location depends on your VST3 SDK build)
validator /path/to/plugin.vst3

Common Binary Locations

Platform	Path
macOS	`<vst3sdk>/build/bin/Release/validator` or `/usr/local/bin/validator`
Windows	`<vst3sdk>\build\bin\Release\validator.exe`
Linux	`<vst3sdk>/build/bin/Release/validator`

Options

# Run extensive tests (takes longer but more thorough)
validator -e /path/to/plugin.vst3

# Quiet mode - only print errors
validator -q /path/to/plugin.vst3

# Run only a specific test suite
validator -suite "General Tests" /path/to/plugin.vst3

# Test only a specific processor class ID
validator -cid "ABCD1234..." /path/to/plugin.vst3

# Use local instance per test (isolates tests)
validator -l /path/to/plugin.vst3

Listing Plugins

# List all installed VST3 plugins
validator -list

# List snapshots from all installed plugins
validator -snapshots

Test Suites

Suite	Description
General Tests	Basic plugin loading and info
Single Precision	32-bit audio processing
Double Precision	64-bit audio processing
Bus Activation	Bus enable/disable handling
Bus Arrangement	Channel configuration
Parameters	Parameter handling and automation
State	Preset save/restore
Editor	UI creation/destruction
Process Context	Transport and tempo handling

Building the Validator

Clone the VST3 SDK if you don't have it, then build:

cd <vst3sdk>
cmake -B build -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
cmake --build build --target validator

Common Issues

Plugin Not Loading

Check the binary architecture matches (arm64 vs x86_64 on macOS, x64 vs x86 on Windows)
Verify all dependencies are bundled or available
Check logs: Console.app (macOS), Event Viewer (Windows), or stderr (Linux)

Test Failures

State tests: Ensure getState/setState are implemented correctly
Parameter tests: Check parameter IDs are stable and unique
Bus tests: Verify channel configurations are valid

Extensive Test Failures

The -e flag runs stress tests that may reveal:

Memory leaks
Thread safety issues
Edge cases in parameter handling

Converted and distributed by TomeVault — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.

---name: validate-vst3description: Validate VST3 plugins (.vst3 bundles) using Steinberg's official validator tool. Use when user says "run VST3 validator", "validate VST3", "test the .vst3", or needs Steinberg-specific test suites. Prefer this over pluginval for multi-bus VST3 plugins. Use when this capability is needed.---# VST3 Validator## Plugin Install LocationsThe `validator` accepts a direct path, but `validator -list` only scans standard locations.| Platform | User Location | System Location ||----------|--------------|-----------------|| macOS | `~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/` | `/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/` || Windows | `%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Common\VST3\` | `C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\` || Linux | `~/.vst3/` | `/usr/lib/vst3/` or `/usr/local/lib/vst3/` |## Instructions1. Locate the built `.vst3` bundle (in your build output directory or one of the standard locations above)2. Locate the `validator` binary (see Common Binary Locations below)3. Run: `validator /path/to/plugin.vst3`4. For thorough testing add `-e`: `validator -e /path/to/plugin.vst3`5. Check output for FAILED lines — see Common Issues below for fixes## Basic Usage```bash# Validate a VST3 plugin (validator location depends on your VST3 SDK build)validator /path/to/plugin.vst3```### Common Binary Locations| Platform | Path ||----------|------|| macOS | `<vst3sdk>/build/bin/Release/validator` or `/usr/local/bin/validator` || Windows | `<vst3sdk>\build\bin\Release\validator.exe` || Linux | `<vst3sdk>/build/bin/Release/validator` |## Options```bash# Run extensive tests (takes longer but more thorough)validator -e /path/to/plugin.vst3# Quiet mode - only print errorsvalidator -q /path/to/plugin.vst3# Run only a specific test suitevalidator -suite "General Tests" /path/to/plugin.vst3# Test only a specific processor class IDvalidator -cid "ABCD1234..." /path/to/plugin.vst3# Use local instance per test (isolates tests)validator -l /path/to/plugin.vst3```## Listing Plugins```bash# List all installed VST3 pluginsvalidator -list# List snapshots from all installed pluginsvalidator -snapshots```## Test Suites| Suite | Description ||-------|-------------|| General Tests | Basic plugin loading and info || Single Precision | 32-bit audio processing || Double Precision | 64-bit audio processing || Bus Activation | Bus enable/disable handling || Bus Arrangement | Channel configuration || Parameters | Parameter handling and automation || State | Preset save/restore || Editor | UI creation/destruction || Process Context | Transport and tempo handling |## Building the ValidatorClone the [VST3 SDK](https://github.com/steinbergmedia/vst3sdk) if you don't have it, then build:```bashcd <vst3sdk>cmake -B build -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Releasecmake --build build --target validator```## Common Issues### Plugin Not Loading- Check the binary architecture matches (arm64 vs x86_64 on macOS, x64 vs x86 on Windows)- Verify all dependencies are bundled or available- Check logs: Console.app (macOS), Event Viewer (Windows), or stderr (Linux)### Test Failures- **State tests**: Ensure `getState`/`setState` are implemented correctly- **Parameter tests**: Check parameter IDs are stable and unique- **Bus tests**: Verify channel configurations are valid### Extensive Test FailuresThe `-e` flag runs stress tests that may reveal:- Memory leaks- Thread safety issues- Edge cases in parameter handling---> Converted and distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io/claim/iplug3) — claim your Tome and manage your conversions.

Frequently asked questions