We Keep Coding

How to use the vst sdk on the .net framework

I like making music using mostly my computer and especially love using synthesisers. There is a wide range of synthesiser plugins available online which are quite awesome. I have downloaded the VST (Virtual Studio Technology) SDK which is the platform that most plugins I know of use.
I would like to know if you can use the SDK on the .Net framework to write plugins; the only documentation and tutorials I could find is for C++ and I'm not that trusted with C++. I could learn to use C++, I taught myself C# in a week, but to use an unknown language and to learn other new concepts don't seem like a good combination.
Could anyone just give me pointers in the right direction on how to get started and even if it is possible to program it using .Net?
Regards Charl

Many beginners find VST.NET the perfect choice to start off with. It comes with some samples and with VS2008/VS2010 project templates that yield working plugins. So its a great way to start.
VST.NET provides a framework that structures and groups the VST API into manageable pieces. Out of the box it provides support for common functionality such as plugin parameters and programs.
So drop by at the VST.NET codeplex site and we'll help you get started.
BTW: To my knowledge the noise project has been abandoned and although VST.NET might not appear to be very active, I still continue to react on the questions posted on its codeplex site.

I second obiwanjacobi's sentiment. VST.Net is about the only .Net VST bridge out there that I know of and the community is great. It's an excellent framework.
https://vstnet.codeplex.com/
As for the statement: "doubt .NET platform would be adequate concerning the raw performance that a VST plugin requires". This is entirely untrue. My tests have shown that on a decent computer, .Net can very easily handle basic synthesis without even raising the CPU level above a few percent. Of course, it's not going to match C++'s performance for very complex synthesis, but in cases like this, there's no reason why you can't fall back on C++ to do the more complex stuff. In fact that is where Vst.Net excels. It would allow you to build very complex synthesis as a VST, and then leverage that in .Net.
At the same time, I think you'd be hard pressed to say definitively that .Net couldn't do very complex synthesis as well. I haven't really tried, but there's no real obstacles when you pay attention to the performance of your code, which would go for any programming platform.
On top of all that, there is now .Net Native to add to the picture. .Net Native has the potential to be AS fast as C++.

I remember hearing of noisevst and VST.NET, two C# wrappers for the VST API but I don't know how stable they are. And I really doubt .NET platform would be adequate concerning the raw performance that a VST plugin requires.
So I would recommend learning a little bit of C++. Yes, C++ is so big and complex that nobody on earth knows every feature of it. But for plugin development purposes all you need to do is to implement a couple of methods. You can start from the provided samples in the VST API. Audio DSP code wouldn't look much different if you'd use C#, C++ or any other mainstream language anyway.
If you also want to implement a GUI for your plugin, that's where the things start getting hairy. VSTGUI is simple but lacks many features. I can recommend WDL's iPlug framework but that would require a little more than basic C++.

Write in Java to work with .Net?

I was wondering if anyone have experience writing codes in Java while compiling it into .Net assemblies? What are your thoughts? What library did you use to do so and what are the disadvantages of codes in Java to become .Net application?
I see there are a couple of libraries out there that help out with Java <-> .Net communication (eg. JNBridge http://www.jnbridge.com/, IKVM.NET http://www.ikvm.net/) .
Let me know if you have suggestions on how to go about doing this task, or may be a reason to why not bother doing it and better off starting out with .Net (C# may be)

I would suggest that you are almost certain to be better off starting with C#, unless you are doing a straight port and are ready to deal with lots of integration issues. C# is pretty similar to Java syntactically and conceptually, and the .NET tooling will work with it a lot better.

I wrote my own native JNI bridge from Java to .NET since we couldn't buy one off the shelf. It worked but it was extremely painful to get right. The path of least resistance with Java/.NET integration is to use a web-service (IMHO). This way you can do your Java things in Java and your .NET things on .NET.

On what factors should we opt Java or .Net technology for a windows application?

I am quite aware of both java and C# .Net .when i try to create a new windows application which are the factors that decide which technology should be opted?
I know of one thing ,for great and faster UI development Visual studio helps a lot.

There are several factors I would consider...
What are your programmers used to working with already? What third party libraries are you likely to need, what's available on both platforms?
Does platform independence matter to you?
Would LinQ be advantageous?
If you're starting from scratch, costs for the platforms?
Both platforms have strong communities around them...
Hope this helps...

Dotnet is pretty much native in Windows which obviously makes it more suited to writing Windows programs. Using Java in a Windows-only environment makes it much harder for you since it effectively just adds another unnecessary API layer.
You will soon realise that all integration points between your Java code and Windows are a bit problematic. For instance, creating installation programs, access file system, reading/writing the registry, starting/stopping services, task bar icons, using Windows GUI components (media player, IE...), help file system...
It all boils down to this imo: The Dotnet framework is much richer in terms of functionality than the Java dito, mainly becuase Java is cross-platform and thus needs a "one-size-fit-all" approach to its API. My experience is that you will only get frustrated trying to "emulate" a Windows native program in Java.

Choose the one with which you are most familiar. The two platforms are different enough that skills from one does not transfer easily to the other.
In any case, try making a trivial application in both your scenarios and see how it works for you. The initial impression is important as it is probably indicative of how well the rest of the work will be.

It also depends on what kind of windows application you want to build. If it's just a question of building a simple standalone application then, considering you know both languages equally well, I wouldn't hesitate and would go for a 100% microsoft solution, especially if you have to do specific things like accessing ActiveDirectory, the windows registry, etc.
Not that you can't do it in Java : you can always use AD through LDAP in Java for example, but the APIs are just "a bit" more complicated than the .Net ones (try to decode objectSIDs in Java without a few tricks).
Now if you have to build an enterprise app. I just feel that popular frameworks like Spring and Hibernate are always coming out after their Java counterparts (disclaimer : this is a personal opinion; I didn't do any research on this, thoroughly comparing frameworks in both languages, but that's just the feeling I have). I don't know how good the .Net implementations are though, so I don't have a point of view on that. I just remember writing .Net 2.0 apps and not liking ADO.Net at all.
My view is that the frameworks I like do exist in both languages, but they are first developed for Java, then ported to .Net.
Now I'm not the kind of developer trying to defend his favourite language over the others. If I don't have external constraints to develop, then I choose whatever language gets my app up and running faster and in the most efficient way.

...But with java you will have crossplatform application on scratch.
Also coding UI in java is not difficult - if you read some guides before and use some frameworks as swing application framework or SWT framework.

If its Exclusively for Windows then .Net is best bet.

Yeah for a pure cross platform application Java can't be beat, but if you can manage it Silverlight is a subset of WPF and a pretty compelling cross-platform proposition on its own.
Productivity-wise I think WPF has an edge as it has a nice XAML markup language that can be easily created with the built-in designer in VS.NET or integrates nicely with MS' suite of expression products.

Reading to get back into Java development?

I haven't done much Java development in about six years or so. I may have the need soon to port a C# application to Java so as to make it run on both Windows and the company standard flavor of Linux (for reasons I can't discuss). The thing I want to know is, what is the best reading material to brush up on changes to Java since then, so I can make the port as smooth as possible.
I'm currently running on the .NET Framework 3.5 and making use of lambdas, extension methods and LINQ. This is a client side application with no web service calls or database calls. I do use various network protocols to talk to other machines, but I am already researching components to replace the ones we're using now (Dart Telnet, SharpSSH, etc.)
Mostly I'm looking for what has changed in the Java language and BCL since then. I don't recall generics, foreach loops, and boxing and unboxing was a PITA. Is there any equivalent for extension methods, lambdas and LINQ?

Effective Java, Second Edition is probably the starting text. It discusses the new language features and best practices for using them. Some of the stuff is probably familiar, but after six years, a refresher isn't a bad idea.
The various Sun tutorials on the new features are also a good start for the new features.

Effective Java and Java in a Nutshell.
Effective Java to get you thinking in Java and Nutshell as your reference guide.

To answer your final question, there are no equivalents for extension methods, lambdas or LINQ.
Java language development has moved very slowly since the introduction of annotations and generics in Java 5, and the majority of interesting Java language work has occurred with JVM languages such as Scala. If you need to use the JVM, then a more advanced language like Scala may fit your needs (note that Scala will integrate with existing Java libraries)
Going forwards, check out Project Coin, which is the set of proposed language developments for Java 7.

Instead of rewriting your application in Java, you may want to consider Mainsofts products which recompile MSIL to Java byte code.
http://dev.mainsoft.com/Default.aspx?tabid=166

C# on Linux - Anyone got an opinion based on experience using mono?

Is it worthwhile learning C# if you are a Linux user? There is Mono but it seems destined to always be behind the curve with the constant threat of MS action if they start to lose money.
Currently I am leaning more towards Java as its is fully GPLed and there are no major threats of software patents. It already has a big oss community behind it and has a solid reputation on the server whereas C# still needs to prove itself there.
The big advantage for C# programmers is that they are cheaper than Java developers. I also wonder exactly how portable C# code is though. Can one simply take a C# app written to target Mono and run it on windows?

I've written a number of C# command-line programs, specifically to run as distributed simulation engines, that were targeted for Ubuntu. They work perfectly there or on Windows.
It's hard to say what the future holds, but C# is a powerful language and I think it's worth learning even just for our personal growth. I despise Windows myself but have been writing C# for a while (for Windows mostly) since it pays the bills.
Novell uses Mono extensively for their Linux applications and I think that their relationship with Microsoft adds some weight to the idea that .NET for Linux will stick around.
Here's a list of some of the companies using Mono.

"on the server whereas C# still needs
to proof itself there"
You do know MySpace is built ontop of ASP.NET, right? Millions of hits a day running off a C# backend.

Sorry for the flame-bait, but I've personally had more portability success with mono, than java. Not a blanket statement, just my experience.

This question has already been asked and answered many times on SO.
Is Mono ready for prime time?
Why Use Mono?

Given your scenario, me personally I would learn Java, as you will find the transition into C# further down the line, quite smooth. Also having Java under your belt is a very good thing. I would say Java is much more portable than C# although you have the option of using the Compact Framework, which will be quicker to bootstrap with your program.

I work for a company that uses both Java and C#. I prefer C# because I think Visual Studio blows away Eclipse, and I just like the language better. However, I think you might do better learning Java in your case. You have more flexibility both for your project and career-wise. You can learn C# anytime.

C# is a nice language, and I find it much easier to work with than C/C++, especially for GTK applications.
I also think that learning C# would be a much better investment than learning Java. I'm saying this for no other reason than my personal taste, but I also honestly and objectively believe that C# will have a better future than Java.
As for running Mono apps on Windows, you can usually do this without a hassle, but if it's a GUI application, you will either have to create a Windows version that uses Winforms, or your users will have to install GTK for Windows. Either way, your applications will have a much better look and feel than Java applications on both platforms.
Finally, I don't think M$ will take legal action against Mono anytime soon.

It works very nice. IMHO you should use Mono from the development site (www.go-mono.com) rather than version provided with your distribution.
Also you could try dry-running it with VMWare machine that is also avaliable on the official site.