How can I get my old libstXX++ au plugins working on Catalina? (e.g. Antares Harmony Engine, McDSP, Altiverb)

I know there is a method that works used by MORiA... where the AU is connected to a libstXX++ in the applications folder. Here's a photo: https://i.imgur.com/3fhxZjz.png. This is how I got H3000 Factory to work on Catalina.

So now that we know there's a method that works...

HOW can I connect my other AU plugins mentioned above to libstXX using this method?
Please any help would save me immensely.

 

C’mon guys. We KNOW that this is possible because I have H3000 up and running. Just need someone smarter technically than me to school me on how to connect the other au’s to the dylib

 

Hi. Can you post back on whether any progress was made here? Thank you for the initial post on this issue.

I just learned that new macs are Catalina-exclusive. Grappling with its implications, I'm struggling with a plugin that crashes the DAW on open and a plugin that will not open.

Actually anything posted regarding manual workarounds for plugin compatibility with Catalina would be much appreciated.

 

Would love to learn this as well

 

I have dylib plugins working on Catalina except for Sonnox,Antares and Altiverb (blank UI, logic 10.5 issue) Just look for those “Adobe pached”versions.

 

You need to remove the security flags of those plugins.

1. Install the old plugins on Mojave or earlier.
2. Update to Catalina
3. Open Terminal and deflag old plugins. E.g.:
   
   sudo xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/Synplant.component

That's how I did it. This works with every kind of file, even Apps.

 

Spoiler: H00K

assuming you have correct libs in Applications/ilok folder
do this commands in terminal for every app/plugin you want:

sudo install_name_tool -change /usr/lib/libstdc++.6.dylib /Applications/ilok/libstXX++.6.dylib APP_OR_VST_PACKAGECONTENTS_MACOS_BINARY_LOCATION

 

Can you be more specific by giving an example for noobs like me?

 

zpaces: Your command...

sudo xattr -r -d com.apple.quarantine /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/Synplant.component

work even for us on Sierra?

 

Last edited: Jun 6, 2020

I tried your method but can't get for example Altverb 7 to work... I get this part I paste in terminal "sudo install_name_tool -change /usr/lib/libstdc++.6.dylib /Applications/ilok/libstXX++.6.dylib" but this part "APP_OR_VST_PACKAGECONTENTS_MACOS_BINARY_LOCATION" I get confused. When I get to the Binary "APP_OR_VST_PACKAGECONTENTS_MACOS_BINARY", what do I do with the location part? Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks tzzsmk!

 

It says it in the name. .app and .vst files aren't actually files, they are containers ("folders"). When you right click and select Show Package Contents, you can see the actual executable in Contents/MacOS. The rest is metadata, libraries and various other resources.

 

here it was posted long time ago for Catalina you need just to change the locations
rather to /usr/lib to different path
1. Changed the name of openssh's libstdc to libstXX++.6.0.9.dylib and altered it (please use my attached lib - 10.9.5 or do as the user Manta correctly described if your OS version is different):

Go to the openssh dylib file for your system, change in a hex editor (I used Hex Friend) the name libstdc++.6.0.9.dylib to libstXX++.6.0.9.dylib and save this file to your usr/lib/ folder


2. Copied that lib to /usr/lib using the terminal app:
sudo cp -p libstXX++.6.0.9.dylib /usr/lib

3. Linked the lib to the name "6" as the original lib (terminal):
cd /usr/lib
ln -s libstXX++.6.0.9.dylib libstXX++.6.dylib

4. Now it's time to patch the plugin. Go to the plugins folder (/library/audio/plug-ins/components) and right_click the .component (or .vst) you want to patch (in my case was LX480Complete x64.component). Choose the option "Open with -> Terminal".

5. Then navigate to the folder Contents/MacOS and read the plugin dependencies (terminal)
cd contents/MacOS
otool -L <your plugin file> (in my case otool -L LX480Complete\ x64)
NOTE: when the file name has space(s) like the above you should put a "\" character before each space

The output of the otool command was the following (note that the default system libstdc is a dependency for the Plugin as shown in the output):

LX480Complete x64:
/System/Library/Frameworks/AudioToolbox.framework/Versions/A/AudioToolbox (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/AudioUnit.framework/Versions/A/AudioUnit (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/CoreServices (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 44.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Carbon (compatibility version 2.0.0, current version 152.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreAudio.framework/Versions/A/CoreAudio (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
/usr/lib/libstdc++.6.dylib (compatibility version 7.0.0, current version 7.9.0)
/usr/lib/libgcc_s.1.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 103.0.0)
/usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 123.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreFoundation.framework/Versions/A/CoreFoundation (compatibility version 150.0.0, current version 550.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/ApplicationServices (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 38.0.0)

6. Let's patch it! Just execute the following command:
install_name_tool -change /usr/lib/libstdc++.6.dylib /usr/lib/libstXX++.6.dylib LX480Complete\ x64

7. Let's now confirm that the library was patched into the plugin (note that now it shows our "xx" library instead of the system "dc" library)!
otool -L LX480Complete\ x64

LX480Complete x64:
/System/Library/Frameworks/AudioToolbox.framework/Versions/A/AudioToolbox (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/AudioUnit.framework/Versions/A/AudioUnit (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Versions/A/CoreServices (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 44.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/Carbon.framework/Versions/A/Carbon (compatibility version 2.0.0, current version 152.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreAudio.framework/Versions/A/CoreAudio (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
/usr/lib/libstXX++.6.dylib (compatibility version 7.0.0, current version 7.9.0)
/usr/lib/libgcc_s.1.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 103.0.0)
/usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 123.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreFoundation.framework/Versions/A/CoreFoundation (compatibility version 150.0.0, current version 550.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/ApplicationServices.framework/Versions/A/ApplicationServices (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 38.0.0)

Now we should repeat this process in our DAW executable file (it also needs to be patched). In my case it's Studio One 2. Make a backup of your .app folder before beginning, right?

8. Navigate to you DAW folder in Terminal:
cd /applications/Studio\ One\ 2.app/

9. Then navigate to the folder Contents/MacOS and read the plugin dependencies (terminal)
cd contents/MacOS
otool -L <your DAW executable> (in my case otool -L studioapp)

The output of the otool command was the following (note that the default system libstdc is a dependency for the DAW as shown in the output):

studioapp:

/usr/lib/libcrypto.0.9.8.dylib (compatibility version 0.9.8, current version 47.2.0)
@executable_path/libipp.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
@executable_path/../Frameworks/cclgui.framework/Versions/A/cclgui (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
@executable_path/../Frameworks/cclsystem.framework/Versions/A/cclsystem (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
@executable_path/../Frameworks/ccltext.framework/Versions/A/ccltext (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
@executable_path/../Frameworks/cclnet.framework/Versions/A/cclnet (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
@executable_path/../Frameworks/cclsecurity.framework/Versions/A/cclsecurity (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/Cocoa.framework/Versions/A/Cocoa (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 19.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/Security.framework/Versions/A/Security (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 55179.13.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/IOKit.framework/Versions/A/IOKit (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 275.0.0)
/usr/lib/libstdc++.6.dylib (compatibility version 7.0.0, current version 56.0.0)
/usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 169.3.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreFoundation.framework/Versions/A/CoreFoundation (compatibility version 150.0.0, current version 744.19.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/Foundation.framework/Versions/C/Foundation (compatibility version 300.0.0, current version 945.18.0)
/usr/lib/libobjc.A.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 228.0.0)


10. Let's patch it! Just execute the following command:
install_name_tool -change /usr/lib/libstdc++.6.dylib /usr/lib/libstXX++.6.dylib studioapp

11. Let's confirm that the library was patched into the DAW (note that now it shows our "xx" library instead of the system "dc" library)!
otool -L studioapp

studioapp:

/usr/lib/libcrypto.0.9.8.dylib (compatibility version 0.9.8, current version 47.2.0)
@executable_path/libipp.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
@executable_path/../Frameworks/cclgui.framework/Versions/A/cclgui (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
@executable_path/../Frameworks/cclsystem.framework/Versions/A/cclsystem (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
@executable_path/../Frameworks/ccltext.framework/Versions/A/ccltext (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
@executable_path/../Frameworks/cclnet.framework/Versions/A/cclnet (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
@executable_path/../Frameworks/cclsecurity.framework/Versions/A/cclsecurity (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 1.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/Cocoa.framework/Versions/A/Cocoa (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 19.0.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/Security.framework/Versions/A/Security (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 55179.13.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/IOKit.framework/Versions/A/IOKit (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 275.0.0)
/usr/lib/libstXX++.6.dylib (compatibility version 7.0.0, current version 56.0.0)
/usr/lib/libSystem.B.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 169.3.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreFoundation.framework/Versions/A/CoreFoundation (compatibility version 150.0.0, current version 744.19.0)
/System/Library/Frameworks/Foundation.framework/Versions/C/Foundation (compatibility version 300.0.0, current version 945.18.0)
/usr/lib/libobjc.A.dylib (compatibility version 1.0.0, current version 228.0.0)

Now try it!

This is not a very complicated procedure, but it will make you sweat if you are not used to work in the terminal app.

The thing is that you need to edit the lib with an Hex editor and then execute several commands.

If you think I should detail more I can do it.


Cheers!

 

Does any of this fix the blank GUI issues with Altiverb in latest version of Catalina?

 

I've given up on these older hacks with Catalina and forward. Bug Sur is even worse, and it will get worse with ARM macs. Mojave is really the last of the tweakers os.

 

mac os catalina libstdc

Reboot into Recovery mode Restart and hold Cmd-R

open terminal

1.csrutil disable
inter
restart and go normal mode

open terminal

2.sudo mount -uw /

3.sudo killall Finder

Install.

- Replace libstdc++.6.0.9 at /usr/lib/
(no need to replace if you already did for other releases)

all plug ins working fine but after it Safari get error and not work !! any chance get safari working ? thank you

 

Replace libstdc++.6.0.9 at /usr/lib/ with the original one !

Reboot into Recovery mode Restart and hold Cmd-R

open terminal

1.csrutil enable
inter
restart and go normal mode

open terminal

2.sudo unmount -uw /

3.sudo killall Finder

 

Question...using the catalina and libstXX++ trick, the 32 bit plugins in catalina still won't work right?I'm still on Mojave as this was my understanding.

 

maybe with a wrapper like 32lives or jbridge?

 

I have live32 its not work any more forget 32bit
Or another way can install Mojave to add a new partition on your hard disk and switch between Mojave and Catalina

 

Last edited: Jun 27, 2020

Since I have a dual boot system, I just booted from High Sierra to be able to have write access to catalinas system folder and copied the dylib file over to Catalinas system folder. Catalina write protects the system folder pretty stromg so using another system to access catalinas file system worked for me.

BTW, disabling System Integrity Protection alone is not enough to copy the file over.