How can you compare the stability of vstplugin~ inside PurrData since you can't even install it over there?

Well, okay, got it. I saw Purr-Data crash only very few times although I've used it extensively. That's why PlugData appeared instable to me. Sorry for this.

If the issue of the number of inputs and outputs under Linux and the bad touch response of sliders etc. get fixed, I might switch to PlugData. And yes, I will report these issues. Thank you for your help!

I had a closer look, but could not figure out where to set the number of inputs and outputs with PlugData. Please find attached a screenshot of its audio settings. And I could not find a manual for detailed information on this either (there is probably no manual since the GUI is quite self-explanatory).

And yes, I was able to install and instantiate a vstplugin~ object. Unfortunatelly, I can not use it. It's too instable and PlugData always crashes (Ubuntu Studio 24.04, PludData 0.9.1). An advantage of Purr-Data, it's really stable. But nevertheless, PlugData is really interesting and seems to be the only alternative to Purr-Data.

Purr-Data and PlugData are very appealing graphically and are able to handle my high resolution display properly (in contrast to Pure Data). Here my comparison of Purr-Data and PlugData from my point of view. I should add that I did not really use PlugData, I only tested it shortly.

Purr-Data

• A little bit more graphically appealing although not as customizable as PlugData.
• I can operate sliders, buttons and switches with my fingers on my touchscreen (very important for me live).
• Reduced to what is really necessary.
• GUI gets slow with big patches (really annoying).

PlugData

• Can be used as VST plugin (not relevant for me).
• GUI can be customized much better with themes etc.
• I cannot operate sliders, buttons and switches properly with my fingers on my touchscreen (I don't know why, but no precise response).
• Seems to be more actively developed.
• Offers built-in effects and instruments etc (I prefer to create such abstractions on my own).
• I can only set 1 input and 1 output (no-go for me, I'm using 8 ins and 8 outs).

@porres said:

you can't use binaries compiled for Vanilla in it

This is helpful, thank you!
It's a pity, I really like Purr Data and clearly prefer it. For my purpose even better than PlugData.

I should add that it does work with Pure Data on my system.

Hi there,

Is it possible to use the external vstplugin~ with Purr Data? What I tried so far: I downloaded the Linux binary package from https://git.iem.at/pd/vstplugin/-/releases, extracted it and added its vstplugin~ folder to the startup search paths of the Purr Data preferences. I get the following error message when I try to create a vstplugin~ object:

/home/.../vstplugin~/vstplugin~.pd_linux: undefined symbol: class_setfreefn

Any ideas? Thank you in advance!

I found a workaround given on the Purr Data Github page and described in the Purr Data installation instructions, see https://github.com/agraef/purr-data/wiki/Installation. I seems to solve both issues.

I prefer Purr Data since it is much more attractive visually and since it can much better handle my 4k display. PlugData is really interesting, but adds too much visual overhead for my purposes.

Purr Data seems to be in active development and I reported the issues to its Github repository. I hope that there is a solution or that it'll get fixed.

Hi there,

I switched to Ubuntu Studio 24.04.1 LTS and installed it from scratch. And I installed Purr Data that I was using with Ubuntu Studio 22.10 before. Therefore, I added the aggraef:/purr-data-jgu repository and installed purr-data via apt as described for xUbuntu 24.04 here:

https://software.opensuse.org/download/package?package=purr-data&project=home%3Aaggraef%3Apurr-data-jgu

Unfortunately, I'm facing the following two problems:

1.) Purr Data starts up very slowly and the GUI is a kind of frozen for few minutes until the error message "error: audio I/O stuck... closing audio" is output. Then the GUI is working again, i.e. I can change slider values, for instance. This issue also occurs if there is an audio interface attached with an active usb audio connection via Pipewire. Purr Data is not listed in the Carla patchbay.
2.) There is no menu. Please find attached a screenshot. Respectively, I cannot change or have a look at the audio settings. The cat icon only lists window related entries for e.g. minimizing the window.

Any ideas how to solve these issues? I couldn't find any posts regarding this.

Thank you in advance!

Hi there,

I started dealing with GEM and implemented a very simple patch that simply plays back a video. When I run this patch with pd-gem the playback is all good. But with purr-data the playback stutters since the CPU load is too high. Please find attached screenshots of the patch and atop while running the patch with purr-data and pd-gem.

The pd version with purr-data and pd-gem is slightly different, but I assume that this is not the root cause. So, what is the problem with purr-data and how can I solve it?

Thank you in advance!
Andre

-- purr-data --
Purr-Data 2.19.3
Pd version 0.48.0
GEM version 0.94

-- pd-gem --
Pd version 0.52.1
GEM version 0.94