CMake C++ Template for FL Studio SDK

This is a unofficial CMake template for building custom FL Studio plugins ("FL" plugins), using FL Studio SDK.

Dependencies

This project is intended to be used on Windows, using a Visual Studio compiler.

It is recommended to use a CMake-based IDE (e.g. CLion, a properly configured VSCode...) to handle and edit the project.

CMake

This is a CMake-based project: you will need to install CMake into your system in order to use it.

MFC

To compile the examples, you will need to add mfc components for visual studio. Best way to do so is by using Visual Studio Installer:

Open Visual Studio Installer: Locate Visual Studio Installer in the Start menu and open it.
Select Your Version: Find the version of Visual Studio you are using and click on Modify.
Click on the Individual Components bar.
Write MFC on the search bar.
Select an MFC version, be sure to select the right CPU compatibility (x64/86-arm...) and a version compatible with your Visual Studio version. (e.g. for visual studio 17, MFC version 143)

Install Required Components: Follow the instructions to complete the installation and wait for the components to update.

Project overview

In Project Root Directory:

SDK folder contains the FL Studio SDK with some slight modifications and the CMakeLists.txt.
The SDK gets built as a library and linked against the Plugin(s). The subdirectory SDK/SDK_documentation contains the documentation as provided by the SDK.
Examples folder contains the 4 example projects (FruityGain_VC, Saw_VC and others) provided by the SDK. Each one is built as a separate CMake project, and
can be enabled in the root CMakeLists.txt. The source files contain some debug and small changes. They could contain some bugs still.
Plugin folder contains the plugin project template. Edit and add files there to build your project.
CMakeLists.txt is the "root" Cmake. This project shall be built from there.

Setting up the project

1. Root CMakeLists.txt:

Set the project name if necessary. Notice that this is only an "aestetic" choice, since the plugin will not have this name.
lines 8 and 11: Set the Installation paths (${FL_INSTALL_GENERATORS_PATH} and ${FL_INSTALL_EFFECTS_PATH}): projects will be exported there after installation (see below).
From line 17: If needed, set the paths for your Compilers and generators. It's a better idea to let these lines commented, and let CMake handle them.

2. Plugin CMakeLists.txt:

line 2: set the project name according to the desired plugin Name. Notice that all the generated files and installation process will take that as the Plugin name. Upon installation, the dll will have <project_name>_x64.dll as a name.
Lines 8, 10, 12: change variables.
line 30: add source files you include for your plugin. Do not include SDK files, they are automatically being built!
line 38: link other libraries if needed

Compile (release) and install the plugin

Notice: FL Studio seems to be able to open plugins compiled in release mode only.
From the root folder:

Create build directory and generate the build project cmake -B build -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release
Enter build folder cd build
Build cmake --build . --config Release
Install cmake --install . --config Release

Compiling the examples

To compile the example projects, uncomment the line(s) 28-31. To avoid compiling and installing the template Plugin, comment line 25.
Compilation and install commands are the same as for the Plugin.

SDK documentation

To explore the FL Studio SDK documentation, open with your browser got to SDK/SDK_documentation and open in your browser index.html

Barsay/FL-Studio-SDK-CMake-Template