Pamplejuce Save

Pamplejuce is a template lifestyle for creating and building JUCE plugins in 2024.

Out of the box, it:

1. Supports C++20.
2. Uses JUCE 7.x as a git submodule (tracking develop).
3. Relies on CMake 3.24.1 and higher for cross-platform building.
4. Has Catch2 v3.4.0 for the test framework and runner.
5. Includes a Tests target and a Benchmarks target some examples to get started quickly.
6. Has Melatonin Inspector installed as a JUCE module to help relieve headaches when building plugin UI.

It also has integration with GitHub Actions, specifically:

1. Building and testing cross-platform (linux, macOS, Windows) binaries
2. Running tests and benchmarks in CI
3. Running pluginval 1.x against the binaries for plugin validation
4. Config for installing Intel IPP
5. Code signing and notarization on macOS
6. Windows code signing via Azure Trusted Signing

It also contains:

1. A .gitignore for all platforms.
2. A .clang-format file for keeping code tidy.
3. A VERSION file that will propagate through JUCE and your app.
4. A ton of useful comments and options around the CMake config.

How does this all work at a high level?

If you are new to CMake, I suggest you read up about JUCE and CMmake on my blog!.

Can I see some examples?

Lots of people have used Pamplejuce as their starting place for their private plugin projects.

Two amazing public examples (complete with signed binaries) are:

• Valentine, a compressor plugin by Jose Diaz Rohena
• Maim, an mp3 distortion plugin by Arden Butterfield

Setting up for YOUR project

This is a template repo!

That means the easiest thing to do is click "Use this template" here or at the top of the page to get your own repo with all the code here.

After you've created a new repo from the template, you have a checklist of things to do to customize for your project.

• git clone your new repo (if you make it private, see the warning below about GitHub Actions minutes)

• Download CMAKE if you aren't already using it (Clion and VS2022 both have it bundled, so you can skip this step in those cases).

• Populate the JUCE by running git submodule update --init in your repository directory. By default, this will track JUCE's develop branch, which is a good default until you are at the point of releasing a plugin. It will also pull in the CMake needed and an example module, my component inspector.

• Replace Pamplejuce with the name of your project in CMakeLists.txt where the PROJECT_NAME variable is first set. Make this all one word, no spaces.

• Adjust which plugin formats you want built as needed (VST3, AU, etc).

• Set the correct flags for your plugin juce_add_plugin. Check out the API https://github.com/juce-framework/JUCE/blob/master/docs/CMake%20API.md and be sure to change things like PLUGIN_CODE and PLUGIN_MANUFACTURER_CODE and everything that says Change me!.

• Build n' Run! If you want to generate an Xcode project, run cmake -B Builds -G Xcode. Or just open the project in CLion or VS2022. Running the standalone might be easiest, but you can also build the AudioPluginHost that comes with JUCE. Out of the box, Pamplejuce's VST3/AU targets should already be pointing to it's built location.

• If you want to package and code sign, you'll want to take a look at the packaging/ directory add assets and config that match your product. Otherwise, you can delete the GitHub Action workflow steps that handle packaging (macOS will need code signing steps to work properly).

This is what you will see when it's built, the plugin displaying its version number with a button that opens up the Melatonin Inspector:

FAQ

[!TIP] Don't see your question here? Open an issue!

Where do I put new .h / .cpp files?

New source files go in /source. All .h and .cpp files in that directory will be available to include in your plugin target and your tests.

Tests go in /tests. Just add .cpp files there and they will be available in the Tests target.

[!NOTE] If you use an overeager, CMake-aware IDE (like CLion) it might prompt you to manually add files to a CMake target. This is not needed.

I recommend not stuffing everything into the boilerplate PluginEditor/PluginProcessor files. Sure, go ahead make a mess at first. But then clean them up and just include your source from there.

How do I add another module?

Additional 3rd party JUCE modules go in /modules. You can add third party git submodules there (like the inspector is set up). Remember to not only call juce_add_module but add it to the target_link_libraries list!

I (and others, including some of the JUCE team) recommend moving as much as your application code into modules as possible. For example, if you tend to roll your own widgets, pop those into a module, you'll thank yourself later.

A few reasons to do so:

• Re-usability. You can use modules across projects.
• Testability. You can test modules in isolation from each other. When sticking test in modules, it's common to guard .cpp files with something like #ifdef RUN_MY_TESTS and set via target_compile_definitions in Tests target.
• Sanity. You can keep the root project tidy, focused on the application logic.
• Compile-friendliness. Each JUCE module is its own compilation unit. If you change a file in a module, only that one module needs to rebuild. It also means you can work on only the module in a separate CMake project, which is a very nice/fast life.

Don't worry about all of this if you are new to JUCE. Just keep it in mind as you grow.

What's the deal with BinaryData?

Your binary data CMake target is called Assets.

You need to include BinaryData.h to access it.

[!IMPORTANT] You may have to configure the project (just hit build in your IDE) to build juceaide before the header will be available.

How I get clang-format working

There are a huge number of benefits to automatic formatting of code, including the very obvious one of guaranteed consistency and therefore readability. But it also saves brain cycles and can prevent team bike-shedding.

@CrushedPixel, who prompted me to write this FAQ entry says

Formatting is a really key component and you’re providing it out of the box. I have learned to swallow my pride when it comes to my own preferences, so I’m okay as long as I can just hit save and the IDE does the deed for me

The included .clang-format file will get you very close to the JUCE style guide.

On CLion, see this guide on how to clang format on save or on key command (my preference).

On VS 2022, it's enabled by default.

On Xcode, see this plugin (disclaimer, when I was still using Xcode I couldn't find a great solution, which is part of why I switched to CLion).

What's the deal with code signing and notarization?

This repo code signs Windows via Azure Trusted Signing. Read more about how to set it up on my blog.

It also code signs and notarizes on macOS. Again, you can read my article for details.

How do I update my Pamplejuce-based project?

1. Update with the latest CMake version listed here, or the latest version supported by your toolchain like VS or Clion.
2. Update JUCE with git submodule update --remote --merge JUCE
3. Update the inspector with git submodule update --remote --merge modules/melatonin_inspector
4. Check for an IPP update from Intel.
5. If you want to update to the latest CMake config Pamplejuce uses, first check the repository's CHANGELOG to make sure you are informed of any breaking changes. Then. git submodule update --remote --merge cmake. Unfortunately, you'll have to manually compare CMakeLists.txt, but it should be pretty easy to see what changed.

How to Cut A GitHub Release

Cut a release with downloadable assets by creating a tag starting with v and pushing it to GitHub. Note that you currently must push the tag along with an actual commit.

I recommend the workflow of bumping the VERSION file and then pushing that as a release, like so:

# edit VERSION
git commit -m "Releasing v0.0.2"
git tag v0.0.2
git push --tags

[!IMPORTANT] Releases are set to prerelease! This means that uploaded release assets are visible to other users (on public repositories), but not explicitly listed as the latest release until you "publish" in the GitHub UI.

[!NOTE] I would like the release process to be easier. I'm open to suggestions, please read the options and provide feedback.

How do I add private github repos as JUCE modules?

Generate an ssh key (without a passphrase) for the repository and add it as a secret to your Pamplejuce-derived repository.

Then, use the ssh_key option in the checkout action, like so:

- name: Checkout code
  uses: actions/checkout@v3
  with:
    ssh_key: ${{ secrets.SSH_PRIVATE_KEY }}
    submodules: true # Get JUCE populated

Also see @mikelange49's solution here.

I'm new to GitHub Actions, what do I need to know?

CI will run against latest Linux, Windows, and macOS unless modified. You can do it all for free on public repos.

For private repos, be sure to do some calculations about free minutes vs. costs on running in CI.

[!WARNING] GitHub gives you 2000 or 3000 free GitHub Actions "minutes" / month for private projects, but they actually bill 2x the number of minutes you use on Windows and 10x on MacOS.

You might feel disincentivized to push to private repos (as you would burn through minutes). By default, multiple commits in quick succession will cancel any earlier running builds. There are also timeouts set so you can't accidentally stall a build and burn through time.

[!NOTE] You can push a commit with [ci skip] in the message if you are just doing things like updating the README or checking in a WIP that you know will fail CI.

You have a few other big picture options, like doing testing/pluginval only on linux and moving everything else to Release only. The tradeoff is you won't be sure everything is happy on all platforms until the time you are releasing, which is the last place you really want friction.

How do variables work in GitHub Actions?

It can be confusing. The documentation is a big fragmented. Here are some tips.

1. Things in double curly braces like ${{ matrix.name }} are called "contexts or expressions" and can be used to get, set, or perform simple operations.
2. In "if" conditions you can omit the double curly braces, as the whole condition is evaluated as an expression: if: contains(github.ref, 'tags/v')
3. You can set variables for the whole workflow to use in "env"
4. Reading those variables is done with the env context when you are inside a with, name, or if: ${{ env.SOME_VARIABLE }}
5. Inside of run, you have access to bash ENV variables in addition to contexts/expressions. That means $SOME_VARIABLE or ${SOME_VARIABLE} will work but only when using bash and not while using powershell on windows. The version with curly braces (variable expansion) is often used when the variable is forming part of a larger string to avoid ambiguity. Be sure that the ENV variable was set properly in the workflow/job/step before you use it. And if you need the variable to be os-agnostic, use the env context.

What's up with the SharedCode interface target, is it needed?

If you want to build both plugin targets and a test target, unfortunately the additional abstraction of the INTERFACE SharedCode target is needed (as of Nov 2023). If you aren't running tests, shame on you, but hey, you can simply edit the CMake and get rid of it :)

The summary: JUCE modules build separately for each target. You need to link against them with PRIVATE visibility. But both JUCE's internal plugin shared code target (which powers the formats like AU, VST, etc) and Pamplejuce's Tests target need to link against the same JUCE modules.

This becomes a problem when you link Tests to YourPlugin target, as it causes ODL issues and confuses your IDE. Additionally, it is hard/impossible to set different compile definitions for the Tests target vs. plugin targets (for example, you'll probably need to enable the deprecated modal loops, guard macros for running tests, etc).

I spoke with Reuben at JUCE a bit about this here and there's a Pamplejuce issue with background here.

What if I need to include files not in modules and not in /source?

If you have control over the files, I highly recommend taking 3 minutes to make a JUCE module — if nothing else than to wrap the code you need and make the build system nice and easy. See the module API, or other JUCE modules for an example on how to do it.

If that's not an option, you could add more directories in the file(GLOB_RECURSE SourceFiles line in the CMakeLists.txt and maybe fiddle with source_group to have things show up in your IDE. But again, I recommend sticking with JUCE modules and keeping the IDE source tree reflective of your filesystem.

How do I build JuceHeader.h

Using JuceHeader.h has been deprecated for some time — if it's a new project, definitely avoid it!

Instead, directly include the .h files you need from the juce modules you are using, like #include "juce_gui_basics/juce_gui_basics.h"

If you are converting an older project, it's still worth the conversion away from JuceHeader.h to using the actual juce modules you need. You'll get faster compilation, autocomplete, etc. You can see an example of the conversion I did for the pluginval project. It's less scary than you think: just make sure the juce:: prefix is added everywhere, try to compile and your IDE will yell at you when you need to include one of the modules :)

Contributing

Thanks to everyone who has contacted me over discord DM and/or contributed to the repository.

This repository covers a lot of ground. JUCE itself has a lot of surface area. It's a group effort to maintain the garden and keep things nice!

If something isn't just working out of the box — it's not just you — others are running into the problem, too, I promise. Please submit a PR or issue.

Original References & Inspiration

CMake

• The "Modern CMake" gitbook which also has a section on https://cliutils.gitlab.io/modern-cmake/chapters/testing/catch.html.
• Effective Modern CMake
• JUCE's announcement of native CMake support
• Eyalamir Music's JUCE / CMake prototype repository

GitHub Actions

• Christian Adam's HelloWorld CMake and ccache repo
• Maxwell Pollack's JUCE CMake + GitHub Actions repo
• Oli Larkin's PDSynth iPlug2 template
• Running pluginval in CI

Catch2 & CTest

• Catch2's docs on CMake integration
• Roman Golyshev's Github Actions & Catch2 repo
• Matt Clarkson's CMakeCatch2 repo
• CMake Cookbook example
• Unit Testing With CTest
• Mark's Catch2 examples from his 2020 ADC talk

Packaging, Code Signing and Notarization

• iPlug Packages and Inno Setup scripts
• Surge's pkgbuild installer script
• Chris Randall's PackageBuilder script
• David Cramer's GA Workflow for signing and notarizing and his notarize-cli tool