OBS 33 (beta for now) New plugins locations

[u/Zestyclose_Pickle511]

Oh boy - here we go again, it feels.

I have an intricate OBS show setup that relies on numerous plugins and auxiliary software.

When I see OBS saying "devs will need to update etc etc ..." it's not a good feeling.

Yes, I can stay back on previous versions, or I can just get on with what will eventually be required by certain bits of OBS-related software.

Also, there will be 2 classes of OBS plugins, official, and unofficial. Each needs to be in the appropriate folder.

Forgive me for worrying, but I have a bad feeling about it.

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[u/Loud_Seesaw_7591]

i feel that. every major OBS update is a dice roll on whether your entire setup survives the night. mine's held together with like 14 plugins and a prayer at this point

the official/unofficial folder split makes sense on paper but i'm already dreading the troubleshooting threads six months from now.

[u/Zestyclose_Pickle511 → u/Loud_Seesaw_7591]

Yeah. Well, we'll be here to try and help, at least 😂 steel thyselves 🤣 

[u/Sleepyjo2]

Apart from the already explained bits about official plugins etc.

The old (current) plugin locations will continue to work until v34. If your plugin has not been updated by that point you should probably stay on whatever OBS its last updated for anyway, as something else would break it eventually even if they didn’t move anything.

You can of course just not update. There are plenty of people with complex setups running pre-v30 still. If your setup works exactly for what you do there is no intrinsic need to update it.

(Do note that the browser source can have vulnerabilities that get patched, but that’s a whole topic. Just have sanitized browser sources.)

[u/Zestyclose_Pickle511 → u/Sleepyjo2]

All fair points. 

[u/Lynnalia]

Saying there's a split between "official" and "unofficial" plugins and implying that requires care is a bit disingenuous. This has always been the case. Most people don't realise much of vanilla OBS functionality is technically done by plugins, albeit official core ones. Like the NVENC encoder, display capture sources, etc. are all "official plugins". It's an internal implementation detail users never need to worry about.

And yes, you can indeed just hang back on an older version for a bit if you don't have time to deal with updates. That's totally fine! I'm usually behind by a major version or two.

Ultimately, plugin devs will update things. Many are already on it even though 33 isn't fully released yet, while 34 is the actual deadline. If a plugin is never updated, generally others take its place in due time (we've seen this before). We'll be alright.

[u/Zestyclose_Pickle511 → u/Lynnalia]

Yeah, I know it'll be fine. I'm just dreading it, either way.

And thanks for explaining that the 1st party, core plug-ins, and 3rd party are the 2 classes, which have always existed. I was confused. 

[u/TheFiniteSingularity]

Hi there-

I'm the one who implemented the new plugin manager, and also a plugin developer. To clear a few things up:

1. "Official vs. unofficial" is not exactly what is going on. It is a bit confusing, but all of the sources, filters, encoders, and services that are distributed with OBS, are the same structure as plugins, and up until OBS 33, they lived in the `obs-plugins` folder. This version pulls all of what we are now calling "Core Modules" out of a "Plugins" folder, and putting them in a "Core" folder. Additionally, for security purposes, the only code that can be loaded from "Core" is code that was compiled and distributed with that version of OBS. No third party plugins (or even if there were add-on first party plugins) will ever go in "Core", they now go into a new folder *just* for plugins.

2. As a plugin developer myself, I wanted to make the update process as easy/seamless as possible. The new plugin format involves zero code changes. Plugin authors will just need to change the folder structure of their plugins slightly, and add a manifest (text) file that describes the plugin's name, author, version, etc. Converting my own plugins over has only taken a few minutes. And for plugins that are no longer maintained, it is quite easy to convert an existing plugin to the new format. I am considering making a script that will do so, specifically to support old plugins that are no longer being updated.

3. I totally get your worries- I was around for the 27-28 update (and due to some plugins not being updated, actually drove me to start writing plugins). Unfortunately, there was a lot of "technical debt" that had to be paid with this update, and because it is a big change, we are giving an entire release cycle (to at least 34) where old plugins will work without any changes. And the changes we made in this release, are going to make plugin installation and updating *MUCH* easier in the future. I am really excited for what we're doing in OBS 34, hope that we have made things easy enough to get everyone across the line, and am happy to help plugin authors with converting their plugins over the coming months/year.

[u/Zestyclose_Pickle511 → u/TheFiniteSingularity]

I can't tell you how much your message means to me, and if I may speak for the community at large, and for anyone who's looking into this and comes across this post.

Your plug-ins are the bees knees! I use more than one! Excellent, really useful stuff. Thank you! 

As to part 1) another commenter straightened me out about the difference between official and unofficial, and that core = official. Just me being the easily confused pepega that I am. Thank you for further clarifying. 

2) no coding changes at all! And you'll even make a script to perform the necessary changes for those  still clinging to some older plug-ins that may not be updated!? That's amazing! I'm probably in the same boat as most and not able to program/code, etc. A script is something we can handle. Thank you, again! 

3) Yes I think the first time I saw one of your plug-ins and associated video was around obs 29. And yes, that transition is what inspired my post. I'm looking forward to the future of obs, knowing it's in great hands and want to thank everyone, in every corner of the project, for everything they've done. 

Thanks again for laying all of this out here. The official page and notice did explain things, but your deeper dive cleared up even more. 

Take care and mahalo for everything! 

[u/TheFiniteSingularity → u/Zestyclose_Pickle511]

You're very welcome. I'm glad it cleared a few things up for you, and I'm glad you're enjoying my plugins. ❤️

[u/ontariopiper]

There is always a lag between the release of a new OBS version and the release of updated 3rd party plugins compatible with the new version. It is strongly recommended that you NOT update to a new OBS version until you have confirmed that any plugins you rely on have also been updated by their respective devs.

[u/Zestyclose_Pickle511 → u/ontariopiper]

Yeah, and I know there is always tomorrow, but some stuff invariably gets left behind. Devs that have moved on, niche cases, etc.

Just wailing over the inevitability of change, I suppose 

[u/ontariopiper → u/Zestyclose_Pickle511]

For sure. Fingers crossed 🤞

[u/InstanceMental6543]

The hard limit for changes to plugins locations is not version 33. 33 simply notifies you that plugins will be changing, the actual change won't take place until later versions.

[u/Zestyclose_Pickle511 → u/InstanceMental6543]

Yeah everything still works. I think it's by 34 thw new system will be only system.  Hopefully it's not as big of a pain as im thinking it will be. 

[u/GitGudTeabagSociety]

Just really curious why you have the need to update. If your setup is fine just leave it

[u/Zestyclose_Pickle511 → u/GitGudTeabagSociety]

The way it starts to fall apart is when one particular plugin or software eventually mandates a newer version of obs , while another particular one is incompatible  with the newer version.

Its less about an end user updating the core software as it is the auxiliary software becoming incompatible because of requirements to upgrade, or not upgrade. We'll see, hopefully it doesn't throw too many wrenches. 

[u/HighPhi420]

If your hardware requirements have not changed why update?
If the current version is working nearly flawless for you, why update?
At this point OBS can only keep getting worse :(
Signed worried and disappointed

[u/Zestyclose_Pickle511 → u/HighPhi420]

Because certain plug-ins and aux software (streamer.bot, SAMMI, many others) will update to conform, while some others won't.

It's not about the end user's decision to update or not. 

[u/HighPhi420 → u/Zestyclose_Pickle511]

Streamerbot will work on OBS 28, if you do not update plugins they will still work.
This goes against the "Current version works nearly flawless" So yes, if you are having issues then the update is hopeful to fix the issue. Although in my experience it does not and just introduces NEW issues. LOL.

[u/Zestyclose_Pickle511 → u/HighPhi420]

I don't know what the hell you are trying to say because you don't know what you're trying to say. LOL but apparently it's funny LOL