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Clipboard VST-XML

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The Clipboard VST-XML format is a simple text-based XML definition used to exchange media-related data through drag and drop (text-based) or copy and paste (using the operating system clipboard).

It was originally designed to support audio file exchange between Cubase and HALion. Over time, the same mechanism was extended to transfer additional musical elements and their context.

What It Enables

Clipboard VST-XML allows applications to transfer more than a plain file reference.

Typical transferred elements include:

  • Audio files/clips (since version 1.0)
  • Tempo (since version 1.1)
  • Chords (since version 1.2)
  • Scales (since version 1.3)

Additional Context Data

The XML payload can include extra information that helps preserve editing context across applications and plug-ins, for example:

  • Color
  • Project time position
  • Other element-specific metadata

This makes drag-and-drop and copy-paste workflows more useful than simple file transfer, because the receiving application and plug-ins can reconstruct musical and visual context.

Typical Workflow

  1. A source plug-in like HALion serializes the selected element as Clipboard VST-XML text.
  2. The user performs drag and drop or copy and paste.
  3. The target application like Cubase parses the XML and imports the element with its metadata.

Known applications and plug-ins supporting Clipboard VST-XML

  • Cubase
  • Dorico
  • Nuendo
  • HALion
  • Padshop
  • Studio One
  • Soundly
  • Wavelab

Format Description

This section describes the Clipboard VST-XML structure according to its current Document Type Definition (VST-XML-1.4.dtd).

Root node: vst-xml

ItemDefinition
Attributesversion (required)
Required childrensourceApp
Optional childrenregion, chord, scale, signature

Node: sourceApp

ItemDefinition
ContentText value with sender application name

Node: region

ItemDefinition
Attributesid (required), type (optional: join or silence), channelID (optional)
Required childrenfilename, start, end
Optional childrenname, tempo, rootkey, projectTime, color, loop, segment, signature

Node: segment

ItemDefinition
Required childrenfilename, start, length
Optional childrenfileOffset

Node: loop

ItemDefinition
Attributestype (optional: release)
Required childrenstart, end

Node: chord

ItemDefinition
Attributesid (required)
Required childrenkeyNote, pitches, mask
Optional childrenname, projectTime, bassNote, color

Node: scale

ItemDefinition
Attributesid (required)
Required childrenmask, keyNote
Optional childrenname, projectTime, displayName, color

Node: signature

ItemDefinition
Required childrennumerator, denominator
Optional childrenprojectTime

Leaf tag meanings

TagMeaning
nameHuman-readable label
displayNameAlternate/display label for scale
filenameAudio file path
startStart position or offset (context dependent)
endEnd position (context dependent)
lengthSegment length
fileOffsetFile offset used by segment-based payloads
projectTimeTimeline position; requires domain attribute
tempoTempo value
rootkeyRoot key value
pitchesChord pitch set as text
keyNoteChord/scale key note value
bassNoteChord bass note value
maskBitmask-like harmonic/scale encoding
colorColor value (for UI/context)
numeratorTime signature numerator
denominatorTime signature denominator

Attribute reference

AttributeUsed onValues
idregion, chord, scaleAny text (like integer counter), required
typeregionjoin, silence
typelooprelease
channelIDregionAny text (typically GUID)
domainprojectTimequarterNotes or seconds (required)

Examples of Clipboard VST-XML

Insert one audio file at position beat 16

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<vst-xml version="1.3">
    <sourceApp>MyApp</sourceApp>
    <region id="1" channelID="{B48CE04A-8FE5-4192-BBEE-D178F7B55C26}">
        <name>Region 1</name>
        <filename>c:\toto.wav</filename>
        <start>100</start>
        <end>44200</end>
        <projectTime domain="quarterNotes">16</projectTime>
    </region>
</vst-xml>

Insert one audio file at 4s and one audio file at beat 8 on two different tracks

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<vst-xml version="1.3">
    <sourceApp>MyApp</sourceApp>
    <region id="1" channelID="{B48CE04A-8FE5-4192-BBEE-D178F7B55C26}">
        <name>Region 1</name>
        <filename>E:\Temp\Audio\Drum1.wav</filename>
        <start>100</start>
        <end>44200</end>
        <projectTime domain="seconds">4.0</projectTime>
        <color>#91959bff</color>
    </region>
    <region id="2" channelID="{09FCC4AB-1752-4A8B-A039-380B6EE74256}">
        <name>Region 2</name>
        <filename>E:\Temp\Audio\Drum2.wav</filename>
        <start>0</start>
        <end>44100</end>
        <projectTime domain="quarterNotes">8</projectTime>
        <color>#91959bff</color>
    </region>
</vst-xml>

Insert one audio file at 4s and one audio file at beat 8 on one track

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<vst-xml version="1.3">
    <sourceApp>MyApp</sourceApp>
    <region id="1" channelID="{B48CE04A-8FE5-4192-BBEE-D178F7B55C26}">
        <name>Region 1</name>
        <filename>E:\Temp\Audio\Drum1.wav</filename>
        <start>100</start>
        <end>44200</end>
        <projectTime domain="seconds">4.0</projectTime>
    </region>
    <region id="2" channelID="{B48CE04A-8FE5-4192-BBEE-D178F7B55C26}">
        <name>Region 2</name>
        <filename>E:\Temp\Audio\Drum2.wav</filename>
        <start>0</start>
        <end>44100</end>
        <projectTime domain="quarterNotes">8</projectTime>
    </region>
</vst-xml>

4 Chords

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<vst-xml version="1.3">
    <chord id="818292160">
        <name>C7</name>
        <color>#91959bff</color>
        <projectTime domain="quarterNotes">0</projectTime>
        <pitches>C1;E2;G2;A#2;</pitches>
        <keyNote>60</keyNote>
        <bassNote>24</bassNote>
        <mask>0x248</mask>
    </chord>
    <chord id="1485759856">
        <name>Fmin7</name>
        <color>#91959bff</color>
        <projectTime domain="quarterNotes">32</projectTime>
        <pitches>F1;G#2;C3;D#3;</pitches>
        <keyNote>65</keyNote>
        <bassNote>29</bassNote>
        <mask>0x244</mask>
    </chord>
    <chord id="1485760336">
        <name>Esus4</name>
        <color>#91959bff</color>
        <projectTime domain="quarterNotes">56</projectTime>
        <pitches>E1;A2;B2;E3;</pitches>
        <keyNote>64</keyNote>
        <bassNote>28</bassNote>
        <mask>0x50</mask>
    </chord>
    <chord id="1485759376">
        <name>Gsus2</name>
        <color>#91959bff</color>
        <projectTime domain="quarterNotes">72</projectTime>
        <pitches>G1;G2;A2;D3;</pitches>
        <keyNote>67</keyNote>
        <bassNote>31</bassNote>
        <mask>0x42</mask>
    </chord>
    <sourceApp>Nuendo</sourceApp>
</vst-xml>

2 Scales

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<vst-xml version="1.3">
    <scale id="492403952">
        <name>Blues 1</name>
        <displayName>A# Blues 1</displayName>
        <color>#91959bff</color>
        <projectTime domain="quarterNotes">0</projectTime>
        <keyNote>10</keyNote>
        <mask>0x6ed</mask>
    </scale>
    <scale id="492405312">
        <name>Major</name>
        <displayName>G Major</displayName>
        <color>#91959bff</color>
        <projectTime domain="quarterNotes">56</projectTime>
        <keyNote>7</keyNote>
        <mask>0xab5</mask>
    </scale>
    <sourceApp>Nuendo</sourceApp>
</vst-xml>

Signature

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<vst-xml version="1.3">
    <sourceApp>MyApp</sourceApp>
    <signature>
        <numerator>3</numerator>
        <denominator>4</denominator>
        <projectTime domain="quarterNotes">0</projectTime>
    </signature>
</vst-xml>

Join of segments and loops

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<vst-xml version="1.3">
    <sourceApp>WaveLab</sourceApp>
    <region type="join" id="4" channelID="{B48CE04A-8FE5-4192-BBEE-D178F7B55C26}">
        <name>my Region</name>
        <projectTime domain="seconds">33.5</projectTime>
        <segment>
            <filename>E:\Temp\Audio\Drum2.wav</filename>
            <start>0</start>
            <length>1234</length>
        </segment>
        <segment>
            <filename>c:\toto.wav</filename>
            <start>1227</start>
            <length>44</length>
        </segment>
        <color>#12345678</color>
    </region>
    <region id="1234" channelID="{B48CE04A-8FE5-4192-BBEE-D178F7B55C26}">
        <name>Region 1</name>
        <filename>E:\Temp\Audio\Drum2.wav</filename>
        <start>0</start>
        <end>1234</end>
        <projectTime domain="quarterNotes">16</projectTime>
        <loop>
            <start>0</start>
            <end>1002</end>
        </loop>
        <loop type="release">
            <start>0</start>
            <end>1002</end>
        </loop>
        <tempo>120.0</tempo>
        <rootkey>36</rootkey>
        <signature>
            <numerator>3</numerator>
            <denominator>4</denominator>
        </signature>
    </region>
</vst-xml>