PluginPie

Documentation

Using PluginPie

The Editor and Pie Overlay

PluginPie has two separate parts:

Editor The configuration window where you customize Pies, add plug-ins, choose icons, and set hotkey gestures.
Pie Overlay The floating window that shows your Pie when you activate it, but otherwise stays completely hidden.

The Editor process runs separately from the Pie Overlay process. It can be fully closed while the Pie Overlay background process continues to run.

You can reopen the Editor at any time. Find the PluginPie icon in the macOS menu bar at the top of the display, or in the Windows system tray in the bottom-right corner of the taskbar. Click it and then choose Open PluginPie Editor.

To fully quit both the Editor and Pie Overlay, choose Quit PluginPie from the same menu.

Managing Pies

Use the selector at the top left of the Editor to change Pies. New Pie creates an empty Pie and selects it. Once a Pie is created, you can later choose to rename or delete it altogether.

Every Pie you create contains its own plug-ins and hotkey gesture.

Adding and editing entries

Add a new plug-in by choosing + Add Plug-in in the top-right corner of the PluginPie Editor. Right-click a plug-in in the Pie and choose Edit to modify its fields.

Click an item to select it. Cmd/Ctrl-click toggles items, while Shift-click range-selects around the ring. You can also drag on empty editor space to draw a selection marquee.

To remove entries, right-click the selection and choose Remove Selected.

Images and framing

PluginPie can load any image and use it as a plug-in icon.

Add or edit a plug-in, then click the image area to pick a local file. You can adjust the framing by clicking the badge on the bottom left of the image. You can also right-click a plug-in in the Pie and choose Adjust Icon Image. Pick between Fit, Crop, or Stretch.

PluginPie stores the path to the image, not a managed copy. Keep image files in a stable folder. Moving or deleting one leaves the entry without a usable thumbnail.

Hotkey gestures

You can choose from four different gestures to activate and use a Pie:

Single Press Toggle Press the assigned hotkey once to open the Pie. Click a plug-in to load it into your DAW. Press the hotkey again or click an empty space to dismiss the Pie.
Double Press Toggle Press the assigned hotkey twice in quick succession to open the Pie. Click a plug-in to load it into your DAW. Double press the hotkey again or click an empty space to dismiss the Pie.
Single Press Hold Press and hold the assigned hotkey to open the Pie. Mouse over a plug-in and release the hotkey to load it into your DAW. Release the hotkey with nothing selected to dismiss the Pie without inserting.
Double Press Hold Press the assigned hotkey twice in quick succesion, holding it down on the second press. Mouse over a plug-in and release the hotkey to load it into your DAW. Release the hotkey with nothing selected to dismiss the Pie without inserting.

Keyboard navigation

The Pie can also be navigated without using a mouse or trackpad.

Arrow keys Left or Up highlights the previous plug-in. Right or Down highlights the next plug-in.
Letters and numbers Type the first character of a plug-in's visible name to highlight it. Press the same character again to cycle through other matching plug-ins.
Enter Loads the highlighted plug-in into your DAW.
Escape Closes the overlay without inserting anything.

If an insertion error appears, press Enter to open the editor. Any other key dismisses the message.