Wwise SDK 2024.1.1

To create the backend for your plug-in, you need to create a class derived from AK::Wwise::Plugin::AudioPlugin. This base class offers the most basic methods for a Wwise Authoring plug-in, including a function to write to a SoundBank.

The main model for your plug-in is the Property Set, but Custom Data can also be managed by the plug-in backend.

#include <AK/Wwise/Plugin.h>
 
class BackendSourcePlugin
:   public AK::Wwise::Plugin::AudioPlugin
,   public AK::Wwise::Plugin::Source
{
public:
    // AK::Wwise::Plugin::AudioPlugin
    bool GetBankParameters(
        const GUID& in_guidPlatform,
        AK::Wwise::Plugin::DataWriter& in_dataWriter
    ) const override;
 
    // AK::Wwise::Plugin::Source
    bool GetSourceDuration(
        double& out_dblMinDuration,
        double& out_dblMaxDuration
    ) const override;
};
 
AK_ADD_PLUGIN_CLASS_TO_CONTAINER(
    MyPlugin,               // Add to container "MyPlugin"
    BackendSourcePlugin,    // Class to add to the container
    SoundEngineSourcePlugin // Sound engine plug-in to which this plug-in corresponds
);

Generating SoundBanks

You must code your plug-in to store its current settings into banks when requested. You can do this by implementing the AK::Wwise::Plugin::AudioPlugin::GetBankParameters() method.

The parameters are written into the SoundBank as a data block. The block is then loaded directly from the SoundBank into your sound engine plug-in's parameter structure. Therefore, you must write the parameters in the same order they are declared in the parameter structure of your sound engine plug-in. For more information, refer to Parameter Node Interface Implementation.

For example, consider the following parameter structure:

// Parameter structure for this effect.
struct AkFXSrcSineParams
{
    AkReal32     fFrequency;     // Frequency (in Hertz).
    AkReal32     fGain;          // Gain (in dBFS).
    AkReal32     fDuration;      // Sustain duration (only valid if finite).
};

The following implementation of AK::Wwise::Plugin::AudioPlugin::GetBankParameters() gets the current value of each property and then uses the appropriate method to write the value with the AK::Wwise::Plugin::DataWriter object received as a parameter. These actions are performed in the same order in which the members are defined in your parameter structure.

bool MySourcePlugin::GetBankParameters(
    const GUID& in_guidPlatform,
    AK::Wwise::Plugin::DataWriter& in_dataWriter) const
{
    bool result = true;
    result &= in_dataWriter.WriteReal32(m_propertySet->GetReal32(in_guidPlatform, "Frequency"));
    result &= in_dataWriter.WriteReal32(m_propertySet->GetReal32(in_guidPlatform, "Gain"));
    result &= in_dataWriter.WriteReal32(m_propertySet->GetReal32(in_guidPlatform, "Duration"));
    return result;
}

Note: To get the current value of a property, use the getter functions provided by AK::Wwise::Plugin::PropertySet. The type requested must exactly match the type specified in the XML.

For more information about available methods for writing different types of data, refer to AK::Wwise::Plugin::DataWriter.

Managing Licenses

During SoundBank generation, Wwise queries the plug-ins for the license status they implement with the AK::Wwise::Plugin::License interface. The plug-in can implement AK::Wwise::Plugin::License::GetLicenseStatus to return one of the enumerated values in AK::Wwise::Plugin::LicenseStatus. Additionally, the plug-in can return a message with an associated severity, to be shown in the SoundBank generation log.

Returning LicenseStatus_Unlicensed or LicenseStatus_Expired will prevent the plug-in from being included in a SoundBank.

Plug-ins can implement their own schemes for license validation. Please note that you should never query a server synchronously in this function. The function needs to return an answer immediately.

If your plug-in is registered with Audiokinetic, you can leverage the license system of Wwise. Use the following implementation, which looks up the license status in the Wwise Project License:

AK::Wwise::Plugin::LicenseStatus MyPlugin::GetLicenseStatus(
    const GUID& in_guidPlatform,
    AK::Wwise::Plugin::Severity& out_eSeverity,
    char* out_pszMessage,
    unsigned int in_uiBufferSize)
{
    AK::Wwise::Plugin::LicenseType eType;
    AK::Wwise::Plugin::LicenseStatus eStatus;
    uint32_t uDaysToExpiry;
 
    m_host.GetLicenseStatus(in_guidPlatform, eType, eStatus, uDaysToExpiry);
    return eStatus;
}