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Version: Beta

Package libraries & presets for distribution

The easiest and most reliable way to distribute your Floe content is with Floe Packages.

Floe Packages are .floe-pkg files (ZIP files internally) containing sample libraries (which provide instruments and IRs) and/or presets (ready-to-use professional sounds). Packages are what users download and install into Floe. Floe also accepts .zip packages for backwards compatibility. Packages can also be encrypted (.floe-pkg-enc) to require a license key for installation.

Floe offers an easy-to-use GUI for installing packages. This installation process carefully considers existing content, versions, installation preferences, and whether installed libraries have been modified. The result should 'just work' or provide clear instructions on what to do next.

As with Floe's sample library format, openness is key. That's why Floe Packages are just ZIP files with a specific structure and a .floe-pkg extension. Anyone can create them and anyone can open them (rename to .zip to extract). Additionally, it gives the user the option to extract them manually rather than use Floe's GUI if they wish. If you need to protect your content, you can create encrypted packages instead.

Create Floe Packages using our command-line tool or any ZIP program.

Packager command-line tool​

If you're comfortable with such things, we have a command-line tool to create Floe Packages. It ensures everything is set up correctly and adds a couple of nice-to-have features, particularly for users who want to install the package manually rather than with Floe's GUI.

However, you can use any ZIP program to create Floe Packages. Just make sure they follow the structure described in the next section, and rename the resulting .zip to .floe-pkg.

Download​

Download the program, extract it, and run it from the command line.

Usage​

Here's the output of floe-packager --help:

Packages libraries and presets into a Floe package file (.floe-pkg).
Existing packages can be merged into the output. Multiple libraries and preset folders
are supported. Additionally:
- Validates any Lua files.
- Ensures libraries have a License file.
- Adds an 'About' document for each library.
- Adds an 'Installation' document for the package.
- Embeds a checksum file into the package for better change detection if the package
  is installed manually.

Usage: floe-packager [OPTIONS]

Optional arguments:
  -l, --library-folder <path>...  Library folder to include (repeatable)
  -p, --preset-folder <path>...   Preset folder to include (repeatable)
  -i, --input-package <path>...   Existing package file to merge into the output. Files from --library-folder and --preset-folder take precedence on conflict. (repeatable)
  -o, --output-dir <path>         Directory to write the package into. The filename is auto-generated.
  -n, --package-name <name>       Override the auto-generated package filename. Any file extension is stripped.
  -j, --info-json <path>          Write a JSON file describing the package's instruments, presets, tags, etc. Use '-' to write to stdout.
  -e, --encrypt                   Encrypt the output package with a random content key. The key is printed to stdout; the output filename uses the .floe-pkg-enc extension.
      --prune                     Silently drop files that aren't used: for libraries, files not referenced from Lua (samples, images, IRs) or the .lua/license files; for preset folders, files that aren't presets or preset-bank info files. Without this, such files are warned about but still included.

Examples​

These examples use bash syntax.

# Creates a .floe-pkg from the Slow library and the Slow Factory Presets.
# Slow and "Slow Factory Presets" are folders in the current directory.
./floe-packager --library-folder "Slow" \
                --preset-folder "Slow Factory Presets" \
                --output-dir .

# Creates a .floe-pkg containing multiple libraries and no presets
./floe-packager --library-folder "C:/Users/Sam/Floe-Dev/Strings" \
                                 "C:/Users/Sam/Floe-Dev/Common-IRs" \
                --output-dir "C:/Users/Sam/Floe-Dev/Releases" \
                --package-name "FrozenPlain - Strings"

Package structure​

If you're not using the packager tool, you need to know the structure of the Floe Package. It's very simple.

Requirements of a floe package:

  • The package must contain a folder called Libraries and/or a folder called Presets. If present, these folders must contain the libraries and presets respectively.

Be careful that your ZIP program is not adding an extra folder when you create the ZIP file. There should not be a top-level folder in the ZIP file, just the Libraries and/or Presets folders.

Example: single library & factory presets​

📦FrozenPlain - Arctic Strings Package.floe-pkg/
├── 📁Libraries
│   └── 📁Arctic Strings
│       ├── 📄arctic-strings.floe.lua
│       ├── 📁Samples
│       │   ├── 📄strings_c4.flac
│       │   └── 📄strings_d4.flac
│       └── 📁Images
│           ├── 📄background.png
│           └── 📄icon.png
└── 📁Presets
    └── 📁Arctic Strings Factory
        ├── 📁Realistic
        │   ├── 📄Octaved.floe-preset
        │   └── 📄Soft.floe-preset
        └── 📁Synthetic
            ├── 📄Bright.floe-preset
            └── 📄Warm.floe-preset

Example: multiple libraries​

📦Audioata - Synthwave Bundle Package.floe-pkg/
├── 📁Libraries
│   ├── 📁Synthwave Bass
│   │   ├── 📄synthwave-bass.floe.lua
│   │   └── 📁Samples
│   │       ├── 📄bass_c1.flac
│   │       └── 📄bass_d1.flac
│   ├── 📁Synthwave Drums
│   │   ├── 📄synthwave-drums.floe.lua
│   │   └── 📁Samples
│   │       ├── 📄kick.flac
│   │       └── 📄snare.flac
│   └── 📁Synthwave Synths
│       ├── 📄synthwave-synths.floe.lua
│       └── 📁Samples/
│           ├── 📄synth_c4.flac
│           └── 📄synth_d4.flac
└── 📁Presets
    └── 📁Synthwave Factory
        ├── 📄Clean Pad.floe-preset
        ├── 📄Dirty Lead.floe-preset
        ├── 📄Nebula Drone.floe-preset
        ├── 📄Punchy Kickdrum.floe-preset
        ├── 📄Backing FX.floe-preset
        └── 📄Full Effect.floe-preset

Encrypted packages​

The packager tool also supports creating encrypted packages (.floe-pkg-enc) that require a license key to install. This is aimed at commercial developers. Documentation for this feature is not yet available.