Ableton Forum

I have created two Custom Labels

in one i see the Plugins directly in a list without any container. - This is the way i would like it to be
But
in the other one i see a list of the Developer names and then i have to click on it in order to open the subfolder and see the actual plugin.

I cannot find the difference as to why one is showing them one way and the other the other way and i cannot replicate the steps
of how i created the version where i see the Plugins directly.

Anyone here has a tip? i am reading the Manual up and down and watching tutorials since yesternight but cant fid a relevant answer

Screenshot: https://www.directupload.eu/file/d/9165 ... wb_png.htm

Are you sure one these 2 custom labels (I suppose you mean "categories", right?) isn't actually the default Plugins category?

[jur] wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 15, 2026 3:21 am

Are you sure one these 2 custom labels (I suppose you mean "categories", right?) isn't actually the default Plugins category?

Hi there.
I am sure cause i saw a tutorial about how to create them and also read it in the manual. Its the ones where you basically narrow down a search by choosing various tags and then can store this search as „Custom Label“ as in they are called this officially this way as far as i understand.
They then shown up as an icon in the Library column starting under the „Templates“ symbol and downwards from there. You can rename them and also customise their icon.
So they show up in Library (the middle column) and not under Places
This is why i find it so hard to understand. I did the same thing twice but ended up with different result so i must be missing something
but i cant understand. I compared all tags chose etc and cant understand.

I attached a screenshot below


https://www.directupload.eu/file/d/9165 ... wb_png.htm

Ok we're talking about the same thing, sorry for being picky about the naming... especially since the "Categories" section is actually now called "Library"

The native Plugins category does show plugins in folders sorted by manufacturers, that's why I asked if you were sure you were looking at 2 custom labels.
It's indeed surprising you're ending up with 2 different results if you created those custom labels following the same method.
At this point, first thing I'd try it to create a new one to see what's happening. It could be a bug so repeating the steps might reveal something.

[jur] wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 15, 2026 3:28 pm

Ok we're talking about the same thing, sorry for being picky about the naming... especially since the "Categories" section is actually now called "Library"

The native Plugins category does show plugins in folders sorted by manufacturers, that's why I asked if you were sure you were looking at 2 custom labels.
It's indeed surprising you're ending up with 2 different results if you created those custom labels following the same method.
At this point, first thing I'd try it to create a new one to see what's happening. It could be a bug so repeating the steps might reveal something.

All good. Dont worry.
To the subject now, thats the crazy part. I created the upper 3 and they all show the Plugins without container, so in the way i want and wish for.
A day later i tried to continue categorising and making Order and i cannot replicate it anymore. Every new Custom Label i create
shows the containers of the Developers.
Also what i find weird but somehow have not heard anyone else complain is that if i pick and Mark two tabs of the same category,
Example 2 Different Developer names (Lets say Arturia + Audioblast) or Vst3 + Au type of plugin in order to exclude Vst 2 not a single plugin shows up. If i however Mark any of the labels individually i see all plugins of this Type or of this Developer
This happens regardless of the category of the Tag. You simply choose more than one and everything disappears

https://www.directupload.eu/file/d/9165 ... z7_png.htm

Ok I need to try and analyse, because I never tagged any 3rd party plugin myself.
I'll be back

[jur] wrote: ↑

Thu Jan 15, 2026 5:43 pm

Ok I need to try and analyse, because I never tagged any 3rd party plugin myself.
I'll be back

Any luck?

What's happening here is the the saved custom labels remember the label that you created them from.
If you're saving the label from the Plug-ins label, and you have chosen to group the plug-ins by creator, then it will also be grouped on your saved label.
There's two ways to get a flat list:

1. Save the label from "All" instead. Everything on "All" is always in a flat list
2. Ungroup the Plug-ins label (right click on the content list and deselect "Group by Creator". Then save the label.

Hope that helps

I have the same issue. I have two custom tags one is GUITAR and one is M RACK. both are show in Library under Templates. Both tag folders contains multiple SAME vsts ( amp sims, compressors, eq) and both contain SHRDG.adg - all of them in GUITAR tag folder are in flat list. When I change tag for SHRDG.adg from GUITAR to M RACK - the SHRDG.adg is shown under Instruments Rack folder. Any luck why is this happening?

[bge] wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 19, 2026 3:52 pm

What's happening here is the the saved custom labels remember the label that you created them from.
If you're saving the label from the Plug-ins label, and you have chosen to group the plug-ins by creator, then it will also be grouped on your saved label.
There's two ways to get a flat list:

1. Save the label from "All" instead. Everything on "All" is always in a flat list
2. Ungroup the Plug-ins label (right click on the content list and deselect "Group by Creator". Then save the label.

Hope that helps

My friend you saved me a loooooot of Lifetime and will cause me to swear much less.
Thank you so much. I now understand much better how it works. To the 2. i had to scratch my head cause i did not
think „click anywhere in the list window“ and was looking everywhere for a label called „Group by Creator“.
This right there shows how my brain functions and why i will never understand everything

Have a Great Day!

llepasts wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 19, 2026 10:31 pm

I have the same issue. I have two custom tags one is GUITAR and one is M RACK. both are show in Library under Templates. Both tag folders contains multiple SAME vsts ( amp sims, compressors, eq) and both contain SHRDG.adg - all of them in GUITAR tag folder are in flat list. When I change tag for SHRDG.adg from GUITAR to M RACK - the SHRDG.adg is shown under Instruments Rack folder. Any luck why is this happening?

Yes - this is because presets (.adg - for rack presets and .adv - for device presets) are always grouped under their parent device so you can see which device it's part of.
If you want to create a label for just presets, you can use the Content|Preset filter in combination with the required tag, this should do the trick.
Unfortunately it's not possible to display a flat list of presets and devices (currently)

spanktron wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 20, 2026 10:18 am

[bge] wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 19, 2026 3:52 pm

What's happening here is the the saved custom labels remember the label that you created them from.
If you're saving the label from the Plug-ins label, and you have chosen to group the plug-ins by creator, then it will also be grouped on your saved label.
There's two ways to get a flat list:

1. Save the label from "All" instead. Everything on "All" is always in a flat list
2. Ungroup the Plug-ins label (right click on the content list and deselect "Group by Creator". Then save the label.

Hope that helps

My friend you saved me a loooooot of Lifetime and will cause me to swear much less.
Thank you so much. I now understand much better how it works. To the 2. i had to scratch my head cause i did not
think „click anywhere in the list window“ and was looking everywhere for a label called „Group by Creator“.
This right there shows how my brain functions and why i will never understand everything

Have a Great Day!

I'm glad that helped, enjoy!

[bge] wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 20, 2026 1:22 pm

llepasts wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 19, 2026 10:31 pm

I have the same issue. I have two custom tags one is GUITAR and one is M RACK. both are show in Library under Templates. Both tag folders contains multiple SAME vsts ( amp sims, compressors, eq) and both contain SHRDG.adg - all of them in GUITAR tag folder are in flat list. When I change tag for SHRDG.adg from GUITAR to M RACK - the SHRDG.adg is shown under Instruments Rack folder. Any luck why is this happening?

Yes - this is because presets (.adg - for rack presets and .adv - for device presets) are always grouped under their parent device so you can see which device it's part of.
If you want to create a label for just presets, you can use the Content|Preset filter in combination with the required tag, this should do the trick.
Unfortunately it's not possible to display a flat list of presets and devices (currently)

Explain this please - I have SHRDG.adg (Kontakt Instrument) OR ANY OTHER RACK If I tag it with custom GUITAR tag it is shown flat in that tag group. If I change the same SHRDG.adg (both are the same .adg rack) to M RACK tag group it is then show inside Instruments Rack folder. How does the same .adg change from flat to nested rack by just changing tags? Both custom tags are created the same way - why does M RACK tag put my racks inside folders and GUITAR tag doesn't?

Found a workaround for this - I just created subtag called RACKS for GUITAR tag and it behaves the same way - doesn't put my racks into Audio Effect Rack or Instruments Rack folders.

llepasts wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 20, 2026 10:21 pm

[bge] wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 20, 2026 1:22 pm

llepasts wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 19, 2026 10:31 pm

I have the same issue. I have two custom tags one is GUITAR and one is M RACK. both are show in Library under Templates. Both tag folders contains multiple SAME vsts ( amp sims, compressors, eq) and both contain SHRDG.adg - all of them in GUITAR tag folder are in flat list. When I change tag for SHRDG.adg from GUITAR to M RACK - the SHRDG.adg is shown under Instruments Rack folder. Any luck why is this happening?

Yes - this is because presets (.adg - for rack presets and .adv - for device presets) are always grouped under their parent device so you can see which device it's part of.
If you want to create a label for just presets, you can use the Content|Preset filter in combination with the required tag, this should do the trick.
Unfortunately it's not possible to display a flat list of presets and devices (currently)

Explain this please - I have SHRDG.adg (Kontakt Instrument) OR ANY OTHER RACK If I tag it with custom GUITAR tag it is shown flat in that tag group. If I change the same SHRDG.adg (both are the same .adg rack) to M RACK tag group it is then show inside Instruments Rack folder. How does the same .adg change from flat to nested rack by just changing tags? Both custom tags are created the same way - why does M RACK tag put my racks inside folders and GUITAR tag doesn't?

Found a workaround for this - I just created subtag called RACKS for GUITAR tag and it behaves the same way - doesn't put my racks into Audio Effect Rack or Instruments Rack folders.

Hmm that's a tough one to visualise without seeing it happening in place.
Perhaps you can record a screencast video and sent it to support?
But otherwise, does the workaround work for you?

[bge] wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 20, 2026 1:22 pm

spanktron wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 20, 2026 10:18 am

[bge] wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 19, 2026 3:52 pm

What's happening here is the the saved custom labels remember the label that you created them from.
If you're saving the label from the Plug-ins label, and you have chosen to group the plug-ins by creator, then it will also be grouped on your saved label.
There's two ways to get a flat list:

1. Save the label from "All" instead. Everything on "All" is always in a flat list
2. Ungroup the Plug-ins label (right click on the content list and deselect "Group by Creator". Then save the label.

Hope that helps

My friend you saved me a loooooot of Lifetime and will cause me to swear much less.
Thank you so much. I now understand much better how it works. To the 2. i had to scratch my head cause i did not
think „click anywhere in the list window“ and was looking everywhere for a label called „Group by Creator“.
This right there shows how my brain functions and why i will never understand everything

Have a Great Day!

I'm glad that helped, enjoy!

It did and HOW!! I now can work without getting frustrated

That said i forgot to ask in case you know.
As i wrote further up, i don`t get the logic behind one thing.
When searching i can choose Tags in order to hone in something i am looking for. Like choosing Tags "Vst3“ + „ Compressor“ + „Developer X“ - etc etc
However if i want to see only Vst3+Vst2 and exclude the Au , in my logic i mark both Vst3+2. However when using more than a single tag in each category and everything disappears. Even if you try to choose 2 different Devs all plugins disappear.
Why is that? It makes zero sense to me tbh