Reference
Addresses and ports
Section titled “Addresses and ports”| Address | Opens |
|---|---|
http://prest.local/ |
Editor |
http://prest.local/performance |
Performance |
http://prest.local/setup |
Setup |
- Use the host computer’s IP address in place of
prest.localwhen the name does not resolve. - Port 80 by default. Add the port to the address when the host uses another one:
http://prest.local:8080/. - Backup ports: 8418 to 8422, used when the server port is taken and Backup Port is on.
- In Prest and the next release, a rig with a Rig Name answers to
http://<name>.local/.
Environment variables
Section titled “Environment variables”Set these in the environment the host starts from. Each one overrides the matching Setup setting. An invalid value stops Prest Server from starting, while an invalid value saved in Setup is ignored.
| Variable | Value | Hosts |
|---|---|---|
PREST_PORT |
The server port. Overrides Server Port. | All |
PREST_MDNS |
on or off. Overrides Announce on the Network (mDNS). |
All |
PREST_MDNS_INTERFACE |
An interface name or IPv4 address. Overrides Stage Network Interface. | All |
PREST_PEERS |
The rig’s other hosts, separated by commas. Overrides Redundant Rig Hosts. | All |
PREST_CLUSTER_KEY |
A pairing key. Overrides Rig Pairing Key. | All |
PREST_RIG_NAME |
A rig name. Overrides Rig Name. In Prest and the next release. | All |
PREST_BIND_ADDR |
An IP address of the computer: listen on that address only. | REAPER |
PREST_STATE_FILE |
A file path for the catalog instead of prest.pb. |
REAPER |
| Host | Catalog | Messages |
|---|---|---|
| REAPER | prest.pb in UserPlugins of REAPER’s standard resource folder |
prest.log beside it, rolled to prest.log.1 at 4 MB |
| Ableton Live, 0.1.x | Prest/prest.pb in Live’s User Library, at its default place |
Live’s Log.txt |
| Ableton Live, later releases | Prest Server/prest.pb in Live’s User Library, at its default place |
Live’s Log.txt |
| Prest | Prest Server/prest.pb in Prest’s folder |
Prest’s notices |
The catalog holds the songs, setlists, show library folder, current song, and network settings of that host. See Backups and data for the full paths.
Settings
Section titled “Settings”| Setting | Section | Kept by | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lyrics Text Size | Performance (0.1.1) | Device | 100% |
| Text Size, per view | This Device (newer) | Device | 100% |
| Show “All Songs” in Performance | Performance / This Device | Device | On |
| Song Timings in Performance Menu | Performance / This Device | Device | On |
| Tone | Top bar; This Device (newer) | Device | System |
| Skin, High contrast | This Device (newer) | Device | Server, System |
| Default View | This Device (newer) | Device | Lyrics & Chords |
| Display Lag | This Device (newer) | Device | 0 ms |
| Lock This Device | This Device (newer) | Device | Off |
| Project Source | Data | Host | None |
| Rig Name | Network & Redundancy (newer) | Host | prest |
| Announce on the Network (mDNS) | Network & Redundancy | Host | On |
| Stage Network Interface | Network & Redundancy | Host | Automatic |
| Redundant Rig Hosts | Network & Redundancy | Host | None |
| Rig Pairing Key | Network & Redundancy | Host | None |
| Server Port | Network & Redundancy | Host | 80 |
| Backup Port | Network & Redundancy | Host | On |
“Newer” means in Prest and the next release. Host settings in Network & Redundancy take effect when the host restarts. See the Setup guide.
Naming rules in projects
Section titled “Naming rules in projects”| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
Marker or locator S\Name or s\Name |
Starts the song Name. |
Marker or locator \Name |
Marks the section Name inside a song. |
| Any other marker or locator name | Ignored. |
| Track Lyrics | Timed lyrics: MIDI lyric events in REAPER, clip names in Live. |
| Track Chordtrack | Timed chords: item notes in REAPER (N or empty is no chord), clip names in Live. |
Lyric starting with / or \ |
Starts a new line or a new paragraph. |
| Track starting with Score | Notation, shown as a score part. Newer. |
Live track +LYRICS, or ending in +LYRICS |
Lyrics, when there is no Lyrics track. Newer. |
[Am] inside a lyric |
A chord over the syllable that follows, when the song has no Chordtrack. Newer. |
Folder <project> Attachments beside a project |
The project’s attachments: PDF, PNG, JPEG, WebP. A subfolder named after a song holds that song’s own. Newer. |
Track names are matched in any case. Song markers and locators belong on bar lines.
Songs and setlists
Section titled “Songs and setlists”- Song: name, length, project (or none), tempo, notes, and, newer, key. A song from a project is identified by its path in the show library without the extension, with
#and the song’s name for one of several songs in a project:midset/Show#Opener. - Setlist: name, optional date, and its songs in order.
- All Songs: every song in the catalog, offered as a list on the Performance page.
Backup format
Section titled “Backup format”- Extension:
.rpbak. - File name:
prest-backup-followed by the date and time, for exampleprest-backup-2026-10-07T19-30-00.000Z.rpbak. - Holds: songs and setlists.
- Does not hold: the show library folder setting, network settings, device settings, projects, audio, or attachments.
- Import: adds to the catalog; replaces and deletes nothing.
Only Prest Server reads backups.
Keyboard shortcuts
Section titled “Keyboard shortcuts”In Prest and the next release, on the Performance page: Space, ←, →, Enter, Delete or Backspace, ↑, ↓, V, E, S, Esc, and ? for the list. See the Performance guide.
Systems
Section titled “Systems”| Package | Systems |
|---|---|
| REAPER plugin | macOS (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows x86_64, Linux x86_64 with glibc 2.31 or later |
| Ableton Live bridge | macOS (Apple silicon and Intel), Windows x86_64 |
| Stage screens, 0.1.1 | Tested in Chrome on desktop and in Safari’s engine at iPad and iPhone sizes |
| Stage screens, newer | Safari and Safari on iOS 15.4 or later, Chrome and Edge 99 or later, Firefox 98 or later |
Prest Server is tested with REAPER 7.76. The macOS files are not notarized by Apple.
Names by release
Section titled “Names by release”| What | 0.1.0 and 0.1.1 | Later releases |
|---|---|---|
| REAPER plugin file | reaper_prest.dylib, .dll, .so |
reaper_prest_server.dylib, .dll, .so |
| REAPER message | Prest could not start, in a box titled Prest | Prest Server could not start, in a box titled Prest Server |
| Live Remote Scripts folder and Control Surface | Prest, Prest |
PrestServer, PrestServer |
| Live bridge | prest-ableton |
prest-server-ableton |
| Live status bar prefix | Prest: | Prest Server: |
| Live catalog | User Library/Prest/prest.pb |
User Library/Prest Server/prest.pb |
| Download archives | prest-reaper-…, prest-ableton-… |
prest-server-reaper-…, prest-server-ableton-… |
The stage screens, prest.local, port 80, PREST_PORT, and REAPER’s prest.pb and prest.log keep their names.
Known limitations
Section titled “Known limitations”- No login: use a network your band controls. See Network and security.
- The stage screens need the host on the network; they cannot be installed as an app or work offline.
- Choosing a song replaces the host’s open project without saving it.
- The Ableton Live bridge is not available for Linux.
- In 0.1.1: a backup computer is not reliable; Live’s
Backupcopies are listed as projects; a REAPER project with missing media stops REAPER on its dialog; Live’s time signature changes inside a song are not followed. - For problems and security issues, use the feedback form.