I wonder if it is currently possible to somehow import custom patches for Surge XT.
I already read this thread but I cannot find an answer.
There is some script mentioned that generates lv2 presets from the builtin Surge XT presets. Should I run this script somehow on my own patches?
There is also this thread but I cannot find a way to “manage the bank” via the web interface.
Thanks in advance!
Hi @DerFetzer !
Welcome to zynthianland!!! I hope you enjoy our company …
I found this info from the surge team in some readme file at the Surge’s system folder:
At startup, Surge scans for all information (skins, patches, wavetables, etc…) from both the factory folder and the user folder.
The factory folder is installed in an admin-writable central location, while the user folder is in your user documents area.
The locations are outlined in the manual, but you can always find your user folder with “Menu > Data Folders > Open User Data Folder”If you put user content in the factory folder or otherwise change it, future installers will erase it. Our installers
never touch anything in the user area.So, if you want to install a custom skin, set of patches, or otherwise add things to Surge, put them in your user data folder instead of here,
or risk losing them when you upgrade.For more information, please consult the manual.
Thank you!
In zynthian, these are the system locations for Surge’s presets:
Also found this README.txt at the “/root/.Surge XT” folder (user folder):
This is your Surge XT user area!
With Surge XT, we are using a more structured user area which
separates the storage of patches, wavetables, FX settings,
MIDI settings, and modulator settings. Each of these types of
assets now have a parent level directory.Most importantly, you can read the Surge manual at:
https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/
but if you want to import patches, drag them into the Patches
directory, and so on.Before we release Surge XT, we will also add some sort of rudimentary
migration assistant. Until then, you are kinda on your own.
Hop on Discord if you get stuck during the alpha and early beta stage!
So first step to add your presets is to copy them to the user presets folder at:
/root/.Surge XT/Patches
Please, note the dot before the “Surge”. In linux this means it’s a hidden folder.
After copying your presets, restart the Surge engine and you should see your presets in the native GUI. Once you can see your presets in the native GUI, we have 2 options:
You load and export your presets to LV2, one by one, from the native GUI.
We write a script to regenerate the LV2 presets from the installed presets. This is tricky, but it’s already done for other plugins, like the fabulous Vaporizer2, so it should be quite fast. If you send me your presets, i could do the work and test with them 
All the best!
Thank you very much for the warm welcome! Zynthian is a great piece of kit!
The first missing step was exporting via the native GUI and VNC.
I exported the patch to “my-data/presets/lv2” but it could no be found from the Surge XT presets. So I downloaded the folder and uploaded it via the “Presets & Soundfonts” webpage.
Now I can load the preset from Zynthian! 
I have two new questions:
Where do I have to save the preset to that it is detected directly?
Is there a possibility to rename the bank where it is now? It says “None” and when I want to change this I get a message “Can’t rename bank: Bank is read-only!”.
Thank you!
If you save your presets from the zynthian UI, you can choose the bank and also create a new bank (first option in the bank list),
Regards,
Would it be possible to add some soft links from the user data folder to certain engines 3rd party preset locations? (Maybe with the install recipes?)
Ah! Now I get it:
Thank you very much!
Yessss! You catch it!!