chconv User Manual

V0.1 29-Oct-2006

Introduction

chconv is an extensible format converter for ChoonML files.

It is designed to provide a framework so that ChoonML content can be converted to a range of data formats, both tool formats (e.g. Adobe Audition) and distribution formats (U-Myx, possibly).

It uses a plug-in model to enable this extensibility – converters are simply installed in the ChoonML folder and are then recognized.

Platforms supported

Currently ChoonML has been developed and tested using .NET1.1 on Windows XP. It should work on any Windows version that supports .NET1.1

Support for mono, and hence Linux/Mac is in the pipeline.

Installation

The chconv utility is supplied as part of the binary (muso) and source (geek) distributions.

To install from the binary distro, follow these steps:

Create a folder, e.g. c:\program files\ChoonML
Unzip the ChoonML_Muso_0_1.zip file into this folder.
Go to My Computer/Properties/Advanced/Environment Variables and add the c:\program files\ChoonML folder to your path. You will then be able to use chconv from a command line when in any folder.

Use

Typing chconv without arguments displays the command syntax:

chconv [-x] [-d dir] [-f<fromarg>] [-t<toarg>] from to

Options are as follows:

-x	Generate external sample (WAV) files when converting to ChoonML. The .chml file will be pure XML and will reference these files, which will be in the current folder (or the destination folder if specified with –d). If –x is not specified the sample data will be included inline.
-d dir	Specify the destination folder. Any WAV files for either a detached .chml file or for a target format will be stored here.
-f<fromarg>	This specifies an argument that is understood by a specific converter when converting from ChoonML. The help message output by using chconv without arguments will document these. (The converter-specific arguments for Adobe Audition are specified below).
-t<toarg>	This specifies an argument that is understood by a specific converter when converting to ChoonML.
from	This specifies the file to convert from. This can either be a .chml file with ChoonML or a file in a supported conversion format.
to	This specifies the file to convert to. This can either be a .chml file with ChoonML or a file in a supported conversion format. Either from or to must be a .chml file.

The current version (0.1) supplies one converter, for Adobe Audition (.ses files). This can convert in either direction and takes the option specified here:

-fd <dir>

Specify the folder where (if converting from .chml to Audition), the WAV files referenced in the .ses file are to be stored.

Examples

chconv test.ses test.chml

Convert an Audition file test.ses to ChoonML inline format test.chml.

chconv –x –d audfiles audi.ses audi.chml

Convert an Audition file audi.ses to ChoonML format file audi.chml, sample files will be stored detached in the audfiles folder.

chconv –fd mixfiles mix.chml mix.ses

Convert a ChoonML format file mix.chml to Audition format mix.ses and store the extracted samples in the mixfiles folder.

Adobe Audition converter

The Adobe Audition converter provides bi-directional conversion for .ses files.

The following points should be noted when using this:

Samples: These must be 44100 samples/sec, stereo, 16-bit.

Information not saved: Envelopes are not currently saved. You can bounce an envelope to a new track to work around this (as with sample volumes). Tempo data (BPM and time signature) are not saved. Any notes are not saved. The Audition layout, etc. is not saved (Click zoom-to-all after loading a converted file to see all the samples and tracks).

Cues / Sections: Cue information is converted to ChoonML sections. For correct operation, you should have cues set up with starts and ends to cover the entire tune without overlapping.