Re: [jokosher-devel] Open Multitrack Audio Format

[Laszlo Pandy <laszlok2 gmail com>]

Steven Garrity wrote:
> I understand that Jokosher created its own file format, which is 
> understandable given the lack of a common format for this type of 
> application. I also imagine that creating such a common format would be 
> quite a difficult and complex job.
>
> I have neither time nor the talent required to take on such a project. 
> That said, I thought it at least worth sharing the idea - though I'm 
> sure it has occurred to most of you already.
>
> Anyone up for inventing OMA - the Open Multi-track Audio format?

The problem with having a single audio format that everyone can use 
easily is that from what I know of the audio world there are huge 
differences in implementation. For example destructive vs. 
non-destructive; when applying an effect in Audacity it runs the whole 
selection through that effect and saves the wav. However in Jokosher we 
keep all the source material untouched (even the deleted bits for undo). 
This is simply because doing effects on the fly is easier than 
pre-rendering them when using gstreamer. If Audacity were to open a 
Jokosher file it would have to do a lot of loading and converting before 
it could play anything.

Another example in Jokosher's format is the undo system. Since it is 
just function names and parameters, it is entirely implementation 
specific. Of course this won't effect just sending the finished file to 
someone without the history.

Someday when both the Jokosher guys and the Pitivi guys have no bugs to 
fix or features to implement we will make a compatible format, because 
it is a really good idea, and would be really useful.

Laszlo