[TUN] TUN Information content

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[TUN] TUN Information content 2008-12-26T17:31:20+00:00 Although the .TUN format facilitates side informations using comments, these cannot be analyzed automatically. This is a problem for databases and makes the user looking into the source to get additional informations. Search functionality is very limited. We can add new sections and new parameters without losing downwards compatibility because according to the current .TUN specification unknown sections/parameters have to be ignored and thus don't bother existing software. My proposal: 0) New value types Although the value type "string" was already mentioned in the current specification, it is not used. Therefore, modifying its definition does not break downward compatibility: String: A string is enclosed in "". Special characters are encoded using a C-like syntax (Means e.g. tabulatur = \t). A string value is concatenated to the current parameter value. An empty string ("") resets the parameter value. This means: Param1 = "123" Param1 = "" Param1 = "ABC\r\n" Param1 = "DEF" results in "ABC\r\nDEF". It is recommended to use multiple entries at line breaks ("\n") or to avoid entries exceeding the max line length. LString: Certain parameters are not Strings but LStrings: Each parameter entry in the .TUN file adds an entry to a string list (string array). An empty string ("") clears the list. E.g.: Keyword = "Ambient" Keyword = "Techno" results in a string list containing the two entries "Ambient" and "Techno". 1) New section [Info] Usage: Contains "hard facts" about the scale Keys: - Format = [String] File format. Will be a constant value which declares the file compatible with .TUN specifications. - FormatVersion = [Int] Version of the file format. - Name = [String] Name of the scale. If not given: use file name instead (without extension). - File = [String] Filename suggested for the scale. If not given: use value for Name instead. - Editor = [String] Software used to create/edit the file/scale - Author = [String] Who created the scale - Contact = [String] Contact information of the author - Date = [string, date format YYYY-MM-DD according to DIN specifications ] Creation date of the scale. If not given: use file date instead. - Keyword = [LString] Keywords which may help categorizing the scale - Comment = [String] Free comment value for informations not covered by the other keys. I'm not sure whether adding the keys "Format" and "FormatVersion" is a good idea. If this encourages developers to create their own derivative format leading to format confusions, we should forget them. On the other side it could be important for future use. 2) New section [Usage] Usage: What's the context of the scale? Notes about the usage. Keys: - History = [String] Description of the "historical context" - Geography = [String] Description of the "geographical context" - Ethnics = [String] Description of the "ethnical context" - Style = [String] Description of the musical style the scale is typical for - Instrument = [String] Description of the instrument the scale is typical for - Song = [LString] Song in which the scale was used. Format: "Musician or Band | Album | Title | Year | Misc" - Usage = [String] Free comment value for additional usage informations not covered by the other keys. 3) Enhancing [Exact Tuning] section or new section [Absolute Tuning] In [Absolute Tuning] section: Keys note 0 to note 127 as in [Exact Tuning], but tunings are given in Hz instead of Cents. As an alternative: Would you prefer including this into the [Exact Tuning] section? Let's say: "note #" for cent values and "noteHz #" for Hz values? 4) New section [Mapping] Usage: Keyboard mapping of the tuning. - MiddleKey = [Int] Middle key of the scale. If not given, take the note number with the lowest absolute Cent value. Note: BaseFreq may but must not specify the base tuning of the middle key. In fact, the current specification does not require positive Cent values. Without losing downwards compatibility we can give the BaseFreq parameter the tuning of *any* note by specifying negative Cent values for the notes tuned below. - key # = [Int] corresponding note number. For keys not specified here, key #i will result in note #i. 5) New section [Editor Specifics] This section contains keys which are specific to the software used to create the file (See section [Info], key "Editor"). The software developer can freely add keys here. AnaMark https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=2036

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Post by H-Pi Instruments » Thu Jan 22, 2009 11:37 pm

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AnaMark wrote: Err... We already have one version; we a designing the second one. And as you said: The first version of the specs didn't have those tags. But the second one might/should have.

... (smacks forehead) Oops! Right.

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