DropBox2
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DropBox2 is an application designed to automatically scan a specified directories and convert audio files while injecting them into the DAD Library. Once
it has been setup, users can simply copy audio cuts into the specified
directory. At a given interval, DropBox2 will scan for the existence of
audio files. After these files are injected into DAD they are removed
from the scan directory. The following audio formats are currently supported: generic WAV files, MusiFile, headerless MPEG, AIFF, Orban Audicy, Orban AirTime, RCS MasterControl, DAVE2000, and Radio Nordrhein Westphalia.
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Overview of DropBox2
DropBox2 is a 'set and forget' type application. It does not require normal user interaction. With that said, users should verify that the program is running.
DropBox2 Buttons and Functions
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DropBox2 only has three basic buttons for the user to interface with. View Log - Open the current days log file of all work that has been done. Setup - This opens the DropBox2.INI file allowing for configuration changes. More information about these settings can be found below. Restart - Pressing this will reload any changes to the INI file and force DropBox2 to perform a rescan.
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DropBox2
INI File Configuration
DropBox has been preconfigured from the factory to automatically scan a specific directory. This directory will be the on the Content Depot Storage Receiver. A general overview of the INI file and the available options is as follows:
Setting
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Default |
Definition
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[DropBox] |
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CopyBufsize |
61384 |
Used
for network ‘throttling’. When copying files, use this buffer size |
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CopyDelay |
5 |
Used
for network ‘throttling’. Milliseconds to delay between copying
buffers |
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QuickSearchUpdate |
FALSE |
Updates
the Quick Search Database |
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Use |
YES |
YES
= Enables Digigram-based conversions NO
= DropBox2 will not attempt to load any |
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Verbose |
NO |
Use
verbose logfile entries for troubleshooting |
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Verifympeg |
YES |
If
the type is set to RAW_MPEG, using this directive will force the creation
of an intermediate file composed only of valid MPEG frames in the source
file, stripping off any header that may be present.
This eliminates problems associated with corrupt ID3 headers and
bad MPEG frames. |
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[DropBox
A] |
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LibraryDrive |
E: |
Drive
where \dad\files\cuts.dbf exists |
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LibraryName |
CUTS |
The
DAD5 Library database to be used. Audio will be copied to appropriate
database audio directory. |
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AudioDrive |
E: |
Audio
will be copied to the appropriate directory (based on LibraryName) for
this location. |
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Location |
E: |
Drive
mapping that DAD workstations use to access the audio directory. |
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Types |
2 |
Number
of formats/directories to scan |
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Interval |
10 |
Scan
interval in seconds |
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SecondPassDelay |
2 |
Secondary
scan interval; must be less than Interval. A multi-pass algorithm is used
to check the source file size twice each scan cycle to prevent processing
a file that is still being created. The second scan is performed N seconds
after the main scan cycle |
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Logfile |
LogsA |
Log
files of the form mmddyy.log will be created in this directory |
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Normalize |
TRUE |
TRUE
- enables normalization. FALSE
- disables normalization. Note:
Normalization only supports: PCM16
> MPEG L2 or MPEG
L2 > PCM16 |
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Normalization
dB |
0.0 |
Level
to normalize audio files to. |
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NotifyCutServer |
1 |
Specifies
that CutServer is being used |
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NotifyCutServerPath |
<datapath>:\CutServer\ |
CutServer
Location |
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[Type
A-1] |
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Directory |
E:\WAV |
Directory
to scan |
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FileMask |
*.WAV |
File
name mask. Use *, ?, and
literal characters. |
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Type |
GENERIC_WAV |
Original
audio format type. Use
GENERIC_WAV, MUSIFILE, RAW_MPEG, AIFF, AUDICY, AIRTIME, RCS, DAVE2000, NRW,
or BPI. |
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ParseFilename |
NO |
Populate
fields in library with parts of a long filename using dadparse.ini. (see
notes below) ParseFilename
can also equal a specific file name located in \DAD\Files\ Once
could have ParseFilename=parsefile.ini to have unique parse files for each
DropBox Type. |
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ReadCartChunk |
NO |
Use
information from cart chunk |
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Overwrite |
NO |
If
the specified range has no available cut numbers, then the oldest cut in
the range will be overwritten |
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Group |
MUSIC |
DAD
Library group for converted cut |
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Extension |
WAV |
DAD
Audio file extension for converted cut. Use WAV, FIL, MP2, or any other
3-letter combination |
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Convert |
YES |
Use
YES to convert audio, NO to prevent conversion, or FORCE . Force will
force a conversion even if the format of the source file is the same as
the desired format. This is useful for adding waveform energy data to MPEG
files that do not have such data, so they may be correctly displayed in
DAD's editor. |
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Format |
MPEG |
Compression
format. Use MPEG or PCM16 |
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Layer |
2 |
MPEG
layer. Use 1 or 2. |
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Bitrate |
128 |
Kilobits
per second per channel. Popular
choices are 128 and 192 |
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Frequency |
32000 |
Sample
rate. |
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Mode |
STEREO |
Use
STEREO, MONO, or AUTO. |
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CutRangeLow |
80000 |
Starting
cut number for converted cut range. |
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CutRangeHigh |
81000 |
Ending
cut number for converted cut range. |
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CutNumberMethod |
LAST |
FIRST
= assign lowest available in range LAST
= assign next available in range |
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UseSuggestedCut |
NO |
Allow
DropBox to use the cut number listed in the audio file header instead of
using the cut range |
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KILLDATE |
14 |
When
a cut gets added to the DAD library the KillDate field gets filled with
today’s date plus the number of days specified. |
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GUID |
YES |
Generate
a unique GUID in the DAD Library |
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Archive |
NO |
Moves
the audio from the scan directory to another location instead of deleting
it. |
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ArchiveDir |
C:\ARCHIVE |
Archive
directory for use with Archive option |
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[ID3]
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AGENCY |
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DropBox
can extract data from an ID3 header for the following fields: AGENCY,
ARTIST, BILLBOARD, GROUP,
OUTCUE, TITLE, and USERDEF. Map
an association between standard ID3 tags and DAD library fields here.
Leave blank for no association.
See http://www.id3.org for a list of standard ID3 tags. |
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ARTIST |
TPE1 |
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BILLBOARD |
TCOM |
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GROUP |
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OUTCUE |
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TITLE |
TIT2 |
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USERDEF |
TXXX |
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[Type
A-2] |
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DropBox
can be configured to support multiple file formats and multiple instances
of DropBox2. See
notes below for further details.
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[DropBox
B] |
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[Type
B-1] |
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[Ignore
Cart Chunk Fields] |
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ActiveTime= |
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By
default, one would have no fields listed in this section and all Cart
Chunk data is processed as normal (if user says Use Cart Chunk = TRUE) If
valid DAD field names are listed in this new section – those CUTS.dbf
fields won't be populated with data from the Cart Chunk. |
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KillTime= |
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Any
valid Cart Chunk field can be listed in this section for DropBox to
ignore. |
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The
DropBox2 application is started from the icon.
This can be copied into the workstations STARTUP folder to ensure the
program is always running when the machine is booted.
A
user should configure their DropBox2.INI file for their needs. For example, if
one is wishing to convert various MP3 files to MPEG Layer-2 for use within DAD
they should modify their INI file.
The
following lines are shown as an example.
Directory
= C:\CONVERT
FileMask
= *.MP3
Type
= RAW_MPEG
Convert
= YES
Format
= MPEG
Layer
= 2
Bitrate
= 192
Frequency
= 44100
Mode
= STEREO
When
an MP3 file has been copied into the C:\CONVERT directory, it will be scanned by
DropBox2 and converted to MPEG Layer2, 128, 44100.
Multiple
Formats and DropBox2 instances
DropBox
can be configured for multiple formats or audio conversions if necessary.
Administrators can modify the INI file to allow for either a single instance of
DropBox2 or multiple instances of DropBox2.
If
a user wishes to scan more than one directory or has multiple audio formats that
need to be converted, one can create a separate [Type] within the INI file.
For
example; a user wishes to scan a single directory called C:\CONVERT that will
contain both MP3 and WAV files, they can configure their INI file as such.
[DropBox
A]
Types
= 2
[Type
A-1]
Directory
= C:\CONVERT
FileMask
= *.MP3
Type
= RAW_MPEG
[Type
A-2]
Directory
= C:\CONVERT
FileMask
= *.WAV
Type
= GENERIC_WAV
Another
method to the above would be to have a second instance of DropBox2.
This
can be done by adding another [DropBox] and [Type] to the INI file.
For
example; a user wishes to scan a single directory called C:\CONVERT that will
contain both MP3 and WAV files, they can configure their INI file as such.
[DropBox
A]
Types
= 1
[Type
A-1]
Directory
= C:\CONVERT
FileMask
= *.MP3
Type
= RAW_MPEG
[DropBox
B]
[Type
B-1]
Directory
= C:\CONVERT
FileMask
= *.WAV
Type
= GENERIC_WAV
| NOTE:
Each unique audio format conversion and scan directory must have permission set
in the security key attached to the parallel port of the workstation. Additional
conversions can be purchased from ENCO Systems |
Multiple
DAD Libraries
| NOTE:
DropBox2 [version 6.1.a+] supports multiple DAD library databases. This function
is for use with DAD 5.1a and above only. |
Users
can configure DropBox2 to convert and inject audio files into different DAD
Libraries. To have the audio file injected to a DAD Library, modify the INI
line: LibraryName, entering the appropriate Library name.
One
should verify that a valid destination Library has been created within DAD
first.
For
example: [DropBox A] will send audio files to CUTS.DBF located on F: and the
\CUTS directory on G: while [DropBox B] will send audio files to the Library
SPORTS located on F: and the \SPORTS directory on H:.
[DropBox
A]
LibraryDrive
= F:
LibraryName
= CUTS
AudioDrive
= G:
Location
= G:
[DropBox
B]
LibraryDrive
= F:
LibraryName
= SPORTS
AudioDrive
= H:
Location
= H:
Making
Changes to the INI file
One can
press the SETUP button to make modifications to the DropBox2.INI file. If
changes are made one should press the RESTART button. This will reload the
modified INI and begin a new scan.