DropBox

DropBox2

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.

NOTE: By default, DropBox2 allows for a single audio format conversion and scan directory. If a station would like to have an alternate directory scanned by DropBox, one can set an additional scan directory within the DropBox2.INI file. One must have permission set on the security key for the additional format / conversion. Additional conversions can be purchased from ENCO Systems.

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

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.

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	Default	Definition
[DropBox]
CopyBufsize	61384	Used for network ‘throttling’. When copying files, use this buffer size
CopyDelay	5	Used for network ‘throttling’. Milliseconds to delay between copying buffers
QuickSearchUpdate	FALSE	Updates the Quick Search Database
Use Digigram	YES	YES = Enables Digigram-based conversions NO = DropBox2 will not attempt to load any Digigram components for audio conversion. Conversion is then CPU based.
Verbose	NO	Use verbose logfile entries for troubleshooting
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.

[DropBox A]
LibraryDrive	E:	Drive where \dad\files\cuts.dbf exists
LibraryName	CUTS	The DAD5 Library database to be used. Audio will be copied to appropriate database audio directory.
AudioDrive	E:	Audio will be copied to the appropriate directory (based on LibraryName) for this location.
Location	E:	Drive mapping that DAD workstations use to access the audio directory.
Types	2	Number of formats/directories to scan
Interval	10	Scan interval in seconds
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
Logfile	LogsA	Log files of the form mmddyy.log will be created in this directory
Normalize	TRUE	TRUE - enables normalization. FALSE - disables normalization. Note: Normalization only supports: PCM16 > MPEG L2 or MPEG L2 > PCM16
Normalization dB	0.0	Level to normalize audio files to.
NotifyCutServer	1	Specifies that CutServer is being used
NotifyCutServerPath	<datapath>:\CutServer\External\	CutServer Location

[Type A-1]
Directory	E:\WAV	Directory to scan
FileMask	*.WAV	File name mask. Use *, ?, and literal characters.
Type	GENERIC_WAV	Original audio format type. Use GENERIC_WAV, MUSIFILE, RAW_MPEG, AIFF, AUDICY, AIRTIME, RCS, DAVE2000, NRW, or BPI.
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.
ReadCartChunk	NO	Use information from cart chunk
Overwrite	NO	If the specified range has no available cut numbers, then the oldest cut in the range will be overwritten
Group	MUSIC	DAD Library group for converted cut
Extension	WAV	DAD Audio file extension for converted cut. Use WAV, FIL, MP2, or any other 3-letter combination
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.
Format	MPEG	Compression format. Use MPEG or PCM16
Layer	2	MPEG layer. Use 1 or 2.
Bitrate	128	Kilobits per second per channel. Popular choices are 128 and 192
Frequency	32000	Sample rate. Use 32000 , 44100 , or 48000
Mode	STEREO	Use STEREO, MONO, or AUTO.
CutRangeLow	80000	Starting cut number for converted cut range.
CutRangeHigh	81000	Ending cut number for converted cut range.
CutNumberMethod	LAST	FIRST = assign lowest available in range LAST = assign next available in range
UseSuggestedCut	NO	Allow DropBox to use the cut number listed in the audio file header instead of using the cut range
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.
GUID	YES	Generate a unique GUID in the DAD Library
Archive	NO	Moves the audio from the scan directory to another location instead of deleting it.
ArchiveDir	C:\ARCHIVE	Archive directory for use with Archive option

[ID3]
AGENCY		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.
ARTIST	TPE1
BILLBOARD	TCOM
GROUP
OUTCUE
TITLE	TIT2
USERDEF	TXXX


[Type A-2]		DropBox can be configured to support multiple file formats and multiple instances of DropBox2. See notes below for further details.
[DropBox B]
[Type B-1]

[Ignore Cart Chunk Fields]
ActiveTime=		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.
KillTime=
Any valid Cart Chunk field can be listed in this section for DropBox to ignore.

Using DropBox2

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.

Setting

Definition

Using DropBox2