             PAF.FLT Paris File Filter for Cool Edit Pro


PAF.FLT Filter Licensing Info

First, the technicalities. This program is copyright 1999 by Music 
Service software. It is provided as freeware, but with all rights 
reserved. This program may be freely distributed and copied so 
long as this notice is kept intact, but with the additional condition 
that no one may charge a fee for copying or distributing it. This 
program is provided "as is", and the author will not take 
responsibility for any damage or loss of data caused by the use of 
this program.


What is PAF.FLT?

PAF.FLT is what is called a "filter" that is to be used in conjuntion with 
Cool Edit Pro, a music software product from Syntrillium software. By adding 
PAF.FLT to your Cool Edit installation you add the ability to read and write 
files created by the Ensoniq Paris digital recording system, files with the PAF 
extension. PAF.FLT supports both 16-bit and 24-bit PAF files. It allows you 
to save any stereo file to two mono PAF files, and also allows you to read 
specially named mono PAF files (a pair of files whose names end with the 
"-L" and "-R" extensions, respectively) for editing as a stereo file. This 
filter will also work with the shareware product Cool Edit 96. But since 
Cool96 is a 16-bit editor all files that are opened, then saved, in Cool96 
will be converted to 16-bit. 


Installing and Using PAF.FLT

To install, copy the PAF.FLT file to your Cool Edit Pro subdirectory, the 
subdirectory where COOLPRO.EXE resides. The next time you run CEP the filter will  
be added automatically. You can then open and close PAF files just as you would 
any other file type. Opening and closing mono PAF files is exactly the same 
as it is for files of any other type that Cool Edit Pro understands.

Under certain conditions, two mono files can be opened as a single stereo 
file. When you open a pair of mono PAF files whose names end with "-L" 
and "-R", respectively (this is required), they will be edited/played as a single 
stereo file when you open the one whose name ends in "-L". For example, to 
open 'Submix-L.paf' and 'Submix-R.paf' as a stereo file, simply open 
'Submix-L.paf'. Note that whenever attempting to open a file whose names 
ends with "-L" this filter will *always* attempt to find a corresponding file 
"-R" file with which it can create a stereo file. It will only load the "-L" file as 
mono if no corresponding "-R" file exists. I realize this method is not as 
flexible as we all would like, but Cool Edit Pro know nothing about the fact
that PAF.FLT is automatically loading a second file. It takes a bit of programming
trickery to make this work, and the "-L" convention is necessary. After a very 
short while one almost begins to think of any PAF file with the "-L" name as 
a stereo file.

To save a stereo file from Cool Edit Pro to the PAF file format you must again
always make the last two letters of the filename "-L". This also is required. (I 
can not generate this in the filter itself, or CEP will not maintain the correct 
filename.) The stereo file will then be split into two mono PAF files with the 
standard extensions. For example, saving a stereo file as 'Guitar-L.paf' will 
generate a file by that name containing the left channel info, and will also 
generate a file by the name of 'Guitar-R.paf' containing the right channel 
info.


Important Things to Know and Remember (Please read this!)

Please note that it is not possible to open a PAF file in CEP while the file
is currently open in Paris or in another audio editing program. You must
close the Project in Paris before attempting to edit the project's PAF files.
Also, whenever a file is edited, then saved, in Cool Edit Pro, it's 
corresponding overview file (the OVW file) is always deleted. This is 
necessary because there have been problems in Paris when OVW files get out 
of sync with the PAF file they correspond to. When the project is re-opened 
you will see an error message saying the OVW file is missing. Paris will then 
regenerate the OVW file for you. Finally, remember that this filter has only 
limited error checking so please use a few precautions. Make sure there is 
enough disk space to create the new file(s) you want to create. I do hope you 
find this filter useful.

Note: Cool Edit Pro is a registered trademark of Syntrillium Software.
Special thanks go to David Johnston of Syntrillium Software for answering 
questions and offering support during the creation of this filter. David is
the author of both Cool 96 and Cool Edit Pro, and I heartily endorse his
products. The Syntrillium Software web site is located at 
http://www.syntrillium.com.
 
