Subject: [linux-audio-dev] XAP: Strings and Raw Data Controls
From: David Olofson (david_AT_olofson.net)
Date: Wed Dec 18 2002 - 01:35:15 EET
We concluded a while ago that string events are really rather handy
for referencing external files. (For that to be truly useful, hosts
need to be able to understand what these strings are; ie directory
names, file names, temporary storage, output, input. This, so they
can keep track of what belongs in a project.)
Anyway, what I'm seeing here is that strings and raw data blocks
overlap quite significantly on the protocol level. Both are just
control ports that take or send "strings" - either NULL terminated,
or "pascal style". The latter *could* be replace former... Just hint
them differently. Same transfer protocol.
Problem with NULL terminated strings is that they cannot take binary
data (without encoding), and that you have to scan them for the
terminator to find out their length.
OTOH, sending a C string as raw data means you have to do this, even
if the receiver will just ignore the "length" field, and treat it as
the C string it actually is...
I'm leaning towards the "strings in raw data blocks" approach,
despite the little strlen() inconveniency for senders. Mostly because
it's one control data type less to care about, without loss of real
functionality.
Ideas?
//David Olofson - Programmer, Composer, Open Source Advocate
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