iso.wv creation with mkisofs, Hot to create iso.wv with mkisofs? Options

[vasiukoff]

Hello, All!
Does anyone know how to create iso.wv image using mkisofs?
Comand mkisofs -r -J -o mydisc.iso.wv myfolder does not work.

This post has been edited by vasiukoff: Mar 15 2010, 17:30

[vasiukoff]

Dears,

Now I understand how it works (thanks to David ) and want to explain to other people how to use WavPack with file containers or media containers (thanks to Skamp). Probably it will be interesting for all.

Besides thread starter already said he wants to know about iso.wv only. Because it seems he wants to upload CD rips with some filesharing program. It seems the only people in the world who would want to listen to such a joke of a "file format" are some filesharers.

I'm not agree with Fandango — my goal just make an images of my legal CD's for myself.

I. File containers.

How it works and why it works.

But I wonder why a player would support such a file if not because of a bug. What if that bug gets fixed? You can't play back those ISO images anymore.

It works because the WavPack decoder library (and command-line program) will skip up to 1 MB of "garbage" looking for a WavPack header before giving up. So, if «garbage» smaller than 1MB and it's data — data of file container — it will works normally and it's not a bug. This allows to use several types of a such containers: ZIP, 7-ZIP (without compression, of course) etc and ISO9660.

Advantage of ZIP, 7-ZIP etc in that you can easily prepare a such image. Just make at the first time archive (for example, with 7-zip) with only WV file and then append to this archive other data — WV file will be in the «head» of archive. After that rename it into .WV and append to this file tags (CUE+Art Cover) with your favorite tag editor (for example, mp3tag and foobar2000).

Advantage of ISO9660 (comparing with ZIP, 7-ZIP etc) in that you can use it also like DATA CD image: you can burn it (as DATA CD), you can play with it using Daemon tools, you can open it by WinRAR, WinZIP, 7-ZIP like ordinary archive. It's just a little bit more possibilities than using ZIP, 7-ZIP etc. Creation algorithm is the same: first time you add WV file and after you append to ISO9660 image other data. Rockridge and Joilet recommended. If you wnat to use mkisofs you must use it with -sort option. So, command like:

mkisofs -sort sort.txt -r -J -o myfile.iso.wv myfolderwithalldata

will works correctly. See man mkisofs for details.

Summary of advantages:

• You have only one file for all what you want.
• It will works, if your player is support WavPack with embedded CUE.
• Even if your player is not support embedded CUE (but support WavPack) you cal listen big «solid» file.
• It's easy to store it and use it.

Summary of disadvantages:

• You need to use at least two programs (for packing and tagging).
• You have to read a lot of flood in this topic (joke!) .

II. Media container Matroska.

Martoska is developed especially to store in one file several different files.

How to use

Easiest way on Windows OS - you need to install mkvtoolnix [b] and [b] MkvExtractGUI (see http://www.matroska.org/ ) for pack and unpack matroska audio files (mka). See original Matroska documentation how to do it.
Note: to make a cover of disc just attach image with name cover.(jpg|png).

Summary of advantages:

• Matroska is specially designed for this purpose. If you don't want to extract data from Matroska audio container - mkvtoolnix — it's the only tool what you need.

Summary of disadvantages:

• Matroska not so widely supported as «native» WavPack.
• If you need to extract data — you need a special program for this purpose (mkvextract or MkvExtractGUI).
• Command line syntax of mkvextract does not have a simple command to extract all data from container — you have to know TID etc (but MkvExtractGUI can).
• Not all players understand CUE and cover art images correctly in mka files. For example, VLC and Windows Media Players (with DirectShow drivers) don't understand CUE. VLC does not shows cover art. Windows Media Player shows last attached image as cover.

NOTE
Foobar2000 works normally with all of described methods.

Best regards,
Artem.