How to use CAF files?

Installation & Configuration Linux
#1

Hey there, I want to use my Apple Loop Library on my Ubuntu Studio machine.
According to this page: http://manual.ardour.org/adding-pre-existing-material/supported-file-formats/
CAF files are supported.
However, I cannot drag them into a session from a file browser, nor can I import them. I get the error, “One or more of the selected files cannot be used by Ardour.”

In this thread: Recordings shorter than they are supposed to be
Paul Davis says, “CAF is another audio file format (from Apple) that also has a 64 bit size limit. Ardour supports it fully.”

How do I bring these files into Ardour?

Ubuntu 18.04. Ardour 5.12.0 (rev 1:5.12.0-3) Intel 64-bit

#2

Ardour uses libsndfile to read/write files, and libsndfile does support CAF files with PCM data inside.

Could you test:

sndfile-info  /path/to/some/apple/file.caf

and check the Format. caf files can be encoded ardour/libsndfile can not open those files.

#3

I got the file from Logic Studio 8. Here’s the output:

Error : Not able to open input file Library/Apple Loops/Apple/01 Hip Hop/Abandoned Brass Stabs.caf.
File : Library/Apple Loops/Apple/01 Hip Hop/Abandoned Brass Stabs.caf
Length : 244281
caff
Version : 1
Flags : 0
desc : 32
Sample rate : 44100.000
Format id : aac
Format flags : 0
Bytes / packet : 0
Frames / packet : 1024
Channels / frame : 2
Bits / channel : 0
kuki : 39
pakt : 645
Packets : 311
Valid frames : 315940
Priming frames : 2112
Remainder frames : 412
free : 27884
data : 210275
edit : 1
Request for header allocation of 420542 denined.
info : 42
count: 2
comments : Creator: Logic
genre : Hip Hop
uuid : 192 (skipped)
uuid : 108 (skipped)
ovvw : 4948 (skipped)
End
**** Unknown format identifier.

Supported file format but unsupported encoding.

#4

^^

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#5

You might be able to batch convert the files using ffmpeg or a similar tool.

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#6

That makes sense. Thank you for the help.

#7

i have all apple loops caf format and from apple store exist an app for convert automatic format from calf at wav. In this mode all my full library apple loops is read from all daw (ardour,mixbus,qtractor,tracktion 7,waveform 9,bitwig 8 track,reaper 5 experimental etc etc ) on all systems operative ( gnu linux,windows 10,mac osx)

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