FLAC: how to extract the audio files on a PC and then convert them to something else?

I have elected to share my music in FLAC format (mostly because what I have is lossless) but some Windows users are have trouble downloading it. I suggested using something like 7-zip to extract the files, and then "something else" to convert to another format. I could not be more specific because I am on a Mac. Here is what someone wrote me recently (Jan 2, 2013):

I am having to give up as I am unable to get the file to transfer properly. I downloaded WinZip to open the FLAC archive and they appear nicely in track order but with "0" bytes in each. I uploaded AVS Audio converter to change FLAC to mp3 or WAV but to no avail. It is as if AVS does not recognize that these files have anything in them – if indeed they do!! I’m not as up to speed as you are so at this point I will graciously give in and retire hurt! It would have been far easier if somebody had uploaded this excellent soundtrack as WAV in the first place. Ah well.

Can some of you wise PC users help out? Whatever info you can provide I’ll save and share with him (and others who contact me about the same problem). As a Newbie, he did not seem willing to ask for help himself.

Thanks!
Yepsa

i have used winrar to unzip your archives, no matter .zip .rar .7z without any problem. i get full file sizes on the tracks.
i then usually leave the files as they are because i seek flac. if they are less than 20 MB to each song, it probably didnt work right to extract!
i use dbpoweramp to translate to mp3 for friends (i right click -> convert to, then pick the mp3 option and bitrate wanted).

this has worked fine for me previous.

To open he files I use 7zip, then if I want to convert the files to another format, I use foobar 2000 (it has a pretty good converter).

Yepsa – the guy who wrote that to you is a jackass. IN order to open a 7z archive, you should be using 7-Zip – although WinRAR will sometimes open them, it depends on the compression type. Better off using 7-Zip. You certainly CANNOT extract them with WinZip.

He could’ve solved all these problems himself with four seconds and Google. There is nothing wrong with your archives – for PC users and Mac users alike. AVS is a piece of crap.

If I could make ONE comment… I’d say that using .7z archives is pointless. The compression gains are minimal, if they exist at all, and dumb people have to download something extra to open them. 99.9% of people will have the ability to open ZIPs or RARs… so I think you’d be better off using either of those.

🙂

Yespa, I’ve never had any problems with any of your downloads before.

There shouldn’t be any problems with the file formats or the software.

You’re on a MAC and the largest issue between MAC and PC users is the filenames or the filepaths.

It sounds more like the FLAC archive probably has embedded playlist with "illegal windows characters" and the software being used doesn’t convert it to "windows friendly" characters.

TBH, I’m a little confused with the wording: "FLAC archive"
Is it a single image FLAC?
With a ".cue" file???

"but with "0" bytes in each."
Is really difficult to interpret. I’m beginning to suspect the user doesn’t have sufficient software or at the very least works with anything that is Unicode-friendly or does any character converting.

What is the user doing exactly??? :itsamystery:
Loading the .cue file and doing things wrong?
Using garbage software?

I would suggest though, not changing your formats or anything.
Just make sure that all characters are "Windows-friendly" by getting your ripping software to change or avoid certain characters.

Main characters to cause a fuss in Windows:
The following characters are invalid as file or folder names on Windows using NTFS:
/ ? < > \ : * | ” and any character you can type with the Ctrl key
In addition to the above illegal characters the caret ^ is also not permitted under Windows Operating Systems using the FAT file system.

Under Windows using the FAT file system file and folder names may be up to 255 characters long
Under Windows using the NTFS file system file and folder names may be up to 256 characters long
Under Window the length of a full path under both systems is 260 characters

In addition to these characters, the following conventions are also illegal:

Placing a space at the end of the name
Placing a period at the end of the name

The following file names are also reserved under Windows:

com1, com2, com3, com4, com5, com6, com7, com8, com9, lpt1, lpt2, lpt3, lpt4, lpt5, lpt6, lpt7, lpt8, lpt9, con, nul, and prn

Here’s a site with some info for various operating systems.
The ones I quoted here are the main ones to look out for.
Illegal Characters on Various Operating Systems | Group Logic (http://support.grouplogic.com/?p=1607)

When ripping from CD, I get EAC to automatically change those weirdlings to dashes, commas or semi-colons.

You’re on a MAC and the largest issue between MAC and PC users is the filenames or the filepaths. It sounds more like the FLAC archive probably has embedded playlist with "illegal windows characters" and the software being used doesn’t convert it to "windows friendly" characters.

That’s a PC for you! I discovered this problem earlier when I had retained a slash (/) in a track title. Now, when I can remember, I make sure there is no punctuation at all in a file name or track title, except a hyphen. Thanks for the GroupLogic link, too, as I read some interesting stuff.

If I could make ONE comment… I’d say that using .7z archives is pointless. The compression gains are minimal, if they exist at all, and dumb people have to download something extra to open them. 99.9% of people will have the ability to open ZIPs or RARs… so I think you’d be better off using either of those.:)

Thanks for the info.
I agree that 7z compression gain is practically nil, with Zip only a little better. I couldn’t do an RAR comparison as I couldn’t find any reliable program for an older MAC that created RAR files.
I knew that 7z archives require a program for unzipping, but did not realize that ZIP files do not. That’s an important point. On the other hand, 7z archives will take a password, which I could find no way to do with Zip files on a Mac. So it’s kind of a trade-off at this point, as assigning passwords seems important to me (as explained in the text file I include in every archive).
The choices for creating RAR files on a Mac are even worse: most of what I read about seemed unstable, per reviews, or cost $.
Right now it seems I am stuck on an older Mac which is limiting some things, and I guess the big one is that downloaders of my 7z archives will have to have a another program installed to unzip them.
If I ever move to a PC platform (most likely by end of year) I will definitely look into Zip and RAR formats!

I wouldn’t worry too much about passwords. If you’re using them in an effort to keep links alive for longer, that’s not working so well these days. Hosting companies are adopting the policy that if they can’t see inside an archive, it must be something illegal by definition and therefore they delete it. Doesn’t matter if it’s photos of your cat. Others like Mediafire are actively limiting the number of times a password-protected archive can be downloaded. I think you get ten shots and then you’re finished.

The best you can do nowadays is post an unencrypted archive, and hope whatever you posted is sufficiently under the radar to avoid somebody actively reporting it.

These bastards are now even looking inside archives and reading the names of the files inside them, and comparing the filenames against a database of known commercial recordings. Guess what happens if there’s a match?

Basically, you can’t win.

Mega will be interesting; encryption out of the box. Theoretically the only reason you would get your stuff deleted in that case would be if there’s an active DMCA complaint. Otherwise, link lasts for as long as Kim Dotcom holds out…

Mega will be interesting; encryption out of the box… link lasts for as long as Kim Dotcom holds out…

I haven’t been following the Megaupload case, but based on your interesting comment found this to be a good article….

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/10/megaupload-mega/

Mega (Megaupload’s successor) is launching in about two weeks. It’s a new company with a new backbone. All files uploaded are encrypted before storage, so the company has zero culpability and zero knowledge of what is in any of the files. They do not keep the encryption key. You get the key for files you upload and it’s up to you what you do with it. Since they actively don’t care and don’t know what you’re uploading, they obviously won’t be deleting things willy nilly. The only way they will delete something is if a DMCA request is received relating to a particular link (and the DMCA request will have to include the decryption key – otherwise there is no proof) — and I think the sort of uploading you and I are doing will not even be on their radar.

Assuming the company survives, of course… they have some serious funding going on…

Mega (Megaupload’s successor) is launching in about two weeks. It’s a new company with a new backbone. All files uploaded are encrypted before storage, so the company has zero culpability and zero knowledge of what is in any of the files. They do not keep the encryption key. You get the key for files you upload and it’s up to you what you do with it. Since they actively don’t care and don’t know what you’re uploading, they obviously won’t be deleting things willy nilly. The only way they will delete something is if a DMCA request is received relating to a particular link (and the DMCA request will have to include the decryption key – otherwise there is no proof) — and I think the sort of uploading you and I are doing will not even be on their radar.

Assuming the company survives, of course… they have some serious funding going on…

Would I have to assume that, I Jim Ross would say, "Business is about to pick up" ?

I have not made a thread asking fro this, since there is this one that might help.

Anyone knows or can up it for me a good an COMPLETE software to convert ADX files to whatever I want?

I have not made a thread asking fro this, since there is this one that might help.

Anyone knows or can up it for me a good an COMPLETE software to convert ADX files to whatever I want?

Foobar2000, and add to it the ADPCM plugin.

Download Foobar2000: Download foobar2000 and optional components (http://www.foobar2000.org/download)
ADPCM plugin: foobar2000: Components Repository – ADPCM decoders (http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_adpcm) (at least it says it says it reads .adx files, sooooo…Could you send me a file, I’ll tell you if it works :D)

the converting features from foobar are pretty nice.

foobar…… him and me are not very …. compatible. XD
we will have both a cute discussion and talk after we met again .XD

thanks for the help .:)

Glad to know the info , it’s the first time i use FLAC , Can Nero Wave Editor works ?

Thanks
_____________________________

Foobar2000, and add to it the ADPCM plugin.

Download Foobar2000: Download foobar2000 and optional components (http://www.foobar2000.org/download)
ADPCM plugin: foobar2000: Components Repository – ADPCM decoders (http://www.foobar2000.org/components/view/foo_adpcm) (at least it says it says it reads .adx files, sooooo…Could you send me a file, I’ll tell you if it works :D)

the converting features from foobar are pretty nice.

it worked. thanks a lot 😉

it worked. thanks a lot 😉

My pleasure ! 😀