I could not see a specific sub forum here to ask this but as it is a software related question I am putting it here - if this is wrong can a mod kindly move it?

I have been sent a zip file that contains two folders, one all audio files and the other a Pro Tools session
but, they are all RAW DVD data.

Each folder has a *.smf file and a .DS_Store but the smf with a file extention, the rest have none. I can see the pro tools session file but again it only has a name but no prefex.

If I try and open one of the audio files in PTs it just does not even try to import it.

I am told that these folders are valid and when archived to DVD they were burnt as RAW DATA.

I have tried the usual programs, Nero, Power ISO and ISO Buster but even though these apps will import the files and will save them to ISO images, they DO NOT convert them from RAW DATA back to a format that other apps (Pro Tools, Sound Forge etc) can open and play.

I have spent all afternoon, 5 hours and counting, hitting google I have got nowhere with most of the results relating to RAW image files from Photographs.

Anyone help?

 

I'm a bit confused here as to me a SMF file is a MIDI file, but this is a thing you could try:

You want the "file" tool and the easiest way to get this is to get Git for "Git Bash".

When you got this installed (it might require a reboot/relogin), right click on the folder you've got the files in and pick "Git Bash Here".

You get a command prompt, just type "file <filename>" for the files you want to figure out, use "ls" to list files.

Like this:

Code:

phumb@DESKTOP-Q6NDS4I MINGW64 /c/dev/dummy (main)
$ ls
a.exe*          ccs.txt  dummy.exe*  positive_palindromes.py  uid_validate.py
cc_validate.py  dummy.c  dummy.py    sorting.py               uids.txt

phumb@DESKTOP-Q6NDS4I MINGW64 /c/dev/dummy (main)
$ file dummy.exe
dummy.exe: PE32+ executable (console) x86-64, for MS Windows

 

Maybe the files were on a DVDRAM disc. This format had quite some users in pro audio, and isn't normally readable by a DVD ROM drive.
But maybe the person creating the ZIP used such a drive and it produced garbled files of some sort?

'RAW data' doesn't make much sense, Pro Tools has used the .wav and .aiff format since forever.
._DS store points to a Mac metadata file.

Maybe they can help you on the Gearslutz - Post production -subforum, there are many experienced PT users over there..
Or try to find a DVDRAM compatible drive, and try to read the disc again, if that's still possible..
A list of DVDRAM drives: http://oldschooldaw.com/forums/index.php?topic=400.0

 

Mac doesn't need extensions for files, so might be easiest to try a mac to open it.

 

Hi and thanks for the suggestion.

I installed Git Bash and followed your instructions but using ls only litsted the smf file and it did not see the audio files.

Its strange the smf file is named "SESSION SMF" no dot between Session and SMF.
The audio files are named like "Bass_Moog" but with no prefix.

 

"cd" into the directories and try from there? filename extensions do not matter for this tool.