An old problem: RLE-encoded files

[Manuel]

Recently, I installed Perian so I could view FLV files.

Doing so, however, prevents QuickTime from playing AVI files created
by Tecplot 360, our visualization app. When I attempt to view these
files, QT will inform me that the movie cannot be played and
helpfully sends me to one of Apple's web pages where I can find the
needed codec. Needless to say, it doesn't tell me which codec it is
missing.

With Perian installed, QT cannot read the format of the file. It
simply gives a double quote where the file format would be. If I
deinstall Perian, the format for these files reported by QT to be
"Apple BMP" and the file can be played. Using "file" in the command
line for one of these AVI files returns:

MOVIE_NAME.avi: RIFF (little-endian) data, AVI, 1293 x 965, ~15 fps,
video: RLE 8bpp

The files can have different frame size or play rate, but they all
report "RLE 8bpp" encoding. My understanding is that this is an old
compression method and is, therefore, likely to be supported by all
apps.

Doing a bit of checking, I found out that it doesn't matter which
Perian version I use with the current installations of QT/MacOS I have
(1.1.3/7.6.2/10.5.7 in one machine and 1.0/7.6/10.4.11 in another).

Is this a Perian problem or an incompatibility with QT 7.6? Will this
ever be "fixed" or do I just use the Preferences panel and install/
deinstall Perian as needed? This last workaround is, needless to say,
a pain. Also, is it possible that there is something in QT 7.6 and
above that prevents Perian from understanding this ancient compression
scheme?

Thanks for your reply.

PS: FWIW, a similar problem was posted more than two years ago
elsewhere. I could not find evidence that it had been "fixed."

[Alexander Strange]

In this case you really only needed a one sentence post and a sample
file - it's too bad you can't really have rules in a Google group.
Will be fixed in the next release and in SVN when I can reach it again.

[Manuel]

Sorry, I was trying to give as much information as I could as I did
not want to place a "telegraphic" report. And you don't want a
"typical" sample file as they can be quite large. Also, given that it
had been reported more than two years ago and there was no fix, I
wanted to err on the side of caution. Clearly, customs have changed
from the days of USEnet. Again, I apologize.

Thanks for your reply and future work.

[Chris Forsythe]

Your issue could be different than the one from 2 years ago, don't
assume just because it seems the same that it is the same.

Chris

[mi...@mckenzie.ws]

No, things haven't changed since usenet, just this list is known for
cheeky unnecessarily rude replies..As Alexanders reply could have simply
been, "we are aware of the issue and it will be fixed in next release"..
Instead you had to be scolded for making him read a full description of
the issue and your very logical assumption that maybe this wasn't a new
issue. Shame on you for reading the previous issues boards to figure out
why perian didn't work.

I just have no clue why it seems every response for a little support on
this thread has to be so terse instead of cordial. Almost makes me
think some are compensating.

[Chris Forsythe]

Seriously? Alexander replied saying what he needed and didn't need to
send for future reference on bug reports. How is that "cheeky" and
"unnecessary", much less rude?

Your post was not constructive. Please reply with something
constructive so that we can improve, or do not respond as you are just
trolling.

Chris

[Alexander Strange]

I didn't mean it as a criticism - I knew how to fix it as soon as I
read "BMP".
Just don't want anyone to have to waste their time writing a detailed
problem description when it can be fixed without one.

(But I really would like them to waste their time making a sample file
instead - even a half-second clip is enough if it happens reliably.)

[Alexander Strange]

I didn't mean it as a criticism - I knew how to fix it as soon as I
read "BMP".
Just don't want anyone to have to waste their time writing a detailed
problem description when it can be fixed without one.

Of course, that's kind of unfair since I wouldn't expect anyone else
to know that, which is why I wanted a bug report guide.

(But I really would like them to waste their time making a sample file

- even a half-second clip is enough if it happens reliably.)

On Jun 18, 10:58 pm, "mi...@mckenzie.ws" <mi...@mckenzie.ws> wrote:

[Manuel]

On Jun 19, 11:41 am, Alexander Strange <astra...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I didn't mean it as a criticism - I knew how to fix it as soon as I
> read "BMP".

Ah, but that mention did not come until at least one-third of my
perhaps overly detailed post...

> Just don't want anyone to have to waste their time writing a detailed
> problem description when it can be fixed without one.

It wasn't a waste of time to me. It at least shows that I tried to
solve the problem before asking for help. Again, I can't guess what
information is relevant or not. For my money, it should have been
sufficient with the thread title (RLE encoded) but that's just me.
Failing that, I think that when solving puzzles, all information is
relevant until proven otherwise.

> (But I really would like them to waste their time making a sample file
> instead - even a half-second clip is enough if it happens reliably.)

That can be easily remedied. Please email me information on where to
send it, post it, or ftp it.

As for my issue being different, a poster mentioned "RLE compression"
and "Apple - Microsoft Video" back on Oct 8, 2006, in this same group
(search for RLE and you'll find it). The only reply was from Augie
Fackler asking for more information (hence my long post) and there was
no follow-up. To my limited understanding, this implies the poster had
an AVI file with RLE compression which is what I have aside from the
fact that each frame is formatted in Apple BMP. Given that codecs are
supposed to operate according to compression and movie, not frame (or
am I wrong?), format, I would have thought that the issue had been
taken care of by now. But I saw no reply to the poster, so there you
have it.

BTW, in USEnet, all groups with lots of traffic and repeated questions
used to have a FAQ post that would be kept at the beginning of the
post listing for the newbie's benefit. If this is not possible here in
groups.google, is it possible to put it in perian.org? Also, a link to
this group would be useful. (I just noticed that the forum link there
goes to a cocoaforge forum; also someone posted there that they are
having problems opening "old avi" files. Problems could be related.
Happy trails.)