Topic: ILDA Format Specification

[grAsMudhOrsE]

Hey guys 

I'm new to laser show field and still a student. After I saw the laser show I was astonished by the amazing scene. Therefore, I decide to conduct some researches and experiments on it. I sign up myself in ILDA's home website. But I find that the fee of student membership is still too high for me to afford for I'm a student from a developing country. I've downloaded the draft ILDA IDTF of Revision 006, April 2004. This has already expired and I know the format of ILDA file is upgraded to 0~5. So will you please tell me that where I can find some latest specifications concern the laser field, especially about ILDA format.

Thanks in advance

[BlinkenLights]

We sure can.. (i myself cant but a few others can help you). Welcome to the forum.

Just so you know ahead of time, the ILDA format discussion is a touchy one in the laser community so be prepared for some conflicting points of view 

[James]

I'd be glad to help you.

I assume you need this for a software project of your own.

Do you know C/C++?

If you get the LaserBoy distribution, it comes with all the code that makes it.

Since you have an early version of the specification, you have the definitions for what ILDA calls Format 0, 1 and 2. That is a very large part of the spec and will be exactly what you need for almost all of the ILDA files that are out there now.

There has been a great deal of controversy about how to store frame information (within the same file standard) that might contain more than 255 colors in a single frame.

First, sometime in 2004, a new file section was proposed called Format 3. It works GREAT! LaserBoy implements the original proposal and has since 2004.

Then, ILDA turned right around and ruined it. It was busted on purpose, to take away my claim of having implemented it properly, in my own code, before anyone else. I know this because I was in contact with the chair of the ILDA Technical Standards and Specifications Committee and he told me so.

The busted version was out there for a while and people wrote code for it and there are some files out there that store frames in the busted Format 3.

Then ILDA took their file standard spec out of the public domain and made it for members only. This is ridiculous!

While it was out of sight of most developers, they deprecated Format 3 and came up with Format 4 and 5. These formats completely replace everything about the previous file spec of Formats 0, 1 and 2. So, they are in NO WAY an extension of the original ILDA file format.

This was published in January of 2005.
http://www.akrobiz.com/laserboy/ilda_file_format.html

Also, see this:
http://akrobiz.com/laserboy/forum/index.php/topic,279.0/msg,3119.html

Knowing these facts and not ever giving in to mob stupidity is what got me banned from The Photonlexicon.

Welcome to The LaserBoy Forum!

We tell the truth here and we respect the pursuit of perfection through proper math and science!

There are currently six or more laser related software projects that are discussed here at the LaserBoy Forum and there are even more people here who are computer programmers.

You are welcome and encouraged to share your software ideas and have your own discussion area here on our forum.

James. 

[grAsMudhOrsE]

We sure can.. (i myself cant but a few others can help you). Welcome to the forum.

Just so you know ahead of time, the ILDA format discussion is a touchy one in the laser community so be prepared for some conflicting points of view 

Thanks for your kind suggestion. I will keep it in mind =)

You are welcome and encouraged to share your software ideas and have your own discussion area here on our forum.

James. 

Hi, James

I really appreciate your detailed description and now I think I've got some basic ideas about what has happened. I agree that the ILDA makes the file member-only is a very ridiculous action. I will first have a look at the basic import/export of .ild file. Btw, will you please give me some references except the specification which I can use to deeply understand how to start my own project.

Thank you very much again

[James]

Hello again.

If you carefully read both of the links that I posted above, you will see there is a pretty good description of the ILDA file structure.

If you understand Formats 0, 1 and 2 and how they work together, that is the hardest part.

You will then understand format 3, 4 and 5 are related (and not related) to formats 0, 1 and 2.

James.