AtomicParsley

AtomicParsley is a lightweight command line program for parsing, reading and setting metadata into MPEG-4 files supporting these styles of metadata:

• iTunes-style metadata into .mp4, .m4a, .m4p, .m4v, .m4b files
• 3gp-style assets (3GPP TS 26.444 version 6.4.0 Release 6 specification conforming) in 3GPP, 3GPP2, MobileMP4 & derivatives
• ISO copyright notices at movie & track level for MPEG-4 & derivative files
• uuid private user extension text & file embedding for MPEG-4 & derivative files

The MPEG-4 container is based on Apple's Quicktime .mov container (just more sane) & there are a number of similarites - as well as differences. Each MPEG-4 file lists a "major file brand" that broadly says which specification the file adheres to. For example, an iTunes audio file typically lists 'M4A ' as its major file brand, while a 3GPP2 .3g2 file has something like '3g2a'. It is based on this major file brand that AtomicParsley allows a style of metadata to be set. Since there is nothing in the 3GPP2 specification regarding iTunes-style metadata, its use is prevented on such files. Similarly, a 3gp 'location' asset is not available for an iTMS video file. The first paragraph here sums the situation up well.

With the exception of artwork, all iTunes-style tags support only 1 piece of metadata - you can't have for example 3 title tags. 3gp assets and copyright notices support multiple tags, but they must differ in the language setting for that tag. You can have for example 3 title tags, but 1 in english, 1 in spanish, 1 in undefined. All iTunes-style text metadata is always in UTF-8; 3gp assets & copyright notices can be in set in UTF-8 or UTF-16. All strings are converted internally to UTF-8, converting as necessary. On *nix platforms, input is in UTF-8; the native Windows port supports full UTF-16 input.

What's New in This Release:

• new scanning method based on known atoms, basic properties and their parents • better separation of atom version/flags • allow negatives in 3gp asset coordinates (by switching cli args to high ascii) • new optimization routine for arranging 'moov' and 'udta' • implement utilization of padding for fast metadata updating • added user defined limits for padding behavior • for 3gp assets added support for multiple tags differing in language setting • added ability to set 'stik' to any 8-bit number; added 'Audiobook' setting • list standard genres & stik; bugfixes to standard genre setting • switch text output for rtng's "Lyrics" to "Content" • show file brands (major & minor) with "AP file --brands" • fix removing of some metadata from cli • prevent optimizing on PSP files, but allow it to dynamically update at end-of-file (but not faac) • slight bugfixes to win32 printing of uuid atoms with high-bit characters • added '