The sfront Reference Manual
Description: The reference manual for sfront, a program that translates SAOL programs and MP4-SA binary file encodings to a program in the C language. When executed, this program creates the audio.
Keywords: John Lazzaro, John Lazaro, Jon Lazzaro, Jon Lazaro, John Lazarro, Jon Lazarro, John Lazzarro, Jon Lazzarro, John Lazzarow, John Wawrzynek, MPEG, MPEG 4, MPEG-4, MP4, MPEG-4 Structured Audio, MP4, SA, MP4-SA, MP4/SA, sfront, SAOL to C, SAOL to C converter, MP4 to C, MP4-SA to C, MPEG 4 Structured Audio to C, s2c

# The `sfront` Reference Manual

### By John Lazzaro and John Wawrzynek, CS Division, UC Berkeley.

## Introduction Welcome to the reference manual for sfront, a translator that converts MP4-SA files into efficient C programs that generate audio. Sfront supports sound generation for interactive applications. It can support on-line streaming and off-line rendering applications. Sfront also works well as a scripting tool for audio signal processing, in both batch and interactive applications. This reference manual explains how to install and use sfront, and how to add drivers and make modifications to the programs. To learn about how to write SAOL and SASL programs, see the MP4-SA book. ## Organization The first part of the manual is a guide to using sfront to compile MP4-SA. Part I/1 describes how to install sfront, and includes instructions on downloading, compiling, and testing the system. Part I/2 describes how to use sfront for decoding and encoding MP4-SA files. Part I/3 describes real-time sfront operation (including plug-ins). Parts I/4 and I/5 document reference materials. The second part of the manual is a programmers guide to sfront. Part II/1 shows how to use sfront as a sound engine in other applications, and introduces the driver interface as the way to add new code to sfront itself. Part II/2 explains the control driver interface, used to to add code to sfront to control the sound generation process. Part II/3 explains the audio driver interface, used to add code to sfront to send audio streams into and out of the sound engine. Next: Installing Sfront. | ## Table of Contents #### Part I. Users Guide #### 1. Installing Sfront Supported platforms. Where sfront runs. Downloading sfront. How to pick up sfront. Installation. Compiling and testing sfront. Bugs. Let us know if things don't work. #### 2. File Rendering File decoding. Rendering MP4-SA files. Audio input. Connecting files to input_bus. MP4 file encoding. Creating MP4-SA files. Incompatibilities. Deviations from the spec. #### 3. Real-Time Operation Real-time playback. Sending audio to sound hardware. Real-time interaction. Real time audio and control input. Plug-in development. Writing AudioUnits in SAOL. 4. Command-line Options 5. Change Log and License #### Part II. Programmer's Guide #### 1. Developing with Sfront Using sfront in an application. Adding features to sfront. The driver interface. #### 2. Control Drivers Overview. Data Structures. Writing the Driver. #### 3. Audio Drivers

Copyright 1999 John Lazzaro and John Wawrzynek.