NAME

       csvmidi - encode CSV file as MIDI

SYNOPSIS

       csvmidi [ -u -v -x -z ] [ infile [ outfile ] ]

DESCRIPTION

       csvmidi  reads  a  CSV  (Comma-Separated  Value)  file  in  the format written by midicsv and creates the
       equivalent standard MIDI file.

OPTIONS

       -u        Print how-to-call information.

       -v        Print verbose debugging information on standard error.  The MIDI file header is  dumped,  along
                 with the length of each track in the file.

       -x        MIDI streams support a rudimentary form of compression in which successive events with the same
                 ``status'' (event type and channel) may omit the status byte.  By default csvmidi avails itself
                 of  this  compression.   If  the  -x  option  is  specified, the status byte is emitted for all
                 events-it is never compressed even when the MIDI standard permits it to be.

       -z        Most errors detected in CSV records cause a warning message to be displayed on  standard  error
                 and  the record ignored.  The -z option causes csvmidi to immediately terminate processing when
                 the first error is detected.

EXIT STATUS

       If no errors or warnings are detected csvmidi exits with status 0.  A status of of 1 is returned  if  one
       or  more  errors were detected in the CSV input file, while a status of 2 indicates a syntax error on the
       command line or inability to open the input or output file.

FILES

       If no infile is specified or infile is ``-'', csvmidi reads its input from standard input; if no  outfile
       is  given  or  outfile  is  ``-'',  MIDI output is written  to standard output.  The input and output are
       processed  in  a  strictly  serial  manner;  consequently  csvmidi  may  be  used  in  pipelines  without
       restrictions.

BUGS

       csvmidi  assumes  its input is in the format written by midicsv.  If supplied a CSV file with well-formed
       records which nonetheless makes no semantic sense as a MIDI file, the results will,  in  all  likelihood,
       simply perplex any program or instrument to which it's sent.  csvmidi checks for missing fields and range
       checks  all  numeric  values, but does not perform higher-level consistency checking (for example, making
       sure that every note on event is paired with a subsequent note off).   That  level  of  verification,  if
       required, should be done on the CSV file before it is processed by csvmidi.

       Exporting  a  file  to CSV with midicsv and then importing it with csvmidi is not guaranteed to create an
       identical MIDI file.  MIDI files support compression  modes  which  are  not  obligatory.   A  MIDI  file
       exported  to  CSV and then re-imported should, however, be equivalent to the original file and should, if
       exported to CSV, be identical to the CSV exported from the original file.

       Please report problems to bugs@fourmilab.ch.

SEE ALSO

       midicsv(1), midicsv(5)

AUTHOR

                                                      John Walker
                                               http://www.fourmilab.ch/

       This software is in the public domain.  Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and
       its documentation for any  purpose  and  without  fee  is  hereby  granted,  without  any  conditions  or
       restrictions.  This software is provided ``as is'' without express or implied warranty.

4th Berkeley Distribution                          9 FEB 2004                                         CSVMIDI(1)