• Author/Maintainer: Sean Wallitsch
• Email: shidarin@alphamatte.com
• License: MIT
• Status: Development
• Docs: http://cdl-convert.readthedocs.org/
• GitHub: https://github.com/shidarin/cdl_convert
• PyPI: https://pypi.python.org/pypi/cdl_convert
• Python Versions: 2.6-3.4, PyPy

cdl_convert converts between common ASC CDL formats. The American Society of Cinematographers Color Decision List (ASC CDL, or CDL for short) is a schema to simplify the process of interchanging color data between various programs and facilities.

The ASC has defined schemas for including the 10 basic numbers in 5 different formats:

• Avid Log Exchange (ALE)
• Film Log EDL Exchange (FLEx)
• CMX EDL
• XML Color Correction (cc)
• XML Color Correction Collection (ccc)

Unofficial Formats:

• OCIOCDLTransform, a Foundry Nuke node
• Space separated CDL, a Rhythm & Hues internal cdl format

It is the purpose of cdl_convert to convert ASC CDL information between these basic formats to further facilitate the ease of exchange of color data within the Film and TV industries.

cdl_convert is not associated with the American Society of Cinematographers

Most likely you'll use cdl_convert as a script, instead of a python package itself (indeed, even the name is formatted more like a script (with an underscore) than the more common all lowercase of python modules.

For usage as a python module, see the module documentation.

If you just want to convert to a .cc XML file, the only required argument is an input file, like so::

$ cdl_convert ./di_v001.flex

You can override the default .cc output, or provide multiple outputs with the -o flag.:

$ cdl_convert ./di_v001.flex -o cc,cdl

Sometimes it might be nessicary to disable cdl_convert's auto-detection of the input file format. This can be done with the -i flag.:

$ cdl_convert ./ca102_x34.cdl -i cdl -o cc

In this case, .cdl could have indicated either a space separated cdl, or an XML cdl. cdl_convert does it's best to try and guess which one the file is, but if you're running into trouble, it might help to indicate to cdl_convert what the input file type is.

New in version 0.6.1:

• Added AscXMLBase class for nodes that can be represented by XML to inherit.
• Suppressed scientific notation from being written out when writing files. Should now write out as close as Python accuracy allows, and the same number of digits.
• write_cc now writes out 100% correct XML using ElementTree.
• Added tests for write_cc, which brings our coverage to 100%

New in version 0.6:

• Adds much greater ASC CDL XML compliance with the addition of many classes that represent node concepts in the CDL XML schema.
• Moves viewing_desc and input_desc attributes and methods into the base class AscColorSpaceBase.
• Moved desc attribute and methods into the base class AscDescBase.
• Adds ColorCollectionBase class for a basis of all collection type nodes (ColorCorrectionCollection , ColorDecisionList , etc).
• Adds MediaRef class which represents the MediaRef node of a ColorDecision. This class allows convenient handling of files given as media reference.
• Adds HALT_ON_ERROR module variable which determines certain exception handling behavior. Exceptions that can normally be handled with default behavior (such as negative Slope or Power values) will be dealt with silently instead of stopping the program. Negative Slope and Power values, for example, will clip to 0.0.

• ColorCorrection (formally AscCdl) class changes:

  • Renames AscCdl to ColorCorrection .
  • Adds class level member dictionary, which allows lookup of a ColorCorrection instance by the unique ID.
  • ColorCorrection objects now require a unique ID to be instantiated.
  • Removes metadata attribute of ColorCorrection .
  • Moves SOP and SAT operations out of ColorCorrection into their own classes, which are based on ColorNodeBase . The SatNode and SopNode classes are still meant to be children of ColorCorrection.
  • Added sop_node and sat_node attributes to access the child SatNode and SopNode .
  • Removed metadata attribute, splitting it into the inherited attributes of input_desc, viewing_desc and desc.
  • desc attribute is now fully fleshed out as a list of all encountered description fields.
  • Renamed cc_id field to id, shadowing the built in id within the class.
  • Slope, Offset and Power now return as a tuple instead of a list to prevent index assignment, appending and extending.

• parse_cc should now parse a much greater variety of .cc files more accurately.

  • Now supports infinite Description fields
  • Now supports Viewing and Input Description fields
  • Significantly simplifies the function.

• parse_flex has been significantly simplified.
• Test Suite broken up into sub-modules.
• Adds PyPy support.
• Adds ReadTheDocs
• Adds docs to build

Installing is as simple as using pip::

$ pip install cdl_convert

If you don't want to bother with a pip style install, you can alternatively grab cdl_convert/cdl_convert.py, As this file is the script and all the functions and classes needed.

At cdl_convert's GitHub page you can browse the code and the history of the project.

Builds can be downloaded from the GitHub page or the PyPI repository entry.

The issues page on GitHub is the best place to report bugs or request support, and while cdl_convert is distributed with no warranty of any kind, issues will be read and helped if able.

• What versions of Python does cdl_convert support?

  cdl_convert works in Python 2.6 through 3.4 and PyPy. A full test suite runs continuous integration through Travis-ci.org, coverage through coveralls.io, and code quality checked with landscape.io. Code is PEP-8 compliant, with docstrings following google code docstring standards.

• Why don't you support format X?

  I either haven't had time to build a parser for the format yet, or I might even be unaware it exists. Perhaps you should drop by the issues page and create a request for the format? If creating a request for a format it helps immensely to have a sample of that format.

• Why are all the parsers and writers functions, instead of methods on the ColorCorrection class?

  This seemed the current best approach for it's place in the script converter that forms a backbone of this project right now. It's very possible that in the future, ColorCorrection will contain methods for converting its values to a string object ready for writing. It's unlikely that ColorCorrection will contain methods for parsing, as different cdl formats can contain multiple cdls.

Please, please, please submit samples of the following formats:

• FLEx
• ALE
• CMX
• CCC

These are complex formats, and seeing real world samples helps write tests that ensure correct parsing of real world EDLs and CDLs. If you don't even see a format of CDL listed that you know exists, open an issue at the github issues page asking for parse/write support for the format, and include a sample.

Take a look at the issues page and if you see something that you think you can bang out, leave a comment saying you're going to take it on. While many issues are already assigned to the principal authors, just because it's assigned doesn't mean any work has begun.

Before generating a pull request, make sure to run the test suite::

$ python setup.py tests

If the tests fail, note which tests are failing, how they would have been affected by your code. Always assume you broke something rather than that the tests are 'wrong.' If you know you didn't break something, and the tests are simply reporting out of date results based on your changes, change the tests.

If your code fails the tests (Travis-ci.org checks all pull requests when you create them) it will be rejected. If the code style doesn't follow PEP-8, it's not going to be a high priority for integration.

When submitting, you'll be asked to waive copyright to your submitted code to the listed authors. This is so we can keep a tight handle on the code and change the license for future releases if needed.

The MIT License (MIT)

cdl_convert
Copyright (c) 2014 Sean Wallitsch
http://github.com/shidarin/cdl_convert/

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.