The ADTF Codecs and SampleCodecs

Table of Contents

• The ADTF Codecs and CodecFactory
  • SampleCodec and Codec
    • The Codec Index and the Element Iterator
    • The Codec Leaf Index
• The Codecs and the Codec APIs
  • Porting ADTF DDL to Open Source DDL Library
    • Port your code to the new Open Source DDL Library
  • Keep your code in legacy mode

The ADTF Codecs and CodecFactory

With ADTF 3.14 a new SampleCodec and Codec was introduced. With ADTF 3.15 it has been moved to to the Open Source DDL Library within the dev_essential package.

SampleCodec and Codec

The new osborn::cSampleCodecFactory can create the cSampleCodec, cSampleDecoder, cStaticSampleCodec and the cStaticSampleDecoder that must be accessed with the help of a CodecIndex.

The Codec Index and the Element Iterator

The codec index will provide a fast index based vector to find the right element in the child elements and retrieve the access information for reading and writing their values. This codec index identifies exactly one element within the structure. To retrieve the index use the GetElements method of the Codecs.

Preparing

struct creation:

struct tMySubStruct
{
    uint16_t value1[2];
    uint32_t value2;
    uint8_t  value3;
};
 
struct tMyStruct
{
    uint16_t value = 1;
    tMySubStruct sub_array[2] = {{{2, 3}, 4, 5}, {{6, 7}, 8, 9}};
    uint32_t array[3] = {10, 11, 12};
};

DDL creation:

using namespace adtf::mediadescription;
 
ddl::DDStructureGenerator<tMySubStruct, false> oMySubStruct("tMySubStruct");
oMySubStruct.addElement("value1", &tMySubStruct::value1);
oMySubStruct.addElement("value2", &tMySubStruct::value2);
oMySubStruct.addElement("value3", &tMySubStruct::value3);
 
ddl::DDStructureGenerator<tMyStruct, false> oMyStruct("tMyStruct");
oMyStruct.addElement("value", &tMyStruct::value);
oMyStruct.addElement("sub_array", &tMyStruct::sub_array, oMySubStruct);
oMyStruct.addElement("array", &tMyStruct::array);

Sample creation:

    using namespace adtf::streaming;
    tMyStruct sMyStruct;
    adtf::ucom::object_ptr<ISample> pSample;
    RETURN_IF_FAILED(alloc_sample(pSample));
    RETURN_IF_FAILED(pSample->Set(0, &sMyStruct, sizeof(sMyStruct)));

Usage of decoder only on first level

using namespace adtf::mediadescription;
cSampleCodecFactory oFactory(oMyStruct);
RETURN_IF_FAILED(oFactory.IsValid());
auto oDecoder = oFactory.MakeStaticDecoderFor(pSample);
 
//iterate the elements at the first level
for (auto oElement : oDecoder.GetElements())
{
    auto oCodecIndex = oElement.getIndex(); //this codec
    auto oFullName = oElement.getFullName();
    auto strArray = oElement.isArray() ? "is array" : "is no array";
    auto strArraySize = std::to_string(oElement.getArraySize());
    auto bHasChildren = oElement.hasChildren();
    auto strHasChildren = bHasChildren ? "has children" : "has no children";
    std::string strValue;
    if (!bHasChildren)
    {
        strValue = oElement.getValue<std::string>();
    }
    else
    {
        //if we call getStringValue on a structure it throws an error!
        strValue = "<this is a structure>";
    }
    std::cout << "CodecIndex: " << toString(oCodecIndex) << " - " << oFullName << " - " << strArray
              << " - "
              << " ArraySize " << strArraySize << " - " << strHasChildren << std::endl;
    std::cout << "     Value: " << strValue << std::endl
              << std::endl;
}

Following output:

CodecIndex: {{0, 0}} - value - is no array -  ArraySize 1 - has no children
     Value: 1
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 0}} - sub_array[0] - is array -  ArraySize 2 - has children
     Value: <this is a structure>
 
CodecIndex: {{2, 0}} - array[0] - is array -  ArraySize 3 - has no children
     Value: 10

Usage of sample factory at each level to prepare codec usage

//iterate the elements at each level use the helper template
for_each_element(oFactory.GetElements(),
    [](auto& oElement)
    {
        auto oCodecIndex = oElement.getIndex(); //this codec
        auto oFullName = oElement.getFullName();
        auto strArray = oElement.isArray() ? "is array" : "is no array";
        auto strArraySize = std::to_string(oElement.getArraySize());
        auto bHasChildren = oElement.hasChildren();
        auto strHasChildren = bHasChildren ? "has children" : "has no children";
        std::string strType;
        if (!bHasChildren)
        {
            strType = std::to_string(static_cast<int8_t>(oElement.getType()));
        }
        else
        {
            strType = "<this is a structure>";
        }
        std::cout << "CodecIndex: " << toString(oCodecIndex) << " - " << oFullName << " - " << strArray
                  << " - "
                  << " ArraySize " << strArraySize << " - " << strHasChildren << std::endl;
        std::cout << "     Type: " << strType << std::endl
                  << std::endl;
        //this function does not go into array level! ... only array positions 0 are retrieved!
    });

Following output:

CodecIndex: {{0, 0}} - value - is no array -  ArraySize 1 - has no children
     Type: 5
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 0}} - sub_array[0] - is array -  ArraySize 2 - has children
     Type: <this is a structure>
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 0}, {0, 0}} - sub_array[0].value1[0] - is array -  ArraySize 2 - has no children
     Type: 5
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 0}, {1, 0}} - sub_array[0].value2 - is no array -  ArraySize 1 - has no children
     Type: 7
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 0}, {2, 0}} - sub_array[0].value3 - is no array -  ArraySize 1 - has no children
     Type: 3
 
CodecIndex: {{2, 0}} - array[0] - is array -  ArraySize 3 - has no children
     Type: 7

Usage of decoder at each leaf level

//iterate the elements at each level use the helper template
for_each_leaf_element(oDecoder.GetElements(),
    [](auto& oElement) {
        auto oCodecIndex = oElement.getIndex(); //this codec
        auto oFullName = oElement.getFullName();
        auto strArray = oElement.isArray() ? "is array" : "is no array";
        auto strArraySize = std::to_string(oElement.getArraySize());
        auto bHasChildren = oElement.hasChildren();
        auto strHasChildren = bHasChildren ? "has children" : "has no children";
        std::string strValue;
        if (!bHasChildren)
        {
            strValue = oElement.getStringValue();
            //for a direct type conversion use following: (gcc needs that syntax)
            //strValue = oElement.template getValue<std::string>();
        }
        else
        {
            //the for_each_leaf_element only go thru POD types, the structures are resolved for you
            //this else path will never be reached!
            strValue = "<this is a structure>";
        }
        std::cout << "CodecIndex: " << toString(oCodecIndex) << " - " << oFullName << " - " << strArray
                << " - "
                << " ArraySize " << strArraySize << " - " << strHasChildren << std::endl;
        std::cout << "     Value: " << strValue << std::endl
                << std::endl;
    });

Following output:

CodecIndex: {{0, 0}} - value - is no array -  ArraySize 1 - has no children
     Value: 1
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 0}, {0, 0}} - sub_array[0].value1[0] - is array -  ArraySize 2 - has no children
     Value: 2
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 0}, {0, 1}} - sub_array[0].value1[1] - is array -  ArraySize 2 - has no children
     Value: 3
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 0}, {1, 0}} - sub_array[0].value2 - is no array -  ArraySize 1 - has no children
     Value: 4
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 0}, {2, 0}} - sub_array[0].value3 - is no array -  ArraySize 1 - has no children
     Value: 5
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 1}, {0, 0}} - sub_array[1].value1[0] - is array -  ArraySize 2 - has no children
     Value: 6
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 1}, {0, 1}} - sub_array[1].value1[1] - is array -  ArraySize 2 - has no children
     Value: 7
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 1}, {1, 0}} - sub_array[1].value2 - is no array -  ArraySize 1 - has no children
     Value: 8
 
CodecIndex: {{1, 1}, {2, 0}} - sub_array[1].value3 - is no array -  ArraySize 1 - has no children
     Value: 9
 
CodecIndex: {{2, 0}} - array[0] - is array -  ArraySize 3 - has no children
     Value: 10
 
CodecIndex: {{2, 1}} - array[1] - is array -  ArraySize 3 - has no children
     Value: 11
 
CodecIndex: {{2, 2}} - array[2] - is array -  ArraySize 3 - has no children
     Value: 12

The Codec Leaf Index

Since the DDL Codecs where introduced the access to the elements where indexed based in a flat structure. Each leaf element was identified via a leaf counter index. At one side this was a big advantage for fast access, but on the other side it leaded to a long initialization time while the structure has huge arrays. The legacy API for this leaf index can be found at cCodecFactoryLegacy, cCodecLegacy and cDecoderLegacy.

This API is used to support also the "old" adtf_ddl::access_element API. This support will be removed in further releases, so please see Porting ADTF DDL to Open Source DDL Library chapter for a guide thru the porting process.

To map a leaf index to its corresponding codec index use the legacy Resolve method.

The Codecs and the Codec APIs

You will now have 5 different CodecFactory implementations and 4 different APIs. To give you an overview, have a look at following table:

The CodecFactory and its Decoders/Codecs	The Codec Index and the Element Iterator	The Codec Leaf Index	adtf_ddl::access_element API (old adtf_ddl pkg)	ddl::access_element API (comes with dev_essential 1.1.0)
osborn::cSampleCodecFactory	yes	legacy	legacy	no
ddl::codec::CodecFactory (new codec API within dev_essential)	yes	legacy	no	no
ddl::codec::CodecFactory (current dev_essential)	no	yes	no	yes
flash::cSampleCodecFactory (old)	no	yes	yes	no
old adtf_ddl::cCodecFactory (old)	no	yes	yes	no

We recommend to port your code to the newest osborn::cSampleCodecFactory / ddl::codec::CodecFactory and only use the The Codec Index and the Element Iterator API. All other will be removed in further releases!

Porting ADTF DDL to Open Source DDL Library

Since ADTF 3.14 we changed the dependencies of the of the mainpage_mediadescription_pkg from the ADTF DDL SDK (Legacy Package) to the DDL Library. This prevent any further forked development within ADTF of the DDL Library. Additionally, you will now have different codec implementations: see The Codecs and the Codec APIs for details.

Unfortunatelly, your code needs to be adapted to work with this new featured classes:

Port your code to the new Open Source DDL Library

The deprecated warnings will guide you through the porting process. Following things are to do:

You will automatically use the new cSampleCodecFactory

If you are using the adtf_ddl::cCodecFactory directly, you have to use change to the classes.

//old code
adtf::mediadescription::cSampleCodecFactory oSampleCodecFactory;
auto oDecoder = oSampleCodecFactory.MakeDecoderFor(...);
//new code (no change necessary)
adtf::mediadescription::cSampleCodecFactory oSampleCodecFactory;
auto oDecoder = oSampleCodecFactory.MakeDecoderFor(...);

In the new cSampleDecoder and cStaticSampleDecoder is no cVariant anymore

The most important change for you is! There is NO adtf_util::cVariant used!

//old code
auto oVariant = oDecoder.GetElementValue("my_value");
//... to figure out the type
auto nType = oVariant.GetType();
tUInt64 nValue = oVariant.GetInt64();
//new code (use the templated direct type to convert)
auto oElement = oDecoder.GetElement("my_value")
auto nType = oElement.getType();
tUInt64 nValue = oElement.getValue<tUInt64>();

Change Codec and cCodec

If you are using the adtf_ddl::cCodecFactory directly, you have to use change the classes.

//old code
adtf_ddl::cCodecFactory oCodecFactory;
auto oDecoder = oCodecFactory.MakeDecoderFor(...);
//new code 
ddl::CodecFactory oCodecFactory;
auto oDecoder = oCodecFactory.makeDecoderFor(...);
//new code
ddl::codec::CodecFactory oCodecFactory;
auto oDecoder = oCodecFactory.makeDecoderFor(...);
 
//old code
adtf_ddl::cCodec oCodec;
//new code
ddl::Codec oCodec;
//new code
ddl::codec::Codec oCodec;
 
//old code
adtf_ddl::cDecoder oDecoder;
//new code
ddl::Decoder oDecoder;
//new code
ddl::codec::Decoder oDecoder;

Legacy support for access_element API

//old code
//this will work, but is deprecated
adtf_ddl::access_element::find_index(oDecoder, ...);
//new code uses the Codec Iterator!
auto oElement = oDecoder.GetElement("my_element").getIndex();

Legacy StructElement instead of tStructElement

//old code
adtf_ddl::tStructElement* pElement;
oDecoder.GetElement(nIdx, pElement);
std::string oElementName = oElement.strName;
//new code for legacy, but deprecated
ddl::StructElement* pElement;
oDecoder.GetElement(nIdx, pElement);
std::string oElementName = oElement.name;
//new code for using Codec Iterator
auto oElement = oDecoder.GetElement("my_element");
//iterate all element with the Element Iterator
for_each_leaf_element(oDecoder.GetElements(),
                      [](const auto& oElement){
                          std::cout << oElement.getFullName() << std::endl;
                      });

You may also fully switch off legacy API with the following:

In code

//define the NO_ADTF_MEDIA_DESCRIPTION_LEGACY macro before including adtf_mediadescription
#define NO_ADTF_MEDIA_DESCRIPTION_LEGACY
#include <adtf_mediadescription.h>

In cmake

# set NO_ADTF_MEDIA_DESCRIPTION_LEGACY als target compile definition
target_compile_defintions(my_filter PRIVATE NO_ADTF_MEDIA_DESCRIPTION_LEGACY)

Keep your code in legacy mode

Change the usage of namespace

Instead of using the adtf::mediadescription namespace use the adtf::mediadescription::adtf_ddl_legacy namespace.

//oldcode 
#include <adtf_mediadescription.h>
using namspace adtf::media_description;
//oldcode 
#include <adtf_mediadescription.h>
using namspace adtf::media_description::adtf_ddl_legacy;

Keep your code in legacy mode

Use new DDL Library with only a small effort

You may use the new DDL Library and the new adtf::mediadescription classes very fast, if you change only the usage of tStructElement:

//oldcode 
#include <adtf_mediadescription.h>
using namspace adtf::media_description;
//oldcode 
#include <adtf_mediadescription.h>
using namspace adtf::media_description_adtf_ddl_legacy;

Use StructElement instead of tStructElement

//old code
adtf_ddl::tStructElement* pElement;
oDecoder.GetElement(nIdx, pElement);
//new code
ddl::StructElement* pElement;
oDecoder.GetElement(nIdx, pElement);
 
//old code
auto oElement = oDecoder.GetElement(nIdx);
auto oElementName = oElement.strName;
//new code
auto oElement = oDecoder.GetElement(nIdx);
auto oElementName = oElement.name;

Switch off deprecated warnings if you do not port:

In code

//define the ADTF3_NO_DEPRECATED_WARNINGS macro before including adtf_mediadescription
#define ADTF3_NO_DEPRECATED_WARNINGS
#include <adtf_mediadescription.h>

In cmake

# set ADTF3_NO_DEPRECATED_WARNINGS als target compile definition
target_compile_defintions(my_filter PRIVATE ADTF3_NO_DEPRECATED_WARNINGS)