If writing the file is interrupted for any reason (Ctrl-C, crash, out of
disk space, etc.), the value stored in the header for the length of the
sound data will be zero unless -R is on.  Many audio players will not play
the file then.

-R is especially nice with a Csound front end that allows you to pause
during a non-real-time render and listen to the result so far.

Anthony Kozar
mailing-lists-1001 AT anthonykozar DOT net
http://anthonykozar.net/

Jason Timm wrote on 1/15/09 10:14 AM:

> Why would I want to (-R) continually rewrite header while writing soundfile
> (WAV/AIFF)?
> J.

It's primarily for insurance - if the program or the whole computer 
crashes (or even if for any reason you have to abort recording with 
Ctrl-C or something), there is a complete  file header (i.e. with length 
information) so what remains on disk is a valid wave or aiff file and 
thus "safe"  and immediately playable. When the failure is at the 59th 
minute of an hour long recording, such things matter, if only for peace 
of mind.

Those who know about such things can of course always hack an incomplete 
header afterwards to rescue the recording, and may then elect to forgo 
the belt and braces of -R  in order to reduce disk thrashing. Or eschew 
formatted files altogether and record to a "Raw" file.

Richard Dobson


Jason Timm wrote:
> Why would I want to (-R) continually rewrite header while writing 
> soundfile (WAV/AIFF)?
> 
> J.
> 

Btw, these days Csound does close the file and writes the full header 
after ctrl-C.

At 16:05 15/01/2009, you wrote:
>It's primarily for insurance - if the program or the whole computer 
>crashes (or even if for any reason you have to abort recording with 
>Ctrl-C or something), there is a complete  file header (i.e. with 
>length information) so what remains on disk is a valid wave or aiff 
>file and thus "safe"  and immediately playable. When the failure is 
>at the 59th minute of an hour long recording, such things matter, if 
>only for peace of mind.
>
>Those who know about such things can of course always hack an 
>incomplete header afterwards to rescue the recording, and may then 
>elect to forgo the belt and braces of -R  in order to reduce disk 
>thrashing. Or eschew formatted files altogether and record to a "Raw" file.
>
>Richard Dobson
>
>
>Jason Timm wrote:
>>Why would I want to (-R) continually rewrite header while writing 
>>soundfile (WAV/AIFF)?
>>J.
>
>
>
>
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Victor Lazzarini
Music Technology Laboratory
Music Department
National University of Ireland, Maynooth