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diff --git a/doc/faq.texi b/doc/faq.texi index 3d7a275..225f139 100644 --- a/doc/faq.texi +++ b/doc/faq.texi @@ -1,8 +1,8 @@ \input texinfo @c -*- texinfo -*- -@settitle Libav FAQ +@settitle FFmpeg FAQ @titlepage -@center @titlefont{Libav FAQ} +@center @titlefont{FFmpeg FAQ} @end titlepage @top @@ -11,43 +11,43 @@ @chapter General Questions -@section When will the next Libav version be released? / Why are Libav releases so few and far between? +@section When will the next FFmpeg version be released? / Why are FFmpeg releases so few and far between? -Like most open source projects Libav suffers from a certain lack of +Like most open source projects FFmpeg suffers from a certain lack of manpower. For this reason the developers have to prioritize the work they do and putting out releases is not at the top of the list, fixing bugs and reviewing patches takes precedence. Please don't complain or request more timely and/or frequent releases unless you are willing to help out creating them. -@section I have a problem with an old version of Libav; where should I report it? -Nowhere. We do not support old Libav versions in any way, we simply lack +@section I have a problem with an old version of FFmpeg; where should I report it? +Nowhere. We do not support old FFmpeg versions in any way, we simply lack the time, motivation and manpower to do so. If you have a problem with an -old version of Libav, upgrade to the latest git snapshot. If you +old version of FFmpeg, upgrade to the latest git snapshot. If you still experience the problem, then you can report it according to the -guidelines in @url{http://libav.org/bugreports.html}. +guidelines in @url{http://ffmpeg.org/bugreports.html}. -@section Why doesn't Libav support feature [xyz]? +@section Why doesn't FFmpeg support feature [xyz]? -Because no one has taken on that task yet. Libav development is +Because no one has taken on that task yet. FFmpeg development is driven by the tasks that are important to the individual developers. If there is a feature that is important to you, the best way to get it implemented is to undertake the task yourself or sponsor a developer. -@section Libav does not support codec XXX. Can you include a Windows DLL loader to support it? +@section FFmpeg does not support codec XXX. Can you include a Windows DLL loader to support it? No. Windows DLLs are not portable, bloated and often slow. -Moreover Libav strives to support all codecs natively. +Moreover FFmpeg strives to support all codecs natively. A DLL loader is not conducive to that goal. -@section My bug report/mail to libav-devel/user has not received any replies. +@section My bug report/mail to ffmpeg-devel/user has not received any replies. Likely reasons @itemize @item We are busy and haven't had time yet to read your report or investigate the issue. -@item You didn't follow @url{http://libav.org/bugreports.html}. -@item You didn't use git master. +@item You didn't follow @url{http://ffmpeg.org/bugreports.html}. +@item You didn't use git HEAD. @item You reported a segmentation fault without gdb output. @item You describe a problem but not how to reproduce it. @item It's unclear if you use ffmpeg as command line tool or use @@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ libav* from another application. @item You speak about a video having problems on playback but not what you use to play it. @item We have no faint clue what you are talking about besides -that it is related to Libav. +that it is related to FFmpeg. @end itemize -@section Is there a forum for Libav? I do not like mailing lists. +@section Is there a forum for FFmpeg? I do not like mailing lists. You may view our mailing lists with a more forum-alike look here: @url{http://dir.gmane.org/gmane.comp.video.ffmpeg.user}, @@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ problem and an NP-hard problem... @section ffmpeg does not work; what is wrong? Try a @code{make distclean} in the ffmpeg source directory before the build. If this does not help see -(@url{http://libav.org/bugreports.html}). +(@url{http://ffmpeg.org/bugreports.html}). @section How do I encode single pictures into movies? @@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ material, and try '-top 0/1' if the result looks really messed-up. @section How can I read DirectShow files? -If you have built Libav with @code{./configure --enable-avisynth} +If you have built FFmpeg with @code{./configure --enable-avisynth} (only possible on MinGW/Cygwin platforms), then you may use any file that DirectShow can read as input. @@ -368,11 +368,11 @@ examining all of the vbv_delay values and making complicated computations." @chapter Development -@section Are there examples illustrating how to use the Libav libraries, particularly libavcodec and libavformat? +@section Are there examples illustrating how to use the FFmpeg libraries, particularly libavcodec and libavformat? -Yes. Read the Developers Guide of the Libav documentation. Alternatively, +Yes. Read the Developers Guide of the FFmpeg documentation. Alternatively, examine the source code for one of the many open source projects that -already incorporate Libav at (@url{projects.html}). +already incorporate FFmpeg at (@url{projects.html}). @section Can you support my C compiler XXX? @@ -383,14 +383,14 @@ with @code{#ifdef}s related to the compiler. @section Is Microsoft Visual C++ supported? No. Microsoft Visual C++ is not compliant to the C99 standard and does -not - among other things - support the inline assembly used in Libav. +not - among other things - support the inline assembly used in FFmpeg. If you wish to use MSVC++ for your project then you can link the MSVC++ code with libav* as long as you compile the latter with a working C compiler. For more information, see -the @emph{Microsoft Visual C++ compatibility} section in the Libav +the @emph{Microsoft Visual C++ compatibility} section in the FFmpeg documentation. -There have been efforts to make Libav compatible with MSVC++ in the +There have been efforts to make FFmpeg compatible with MSVC++ in the past. However, they have all been rejected as too intrusive, especially since MinGW does the job adequately. None of the core developers work with MSVC++ and thus this item is low priority. Should you find @@ -398,23 +398,33 @@ the silver bullet that solves this problem, feel free to shoot it at us. We strongly recommend you to move over from MSVC++ to MinGW tools. -@section Can I use Libav or libavcodec under Windows? +@section Can I use FFmpeg or libavcodec under Windows? -Yes, but the Cygwin or MinGW tools @emph{must} be used to compile Libav. -Read the @emph{Windows} section in the Libav documentation to find more +Yes, but the Cygwin or MinGW tools @emph{must} be used to compile FFmpeg. +Read the @emph{Windows} section in the FFmpeg documentation to find more information. +To get help and instructions for building FFmpeg under Windows, check out +the FFmpeg Windows Help Forum at +@url{http://ffmpeg.arrozcru.org/}. + @section Can you add automake, libtool or autoconf support? No. These tools are too bloated and they complicate the build. @section Why not rewrite ffmpeg in object-oriented C++? -Libav is already organized in a highly modular manner and does not need to +FFmpeg is already organized in a highly modular manner and does not need to be rewritten in a formal object language. Further, many of the developers favor straight C; it works for them. For more arguments on this matter, read "Programming Religion" at (@url{http://www.tux.org/lkml/#s15}). +@section Why are the ffmpeg programs devoid of debugging symbols? + +The build process creates ffmpeg_g, ffplay_g, etc. which contain full debug +information. Those binaries are stripped to create ffmpeg, ffplay, etc. If +you need the debug information, use the *_g versions. + @section I do not like the LGPL, can I contribute code under the GPL instead? Yes, as long as the code is optional and can easily and cleanly be placed @@ -431,16 +441,16 @@ the compilation failure then you are probably not qualified for this. @section I'm using libavcodec from within my C++ application but the linker complains about missing symbols which seem to be available. -Libav is a pure C project, so to use the libraries within your C++ application +FFmpeg is a pure C project, so to use the libraries within your C++ application you need to explicitly state that you are using a C library. You can do this by -encompassing your Libav includes using @code{extern "C"}. +encompassing your FFmpeg includes using @code{extern "C"}. See @url{http://www.parashift.com/c++-faq-lite/mixing-c-and-cpp.html#faq-32.3} @section I have a file in memory / a API different from *open/*read/ libc how do I use it with libavformat? You have to implement a URLProtocol, see @file{libavformat/file.c} in -Libav and @file{libmpdemux/demux_lavf.c} in MPlayer sources. +FFmpeg and @file{libmpdemux/demux_lavf.c} in MPlayer sources. @section I get "No compatible shell script interpreter found." in MSys. |