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Asked: 2026-06-05T21:27:42+00:00

I am trying to make a new file format for music. It needs to

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I am trying to make a new file format for music. It needs to be a file that actually stores multiple audio files, for example a zip file. I am looking for a way to turn the zip file into this new file format. However, I still want to use id3 tags with these new files. I was wondering how I can make this new file format which is one file that holds multiple audio files, but still contains overall id3 tags for that one file, so that I can load it into my mobile applications.
Any help/recommendations would be appreciated.
Cheers,
AJ

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1 Answer

  1. Editorial Team

    The problem with creating your own new file format is that only you can use it. Until you convince lots of other people that it is a useful new format, no one else will have the tools to be able to do anything with the files you create.

    For existing music player programs to be able to handle a new file format, you must write a CODEC for your file format in that player’s plug-in style. Probably more than one plug-in as your file format is both a container of music and a catalog as well.

    One alternative to creating a new file format is to put the MP3 files you have into a new MP3 file with each old file a new TRACK in the new file. Be sure to set each new tracks start time to be after the sum of all previous tracks play duration, so they don’t step on each other. Merge the metadata about each file into the metadata of the new file. This might work OK for collections with lots of common metadata (like same artist), but might not work very well if the metadata is extremely varied.

    Another alternative is to convert them to CDA format and put then into an Audio-CD image file, just as if you had burned them to a CD.

    A third alternative is to put your files into an SQLite database file. Your metadata from each MP3 file fill in records, and you have your choice of leaving the MP3 file external and just linking to it, or storing the blob of your MP3 file in the DB as well. If you do store the blobs, then the SQLite database file is a single file that contains everything you put in it.

    -Jesse

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