Version control for .dawproject files

[Trinitou]

Maybe this would be a bit too complicated but... What if it was possible to compare two versions of a .dawproject file and do some sort of intelligent diff between them? This would be really great for collaboration (which I assume is the main target of this format).

I don't have a detailed idea/understanding of how this could be realised but a few loose thoughts:

• If a daw loads a .dawproject file and the user re-exports it, the daw would be responsible for ensuring as much persistency as possible between the imported and exported .dawproject file.
• One way to go about it could be that the daw tries to keep the UIDs persistent as long as possible so that a dawproject diff tool could use them to better detect the modifications between the project versions. Also the daw should try to keep metadata persistent as long as possible even if it cannot use it itself.
• Another way could be to develop a companion (diff) file format that maps two .dawproject files onto each other (e.g. old to new IDs). The daw could provide such a file when -re-exporting the new version of a .dawproject file. And a diff tool could ensure that it has valid diff files between each .dawproject "commit". Also the daw could give hints in the file which features of the original file it ignored (which might be lost in the new version but could still be valid)

What do you think? Is it a dumb idea or worth exploring further? ;)

[mrlimbic]

To identify a clip without UIDs you only need the media filename and media in/out points (assuming all files have unique names). If those all match then it is the same clip (but may have moved position).

I make a product that diffs/resyncs timelines but mostly to compare 2 video edits, so that the sound editor can keep up with sync changes made by the video editor. It can detect which clips have moved, had edge edits (in or out point changed), been deleted or added.

Compare/Reconform

[erroreyes]

This sounds cool, and also strikes me to be not part of the DAWProject context but it's own separate project altogether.