jig4rJoon Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 hi Dear, What are differences between "C4i" and "C4z" ?How to convert them to each other ? how to create a "C4Z" driver ?Is there any benefit for C4Z driver ? tnx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyknight Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 c4z is the new format, allowing several enhancements, better protection/encryption, more features down the road and is a requirement for several new or updated proxies/interfaces. 2.6 is the minimum requirement. You cannot just convert them (in the 'press a button' sense) that I'm aware of. In reverse to c4i is not really possible at all AFAIK - or at least it would destroy almost all features added to it. Also if you're trying to change drivers that are otherwise not available to your current software, they are mostly heavily encrypted - so no go there. C4Z drivers are generally created using a newer, separate program available to dealers and developers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 The .c4i format is a self-contained XML-based format. It uses the CDATA method to encapsulate the Lua script (if a DriverWorks driver) into the XML. It only contains a driver description (XML) and code (Lua). The .c4z format is a 'container-type' format. That is, the .c4z is actually a .zip file that possibly contains many files. At a minimum, the .c4z contains driver.xml and driver.lua files, which are basically the XML and Lua parts of a .c4i. Additionally, the .c4z can contain: * An encrypted driver.lua file, using more secure encryption than the previous .c4i encryption* Additional Lua files that are included by the main .lua code, allowing for more modular code* Icons and other graphic files used by new proxies (like the MSP proxy, for example)* Driver documentation in RTF format, as opposed to the text-based documentation format within the XML* Firmware files, other binary files needed to support the device* Any other files needed by the driver Because of the container-like nature, .c4z files are much more flexible, and will allow Control4 drivers to include more features and more functionality, along with a newer, better encryption scheme and some other benefits. If you had a .c4z that *only* contained the driver.lua and driver.xml files, and did not require any additional functionality outside of a standard .c4i, you could hand-convert it to a .c4i. Any .c4i can be hand-converted to a .c4z. There's really no need to convert between .c4i and .c4z files, as long as you're running a recent version of the Control4 OS. If you're running an older version that does not support .c4z files, many .c4z files will not be able to work for you, as if they're encrypted (as any 3rd-party driver will be), there's no way to convert them to .c4i. There are no tools by Control4 to convert between .c4i and .c4z. As Cyknight mentioned above, Control4 provides tools to create / package both .c4i and .c4z files. RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jig4rJoon Posted September 28, 2015 Author Share Posted September 28, 2015 The .c4i format is a self-contained XML-based format. It uses the CDATA method to encapsulate the Lua script (if a DriverWorks driver) into the XML. It only contains a driver description (XML) and code (Lua). The .c4z format is a 'container-type' format. That is, the .c4z is actually a .zip file that possibly contains many files. At a minimum, the .c4z contains driver.xml and driver.lua files, which are basically the XML and Lua parts of a .c4i. Additionally, the .c4z can contain: * An encrypted driver.lua file, using more secure encryption than the previous .c4i encryption.......As Cyknight mentioned above, Control4 provides tools to create / package both .c4i and .c4z files. RyanEthank you for the reply 1- How to create "driver.lua" file ?2- Encryption is important for me. if C4Z files are more secure I would like to use them, so what is the tool for encryption ? (do you mean DriverEditor)3- As I understand for C4Z file we need 1-driver.xml and 2-driver.lua, so what are they ?4- Can I use Driverworks functions to create a C4Z driver ? tnx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted September 28, 2015 Share Posted September 28, 2015 DriverEditor v3 will create .c4z files. You should get it the same place you get previous DriverEditor versions. RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meridian Posted March 26, 2016 Share Posted March 26, 2016 we made the converter check this post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceInfinity Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 On 3/26/2016 at 2:56 AM, meridian said: we made the converter check this post Do you deal with any of the encryption? I don't think there is much point really if it's just for IR c4i drivers that aren't encrypted. The output c4z format I don't think would provide any further benefit. I know firsthand how poor the c4i encryption is, so that is the main reason why I like the c4z format, but I'm sure there is a way to encrypt to the c4z format if you didn't use Driverworks after the fact (which I think should be possible, but I haven't really developed my own driver yet so I'm unsure). Other than that, the difference is really just -- "Do you want the driver in a zip folder or all in one XML file?" I haven't done any benchmarks, but perhaps the c4z format might be less load on the controller, who knows. The contents of the Lua are stored as Base64 after any encryption if there is any, so that decoding has to happen after the CDATA is parsed from the XML structure. On the other hand, decompression of the zip archive needs to happen at some point for the c4z format to be parsed and executed if there's a *.lua file in there. Either way, I would imagine with the flexibility of the c4z format that this would end up saving on disk space on the controller too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meridian Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 BAs you add icons the size increase. In the controller the driver is decompressed On C4z is the the encryption the main reason. OK some new features as been added. They pack the driver for easy use all is inside a single file . CPU load ? If you have the key decrypt is fast and easy . As old encryption as been discovered they change it and now you got this new driver. The new are only encryption and icons. User is happy for icons and driver producer for tough encryption. The converter is oriented to easily change from c4I to c4z it drivers 90% of them are on navigator visible to user like DVD TV VCR satellite .... you can use fore some net driver like camera but no icon is visible only in composer. We also are thinking to make a public repository for driver as at the moment is missing only certified driver are there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.