[Feature Request] Decrypt and keep structure intact

Anything and everything to do with DCP-o-matic.
IoannisSyrogiannis
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 8:40 pm

[Feature Request] Decrypt and keep structure intact

Post by IoannisSyrogiannis »

I am looking for my credentials for mantis. Until then, I thought of using the forum for the request.

In the past, I came to need to decrypt DCPs, in order to archive them. In most cases, the structure was the simplest, like making a one reel DCP out of DCP-o-matic. On some others, there might have been multi-reel CPLs with VFs or packaged multi-CPL DCPs.
On the latter, I was sometimes using the Dolby Cineasset. A program to which I have no access any more. The reason was that I wanted to keep the structure intact, with all the reels and headers and feet, and that was the only way.

What I would like, would be to be able to do exactly that. Essentially, to be able to get (mostly make, since those are DCPs made and versioned for the organization I work for) a DKDM, and keep the CPL/PKL structure the same, with the important difference, of having the essences (video, audio, subtitles, in case of SMPTE) non-encrypted.
Decrypting is a one-way street, if someone wants to keep an archive of a DCP that will outlast the theatrical releases and keeping the structure intact goes a long way on archiving, as it's not only what is shown on screen that has value.

I am sure that people who have experience on the matter will want to explain to me that:
1) Apart from encryption, long term storage will eventually affect signatures.
2) DCP-o-matic is not built on a way that favors non-destructive editing or headers, feet, china girls etc.

I am aware. What I am asking essentially, is for DCP-o-matic giving me the ability to (a) decrypt the full essences, without discarding non-shown parts of the files, and then, (b) retaining the characteristics of the CPLs.
With the first part (a) to be the most important, as, for the second, I could maybe edit the original .xmls manually(?).
But, then again, if I could automate the second part as well, would be a huge time-saver.
I believe that both parts may be achieved without huge changes on how DCP-o-matic works, and I am certain that some of us will be gratefully benefited by such a feature.
@Carl, give it a thought
carl
Site Admin
Posts: 2548
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2013 2:53 pm

Re: [Feature Request] Decrypt and keep structure intact

Post by carl »

Hi Ioannis,

As you say the main DCP-o-matic is sadly not well-arranged for operations like this, but I think it could make sense in one of the other tools (perhaps the editor or map). Would a CLI or GUI tool be best for you?
IoannisSyrogiannis
Posts: 184
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 8:40 pm

Re: [Feature Request] Decrypt and keep structure intact

Post by IoannisSyrogiannis »

Thank you Carl, for the consideration.
Either CLI or GUI, as long as CLI is well documented, with example lines etc.
I expect to do a number of DCPs, but I don't expect to create scripts, to automate.
Carsten
Posts: 2804
Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:11 pm
Location: Germany

Re: [Feature Request] Decrypt and keep structure intact

Post by Carsten »

Wouldn't this be possible with some ASDCPLIB+scripting?
carl
Site Admin
Posts: 2548
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2013 2:53 pm

Re: [Feature Request] Decrypt and keep structure intact

Post by carl »

Perhaps. I think extracting the key from the KDM would be the fiddly part.