Provided by: libvideo-fourcc-info-perl_1.005-2_all 
NAME
Video::FourCC::Info - Perl module to retrieve information about FourCCs
VERSION
Version 1.005 ($Id: Info.pm 10585 2009-12-22 02:50:06Z FREQUENCY@cpan.org $)
DESCRIPTION
In order for video players to detect the algorithm required to decode a given video file, a four-byte
sequence called a Four Character Code is written somewhere in the header of the file. This ensures that
the detected codec format is independent of the file extension, which may be incorrect due to human error
or for some other reason.
This is similar to the four-byte "magic number" used by the UNIX file(1) command to roughly determine a
file format.
Most applications seem to treat this as a case insensitive code. As a result, internally, your given
FourCC's will be silently converted to uppercase.
SYNOPSIS
use Video::FourCC::Info;
my $codec = Video::FourCC::Info->new('DIV3');
printf "Codec description: %s\n", $codec->description;
COMPATIBILITY
This module was tested under Perl 5.10.0, using Debian Linux. However, because it's Pure Perl and doesn't
do anything too obscure, it should be compatible with any version of Perl that supports its prerequisite
modules.
If you encounter any problems on a different version or architecture, please contact the maintainer.
METHODS
new
Video::FourCC::Info->new( $fourcc )
Creates a "Video::FourCC::Info" object, which provides information about the given Four Character Code.
If the code does not exist in the database, it will return an error.
Example code:
my $codec = Video::FourCC::Info->new('DIV3');
This method will return an appropriate Video::FourCC::Info object or throw an exception on error.
describe
Video::FourCC::Info->describe( $fourcc )
This is really just a shortcut to grab the short description of a codec given a Four Character Code as
input. Note that this is a class method, not an object method.
Example code:
my $codec_desc = Video::FourCC::Info->describe('DIV3');
Internally, this method creates a temporary object and returns the description, destroying the object due
to falling out of scope. If you already have a "Video::FourCC::Info" object, then the description
accessor will provide better performance.
Note, that just like "new", this class method may throw an exception if the Four Character Code does not
exist in the database.
Remember that this value could be "undef" if the information is unknown.
description
$codec->description( )
This returns the short description of the codec. It may be "undef" if there is no description in the
database.
Example code:
my $codec_desc = $codec->description;
Remember that this value could be "undef" if the information is unknown.
registered
$codec->registered( )
This returns the short description of the codec. It may be "undef" if there is no description in the
database.
If "DateTime" is installed, then this will be a DateTime object. Otherwise, it will simply be a string in
the format "yyyy-mm-dd".
Example code:
my $registered = $codec->registered;
Remember that this value could be "undef" if the information is unknown.
owner
$codec->owner( )
This returns the name of the corporation or other entity that owns the FourCC. Generally, this seems to
be an ad-hoc standard, so it's a listing of the first entity known to use the given FourCC.
Example code:
my $owner_name = $codec->owner;
Remember that this value could be "undef" if the information is unknown.
code
$codec->code( )
This returns the Four Character Code corresponding to the current "Video::FourCC::Info" object.
Example code:
my $fourcc = $codec->fourcc;
AUTHOR
Jonathan Yu <jawnsy@cpan.org>
CONTRIBUTORS
Your name here ;-)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• Thanks to Allen Day <allenday@ucla.edu> and Benjamin R. Ginter <bginter@asicommunications.com>,
developers of Video::Info, which inspired the creation of this module.
SUPPORT
You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command.
perldoc Video::FourCC::Info
You can also look for information at:
• AnnoCPAN: Annotated CPAN documentation
<http://annocpan.org/dist/Video-FourCC-Info>
• CPAN Ratings
<http://cpanratings.perl.org/d/Video-FourCC-Info>
• Search CPAN
<http://search.cpan.org/dist/Video-FourCC-Info>
• CPAN Request Tracker
<http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/Bugs.html?Dist=Video-FourCC-Info>
• CPAN Testing Service (Kwalitee Tests)
<http://cpants.perl.org/dist/overview/Video-FourCC-Info>
FEEDBACK
Please send relevant comments, rotten tomatoes and suggestions directly to the maintainer noted above.
If you have a bug report or feature request, please file them on the CPAN Request Tracker at
<http://rt.cpan.org>. If you are able to submit your bug report in the form of failing unit tests, you
are strongly encouraged to do so.
SEE ALSO
Video::Info, a module for extracting information like the Four Character Code from arbitrary files.
CAVEATS
KNOWN BUGS
There are no known bugs as of this release.
LIMITATIONS
• This module has not been tested very thoroughly with Unicode.
DATA SOURCE
The FourCC database of owner and descriptions come from data extracted from GSpot v2.70a, a freeware
Codec Information utility. The registration dates come courtesy of Microsoft Corporation, accessed online
at: <http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms867195.aspx#fourcccodes>
LICENSE
In a perfect world, I could just say that this package and all of the code it contains is Public Domain.
It's a bit more complicated than that; you'll have to read the included LICENSE file to get the full
details.
DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY
The software is provided "AS IS", without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not
limited to the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and noninfringement. In no
event shall the authors or copyright holders be liable for any claim, damages or other liability, whether
in an action of contract, tort or otherwise, arising from, out of or in connection with the software or
the use or other dealings in the software.