Application compatibility

[Coerce]

Forgive me as this may seem like a really silly question but...
Is it possible to port multi-track files recorded say in a program like Logic Audio to another program such as n-tracks (or digital performer or ...it doesn't really matter)? I'm talking a digital transfer here not D/A back to D.

I'm a taped based guy so I don't have a lot of experience with DAWs. My guess is that each program uses a proprietary coding of the files which makes them non-transferable but then I began thinking that there are conversion programs out there that allow mac files to be read and used on a PC platform and vice versa. Didn't know if it was the same with audio applications.

Is there special hardware that is needed?

Thanks for entertaining this basic question...

[DAS]

In most cases this is easier than you probably think. Generally the audio files that a program like Logic makes can be directly opened in another program on the same type of computer. The Mac generally works in SDII or AIFF files across most of the programs, and the PC uses .wav files. Many programs on the Mac can also read .wav files just fine, and I presume many PC programs can work with SDII or AIFF files (statement qualified because I'm not really a PC expert). Certainly if you are staying on the same computer this isn't going to be an issue on all the professional programs I know of.

That does not mean, however, that your session file, which is the file that contains information about all of your edits, can be transferred. That can be more involved. If that's where you are going you should probably talk to a Sweetwater Sales Engineer to discuss more specifically what you want to do.

[Futureman]

yes, you cant open a cubase file with protools, and vice versa, but the all audio files are universally accepted. in fact .aiff and .wav are exactly the same type of audio file, just with a different header, or something like that. learned that one from the insync newsletters.:D

[Wingman]

You'll need to understand how your particular software handles audio files, but yes. Once you learn a piece of software, it's quite simple to understand how you'd get your audio to another software package.