TP-7 Utility

A native macOS application for converting between Teenage Engineerings TP-7 multitrack format and individual WAV files.

Features

• Smart Auto-Detection: Automatically detects whether to export or import based on dropped files
• Export: Convert TP-7 multitrack recordings (2-12 channels) into individual stereo wav files
• Import: Combine up to 6 stereo wav files into a single TP-7 compatible multitrack file
• Native Swift App: No external dependencies, uses Core Audio APIs
• Drag & Drop Interface: Simple interface with automatic file type detection
• Finder Integration: Automatically opens results in Finder after conversion

Getting Started

Prerequisites

• macOS 13.0 or later
• Xcode (for Swift compiler)
• For code signing: Active Apple Developer Program membership

Setting Up Code Signing (Required)

To build and sign the app, you need an Apple Developer account:

1. Get Apple Developer Program Membership

   • Visit https://developer.apple.com/programs/
   • Enroll in the Apple Developer Program ($99/year)

2. Download Developer ID Application Certificate

   • Open Xcode → Settings → Accounts
   • Add your Apple ID and select your team
   • Click "Manage Certificates..."
   • Click "+" and select "Developer ID Application"
   • This downloads the certificate needed for app distribution

3. Create Configuration File

   cp .env.example .env

4. Edit .env with Your Details

   # Find your certificate name
   security find-identity -v -p codesigning
   
   # Find your team ID at https://developer.apple.com/account

   Update .env with your information:

   DEVELOPER_ID="Developer ID Application: Your Name (TEAM_ID)"
   TEAM_ID="YOUR_TEAM_ID"
   APPLE_ID="your.email@example.com"
   NOTARIZATION_PROFILE="your-notarization-profile"
   

Building the App

./build-app.sh

This creates a properly signed TP-7 Utility.app with no external dependencies.

Optional: Notarization (Recommended)

For the best user experience (no security warnings):

1. Create App-Specific Password

   • Go to https://appleid.apple.com/account/manage
   • Generate app-specific password for "TP7 Notarization"

2. Store Notarization Credentials

   xcrun notarytool store-credentials "TP7-notarization" \
       --apple-id "your.email@example.com" \
       --team-id "YOUR_TEAM_ID" \
       --password "your-app-specific-password"

3. Build and Notarize

   ./build-app.sh    # Build and sign
   ./notarize.sh     # Submit for notarization

This creates distribution-ready TP-7_Utility_NOTARIZED.dmg and .zip files.

Using the App

1. Launch the App

   • Notarized version: Double-click to launch immediately
   • Signed but not notarized: Right-click → "Open" → "Open" (first time only)

2. Convert Files

   • Drag and drop files onto the window:
     • Single multitrack file: Automatically exports to individual stereo tracks
     • Multiple stereo files: Automatically imports to create TP-7 multitrack format
   • Choose the output location when prompted
   • Finder opens automatically to show your converted files

Technical Implementation

TP-7 Format Specifications

• Storage: Multitrack recordings as single WAV files with 2-12 channels (1-6 stereo tracks)
• Format: 24-bit, 48kHz (import creates TP-7 compatible 24-bit files)
• Channel Layout: Interleaved stereo pairs (L1,R1,L2,R2,...) up to 6 tracks maximum
• Compatibility: Import always creates 12-channel files for full TP-7 compatibility

Key Technical Features

1. Memory Efficient Processing:

   • Chunked processing (8192 frames) prevents memory overflow
   • Heap allocation for large audio buffers
   • Handles long recordings (4+ minutes) reliably

2. Format Compatibility:

   • Uses ExtAudioFile API for robust format support
   • Export: Creates 16-bit wav files for broad compatibility
   • Import: Creates 24-bit, 12-channel files exactly as TP-7 expects

3. Smart File Detection:

   • Automatically analyzes audio files to determine operation
   • No manual mode switching required
   • Supports various input formats

Architecture

TP-7 Utility.app/
├── SwiftUI Interface (ContentView.swift)
├── Audio Processing Engine (AudioProcessor.swift)
└── Core Audio APIs (ExtAudioFile)

Requirements

• macOS 13.0 or later
• Swift (for building from source)
• No additional runtime dependencies

Distribution

Code Signing Requirements

This project requires proper code signing for distribution:

• Developer ID Application certificate is required to build
• Notarization is recommended for the best user experience
• The build process will fail without proper Apple Developer credentials

For Contributors

To contribute to this project, you need:

1. Apple Developer Program membership
2. Developer ID Application certificate
3. Configured .env file (see setup instructions above)

Without these, the build script will exit with an error to prevent unsigned builds.