pyavc

pyavc is a Python library that allows you to convert DOCX or TXT files into Avid Script (.avc) files. It can be used both as a command-line tool and as a library within your Python scripts.

This project is not affiliated with Avid or Avid Media Composer, it is simply an open source helper library to make fellow AEs' lives a bit easier.

Installation

To install pyavc, you can use pip3:

pip3 install pyavc

Import Syntax

Use the following syntax to import the functionality into your Python script:

from avc.core import convert

Usage

As a Python Library

The main (and only) method provided is convert. It allows you to convert a DOCX or TXT file and save the result to a specified output directory.

convert(filepath, output_dir, output_name=None, text_width=80)

Parameters

• filepath (os.Path): The path to the input DOCX or TXT file. If using a TXT file, it must be encoded as UTF-8.
• output_dir (os.Path): The path to the output directory where the converted file will be saved.
• output_name (str, optional): The name of the output file (without extension). If not provided, the output file will be named based on the input file name. Whether this argument is provided or not, pyavc will never overwrite existing files, but will append consecutive numbers to the end of the file name.
• text_width (int, optional): The maximum length, in characters, before a line break is inserted. By default, it is set to 80 characters. This is done to avoid the classic issue of entire paragraphs being read as a single line.

Example Usage

from avc.core import convert

# Convert a TXT file and save the output
convert('/path/to/input.txt', '/path/to/output/dir')

# Convert a DOCX file and specify a custom output name
convert('/path/to/input.docx', '/path/to/output/dir', output_name='custom_name')

Command-Line Usage

pyavc can also be used from the command line to quickly convert files.

Syntax

pyavc -i <path-to-input-file> -o <path-to-output-dir> [-n <output-name>] [-t <text-width>]

Parameters

• -i, --input: Path to the input DOCX or TXT file.
• -o, --output_dir: Path to the output directory where the converted file will be saved.
• -n, --output_name: (Optional) Name of the output file (without extension). If not provided, the output file will be named based on the input file name.
• text_width (int, optional): The maximum length, in characters, before a line break is inserted. By default, it is set to 80 characters.

Example Commands

# Convert a TXT file and save the output
pyavc -i /path/to/input.txt -o /path/to/output/dir

# Convert a DOCX file and specify a custom output name
pyavc -i /path/to/input.docx -o /path/to/output/dir -n custom_name

# Convert a DOCX file and specify a custom output name plus custom text width
pyavc -i /path/to/input.docx -o /path/to/output/dir -n custom_name -t text-width

License

This project is licensed under the GPL 3.0 License. See the LICENSE file for more details.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please open an issue or submit a pull request with any improvements or suggestions. I am but a humble assistant editor and programming is more a hobby than a profession, so I'm always open to feedback.

Some Notes

This library is still in the 'finishing touches' phase, and as always, there may be undiscovered bugs.

Acknowledgments

pyavc would not be possible without the pyavb library by markreidvfx, which provided so many useful hints. As it turns out, AVC files are constructed much like AVB files. Who would have thought?