Trouble using Xsim software

[Ilovspkrs]

I'm having quite a bit of trouble using xsim program. I make my measurements using Room EQ wizard--which saves the files with a .mdat file extension name. I rename the files with a .frd file extension name so that Xsim will recognize the files for use in the program-- but every time I try to load a file into Xsim, it give me a "file loading error" message. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for any help you can provide.

Bob M

[jhollander]

Save the file as a .txt file and post here. Chances are there is some junk at the top few rows of data that is causing a problem. Someone with REW knowledge may know a better way to export the file.

[dcibel]

Mdat file is not an FRD, it’s a proprietary format for REW that contains a lot more information that just a single frequency response. You must export frequency response from REW for use in other applications.

[Ilovspkrs]

Thanks for your replies-- When you say "You must export frequency response from REW for use in other applications." , You mean that files from REW are totally incompatible with Xsim and therefore cannot be used with the Xsim program. So if I want to use Xsim, I'll have to get a different measrement system--such as Omni Mic Thanks Again

[Ilovspkrs]

Hold on-- I think I've discovered my problem-- I did not export the measurement from REW as a TEXT file. If you save the file in the .mdat format, and only change the file extension name, it will not load into Xsim. I've discovered if you open the .mdat file up with Notepad, it loads what looks like undecipherable jibberish. This is why Xsim was giving me the "file loading error" message. When the mdat file is exported as a TEXT file and then is opened in notepad, there are quite a few lines of descriptions about the measurement in addition to the actual columns of numbers that represent the freq response. My initial experience shows that these lines of text descriptions do NOT interfere with Xsim loading and accepting the files into the program. Also, it is important that after the file is exported and saved as a text file, then it is necessary to RENAME the file extension to ".frd" so that Xsim will recognize this as a usable file.

I know I get kind of wordy, but I'm hoping that this might help someone else who might be having the same problem. I am not very skilled at file handling (as you might be able to guess) and I need real explicit directions. Thanks again for your help-- I appreciate those who will share their knowledge with dummies like me.

[ernperkins]

Think of the .mdat file as the binary form that REW uses. If you have 100 measurements all of them are stored in the .mdat along with all the other settings that REW needs to restore the project. Also, when you export a single measurement just include the .frd in the file name. The default line comment character in .frd files is the asterisk (e.g. *). If it appears in column 1 most programs will recognize it as a comment line and ignore it.

[DeZZar]

...then it is necessary to RENAME the file extension to ".frd" so that Xsim will recognize this as a usable file.

Within REW you simply select the measurement you want to export. Go File > Export > Export measurement as text. Set the frequency range, smoothing etc and click save. When the File Save dialog appears, you just need to name the file as {your chosen file name}.frd

Its important to understand that .frd is simply a text file - the different file extension is simply about naming conventions, software association and identification. If you don't add the .frd yourself when naming the file REW will just revert to the standard text file extension of .txt.

Software like VituixCAD will accept both txt or frd.