Task 018: .AGR File Format

Analysis of .AGR File Format Specifications

The .AGR file extension is not associated with a single, standardized file format but is used by multiple applications for different purposes. Based on available information, .AGR files are primarily linked to the following contexts:

Ableton Groove File (Audio Files):

• Used by Ableton Live, a digital audio workstation (DAW).
• Stores groove data, which defines the "feel" of a musical pattern by specifying timing definitions (e.g., swing, drive, or rhythmic feel) to modify audio clips.
• Likely a proprietary binary format, specific to Ableton Live.
• Category: Audio Files.
• MIME Type: application/octet-stream.
• Supported Platforms: Windows, Mac OS.

Grace ASCII Import Wizard Project (Project Files):

• Associated with Grace, an open-source 2D plotting tool for Unix-like systems.
• Stores project data, including data points, plot settings, and instructions for rendering graphs.
• Likely text-based or structured ASCII format.
• Category: Project Files.
• MIME Type: application/octet-stream.
• Supported Platforms: Unix-like systems, cross-platform.

ESRI ArcGIS ASCII Grid (GIS Files):

• Used by ESRI ArcGIS Desktop for geographic information system (GIS) data.
• Stores ASCII grid data for spatial analysis, representing geographic information.
• Text-based format, typically structured as a grid of values.
• Category: GIS Files.
• MIME Type: application/octet-stream.
• Supported Platforms: Windows.

APM Graph (Vector Image Files):

• Associated with APM Graph, a computer-aided design (CAD) tool for Windows.
• Contains vector graphics data.
• Likely a proprietary format.
• Category: Vector Image Files.
• MIME Type: application/octet-stream.
• Supported Platforms: Windows.

Aepryus Graph (Data/Image Files):

• Used by Aepryus Software for storing graph or image data.
• Likely a proprietary format, possibly used as a screen saver or image file.
• Category: Data Files or Image Files.
• MIME Type: application/aepgraph.
• Supported Platforms: Not widely specified, likely Windows.

Challenges and Assumptions

• Lack of Unified Specification: The .AGR extension is not a single standard; its structure varies by application. Detailed format specifications (e.g., byte-level structure, headers, or encoding) are not publicly documented for most of these formats, especially proprietary ones like Ableton Groove or APM Graph.
• Proprietary Formats: Ableton Groove and APM Graph files are likely binary and proprietary, making it difficult to decode without reverse-engineering or official documentation from the developers.
• Text-Based Formats: Grace and ESRI ArcGIS ASCII Grid files are likely text-based, but their exact structure (e.g., key-value pairs, headers, or grid layouts) requires specific software to interpret correctly.
• Implementation Approach: Since precise specifications are unavailable, I will focus on a generic approach to handle .AGR files, assuming they are either text-based (for Grace and ESRI) or binary (for Ableton and others). The code will attempt to open and read the file, identify its type based on content or metadata, and extract properties where possible. For writing, the code will create a minimal .AGR file compatible with the assumed format.

Task 1: List of Properties Intrinsic to .AGR File Format

Since .AGR is not a single format, the properties depend on the specific application. Below is a generalized list of properties intrinsic to the file system for .AGR files, based on their common uses:

1. File Extension: .agr
2. MIME Type: Typically application/octet-stream (or application/aepgraph for Aepryus Graph).
3. File Type Category:

• Audio Files (Ableton Groove).
• Project Files (Grace ASCII Import Wizard).
• GIS Files (ESRI ArcGIS ASCII Grid).
• Vector Image Files (APM Graph).
• Data/Image Files (Aepryus Graph).

1. File Structure:

• Text-based (Grace, ESRI ArcGIS): ASCII-encoded, structured as key-value pairs, data points, or grid layouts.
• Binary (Ableton, APM Graph, Aepryus): Proprietary binary format, potentially including headers, metadata, and compressed data.

1. File Size: Varies depending on content (e.g., small for groove data, larger for GIS grids or vector graphics).
2. Creation/Modification Date: Standard filesystem metadata (platform-dependent).
3. File Permissions: Read/write permissions, platform-dependent.
4. Associated Application:

• Ableton Live (for Groove files).
• Grace (for plotting projects).
• ESRI ArcGIS Desktop (for GIS data).
• APM Graph (for vector graphics).
• Aepryus Software (for graph/image data).

1. Content Type:

• Groove data (timing definitions, rhythmic patterns).
• Plot data (data points, plot settings, graph instructions).
• GIS data (grid-based spatial data).
• Vector graphics (lines, shapes, coordinates).
• Graph/image data (proprietary data structures).

1. Encoding: ASCII/UTF-8 for text-based formats; unknown for binary formats.
2. Platform Compatibility: Windows, Mac OS, Unix-like systems (varies by application).
3. File Path/Location: User-defined or default (e.g., Ableton Live’s “Grooves” folder).

Task 2: Python Class for .AGR File Handling

Below is a Python class that attempts to open, read, write, and print properties of an .AGR file. It includes basic detection to differentiate between text-based (Grace, ESRI) and binary formats (Ableton, APM Graph).

import os
import sys
import magic
from datetime import datetime

class AGRFileHandler:
    def __init__(self, filepath):
        self.filepath = filepath
        self.properties = {}
        self.content = None
        self.is_binary = False

    def detect_file_type(self):
        """Detect if the file is text or binary using python-magic."""
        try:
            mime = magic.Magic(mime=True)
            mime_type = mime.from_file(self.filepath)
            self.properties['MIME Type'] = mime_type
            self.is_binary = 'text' not in mime_type
            self.properties['File Type Category'] = (
                'Audio Files' if 'ableton' in self.filepath.lower() or mime_type == 'application/octet-stream'
                else 'Project Files' if 'grace' in self.filepath.lower()
                else 'GIS Files' if 'arcgis' in self.filepath.lower()
                else 'Vector Image Files' if 'apm' in self.filepath.lower()
                else 'Data/Image Files'
            )
        except Exception as e:
            print(f"Error detecting file type: {e}")
            self.properties['MIME Type'] = 'application/octet-stream'
            self.properties['File Type Category'] = 'Unknown'

    def read_file(self):
        """Read the .AGR file content."""
        try:
            if self.is_binary:
                with open(self.filepath, 'rb') as f:
                    self.content = f.read(1024)  # Read first 1KB for inspection
                    self.properties['Content Preview'] = f'Binary data (first 1024 bytes): {self.content[:50].hex()}...'
            else:
                with open(self.filepath, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
                    self.content = f.read()
                    self.properties['Content Preview'] = self.content[:100] + '...' if len(self.content) > 100 else self.content
        except Exception as e:
            print(f"Error reading file: {e}")
            self.content = None
            self.properties['Content Preview'] = 'Unable to read content'

    def write_file(self, content=None):
        """Write a minimal .AGR file (text-based for simplicity)."""
        try:
            if content is None:
                content = "# Sample .AGR file\n# Generated by AGRFileHandler\nkey=value\n" if not self.is_binary else b'\x00\x00'
            mode = 'wb' if self.is_binary else 'w'
            with open(self.filepath, mode) as f:
                f.write(content)
            print(f"Successfully wrote to {self.filepath}")
        except Exception as e:
            print(f"Error writing file: {e}")

    def get_properties(self):
        """Collect and return file properties."""
        self.properties['File Extension'] = '.agr'
        self.properties['File Path'] = self.filepath
        self.properties['File Size'] = os.path.getsize(self.filepath) if os.path.exists(self.filepath) else 0
        self.properties['Creation Date'] = datetime.fromtimestamp(os.path.getctime(self.filepath)).strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S') if os.path.exists(self.filepath) else 'N/A'
        self.properties['Modification Date'] = datetime.fromtimestamp(os.path.getmtime(self.filepath)).strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S') if os.path.exists(self.filepath) else 'N/A'
        self.properties['File Permissions'] = oct(os.stat(self.filepath).st_mode)[-3:] if os.path.exists(self.filepath) else 'N/A'
        self.properties['Encoding'] = 'ASCII/UTF-8' if not self.is_binary else 'Binary'
        self.properties['Associated Application'] = (
            'Ableton Live' if self.properties.get('File Type Category') == 'Audio Files'
            else 'Grace' if self.properties.get('File Type Category') == 'Project Files'
            else 'ESRI ArcGIS Desktop' if self.properties.get('File Type Category') == 'GIS Files'
            else 'APM Graph' if self.properties.get('File Type Category') == 'Vector Image Files'
            else 'Aepryus Software'
        )
        self.detect_file_type()
        self.read_file()
        return self.properties

    def print_properties(self):
        """Print all properties to console."""
        properties = self.get_properties()
        print("\n.AGR File Properties:")
        for key, value in properties.items():
            print(f"{key}: {value}")

# Example usage
if __name__ == "__main__":
    # Replace with actual .AGR file path
    agr_file = AGRFileHandler("sample.agr")
    agr_file.print_properties()
    agr_file.write_file()  # Write a sample .AGR file

Notes:

• Requires the python-magic library (pip install python-magic-bin on Windows or python-magic on Unix-like systems) for MIME type detection.
• The class assumes text-based .AGR files (e.g., Grace, ESRI) are ASCII/UTF-8 encoded and provides a preview of content.
• For binary files (e.g., Ableton Groove), it reads the first 1KB as a hex string due to proprietary formats.
• Writing creates a minimal text-based .AGR file or a binary placeholder, as exact format specs are unavailable.

Task 3: Java Class for .AGR File Handling

Below is a Java class that handles .AGR files similarly, with basic detection and property extraction.

import java.io.*;
import java.nio.file.*;
import java.nio.file.attribute.*;
import java.util.*;

public class AGRFileHandler {
    private String filepath;
    private Map<String, String> properties;
    private String content;
    private boolean isBinary;

    public AGRFileHandler(String filepath) {
        this.filepath = filepath;
        this.properties = new HashMap<>();
        this.content = null;
        this.isBinary = false;
    }

    private void detectFileType() {
        try {
            String mimeType = Files.probeContentType(Paths.get(filepath));
            properties.put("MIME Type", mimeType != null ? mimeType : "application/octet-stream");
            isBinary = !properties.get("MIME Type").contains("text");
            properties.put("File Type Category",
                filepath.toLowerCase().contains("ableton") ? "Audio Files" :
                filepath.toLowerCase().contains("grace") ? "Project Files" :
                filepath.toLowerCase().contains("arcgis") ? "GIS Files" :
                filepath.toLowerCase().contains("apm") ? "Vector Image Files" : "Data/Image Files");
        } catch (IOException e) {
            System.err.println("Error detecting file type: " + e.getMessage());
            properties.put("MIME Type", "application/octet-stream");
            properties.put("File Type Category", "Unknown");
        }
    }

    public void readFile() {
        try {
            if (isBinary) {
                try (FileInputStream fis = new FileInputStream(filepath)) {
                    byte[] buffer = new byte[1024];
                    int bytesRead = fis.read(buffer);
                    String hex = bytesToHex(buffer, bytesRead);
                    properties.put("Content Preview", "Binary data (first 1024 bytes): " + hex.substring(0, Math.min(50, hex.length())) + "...");
                }
            } else {
                content = new String(Files.readAllBytes(Paths.get(filepath)), "UTF-8");
                properties.put("Content Preview", content.length() > 100 ? content.substring(0, 100) + "..." : content);
            }
        } catch (IOException e) {
            System.err.println("Error reading file: " + e.getMessage());
            properties.put("Content Preview", "Unable to read content");
        }
    }

    public void writeFile(String content) {
        try {
            if (content == null) {
                content = isBinary ? "\0\0" : "# Sample .AGR file\n# Generated by AGRFileHandler\nkey=value\n";
            }
            Files.write(Paths.get(filepath), isBinary ? content.getBytes() : content.getBytes("UTF-8"));
            System.out.println("Successfully wrote to " + filepath);
        } catch (IOException e) {
            System.err.println("Error writing file: " + e.getMessage());
        }
    }

    private String bytesToHex(byte[] bytes, int length) {
        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
        for (int i = 0; i < length; i++) {
            sb.append(String.format("%02x", bytes[i]));
        }
        return sb.toString();
    }

    public Map<String, String> getProperties() {
        try {
            Path path = Paths.get(filepath);
            properties.put("File Extension", ".agr");
            properties.put("File Path", filepath);
            properties.put("File Size", String.valueOf(Files.size(path)));
            BasicFileAttributes attrs = Files.readAttributes(path, BasicFileAttributes.class);
            properties.put("Creation Date", attrs.creationTime().toString());
            properties.put("Modification Date", attrs.lastModifiedTime().toString());
            properties.put("File Permissions", Files.getPosixFilePermissions(path).toString());
            properties.put("Encoding", isBinary ? "Binary" : "ASCII/UTF-8");
            properties.put("Associated Application",
                properties.get("File Type Category").equals("Audio Files") ? "Ableton Live" :
                properties.get("File Type Category").equals("Project Files") ? "Grace" :
                properties.get("File Type Category").equals("GIS Files") ? "ESRI ArcGIS Desktop" :
                properties.get("File Type Category").equals("Vector Image Files") ? "APM Graph" : "Aepryus Software");
            detectFileType();
            readFile();
        } catch (IOException e) {
            System.err.println("Error retrieving properties: " + e.getMessage());
        }
        return properties;
    }

    public void printProperties() {
        System.out.println("\n.AGR File Properties:");
        getProperties().forEach((key, value) -> System.out.println(key + ": " + value));
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Replace with actual .AGR file path
        AGRFileHandler agrFile = new AGRFileHandler("sample.agr");
        agrFile.printProperties();
        agrFile.writeFile(null); // Write a sample .AGR file
    }
}

Notes:

• Uses Java’s Files.probeContentType for MIME type detection, though it may not be as reliable as python-magic.
• Handles text and binary files similarly to the Python implementation.
• Writing creates a minimal text-based or binary .AGR file.

Task 4: JavaScript Class for .AGR File Handling

Below is a JavaScript class using Node.js for file handling, as browser-based JavaScript has limited filesystem access.

const fs = require('fs').promises;
const path = require('path');
const mime = require('mime-types');

class AGRFileHandler {
    constructor(filepath) {
        this.filepath = filepath;
        this.properties = {};
        this.content = null;
        this.isBinary = false;
    }

    async detectFileType() {
        try {
            const mimeType = mime.lookup(this.filepath) || 'application/octet-stream';
            this.properties['MIME Type'] = mimeType;
            this.isBinary = !mimeType.includes('text');
            this.properties['File Type Category'] = 
                this.filepath.toLowerCase().includes('ableton') ? 'Audio Files' :
                this.filepath.toLowerCase().includes('grace') ? 'Project Files' :
                this.filepath.toLowerCase().includes('arcgis') ? 'GIS Files' :
                this.filepath.toLowerCase().includes('apm') ? 'Vector Image Files' : 'Data/Image Files';
        } catch (error) {
            console.error(`Error detecting file type: ${error}`);
            this.properties['MIME Type'] = 'application/octet-stream';
            this.properties['File Type Category'] = 'Unknown';
        }
    }

    async readFile() {
        try {
            if (this.isBinary) {
                const buffer = await fs.readFile(this.filepath, { encoding: null });
                this.content = buffer;
                this.properties['Content Preview'] = `Binary data (first 1024 bytes): ${buffer.slice(0, 50).toString('hex')}...`;
            } else {
                this.content = await fs.readFile(this.filepath, 'utf8');
                this.properties['Content Preview'] = this.content.length > 100 ? this.content.substring(0, 100) + '...' : this.content;
            }
        } catch (error) {
            console.error(`Error reading file: ${error}`);
            this.properties['Content Preview'] = 'Unable to read content';
        }
    }

    async writeFile(content = null) {
        try {
            if (!content) {
                content = this.isBinary ? Buffer.from([0, 0]) : '# Sample .AGR file\n# Generated by AGRFileHandler\nkey=value\n';
            }
            await fs.writeFile(this.filepath, content);
            console.log(`Successfully wrote to ${this.filepath}`);
        } catch (error) {
            console.error(`Error writing file: ${error}`);
        }
    }

    async getProperties() {
        try {
            this.properties['File Extension'] = '.agr';
            this.properties['File Path'] = this.filepath;
            const stats = await fs.stat(this.filepath);
            this.properties['File Size'] = stats.size;
            this.properties['Creation Date'] = stats.ctime.toISOString();
            this.properties['Modification Date'] = stats.mtime.toISOString();
            this.properties['File Permissions'] = (stats.mode & 0o777).toString(8);
            this.properties['Encoding'] = this.isBinary ? 'Binary' : 'ASCII/UTF-8';
            this.properties['Associated Application'] = 
                this.properties['File Type Category'] === 'Audio Files' ? 'Ableton Live' :
                this.properties['File Type Category'] === 'Project Files' ? 'Grace' :
                this.properties['File Type Category'] === 'GIS Files' ? 'ESRI ArcGIS Desktop' :
                this.properties['File Type Category'] === 'Vector Image Files' ? 'APM Graph' : 'Aepryus Software';
            await this.detectFileType();
            await this.readFile();
            return this.properties;
        } catch (error) {
            console.error(`Error retrieving properties: ${error}`);
            return this.properties;
        }
    }

    async printProperties() {
        console.log('\n.AGR File Properties:');
        const props = await this.getProperties();
        for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(props)) {
            console.log(`${key}: ${value}`);
        }
    }
}

// Example usage
(async () => {
    const agrFile = new AGRFileHandler('sample.agr');
    await agrFile.printProperties();
    await agrFile.writeFile(); // Write a sample .AGR file
})();

Notes:

• Requires Node.js and the mime-types package (npm install mime-types).
• Uses asynchronous file operations for better performance.
• Similar logic to Python and Java, with MIME type detection and text/binary handling.

Task 5: C Class for .AGR File Handling

C does not have classes, so we use a struct with functions to mimic class behavior. Below is a C implementation.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <sys/stat.h>
#include <time.h>

#define MAX_CONTENT_PREVIEW 100
#define MAX_HEX_PREVIEW 50

typedef struct {
    char* filepath;
    char* mime_type;
    char* file_type_category;
    char* content_preview;
    char* encoding;
    char* associated_app;
    char* file_extension;
    long file_size;
    char* creation_date;
    char* modification_date;
    char* permissions;
    int is_binary;
} AGRFileHandler;

void init_agr_file_handler(AGRFileHandler* handler, const char* filepath) {
    handler->filepath = strdup(filepath);
    handler->mime_type = strdup("application/octet-stream");
    handler->file_type_category = strdup("Unknown");
    handler->content_preview = NULL;
    handler->encoding = NULL;
    handler->associated_app = NULL;
    handler->file_extension = strdup(".agr");
    handler->file_size = 0;
    handler->creation_date = NULL;
    handler->modification_date = NULL;
    handler->permissions = NULL;
    handler->is_binary = 0;
}

void detect_file_type(AGRFileHandler* handler) {
    // Simplified detection based on filename (no libmagic equivalent)
    if (strstr(handler->filepath, "ableton") || strstr(handler->filepath, "Ableton")) {
        handler->file_type_category = strdup("Audio Files");
        handler->is_binary = 1;
    } else if (strstr(handler->filepath, "grace") || strstr(handler->filepath, "Grace")) {
        handler->file_type_category = strdup("Project Files");
        handler->is_binary = 0;
    } else if (strstr(handler->filepath, "arcgis") || strstr(handler->filepath, "ArcGIS")) {
        handler->file_type_category = strdup("GIS Files");
        handler->is_binary = 0;
    } else if (strstr(handler->filepath, "apm") || strstr(handler->filepath, "APM")) {
        handler->file_type_category = strdup("Vector Image Files");
        handler->is_binary = 1;
    } else {
        handler->file_type_category = strdup("Data/Image Files");
        handler->is_binary = 1;
    }
    handler->encoding = strdup(handler->is_binary ? "Binary" : "ASCII/UTF-8");
    handler->associated_app = strdup(
        strcmp(handler->file_type_category, "Audio Files") == 0 ? "Ableton Live" :
        strcmp(handler->file_type_category, "Project Files") == 0 ? "Grace" :
        strcmp(handler->file_type_category, "GIS Files") == 0 ? "ESRI ArcGIS Desktop" :
        strcmp(handler->file_type_category, "Vector Image Files") == 0 ? "APM Graph" : "Aepryus Software");
}

void read_file(AGRFileHandler* handler) {
    FILE* file = fopen(handler->filepath, handler->is_binary ? "rb" : "r");
    if (!file) {
        handler->content_preview = strdup("Unable to read content");
        return;
    }
    if (handler->is_binary) {
        unsigned char buffer[1024];
        size_t bytes_read = fread(buffer, 1, sizeof(buffer), file);
        char* hex = malloc(MAX_HEX_PREVIEW * 2 + 4);
        for (size_t i = 0; i < bytes_read && i < MAX_HEX_PREVIEW; i++) {
            sprintf(hex + i * 2, "%02x", buffer[i]);
        }
        handler->content_preview = malloc(100);
        snprintf(handler->content_preview, 100, "Binary data (first 1024 bytes): %s...", hex);
        free(hex);
    } else {
        char buffer[MAX_CONTENT_PREVIEW + 1];
        size_t bytes_read = fread(buffer, 1, MAX_CONTENT_PREVIEW, file);
        buffer[bytes_read] = '\0';
        handler->content_preview = strdup(bytes_read >= MAX_CONTENT_PREVIEW ? strcat(buffer, "...") : buffer);
    }
    fclose(file);
}

void write_file(AGRFileHandler* handler, const char* content) {
    FILE* file = fopen(handler->filepath, handler->is_binary ? "wb" : "w");
    if (!file) {
        printf("Error writing file: %s\n", handler->filepath);
        return;
    }
    if (!content) {
        content = handler->is_binary ? "\0\0" : "# Sample .AGR file\n# Generated by AGRFileHandler\nkey=value\n";
    }
    fwrite(content, 1, strlen(content), file);
    fclose(file);
    printf("Successfully wrote to %s\n", handler->filepath);
}

void get_properties(AGRFileHandler* handler) {
    struct stat st;
    if (stat(handler->filepath, &st) == 0) {
        handler->file_size = st.st_size;
        handler->creation_date = malloc(32);
        handler->modification_date = malloc(32);
        handler->permissions = malloc(10);
        strftime(handler->creation_date, 32, "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", localtime(&st.st_ctime));
        strftime(handler->modification_date, 32, "%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S", localtime(&st.st_mtime));
        snprintf(handler->permissions, 10, "%o", st.st_mode & 0777);
    } else {
        handler->creation_date = strdup("N/A");
        handler->modification_date = strdup("N/A");
        handler->permissions = strdup("N/A");
    }
    detect_file_type(handler);
    read_file(handler);
}

void print_properties(AGRFileHandler* handler) {
    get_properties(handler);
    printf("\n.AGR File Properties:\n");
    printf("File Extension: %s\n", handler->file_extension);
    printf("File Path: %s\n", handler->filepath);
    printf("File Size: %ld bytes\n", handler->file_size);
    printf("Creation Date: %s\n", handler->creation_date);
    printf("Modification Date: %s\n", handler->modification_date);
    printf("File Permissions: %s\n", handler->permissions);
    printf("MIME Type: %s\n", handler->mime_type);
    printf("File Type Category: %s\n", handler->file_type_category);
    printf("Encoding: %s\n", handler->encoding);
    printf("Associated Application: %s\n", handler->associated_app);
    printf("Content Preview: %s\n", handler->content_preview);
}

void free_agr_file_handler(AGRFileHandler* handler) {
    free(handler->filepath);
    free(handler->mime_type);
    free(handler->file_type_category);
    free(handler->content_preview);
    free(handler->encoding);
    free(handler->associated_app);
    free(handler->file_extension);
    free(handler->creation_date);
    free(handler->modification_date);
    free(handler->permissions);
}

int main() {
    AGRFileHandler handler;
    init_agr_file_handler(&handler, "sample.agr");
    print_properties(&handler);
    write_file(&handler, NULL); // Write a sample .AGR file
    free_agr_file_handler(&handler);
    return 0;
}

Notes:

• Lacks robust MIME type detection due to no standard libmagic equivalent; uses filename-based detection.
• Handles text and binary files similarly to other implementations.
• Memory management is explicit to prevent leaks.

Limitations and Recommendations

• Proprietary Formats: Without official documentation, decoding proprietary .AGR files (e.g., Ableton Groove, APM Graph) is speculative. The code assumes basic text or binary handling.
• File Type Detection: Relies on filename hints and MIME types, which may not be accurate. For production use, integrate with libraries like libmagic (C) or official parsers for specific formats.
• Writing Files: Creates minimal placeholder files due to lack of format specs. For real-world use, you’d need application-specific libraries (e.g., Ableton Live SDK, ArcGIS SDK).
• Testing: Test with actual .AGR files from each application to verify behavior. The code assumes a generic structure and may need adjustments based on real file content.

If you have access to specific .AGR files or documentation, I can refine the code to handle them more accurately. Let me know if you want to focus on a particular .AGR variant (e.g., Ableton or Grace) or need additional features

.AGR File Format Specifications

The .AGR file extension is associated with the Esri ASCII Raster format (also known as Arc/Info ASCII Grid), a text-based geospatial raster data format used for storing grid-based data such as elevation or imagery. This format is supported by various GIS software (e.g., ArcGIS, Global Mapper). It consists of a header with metadata properties followed by the raster data grid. The file is ASCII-encoded, with headers in key-value pairs and data as space-separated values. Specifications are based on Esri's standard for ASCII raster files.

List of All Properties Intrinsic to This File Format
These are the core metadata properties defined in the header, which describe the file's structure and georeferencing. The data grid itself is derived from these properties but is not a "property" per se—it's the payload. All properties are required except NODATA_value.

• ncols: Integer representing the number of columns in the grid.
• nrows: Integer representing the number of rows in the grid.
• xllcorner or xllcenter: Float representing the X-coordinate (easting) of the lower-left grid cell. Uses "xllcorner" if referencing the corner or "xllcenter" if referencing the cell center.
• yllcorner or yllcenter: Float representing the Y-coordinate (northing) of the lower-left grid cell. Uses "yllcorner" if referencing the corner or "yllcenter" if referencing the cell center.
• cellsize: Float representing the side length of each square grid cell.
• NODATA_value (optional): Float or integer representing the value used for missing or no-data cells in the grid (e.g., -9999). If omitted, no specific no-data handling is defined.
• The grid data: A 2D array of floats (nrows x ncols), where each value represents the Z-value (e.g., elevation) at the cell center. Values are space-separated, with nrows lines following the header.

Python Class

import os

class AGRFile:
    def __init__(self, filename=None):
        self.ncols = 0
        self.nrows = 0
        self.xll = 0.0
        self.yll = 0.0
        self.xll_type = ''  # 'corner' or 'center'
        self.yll_type = ''  # 'corner' or 'center'
        self.cellsize = 0.0
        self.nodata_value = None
        self.data = []  # 2D list of floats
        if filename:
            self.read(filename)

    def read(self, filename):
        with open(filename, 'r') as f:
            lines = f.readlines()
        
        header = {}
        data_start = 0
        for i, line in enumerate(lines):
            parts = line.strip().split()
            if len(parts) < 2:
                data_start = i
                break
            key = parts[0].lower()
            value = parts[1]
            header[key] = value
        
        self.ncols = int(header.get('ncols', 0))
        self.nrows = int(header.get('nrows', 0))
        self.cellsize = float(header.get('cellsize', 0.0))
        self.nodata_value = float(header.get('nodata_value')) if 'nodata_value' in header else None
        
        if 'xllcorner' in header:
            self.xll = float(header['xllcorner'])
            self.xll_type = 'corner'
        elif 'xllcenter' in header:
            self.xll = float(header['xllcenter'])
            self.xll_type = 'center'
        
        if 'yllcorner' in header:
            self.yll = float(header['yllcorner'])
            self.yll_type = 'corner'
        elif 'yllcenter' in header:
            self.yll = float(header['yllcenter'])
            self.yll_type = 'center'
        
        self.data = []
        for line in lines[data_start:]:
            row = [float(val) if val != '' else self.nodata_value for val in line.strip().split()]
            if row:
                self.data.append(row)
        
        # Validate dimensions
        if len(self.data) != self.nrows or any(len(row) != self.ncols for row in self.data):
            raise ValueError("Data grid dimensions do not match header.")

    def write(self, filename):
        with open(filename, 'w') as f:
            f.write(f"ncols {self.ncols}\n")
            f.write(f"nrows {self.nrows}\n")
            f.write(f"xll{self.xll_type} {self.xll}\n")
            f.write(f"yll{self.yll_type} {self.yll}\n")
            f.write(f"cellsize {self.cellsize}\n")
            if self.nodata_value is not None:
                f.write(f"NODATA_value {self.nodata_value}\n")
            for row in self.data:
                f.write(' '.join(str(val) for val in row) + '\n')

1. Java Class

import java.io.*;
import java.util.*;

public class AGRFile {
    private int ncols;
    private int nrows;
    private double xll;
    private double yll;
    private String xllType; // "corner" or "center"
    private String yllType; // "corner" or "center"
    private double cellsize;
    private Double nodataValue; // Nullable
    private double[][] data;

    public AGRFile(String filename) throws IOException {
        read(filename);
    }

    public AGRFile() {
        this.ncols = 0;
        this.nrows = 0;
        this.xll = 0.0;
        this.yll = 0.0;
        this.xllType = "";
        this.yllType = "";
        this.cellsize = 0.0;
        this.nodataValue = null;
        this.data = new double[0][0];
    }

    public void read(String filename) throws IOException {
        List<String> lines = new ArrayList<>();
        try (BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(new FileReader(filename))) {
            String line;
            while ((line = br.readLine()) != null) {
                lines.add(line);
            }
        }

        Map<String, String> header = new HashMap<>();
        int dataStart = 0;
        for (int i = 0; i < lines.size(); i++) {
            String[] parts = lines.get(i).trim().split("\\s+");
            if (parts.length < 2) {
                dataStart = i;
                break;
            }
            String key = parts[0].toLowerCase();
            String value = parts[1];
            header.put(key, value);
        }

        this.ncols = Integer.parseInt(header.getOrDefault("ncols", "0"));
        this.nrows = Integer.parseInt(header.getOrDefault("nrows", "0"));
        this.cellsize = Double.parseDouble(header.getOrDefault("cellsize", "0.0"));
        this.nodataValue = header.containsKey("nodata_value") ? Double.parseDouble(header.get("nodata_value")) : null;

        if (header.containsKey("xllcorner")) {
            this.xll = Double.parseDouble(header.get("xllcorner"));
            this.xllType = "corner";
        } else if (header.containsKey("xllcenter")) {
            this.xll = Double.parseDouble(header.get("xllcenter"));
            this.xllType = "center";
        }

        if (header.containsKey("yllcorner")) {
            this.yll = Double.parseDouble(header.get("yllcorner"));
            this.yllType = "corner";
        } else if (header.containsKey("yllcenter")) {
            this.yll = Double.parseDouble(header.get("yllcenter"));
            this.yllType = "center";
        }

        this.data = new double[this.nrows][this.ncols];
        for (int i = dataStart, row = 0; i < lines.size() && row < this.nrows; i++) {
            String[] vals = lines.get(i).trim().split("\\s+");
            if (vals.length == 0) continue;
            for (int col = 0; col < this.ncols; col++) {
                this.data[row][col] = Double.parseDouble(vals[col]);
            }
            row++;
        }

        // Validate
        if (this.data.length != this.nrows || Arrays.stream(this.data).anyMatch(r -> r.length != this.ncols)) {
            throw new IOException("Data grid dimensions do not match header.");
        }
    }

    public void write(String filename) throws IOException {
        try (BufferedWriter bw = new BufferedWriter(new FileWriter(filename))) {
            bw.write("ncols " + this.ncols + "\n");
            bw.write("nrows " + this.nrows + "\n");
            bw.write("xll" + this.xllType + " " + this.xll + "\n");
            bw.write("yll" + this.yllType + " " + this.yll + "\n");
            bw.write("cellsize " + this.cellsize + "\n");
            if (this.nodataValue != null) {
                bw.write("NODATA_value " + this.nodataValue + "\n");
            }
            for (double[] row : this.data) {
                for (int i = 0; i < row.length; i++) {
                    bw.write(Double.toString(row[i]));
                    if (i < row.length - 1) bw.write(" ");
                }
                bw.write("\n");
            }
        }
    }

    // Getters and setters for properties can be added as needed
}

1. JavaScript Class (Node.js compatible, using fs module)

const fs = require('fs');

class AGRFile {
    constructor(filename = null) {
        this.ncols = 0;
        this.nrows = 0;
        this.xll = 0.0;
        this.yll = 0.0;
        this.xllType = ''; // 'corner' or 'center'
        this.yllType = ''; // 'corner' or 'center'
        this.cellsize = 0.0;
        this.nodataValue = null;
        this.data = []; // 2D array of numbers
        if (filename) {
            this.read(filename);
        }
    }

    read(filename) {
        const content = fs.readFileSync(filename, 'utf8');
        const lines = content.split('\n');

        const header = {};
        let dataStart = 0;
        for (let i = 0; i < lines.length; i++) {
            const parts = lines[i].trim().split(/\s+/);
            if (parts.length < 2) {
                dataStart = i;
                break;
            }
            const key = parts[0].toLowerCase();
            const value = parts[1];
            header[key] = value;
        }

        this.ncols = parseInt(header['ncols'] || 0);
        this.nrows = parseInt(header['nrows'] || 0);
        this.cellsize = parseFloat(header['cellsize'] || 0.0);
        this.nodataValue = header['nodata_value'] ? parseFloat(header['nodata_value']) : null;

        if ('xllcorner' in header) {
            this.xll = parseFloat(header['xllcorner']);
            this.xllType = 'corner';
        } else if ('xllcenter' in header) {
            this.xll = parseFloat(header['xllcenter']);
            this.xllType = 'center';
        }

        if ('yllcorner' in header) {
            this.yll = parseFloat(header['yllcorner']);
            this.yllType = 'corner';
        } else if ('yllcenter' in header) {
            this.yll = parseFloat(header['yllcenter']);
            this.yllType = 'center';
        }

        this.data = [];
        for (let i = dataStart; i < lines.length; i++) {
            const row = lines[i].trim().split(/\s+/).map(val => val ? parseFloat(val) : this.nodataValue);
            if (row.length > 0) {
                this.data.push(row);
            }
        }

        // Validate
        if (this.data.length !== this.nrows || this.data.some(row => row.length !== this.ncols)) {
            throw new Error('Data grid dimensions do not match header.');
        }
    }

    write(filename) {
        let output = `ncols ${this.ncols}\n`;
        output += `nrows ${this.nrows}\n`;
        output += `xll${this.xllType} ${this.xll}\n`;
        output += `yll${this.yllType} ${this.yll}\n`;
        output += `cellsize ${this.cellsize}\n`;
        if (this.nodataValue !== null) {
            output += `NODATA_value ${this.nodataValue}\n`;
        }
        for (const row of this.data) {
            output += row.join(' ') + '\n';
        }
        fs.writeFileSync(filename, output);
    }
}

1. C Implementation (Using struct instead of class, with functions for read/write)

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <ctype.h>

typedef struct {
    int ncols;
    int nrows;
    double xll;
    double yll;
    char xll_type[7]; // "corner" or "center"
    char yll_type[7]; // "corner" or "center"
    double cellsize;
    double nodata_value;
    int has_nodata; // Flag for optional nodata
    double **data; // 2D array of doubles
} AGRFile;

void init_agr(AGRFile *agr) {
    agr->ncols = 0;
    agr->nrows = 0;
    agr->xll = 0.0;
    agr->yll = 0.0;
    strcpy(agr->xll_type, "");
    strcpy(agr->yll_type, "");
    agr->cellsize = 0.0;
    agr->nodata_value = 0.0;
    agr->has_nodata = 0;
    agr->data = NULL;
}

int read_agr(AGRFile *agr, const char *filename) {
    FILE *fp = fopen(filename, "r");
    if (!fp) return -1;

    char line[1024];
    char key[32], value[32];
    int data_start = 0;
    int line_num = 0;

    init_agr(agr);

    while (fgets(line, sizeof(line), fp)) {
        line_num++;
        if (sscanf(line, "%s %s", key, value) == 2) {
            char lkey[32];
            strcpy(lkey, key);
            for (char *p = lkey; *p; p++) *p = tolower(*p);

            if (strcmp(lkey, "ncols") == 0) agr->ncols = atoi(value);
            else if (strcmp(lkey, "nrows") == 0) agr->nrows = atoi(value);
            else if (strcmp(lkey, "cellsize") == 0) agr->cellsize = atof(value);
            else if (strcmp(lkey, "nodata_value") == 0) {
                agr->nodata_value = atof(value);
                agr->has_nodata = 1;
            } else if (strcmp(lkey, "xllcorner") == 0) {
                agr->xll = atof(value);
                strcpy(agr->xll_type, "corner");
            } else if (strcmp(lkey, "xllcenter") == 0) {
                agr->xll = atof(value);
                strcpy(agr->xll_type, "center");
            } else if (strcmp(lkey, "yllcorner") == 0) {
                agr->yll = atof(value);
                strcpy(agr->yll_type, "corner");
            } else if (strcmp(lkey, "yllcenter") == 0) {
                agr->yll = atof(value);
                strcpy(agr->yll_type, "center");
            }
        } else {
            data_start = line_num - 1;
            break;
        }
    }

    // Allocate data
    agr->data = (double **)malloc(agr->nrows * sizeof(double *));
    for (int i = 0; i < agr->nrows; i++) {
        agr->data[i] = (double *)malloc(agr->ncols * sizeof(double));
    }

    // Rewind and skip to data
    rewind(fp);
    for (int i = 0; i < data_start; i++) fgets(line, sizeof(line), fp);

    int row = 0;
    while (fgets(line, sizeof(line), fp) && row < agr->nrows) {
        char *token = strtok(line, " ");
        int col = 0;
        while (token && col < agr->ncols) {
            agr->data[row][col] = atof(token);
            token = strtok(NULL, " ");
            col++;
        }
        if (col > 0) row++;
    }

    fclose(fp);

    // Validate
    if (row != agr->nrows) return -1;
    return 0;
}

int write_agr(const AGRFile *agr, const char *filename) {
    FILE *fp = fopen(filename, "w");
    if (!fp) return -1;

    fprintf(fp, "ncols %d\n", agr->ncols);
    fprintf(fp, "nrows %d\n", agr->nrows);
    fprintf(fp, "xll%s %f\n", agr->xll_type, agr->xll);
    fprintf(fp, "yll%s %f\n", agr->yll_type, agr->yll);
    fprintf(fp, "cellsize %f\n", agr->cellsize);
    if (agr->has_nodata) {
        fprintf(fp, "NODATA_value %f\n", agr->nodata_value);
    }
    for (int i = 0; i < agr->nrows; i++) {
        for (int j = 0; j < agr->ncols; j++) {
            fprintf(fp, "%f", agr->data[i][j]);
            if (j < agr->ncols - 1) fprintf(fp, " ");
        }
        fprintf(fp, "\n");
    }

    fclose(fp);
    return 0;
}

void free_agr(AGRFile *agr) {
    if (agr->data) {
        for (int i = 0; i < agr->nrows; i++) {
            free(agr->data[i]);
        }
        free(agr->data);
    }
}