Media API question regarding metadata retrieval

[David DeHaven]

> > If not is there a specific reason not
> > to offer this functionality independently of a player?
> 
> There were plans, there were also issues as we don't have a Java based mp4 parser so we're relying on the underlying platforms (e.g. QTKit, AVFoundation, etc..) to provide that data, which basically means we're creating a player at the native level anyways. If you're using the horribly outdated FXM format you get the benefit of a Java 
> 
> Deferring to native code absolutely makes sense but I didn't think that you needed to create a player to obtain duration, width and height in AVFoundation either.

No, but for the lack of a separate interface for metadata retrieval. In hindsight there were a number of things that should have been done differently :/

-DrD-