Atlas Audio: NKS Snapshot Extractor

The NKS Snapshot extractor reads product identity from Native Instruments NKS snapshot files. Snapshots are lightweight preset recall points that store a plugin’s parameter state. The extractor links each snapshot back to its parent library. It’s part of the Atlas Audio extractor pack.

Extension: .nksn

Format Overview

NKSN files use the NI DSIN container format. They are structurally similar to .nki and .nbkt files but are significantly smaller (~15-17 KB) because they store only parameter snapshots, not sample mappings or embedded audio.

Binary Structure

Offset  Content
0x00    Container size (4 bytes LE)
0x04    Padding (4 bytes)
0x0C    "hsin" marker (hash/identity block, 16-byte hash)
0x30    "DSIN" chunks begin
0xC0    "4KIN" marker (NKS identity block)

Key structural elements:

Marker	Purpose
`hsin`	File identity hash (appears twice — outer container and inner NKS block)
`DSIN` type 0x6A (106)	Version/flags
`DSIN` type 0x01	Container metadata
`4KIN`	NKS compatibility marker — identifies this as an NKS-aware file

Identity Hashes

Each NKSN file contains two hsin blocks:

Outer hash — Unique to this snapshot file
Inner hash (after 4KIN) — Shared across snapshots from the same library, identifying the parent product

The inner hash is consistent across all snapshots belonging to the same library, making it a reliable grouping key.

What It Extracts

Type	Source	Example
Trait: `snapshot_name`	Filename	`Graceful Scenery`
Edge (input): Library reference	AUTHORING_APP product_id	`Hypha` or `kontakt:product_id:1234`

NKS Preview Audio

NKS snapshots have an associated audio preview file used by NI’s browser for auditioning. The preview follows the same deterministic NKS naming convention as instruments and sound files:

Snapshots/
  Arkhis/
    Textures/
      Graceful Scenery.nksn
      .previews/
        Graceful Scenery.nksn.ogg

The extractor constructs the expected preview path (<source_dir>/.previews/<filename>.ogg) and checks if the file exists on disk. If found, it emits an output edge linking the snapshot to its preview audio.

Type	Source	Example
Edge (output): Preview audio	NKS naming convention + existence check	`.previews/Graceful Scenery.nksn.ogg`

This relationship is certain when the file exists — the NKS specification defines this convention, and preview files are generated during library installation.

Implementation Notes

This extractor reuses the NI container DSIN parsing from ni_container.rs to extract the product ID from the AUTHORING_APP chunk. The 4KIN marker is an NKS-specific addition not present in older NI formats.

Given the high file count (24,000+ in a typical large library), the extractor reads only the header portion needed for product ID extraction. Full file buffering is not required.

Example Usage

# Scan NKS snapshots
atlas scan ~/Libraries/NI/User Content/Snapshots/

# Find all snapshots for a specific library
atlas search --trait snapshot_name --inputs "Hypha"

Use Cases

Snapshot inventory — Catalog all NKS snapshots and associate them with their parent library
Library usage — See which libraries have user-created snapshots, indicating active use
Snapshot grouping — Group snapshots by library using the shared inner identity hash