Message Audio File Utility Documentation
This document describes how to use MEAUDFIL, the Message Audio File Utility. The program copies or renames between two different audio file naming schemes and checks for the existence of files in either naming scheme and sync files. This document includes an overview of the program's use, the syntax for using it, examples of use, the two naming conventions and a summary of changes to the program.
Overview
The SCI interpreter expects message audio files to be named according to one scheme. These files begin with 'A' (for 'audio') and will be referred to here as 'A files.' However, music technicians need to use different names when they work with the files . These files will be referred to as 'work files.' Sync files have the same names as 'A files,' except that the 'A' is replaced by 'S'.
The process of copying or renaming A files to work files is referred to as 'exporting,' and the opposite process is referred to as 'importing.'
The link between the two naming schemes is an index file called MEAUDFIL.IDX. This file is created by the MESCRIPT message script printing program and contains both names for each audio file. MEAUDFIL reads this file to determine how to copy or rename a given A or work file to the alternate name.
The audio file production process begins with a CD-audio script produced by MESCRIPT and a bunch of audio tape. Technicians use the work file names listed in the script to create an work file for each message. After processing, they use MEAUDFIL to import these files to their A equivalents.
After this initial pass is completed, the technician may need to go back and work on an A file. He will first use MEAUDFIL to export the file to an work file. If the file uses 44K sampling, BUILDSFI is run to create an necessary auxiliary file with an extension of . SF!. After working with the file, he will use MEAUDFIL to import the work file back to an A file.
MEAUDFIL can also be used to check the existence of files in one or the other naming scheme. It can restrict its operations (both copying and checking) to certain talkers, certain rooms, or certain talkers in certain rooms.
Usage
In the following sections, items in square brackets are optional.
ExportingTo export files from A file names to work file names, use this form:
MEAUDFIL copy -x [-n] [-44 [-s<.SFI-dest>]] [source [dest]]
-xmeans you want to export.
[-n]means don't complain if a file can't be found.
[-44]means the file uses 44K sampling. The work file will have an extension of .SFD (instead of .AUD) and BUILDSFI will be run to create a . SFI file for it.
[-s<.SFI-dest>]indicates the directory you want the .SFI files placed in after BUILDSFI is run. This option can only be used with the -44 option. If you don't specify this option, the. SFI files are left in the same directory as the . SFD files.
[source [dest]]indicates that you can optionally specify a source and destination directory for the files . When exporting, the source directory contains the A files and the destination directory will receive the work files. Note that if you need to specify a destination directory, you must specify the source directory. If the source directory is the current directory, use '.' for the source directory. If the source directory is the same as the destination directory (as it would be if you specified neither one), files will be renamed, not copied.
ImportingTo import files from work to A file names, use this form:
MEAUDFIL copy -i [-n] [-44] [source [dest]]
-imeans you want to import.
[-n]means don't complain if a file can't be found.
[-44]means you want to import 44K sample rate files with the extension .SFD, instead of .AUD.
[source [dest]]has the same meaning as it does for exporting, except that in this case the source directory contains the work files and the destination directory will be used for the A files.
Checking for audio file existenceTo check for the existence of work files, use this form:
MEAUDFIL check -x [-44] [source]
-xmeans you want to check for work files.
[-44]means you want to check for 44K sample rate work files with the extension .SFD, instead of .AUD.
[source]optionally indicates the directory containing the work files, if not the current directory.To check for the existence of A files, use this form:
MEAUDFIL check -i [source]
-imeans you want to check for A files.
[source]indicates the directory containing the A files, if they're not the current directory.
Checking for sync file existenceTo check for the existence of sync files, use this form:
MEAUDFIL syncs [source]
[source]optionally indicates the directory containing the sync files, if not the current directory.
Other parametersThese are other parameters than can be used with any of the above commands:
-t<talker> lets you narrow the command to act only on the specified talker. You can use more than one -t parameter, in which case the command will act on any of the specified talkers.
-t<talker>lets you narrow the command to act only on all talkers but the specified talker. You can use more than one-tparameter, in which case the command will exclude all the specified talkers. You can either include or exclude talkers, not both.
-r<room>lets you narrow the command to act only on the specified room. You can use more than one. If you have a combination of-t parameters and -r parameters, the command will apply to files that are for any of the specified talkers in any of the specified rooms.
-m<.IDX-dir>lets you specify the directory where the MEAUDFIL.IDX index file is located. You will normally run the program from this directory, making this parameter unnecessary.
Examples
MEAUDFIL copy -x -44would export all A files in the current directory by renaming them to work files with the extension .SFD. BUILDSFI would be run and the resulting . SF! files would be put in the current directory.
MEAUDFIL copy -x -tROGER -rlOO . C:\workwould export the A files in the current directory C.') that were for Roger's lines in room 100. The work files would be placed in C:\work. The extension of the work files would be .AUD.
MEAUDFIL copy -i -n -mG: C:\workwould import all work files in C:\work to the current directory, and would look on G: for 1\1EADDFIL.IDX. The program will not pause if a file can't be found.
MEAUDFIL check -iwould list the names of all missing A files in the current directory.
MEAUDFIL check -i -44would list the names of all missing A files in the current directory. The files to be checked are 44K sample files, so have the extension .SFD instead of .AUD.
MEAUDFIL check -x -tROGER -tGRAHAM -rlOO D:would list the names of all missing work files on drive D : that were for either Roger or Graham in room 100.
MEAUDFIL syncs -TNARRATORwould list the names of all missing sync files, except for NARRATOR lines.
Naming schemes
The A file naming scheme lets the interpreter find the message for a given room, noun, verb, case, and sequence by looking at the file name. In order to fit this much information in 11 characters, these numbers are encoded using a base-36 numbering system, where decimal ten is represented by 'A', decimal 36 is represented by 'Z', etc.
The name is laid out like this:
ARRRNNVV.CCS
where RRR represents the room number, NN the noun number, VV the verb number, CC the case number and S the sequence number.
The sync file naming scheme is exactly the same as that for audio files, except that the 'A' is replaced with 'S'.
The work file naming scheme also uses base-36 and is laid out like this:
TTRRRS S S. ext
where TT represents the talker number, RRR the room number, SSS the sequential message number of that talker in that room (which is not the same as the sequence number in the A file name). The script produced by MESCRIPT includes a key to these talker and room numbers.
CHANGES HISTORY
1.120 4/5/94 Use A and S as file prefixes instead of@ and #. 1.110 Added -n option. 1.100 2/15/93 Added ability to check syncs. Allow excluding talkers. 1.010 12/22/92 Don't abort program if a file can't be found . 1.000 7127/92 Initial version.
References
See Also:
Download the Message Audio File Utility 4.120 Documentation in PDF Form
