NAME

audiotool − audio play/record tool

SYNOPSIS

audiotool [ -p ] [ generic-tool-argumens ] [ audio-file ...  ]

DESCRIPTION

audiotool is an OpenLook program that allows recording, playing, and simple editing of audio data. 

Sound Segment Display

Sound data is analyzed to distinguish between sound and silence segments.  Sound segments are displayed as boxes and silence regions are displayed as lines connecting these boxes.  This type of display can be very useful for scanning and editing voice data, since pauses often indicate breaks between sentences or key phrases.  Data may be selected, using the mouse, in a manner similar to text selections.  Double-clicking on a sound or silence segment selects the entire segment.  The Cut, Copy, and Paste operations work on selected data, as well. 

A triangular pointer indicates the current play position.  When selections are made in the audio data, this marker is constrained to remain within the selected region.  The position pointer also denotes the point where Record and Paste operations will insert data. 

Control Panel

Play/Stop
Clicking this button starts playing audio data at the current position. Playing will stop automatically after playing to the end of the data or the currently selected region, whichever comes first. If the position marker is at the end of the data (or selection) when Play is pressed, it will jump back to the beginning of the data before starting to play.  While data is playing this button becomes a Stop button.  Audio output may be stopped and restarted at will. 

Rewind/Fast-Forward
Clicking either of these buttons causes the position pointer to jump backward or forward to the next sound segment boundary. If pressed and held, playing will begin/proceed at an accelerated rate in the designated direction. Releasing will return the tool to its previous state.

Record/Stop
Clicking this button starts the recording of data from the audio input port that is wired to the 8-pin mini-DIN connector on the back of SPARCstation systems.  Recorded data is inserted at the current position pointer.  While recording is in progress, this button becomes a Stop button. 

Play Volume Panel

Play Volume
This slider controls the output volume.

Monitor Volume
This slider allow you to adjust the amount of audio input signal that is fed through to the output port.  This is useful when a CD-player or other audio source is connected directly to the microphone input jack.

Spkr/Jack
This button allows you to direct audio output to either the built-in speaker or the external headphone jack.

Pause This button may be used to suspend and resume all audio output, either from audiotool or any other audio program. 

Record Control Panel

Record Volume
This slider allows you to adjust the recording gain.

Auto-Adjust
Clicking this button starts an automatic recording level adjustment procedure.  The input data is scanned to determine its loudness and the record volume is adjusted in order to achieve an optimal signal level. Once the input signal appears to be properly calibrated for five seconds, the panel will reset to a normal operating state.  All input audio data is discarded during the automatic adjustment procedure.

A display gauge indicates the overall input level.  If you have connected a microphone to the audio input jack, then you may adjust the recording level for your speaking voice by pressing the Auto-Adjust button and then speaking normally into the microphone until the adjustment process is finished.  If you have connected a CD-player or other audio source, then you can use the Monitor Volume (on the Play Control Panel) to hear the audio data that is being used to calibrate the recording level. 

File Browser Panel

Selecting Load..., Save As..., or Include File...  from the File menu will bring up the File Browser Panel.  The Directory field displays the path name of the current directory.  The scrolling list contains a list of directories or audio files in the displayed directory. Double-click SELECT on the name of a directory to change to that directory. Double-click SELECT on the name of an audio file to perform the current operation (Load, Save, or Include) on the selected file. File names or directories may be typed in to Name field. When Save As...  is selected from the File menu, the File Browser will display an additional choice item, which allows you to select the file format. Choices are Uncompressed (8-bit, 8000hz, u-law), or Compressed (4-bit, g.721 ADPCM). The compressed format takes up half the disk space but can take significantly longer to load and save. 

OPTIONS

-p Play all files listed on the command line at startup. 

SEE ALSO

audio(4), soundtool(6), gaintool(6), play(6), raw2audio(6), record(6), adpcm_enc(1), adpcm_dec(1)
 
DeskSet Reference Guide for OpenWindows Version 3

Solbourne Computer, Inc.  —  28 January 1991