Re: [Audacity-quality] Importing files with wrong file extension.

[Gale A. <ga...@au...>]

| From Steve the Fiddle <ste...@gm...> 
| Sun, 12 Dec 2010 16:44:48 +0000
| Subject: [Audacity-quality] Importing files with wrong file extension.
> An issue has been raised on the forum:
> http://forum.audacityteam.org/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=47113&p=116854#p116854
> 
> If an MP3 file is named with a .WAV extension and FFmpeg is not
> installed, then (not surprisingly) Audacity fails to import it.

Thanks, Steve for passing on the report.   

I think Audacity should be able to import it OK as MP3, without FFmpeg 
installed. Audacity 1.2.6 can do so, therefore it looks like a minor 
regression bug to me. If you look at Help > Show Log, you'll see 
something like:

16:59:30: File name is f:\main\1978 orig.wav
16:59:30: Mime type is *
16:59:30: Opening with libsndfile
16:59:31: Opening with liboggvorbis
16:59:31: Opening with libflac
16:59:31: Opening with lof
16:59:31: Opening with libav
16:59:31: Error: Importer::Import: Opening failed.

Is there a reason that Audacity doesn't try libmad (the MP3 importer)? 

Also behaviour is different according to method of import. If you File > 
Import, you get a message that Audacity tried to load FFmpeg, which 
gives user a useful indication of the required importer; then the generic
"Error importing" dialogue follows that says "Audacity did not recognize
the type of the file". But if you drag the file in, you only see "Error
Importing".  


> What IS surprising is that if the "Help" button in the "Error
> Importing" dialogue is pressed, Audacity creates a pop-up that says
> "wma proprietary".
> 
> I don't know how / why Audacity comes to that conclusion, but it is
> clearly wrong.
> Would it be better if "Help" reported:
> 
> "File format unknown. MediaInfo may be able to identify the file type:
> http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net"

The information behind the "Help" button broke when we removed the 
"QuickHelp" from the Welcome Message. I've got a "fix" prepared 
locally but never had time to commit it. The suggested text is:

"Audacity can import unprotected files in AC3, AMR NB(narrow band), M4A,
  WMA and many other audio formats, including audio from video files, if you 
  add the optional FFmpeg library:
  http://manual.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=FAQ:Installation_and_Plug-Ins#installffmpeg

  to your computer. If you have already downloaded FFmpeg, go to 
  Preferences > Libraries to locate the FFmpeg libraries.

  Audio CDs cannot be imported directly. Extract (rip) the CD tracks to an
  audio format that Audacity can import, such as WAV or AIFF. 

  If your format is not importable using FFmpeg, or FFmpeg support is not 
  compiled into Audacity, you can use other programs to convert the file 
  to WAV or AIFF. See this Quick Help page
  http://manual.audacityteam.org/index.php?title=Wma-proprietary
  for more help."

So subject to any comments I can commit that (already tested and works
correctly). 





Gale