Cannot export m4a Apple Lossless file [SOLVED]

Audacity Help Forum macOS
1

Please excuse my ignorance but I’m just trying to follow the directions posted on the Audacity website.

When I try to export using the external program, I copy paste this: ffmpeg -i -acodec alac “%f” into the options box. But I get this error:


ffmpeg -i -acodec alac “/Users/tracy/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music/Singles/Yoshida Brothers/Prism/2 The National Anthem.m4a”

execvp(ffmpeg, -i, -acodec, alac, /Users/tracy/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music/Singles/Yoshida Brothers/Prism/2 The National Anthem.m4a) failed with error 2!

Not sure what to do?

2

Do you have FFmpeg installed? I’m guessing that you don’t.

3

Please, take a look at the pink panel at the top of the page and give us that information.

When I try to export using the external program, I copy paste this: ffmpeg -i -acodec alac “%f” into the options box. But I get this error:

ffmpeg -i -acodec alac “/Users/tracy/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music/Singles/Yoshida Brothers/Prism/2 The National Anthem.m4a”

You need to download a suitable binary if you don’t have it, such as from http://ffmpegmac.net/. This is because even if you have installed “FFmpeg 2.2.2 for Audacity”, that does not include an ffmpeg binary. It only includes shared FFmpeg libraries for Audacity to use when using export without the command-line.

Because of the above (and as it says on http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/exporting_to_an_external_program.html), you need to specify the path to your “ffmpeg” binary file in your command.

Use a command like that below, including the extra “-” and using “%f” to reference the file name and path which will be set in the export dialogue.

So if you had ffmpeg in /Applications:

/Applications/ffmpeg -i - -acodec alac "%f"

In the export dialogue, navigate to /Users/tracy/Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music/Singles/Yoshida Brothers/Prism/ and type the file name as

2 The National Anthem.m4a

Alternatively, export as WAV then convert to Apple Lossless in iTunes.


Gale

4

That did it, thanks!