audacity command line access

[bmende]

Could someone please tell me how I can access audacity from the command line? My desired parameter is simply the file name to open and I would like the program to start playing automatically. Any help much appreciated!

[Gale Andrews]

Audacity only has limited command-line support. The only current command-line functions are that you can open audio files or Audacity project files (including multiple files) by passing them as arguments, for example:

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$  audacity file1.aiff file2.wav file3.ogg 

The following options are also supported:

-help
display a brief list of command line options

-version
display the Audacity version number

-test
run "Benchmark" diagnostics tests

-blocksize
set the Audacity blocksize for writing files to disk of nnn bytes

You can't tell Audacity to play the file. Probably you want to write an autohotkey script or similar.

Or if you can compile Audacity, try http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/scripting.html .

If you just want an application to play a playlist of files then you probably want a simpler solution anyway.


Gale

[Gale Andrews]

If you want to vote for more command-line options (without need to run Audacity scripting) please say what you are interested in.


Gale

[bmende]

Thanks much Gale. If more command line options could be added, I would vote for running in a minimized window, and one to start the audio without user click. Thanks again, Bruce

If you want to vote for more command-line options (without need to run Audacity scripting) please say what you are interested in.


Gale

[Gale Andrews]

If more command line options could be added, I would vote for running in a minimized window, and one to start the audio without user click.

OK I'll record your vote.

Thanks.


Gale

[rossmcm]

If this thread is still alive, my vote would be for access to the export functions:

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audacity MyProject /exportWAV "Backing Vocals Track"  /exportWAV "Lead Vocals Track"   
audacity MyProject /exportWAV *

where the tracks were referenced by their track name and the files were written to the current folder using the track name. Refinements could be allowing * to denote all tracks, or maybe supporting wildcard matches or regular expressions.

Also,

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audacity MyProject /exportWAV "Backing Vocals Track"  /exportWAV "Lead Vocals Track"   /exit

would allow Audacity to exit after all command-line operations had been carried out.