Source vs. StandardAudio

[Ryan Pennington]

Hello all,

I have a comment/question regarding file naming:

The help files say that, "By definition, a session can have only one source recording.” So when a video file is pulled into SayMore, you have to convert it so that a PCM audio file can be annotated. This newly created file is automatically named ‘Sessionid_Source_StandardAudio.wav’. However, what should be done about a session which has two separate source files (that is, both a video file and an audio file were simultaneously collected for the same event)? SayMore actually does allow me to give two Source files, as long as one is video and one is audio. So should I name them both ‘Sessionid_Source’ with their respective extensions, or should the audio file still be named ‘…StandardAudio’?

Thanks,
Ryan

[Len Wallstrom]

It is actually a bit more complex than that.  I will leave aside the issues you get into when you drag&drop files directly into SayMore (which you didn't ask about) and focus on what can happen when you bring in media files using the SayMore utilities (create session using "New From Device...").  BTW: the following is a characteristic of the latest Beta version of SayMore (at least 3.0.173)

If you select files with the same name, but different extensions, to bring in during the same *New From Device* action, then all of those media files will be placed into the *same* session, and each of them, while retaining the appropriate extension, will have "_Source" added to the name.  Examples of Video are .mpg, .mp4, .avi, and so on.  Examples of Audio are .mp3, .wav, and so on.

I have noted that it is very easy to have this situation if you use FFmpeg or Audacity to do some of the pre-processing.

Now, the user needs to make a decision: which *one* of these files is going to be the *real* source file going forward?  If it is anything but the *_Source.wav file, then a conversion will be required, which will happen when you select "Start Annotating".  Your result will then be a file with an added suffix: *_Source_StandardAudio.wav

While you *can* do the Annotation step on any of the .wav files, we do recommend that you select one and do all the work on that file going forward.  The hierarchy will then be clearly displayed in SayMore and, while you have the ability to keep all of the "same named" source files together in one session, you will be able to identify which of the varied source files was used for your real documentation work (annotation, transcription, translation, etc.).

And thanks for your work in finding and reporting problems that are in the Beta.

---Len Wallstrom, SayMore Tester

[Ryan Pennington]

Thanks for this, Len. I understand the situation much better now.

I think if I record multiple source files, they should all be named as Source files, and in the metadata it could be mentioned how they relate. If multiple WAV files were created, for instance, I suppose I could create files with names such as ‘Sessionid_Source.wav’, ‘Sessionid_Source2.wav,’ ‘Sessionid_Source3.wav,’ etc. Then the one main Source file is chosen from which to annotate.

I now understand what StandardAudio accomplishes as well. SayMore strips off that extension to find the source file.

Thanks for your time!

Ryan

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