manual/plugins/split_editor.tex

   1 \subsection{Split Editor}
   2 \fixme{This chapter has to be rewritten, to fit in the multi-platform latex
   3 source code that we currently use}
   4 When recording an mp3 file, it is common practice to start the recording
   5 a little bit early and stop it a little bit late to ensure all the
   6 desired sound is recorded. This results in recordings that contains
   7 extra snippets of sound in the beginning and the end. Unfortunately these
   8 snippets can not be deleted easily because they are stored in the same
   9 file as the desired recording. The purpose of the split editor is to
  10 split a mp3 file (the input file) at a point in time (split point). Two
  11 new files can be generated from the input file. The first file contains
  12 the part before the split point and the second file contains the part
  13 after the split point. Once this process has been successful the
  14 original file can be deleted or kept as a backup.
  15
  16 The whole process of splitting a mp3 file consists of three steps:
  17
  18 \begin{enumerate}
  19 \item defining the split point
  20 \item generating the result files.
  21 \item if desired delete the input file (with the browser, not the split
  22 editor)
  23 \end{enumerate}
  24
  25 \subsubsection{How to use the Split Editor}
  26
  27 \begin{itemize}
  28 \item \textbf{Pause near the split point}
  29 When the device plays the song just hit the PAUSE button, when playback
  30 has roughly reached the split point. This need not be very precise as
  31 the split point can be fine tuned later.
  32 \item \textbf{Open the split editor}
  33
  34 Open the plugin.  A screen similar to the one below will appear.
  35
  36 {\centering\itshape
  37   [Warning: Image ignored] % Unhandled or unsupported graphics:
  38 %\includegraphics[width=3.701cm,height=2.11cm]{images/rockbox-manual-img67.gif}
  39  \newline
  40 The Split Editor
  41 \par}
  42
  43 {\centering\upshape
  44 Here is an explanation of the areas marked in red on the screenshot.
  45 \par}
  46
  47 \begin{enumerate}
  48 \item The waveform \newline
  49 \newline
  50 The waveform displays the volume of the song over time. It will appear
  51 as the song plays and help to visually identify the point in time where
  52 the split is desired
  53 \item The split point indicator\newline
  54 \newline
  55 The split point indicator is a vertical line with a small triangle at
  56 the top end. It is the most important control element of the split
  57 editor. It can be moved with the LEFT and RIGHT buttons. Later, when
  58 you have fine tuned the split point, the song will be split at this
  59 position.
  60 \item The split time\newline
  61 \newline
  62 At the top of the window a time value is displayed. This is the point in
  63 time within the song at which the split point indicator is positioned.
  64 \item The locator\newline
  65 \newline
  66 Another vertical bar represents the position locator. It moves along as
  67 the song plays. In contrast to the split point indicator it has no
  68 triangles at the ends.
  69 \item The time bar\newline
  70 \newline
  71 The time bar displays the current position within the song relative to
  72 the whole song. The entire length of the time bar represents the song
  73 length. The length of the solid part of the time bar represents the position and length
  74 of the displayed part of the song.
  75 \item The scale mode\newline
  76 \newline
  77 Directly above the F3 button the scale mode is displayed. The waveform
  78 can be scaled either logarithmically or linearly. In logarithmic scale
  79 mode the letters ``dB'' are displayed, in linear mode ``\%''. Use F3 to
  80 switch between these modes. Linear mode usually gives better optical
  81 hints with commercially recorded music. For quiet recordings,
  82 especially of human speech, the logarithmic scale often is preferable.
  83 \item The loop mode \newline
  84 \newline
  85 Directly above the F2 button the loop mode icon is displayed. There are
  86 4 different loop modes. Pressing F2 changes to the next loop mode.
  87
  88 \begin{itemize}
  89 \item   [Warning: Image ignored] % Unhandled or unsupported graphics:
  90 %\includegraphics[width=0.794cm,height=0.476cm]{images/rockbox-manual-img68.gif}
  91   Playback loops around the split point indicator. This mode is best
  92 used when searching and zooming for the desired point at which to split
  93 the recording.
  94 \item   [Warning: Image ignored] % Unhandled or unsupported graphics:
  95 %\includegraphics[width=0.794cm,height=0.476cm]{images/rockbox-manual-img69.gif}
  96   Playback loops from the split point indicator to the end of the
  97 visible area. This mode is best used when fine tuning the split
  98 indicator position at the beginning of a recording.
  99 \item   [Warning: Image ignored] % Unhandled or unsupported graphics:
 100 %\includegraphics[width=0.794cm,height=0.476cm]{images/rockbox-manual-img70.gif}
 101   Playback loops from the beginning of the
 102 visible area to the split point. This mode is best used when fine
 103 tuning the split indicator position at the end of a recording.
 104 \item   [Warning: Image ignored] % Unhandled or unsupported graphics:
 105 %\includegraphics[width=0.688cm,height=0.476cm]{images/rockbox-manual-img71.gif}
 106   Playback doesn't loop, the borders of the visible
 107 area as well as the split point indicator are ignored. This mode is
 108 best used when playing the song outside of the borders of the displayed
 109 region.
 110 \end{itemize}
 111
 112 \item Perform the split \newline
 113 \newline
 114 The icon directly above the F1 button indicates its function to execute
 115 the split. When split positioning is complete open the save dialogue with F1.
 116 \end{enumerate}
 117
 118 {\bfseries
 119 Controls in the split editor }
 120 \end{itemize}
 121
 122 \begin{table}[h!]
 123 \begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|}
 124 \hline
 125 Recorder & Ondio & Function \\\hline
 126 Off & On/Off & Quit plugin \\\hline
 127 Left/Right & Left/Right & Move the split point indicator \\\hline
 128 Up/Down & Up/Down & Zoom in / out \\\hline
 129 Play & Mode & Play from the split position \\\hline
 130 F1 & Mode+Left & Enter the save dialogue \\\hline
 131 F2 & Mode+Up & Toggle loop modes \\\hline
 132 F3 & Mode+Right & Toggle logarithmic / linear scaling \\\hline
 133 On+Left & ~ & Play half speed \\\hline
 134 On+Right & ~ & Play 150\% speed \\\hline
 135 On+Play & ~ & Play normal speed \\\hline
 136 \end{tabular}
 137 \end{table}
 138
 139 \subsubsection{Save the files}
 140 In the save dialogue it is possible to specify which of the files you
 141 want to save and their names.  When finished, select
 142 ``Save'' and the files will be written to
 143 disk. Note that files can not be overwritten, so filenames that
 144 don't exist yet must be chosen. If unsure whether the
 145 file already exists simply try to save it. If another file with this
 146 name exists the dialogue will return and you can choose another
 147 filename
 148
 149 {\centering\itshape
 150   [Warning: Image ignored] % Unhandled or unsupported graphics:
 151 %\includegraphics[width=3.701cm,height=2.11cm]{images/rockbox-manual-img72.gif}
 152  \newline
 153 Save dialogue
 154 \par}
 155
 156 Controls in the save dialogue
 157 \begin{table}[h!]
 158 \begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|}
 159 \hline
 160 RECORDER & ONDIO & FUNCTION \\\hline
 161 UP/DOWN & UP/DOWN & Select item \\\hline
 162 PLAY & RIGHT & Toggle / edit item \\\hline
 163 \end{tabular}
 164 \end{table}
 165
 166 \subsubsection{Scale}
 167 The values in the waveform are scaled according to the settings of the
 168 peak meter. These can be altered in the menu
 169 \textbf{General Settings {}-{\textgreater} Display{}-{\textgreater} Peak Meter}. If extreme minimum /
 170 maximum values are set the waveform might be cut off.  A minimum
 171 setting of {}-60 dB and a maximum setting of 0 dB are recommended.
 172 These settings should be capable of producing useful waveforms for very
 173 soft sounds in logarithmic mode (dB). When the editor is used on loud
 174 sounds (such as commercial rock or pop music) switching to the linear
 175 scale may prove more effective since the logarithmic scale compresses
 176 loud noises and makes it more difficult to identify characteristic
 177 shapes. Note that it is always possible to toggle the scale with F3.
 178
 179