Audio application with URL Association? (Not Syrinscape)

[celestian]

Does anyone know of a audio application that accepts commands via url that works in Windows 10 (linux/mac would be a plus also)?

I've grown very frustrated with Syrinscape and want to just use my local files. I'll write my own extension to deal with it but the only way FG (that I know of) will do something like this is via a URL so...

VLC looks promising but I've been having trouble getting VLC Desktop to associate with the "vlc://" url. Right now all I've been able to do is get the "Windows Store" version to and it's ... not going to be used.

[dulux-oz]

Try VLC Media Player - its a multi-platform app, so it should work acoss OS's, and I know that it takes URLs (in Windows, anyway) - ie if you set the file association on Windows to play avi's, mp3's, etc, to VLC then it works great :)

Just for my edification: what's been frustrating you about Syrinscape (I've got a couple myself, BTW)? :)

[st4lk3r87]

Try VLC Media Player - its a multi-platform app, so it should work acoss OS's, and I know that it takes URLs (in Windows, anyway) - ie if you set the file association on Windows to play avi's, mp3's, etc, to VLC then it works great :)

Just for my edification: what's been frustrating you about Syrinscape (I've got a couple myself, BTW)? :)

Does VLC support playing multiple sounds at the same time?

[dulux-oz]

Does VLC support playing multiple sounds at the same time?

I believe so; it might open multiple instances of itself to do so, but I know I've had (at least) to songs/videos going at once (I was trying to do a comparison between two audio/video streams of (supposedly) the same thing) :)

[Trenloe]

Jut use file://<complete path to file> and windows will launch whatever application is associated (registered) to open files with that file extension on your computer.

Lots of info here: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?31369-DOE-Sound-Extension&p=409629&viewfull=1#post409629 The second part of that post deals with the file:// URI scheme.

[celestian]

Try VLC Media Player - its a multi-platform app, so it should work acoss OS's, and I know that it takes URLs (in Windows, anyway) - ie if you set the file association on Windows to play avi's, mp3's, etc, to VLC then it works great :)


Yeah, it was my first go-to. I like it a lot but as I said having issues getting the vlc:// url to work at all. The only way to get it to work is install the store version, not the desktop version. The windows store version is seriously gimped so not an option. I can certainly throw file:////C:\somefile.wav at it and it does play them but the functionality is going to be very limited using it like that. I'd prefer to be able to add file, play, pause/etc. Can't do that will a file://, tho vlc:// should work.



Just for my edification: what's been frustrating you about Syrinscape (I've got a couple myself, BTW)? :)

The sound source quality is really low. The sound quality isn't bad but what they use for sounds is just very amateur at times. I can find much better sound bites from NWN from a decade+ ago (which I long ago extracted for my home games).

The search is almost unusable. They mix up the persistent sounds and one shot sounds in a search. It makes it almost impossible to quickly find anything. If I don't prep for every sound during my game it's not even worth trying to find something on the fly.

Can't play my own local files.

edit: Can't believe I forgot this but the lack of a option to set the output sound device!!! You have to reconfigure your default sound to what you want it to use, boot it up, then reset everything. Gah!

What I really want is a "one shot" sound board and a "ambient" sound board tool. Syrinescape merges them both into one thing and it "works" but ... just not how I'd like it.

I can do better locally with VLC and just organized directories (and explorer file search) right now. That's my plan if I can figure out the vlc:// URL issue.


I believe so; it might open multiple instances of itself to do so, but I know I've had (at least) to songs/videos going at once (I was trying to do a comparison between two audio/video streams of (supposedly) the same thing) :)

It does if you allow multiple copies of it to be running. That's how I mixed a few ambient sounds together.

[dulux-oz]

Yeah, it was my first go-to. I like it a lot but as I said having issues getting the vlc:// url to work at all. The only way to get it to work is install the store version, not the desktop version. The windows store version is seriously gimped so not an option. I can certainly throw file:////C:\somefile.wav at it and it does play them but the functionality is going to be very limited using it like that. I'd prefer to be able to add file, play, pause/etc. Can't do that will a file://, tho vlc:// should work.



The sound source quality is really low. The sound quality isn't bad but what they use for sounds is just very amateur at times. I can find much better sound bites from NWN from a decade+ ago (which I long ago extracted for my home games).

The search is almost unusable. They mix up the persistent sounds and one shot sounds in a search. It makes it almost impossible to quickly find anything. If I don't prep for every sound during my game it's not even worth trying to find something on the fly.

Can't play my own local files.

edit: Can't believe I forgot this but the lack of a option to set the output sound device!!! You have to reconfigure your default sound to what you want it to use, boot it up, then reset everything. Gah!

What I really want is a "one shot" sound board and a "ambient" sound board tool. Syrinescape merges them both into one thing and it "works" but ... just not how I'd like it.

I can do better locally with VLC and just organized directories (and explorer file search) right now. That's my plan if I can figure out the vlc:// URL issue.



It does if you allow multiple copies of it to be running. That's how I mixed a few ambient sounds together.

Just for the record, I've solved a lot of the Search issues, etc, (not the default sound output) in my DOM_SoundLink_Library Module (available from the GM's Guild (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/260749/DOM-SoundlinkLibrary-Module--December-2018)). I actually put up the new Edition (December 2018) just yesterday, BTW. As far as the default sound output, yes, its a pain, but again, I've solved that (for myself) by the judicious use of VoiceMeter - now I simply click one of a number of user-defined settings buttons and - *poof* - I've got sound going to/from whatever combination of devices I need. I find it so useful that I run *all* my sound apps thru it: games, Skype, TeamSpeak, Discord, VLC, Syrinscape, Windows Default, Kodi - everything. Happy to help anyone set things up if they want.

Hope this helps :)

Cheers

[LordEntrails]

There used to be a sound / soundscape application called "Softrope" I stumbled across years ago. I don't think it solves what you want, and I know the dev dropped it years ago, but... maybe if you can find it it would be worth 30 minutes of your time to take a look at.

[celestian]

I've solved that (for myself) by the judicious use of VoiceMeter - now I simply click one of a number of user-defined settings buttons and - *poof* - I've got sound going to/from whatever combination of devices I need.

Cheers

I've used Voicemeeter myself for a couple years but unaware of the user-defined setting buttons. I'll have to dig into that. Voicemeeter is a must for discord/ambient/sounds and OBS.

[Ampersandrew]

Yeah I have a soft rope, it says so right here on my character sheet 50ft rope

And yes this actually happened at a table in Ireland.

[dulux-oz]

Yeah I have a soft rope, it says so right here on my character sheet 50ft rope

And yes this actually happened at a table in Ireland.

???? (WTF) :confused:

[Benjamin Loomes]

Hey celestian.

Two things to check out that may help.

1) Wanna have a play with this, www.syrinscape.com/online/ Have a go with the search functions on this version of the Player. We've done a lot of work on getting what you are probably looking for nearer to the top of the list. i.e. When you type "Goblin", the first returns are any SoundSets with actually the word "Goblin" in their name, followed by and SoundSets with actually the word "Goblin" in a Mood etc... so that relevant content will be easier to find. Our intention is to bring this improved search function to the Stand Alone Players.
2) Note: once we switch on the 3rd Party Integration for the Online Player (we are working on that right now), then you'll be able to control this better player with Fantasy Grounds, in the same way you can control the Stand Alone Player already (thanks to the AMAZING tools built by the nice people above). The Online Player has LOTS of really useful features which you will enjoy, including most notably, the remove of the need to preinstall content for playback - required samples are sent with the MOOD trigger when you click it.
3) And re local files - just checking you are aware you can bring your own sounds into Syrinscape using the Syrinscape SoundSet Creator.

That's all form me! :-D

Now... game on!

[celestian]

Hey celestian.

Two things to check out that may help.

1) Wanna have a play with this, www.syrinscape.com/online/ Have a go with the search functions on this version of the Player. We've done a lot of work on getting what you are probably looking for nearer to the top of the list. i.e. When you type "Goblin", the first returns are any SoundSets with actually the word "Goblin" in their name, followed by and SoundSets with actually the word "Goblin" in a Mood etc... so that relevant content will be easier to find. Our intention is to bring this improved search function to the Stand Alone Players.
2) Note: once we switch on the 3rd Party Integration for the Online Player (we are working on that right now), then you'll be able to control this better player with Fantasy Grounds, in the same way you can control the Stand Alone Player already (thanks to the AMAZING tools built by the nice people above). The Online Player has LOTS of really useful features which you will enjoy, including most notably, the remove of the need to preinstall content for playback - required samples are sent with the MOOD trigger when you click it.
3) And re local files - just checking you are aware you can bring your own sounds into Syrinscape using the Syrinscape SoundSet Creator.

That's all form me! :-D

Now... game on!

Glad to hear of the updates. I wasn't aware of the "Online" tool and will check it out. My first cursory look tho seems to have a very similar search. What would be more useful, for me, would be if the search results showed ONLY the items that match my string. So when I search for "door" I only see items with "door" in the string. Right now it lists the entire sound set with everything in it. The web version allows me to use chrome search and jump to it but if it wasn't for that this wouldn't be a big improvement for my needs.

I looked at the custom sounds option when I originally subscribed but at the time it required me to upload all my files if I recall?

I actually would prefer the sound files to be local and played local. Then I push them out however I desire. Currently I use the standalone Syrinscape app, with it's audio going out a specific output device and then cleanfeed streams it for my players. In a perfect world I would push it out discord but the sound quality there for audio of this type is horrendous.

One thing I did notice with the online player is it doesn't have any options to configure which sound out device it uses either. Would really be nice if this (and the standalone app) had a configuration option to set which output device it would use.

[mattekure]

Glad to hear of the updates. I wasn't aware of the "Online" tool and will check it out. My first cursory look tho seems to have a very similar search. What would be more useful, for me, would be if the search results showed ONLY the items that match my string. So when I search for "door" I only see items with "door" in the string. Right now it lists the entire sound set with everything in it. The web version allows me to use chrome search and jump to it but if it wasn't for that this wouldn't be a big improvement for my needs.

I looked at the custom sounds option when I originally subscribed but at the time it required me to upload all my files if I recall?

I actually would prefer the sound files to be local and played local. Then I push them out however I desire. Currently I use the standalone Syrinscape app, with it's audio going out a specific output device and then cleanfeed streams it for my players. In a perfect world I would push it out discord but the sound quality there for audio of this type is horrendous.

One thing I did notice with the online player is it doesn't have any options to configure which sound out device it uses either. Would really be nice if this (and the standalone app) had a configuration option to set which output device it would use.

I use a similar setup of syrinscape piping out to cleanfeed. I use a batch file to launch syrinscape that automatically sets the audio device that seems to work really well.

[madman]

I found this some time back..

Audio Router (https://github.com/audiorouterdev/audio-router)

Madman

[Dr0W]

Right now I'm using this:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/629520/Soundpad/

It does accept URL Associations just like this: "C:\Steam\steamapps\common\Soundpad\Soundpad.exe -rc DoPlaySound(1)", and it will play the first sound on the list. Another great advantage is that it also has option to transmit sound to your Microphone. So you won't have to use Virtual Cable or VoiceMeter and the sorts of it. It's a really simple software and gets the job done.

HOWEVER, I found myself with a problem when I was trying to use Dulux's Sound Extension: Apparently, it doesn't recognize parameters. So it didn't get the '-rc DoPlaySound(1)', of the URL. There's a workaround: I created Shortcuts on Windows, eg. (C:\Sound1.ink) that point to the full location ("C:\Steam\steamapps\common\Soundpad\Soundpad.exe -rc DoPlaySound(1)"), and it works like a charm, since I only have to create like 20 shortcuts once, and it works for any campaign I create because I can just load different sound lists.

Edit: Another great advantage is that you can try it for free with a few limitations.

[celestian]

Right now I'm using this:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/629520/Soundpad/

It does accept URL Associations just like this: "C:\Steam\steamapps\common\Soundpad\Soundpad.exe -rc DoPlaySound(1)", and it will play the first sound on the list. Another great advantage is that it also has option to transmit sound to your Microphone. So you won't have to use Virtual Cable or VoiceMeter and the sorts of it. It's a really simple software and gets the job done.

HOWEVER, I found myself with a problem when I was trying to use Dulux's Sound Extension: Apparently, it doesn't recognize parameters. So it didn't get the '-rc DoPlaySound(1)', of the URL. There's a workaround: I created Shortcuts on Windows, eg. (C:\Sound1.ink) that point to the full location ("C:\Steam\steamapps\common\Soundpad\Soundpad.exe -rc DoPlaySound(1)"), and it works like a charm, since I only have to create like 20 shortcuts once, and it works for any campaign I create because I can just load different sound lists.

Edit: Another great advantage is that you can try it for free with a few limitations.

I'll give it a try... but I think you're confusing the "command line" with url. A url command is something like syrinscape-fantasy:elements/YnJpbmRvbC10b3duOjo2LVJvb3N0ZXI/play/. If I could use command line I'd just stick with VLC (free and already use) but far as I know you can't use the API within FG to run a command outside of FG?

[Dr0W]

Yes, you can. You can just point to a file location, and it will play that file. And yes, you can use VLC but then it would only play the file for you. Unless you had some way to send the sound to your players.
I've used VLC a lot back in the day, with Voicemeeter to send the sound through my microphone. The difference between VLC and Soundpad is that I don't need to use Voicemeeter or Virtual Audio Cable installed because Soundpad does their job already.