I am in search of some command-line help
Hello All!
I am using N-Track to run audio animatronic robots for a haunted house. I record the audio as a WAV file, and the robots move via a MIDI decoder that makes my robots move in sync with the audio.
The problem is the people using my equipment seem to have trouble with the SIMPLE task of loading and running the N-Track files without somehow saving over the original file and messing everything up.
Does anyone know of a way of running N-track via command line, so that they could just click on an icon and N-track would boot-up and load a file, and then start playing it?
Thanks for any help you can give me! If you want to see what we have done with N-track… just look at…
My Webpage Sinister Shadows
Eyup!
Are you the same person who asked this exact question a couple of years ago?
I remember thinking at the time "What a great idea!"
Unfortunately, there have been several forum crashes since then, so the original thread will have long gone.
I’m not surprised that your users are having trouble with the system, as NTrack does not lend itself to such an application, you really want something just “point & click” as you say.
However, the simplest way I can think of is to place the .sng file on the desktop. If you double-click it, NTrack will open and load the .wav files and midi files. Then, just press the spacebar and the song will play.
Of course, it’s not foolproof. You could try making the files read only I suppose.
Goliath looks a bit scary to me. I bet he’s a big hit with the kids 
Good Luck.
Steve
Thanks for the suggestion.
I di ask a question here related to the same thing almost a year ago… you must have a VERY good memory!
I was hopeing that somehow the new updat added the ability to run the program from a command line.
There are windows based script programs that might work too - I guess I’ll look into them.
Thanks again, and take care…
Beth
Beth,
You might want to have a squint at AutoIt macro and script recorder. Its freeware and works as advertised. However, it is not fool proof either. Inexperienced users can still mess it up, but what else is new.
I like Steve’s idea of making the critical files READ ONLY. Just right-click on the file name(s) in Windows Explorer>Properties and tick the Read Only box. At least that should eliminate damaged files.
Here is a link: http://www.autoitscript.com/
HTH
Don 
In your case, I think Steve is giving a good suggestion (placing it on the desktop).
As for myself, I don’t have any idea how you are doing what it is you are doing, but it never ceases to amaze me the different ways people use this software.
amazed,
cliff 
…of course you could just make a shortcut to the song file.
Double-clicking the shortcut would open n-Track with the song loaded automatically. You’d still have to click the PLAY button though, and unless you make the song file read-only it can still be saved over.
HTH
Mark
… but of course hitting the BIG SPACE BAR starts playback and should be simple enough.
So… double-click…wait…hit SPACE. Would that be simple enough?
HTH
Mark
Thanks for all the advice everyone!
Believe it or not - just hitting a space bar can be a problem for some amusement workers. That’s why we prefer the “boot up and auto run” programs, then we can take the keyboard and hide it!
We have some great suggestions here though - so we can try it a couple of ways to see what works.
Thanks Again, Beth
If you are using XP you can:
click start
click "help and support"
type in “autorun” in the search box
you will get the directions on how to set up your PC so that the program you want will run when you start windows.
I think that should help.
cliff
Yep. Basically put the shortcut to the n-track song in the “Startup” group.
So that covers everything other than starting PLAY automatically.
Flavio, how about a “/play” switch on the command line?..
ntrack.exe mysong.sng /play
?
Mark
| Quote (Mark A @ Jan. 25 2006,14:57) |
| Flavio, how about a "/play" switch on the command line?.... ntrack.exe mysong.sng /play |
Sorry to be rude, but it seems that every time he adds a new feature to the program, something else gets broken. I'd prefer it if he didn't any new stuff until n-Track is rock solid, as bug-free as can be expected, and all the stuff that used to work functions again.
Besides, this person's task can be handled with a macro program, so why add a whole new feature that I doubt any of us would need to use ever again?
My $.02, etc...
In reading the above posts - can someone tell me if the guy that wrote the program actually reads these messages?
Not that I would want or expect him to change the entire program for me, but perhaps we could pay him to make a special modification to one.
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| Quote |
| Sorry to be rude, but it seems that every time he adds a new feature to the program, something else gets broken |
You John, rude? Nah, just you’re honest… and remember you don’t play well with others…
Anyway the author of “Fiberman” gets many brownie points in my book.
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| In reading the above posts - can someone tell me if the guy that wrote the program actually reads these messages? |
Certainly. Flavio is often seen reading the messages (rarely posting), but will often respond to that which is needed by his user base.
Yorkmiss,
Have you guys looked at alternatives to TOTAL PC based control? Good hardware based programmable logic controllers are dirt-cheap these days. They are easy to program and a whole slew of comm interfaces are open source IF you want to develop your own PC based GUI for programming them and/or interfacing audio playback devices to augment your animatronic critters. Most all of 'em have OPC device drivers which means communicating with them is a breeze. In about ten minutes you can set up a cheesy operator interface in Excel for example. Your situation is obviously more complex than that but it really is that easy.
D