sndrec32.exe, command line options, expecially /record

[TensorField]

This is all in XP Pro, but since it is a command line issue, I brought it here.

I am trying to automatically record using Sound Recorder from the command line in a script or something. I can't seem to find out what the command line options are for sndrec32.exe. I have found out that "sndrec32.exe /play /close <wave file>" is possible and I tried "sndrec32.exe /record /close <wave file>" but that doesn't seem to work.

What are the options for sndrec32.exe? Is it possible to do what I am trying to do? Is there a way to display the options for sndrec32.exe from the command line? /verbose doesn't seem to work.

[Nix]

have you tried opening a dos prompt window and typing sndrec32.exe /?

[TensorField]

Yes, I've tried that. It just starts it up.

[Nix]

How about sndrec32.exe /help

[TensorField]

I hadn't thought of that, but, I try it and that doesn't work either.

I did some on-line searching and found that sndrec32.exe shows up as a component in some email virus. Is it possible that its attributes have been obscured or disabled as a consequence?

I've also searched the MS Knowledge Base and there is no information there either.

[Nix]

I found one site that had /embedding but other than that not much else.

Then it hit me and I used Wordpad to 'open' sndrec32.exe

I then searched for /embedding with no luck.

Removed the / and found a line that had embedding, play, open, new, close so I'm guessing that's it ?

Meanings at a guess:
/embedding - ???
/play - play file
/open - open file but don't play it
/new - open new file ready for recording
/close - close file

[Nix]

I ran sndrec32 /new /embedding c:\nix2.wav at the command line and nothing appeared to happen, but when I hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete sndrec32.exe is running in the background but no GUI ???

[AlaricD]

The /embedding apparently makes it not show the UI for the program. I tried a sndrec32 /play /close /embedding .\ro-title.wav to play the .WAV in the default directory, and the .WAV played without the Sound Recorder UI. During playback, sndrec32 showed as a running process, and then disappeared when the track was done playing.

[Nix]

Hey AlaricD, haven't seen you around for a while.

[TensorField]

Sorry about the delay in replying. I confirm the "embedding" attribute. What I am looking for is a way for recording from the command line and the only thing that happens when I use the "/record" option is that the dotted outline shows on the record button indicating it has the focus. There must be a way to get the recording going.

Explain what you did when you say you used Wordpad to open sndrec32.exe.

[Nix]

Search for SNDREC32.EXE

Click it once to highlight it.

Hold down shift

Right click on it and select Open With

Scroll down to Wordpad and click OK

How about /start or /begin

[TensorField]

I can't seem to evoke "Open With" using the trick you describe. I do see "Open" which simply starts the program. Recall that I am using Windows XP Pro.

I also notice that /record does not significantly place the focus on the record button. Even when I use "sndrec32.exe /new /xxxx TEST.wav", it opens the program with Record focused.

[AlaricD]

Since sndrec32 is an .EXE, you can't use "Open With" on it. But you can Start, Run notepad c:\windows\system32\sndrec32.exe to open the .EXE with Notepad to look in it.

It doesn't look like the sound recorder can be set to automatically record. You may wish to look into 3rd party software to make timed recordings.

[Nix]

Since sndrec32 is an .EXE, you can't use "Open With" on it. But you can Start, Run notepad c:\windows\system32\sndrec32.exe to open the .EXE with Notepad to look in it.

It doesn't look like the sound recorder can be set to automatically record. You may wish to look into 3rd party software to make timed recordings.

My method works in Win98SE, WinMe and WinNt eg

Search for SNDREC32.EXE

Click it once to highlight it.

Hold down shift

Right click on it and select Open With

Scroll down to Wordpad and click OK

Haven't got XP though so maybe they took it out ?

You have to highlight first and hold down shift before right clicking or you don't get the open with option.

[TensorField]

Yes, I've finally opened up the program from within Notepad and I'm sure I could have done the same thing from Wordpad.

I don't see a /record swith there either anywhere. I give up.

Thanks all for your attention to this little problem

I was hoping to record radio shows from a time set boot using this feature. I agree, some other command line sound recorder will be necessary.

[AlaricD]

I would expect that since an .EXE is typically associated with itself, that there's no way to set a new file association. Both the right-click and shifted right-click fail to add "Open With" to the context menu on .EXEs in XP, at least in 2 tested installations, as well as a Windows 2000 Professional installation.

[Nix]

Did you highlight it first by single clicking it ? (It turns bluish color).

Then do the Shift+Right Click

[Nix]

TensorField, the other issue that you would have run into was that by default SNDREC32.EXE only opens up with 60 seconds recording time, so you would have had to pre-create a longer file in order to be able to record more than 60 seconds and then specifically open that file.

But even then it would still be limited even if you set it up to be 1, 2, 3, 4 hours etc.

And since it is a .WAV file I believe it is loaded into RAM and then you paging file and can get pretty large eg a 3 minute song at 44000Mhz stereo is 30Mb so 1 hour would be 600Mb ??

[Nix]

Did you highlight it first by single clicking it ? (It turns bluish color).

Then do the Shift+Right Click

I just tried this on a Win2000 machine and I notice that it gives an additional Run As option, not that I know what that's for.

I then tried it on some other files.

A .BAT file also didn't give the Open With option, but a .SYS file did so 2000 and probably XP must be modified in some way to not always provide the Open With option ??

[AlaricD]

Did you highlight it first by single clicking it ? (It turns bluish color).

Then do the Shift+Right Click

Yes, I believe I first highlighted it by single clicking. I just did it again, on several .EXE files using both methods-- it doesn't make any difference.

The "open with" is for non-executable file types, not for .EXE, .COM, or .BAT. The "open with" allows you to temporarily associate a non-executable program with a program that you wish to open it with. Granted, .DLLs are technically executables, but they do show the "open with" when right-clicked.

[shiva_42]

Here's a reference I found via DogPile for you...

http://www.highcriteria.com/main_productfr_tr_overview.htm

See if this product might fit your needs...

[PeanutHorst]

Run as.... allows you to run the Program in question as another user, say if you are Joe and have the password for Admin, you can run that one process in root, or Administrator.

[Dexahol]

Once you give up on sound recorder, here's a great little free recorder that does just what you want. It'll record direct to Ogg Vorbis or MP3 also, to save disc space.

http://www.fridgesoft.de/harddiskogg.php