Avaya Media Processing Server Studio User Guide

Avaya Media Processing Server Studio
User Guide
Release 4.1
NN44100-115
Issue 1
August 2013
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Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction to MPS Studio............................................................................. 7
Introduction to Media Processing Server Studio....................................................................................... 7
System Storage, Performance, and Compatibility.................................................................................... 8
Supported File Formats............................................................................................................................. 10
Information About This Software Revision................................................................................................ 12
General Changes...................................................................................................................................... 12
Item Attributes Window............................................................................................................................. 12
Import Window.......................................................................................................................................... 13
Export Window.......................................................................................................................................... 13
Batch Tools Menu..................................................................................................................................... 13
Waveform Editor Window.......................................................................................................................... 14
Parameters Window.................................................................................................................................. 14
Tools Menu............................................................................................................................................... 14
Starting MPS Studio From the Command Line......................................................................................... 15
Starting MPS Studio in Windows.............................................................................................................. 16
Overview of the MPS Studio Software...................................................................................................... 17
Mnemonics and Shortcuts......................................................................................................................... 17
General Operation in Solaris..................................................................................................................... 18
Operation in Windows............................................................................................................................... 20
Other Differences Between Solaris and Windows.................................................................................... 20
The MultiMedia File Editor........................................................................................................................ 21
The Waveform Editor................................................................................................................................ 27
Chapter 2: The MultiMedia File Editor............................................................................... 33
Introduction to the MultiMedia File Editor.................................................................................................. 33
MultiMedia File Properties......................................................................................................................... 34
Opening a MultiMedia File........................................................................................................................ 35
Functions of the MultiMedia File Editor..................................................................................................... 37
The Item Selection List.............................................................................................................................. 38
Selecting the Current Item........................................................................................................................ 40
Selecting Multiple Items............................................................................................................................ 41
Item Attributes........................................................................................................................................... 42
The MMF List Select Menu....................................................................................................................... 42
Searching for Items by Name or Number.................................................................................................. 44
Assigning Name Prefixes.......................................................................................................................... 45
Batch Changing Existing Name Prefixes.................................................................................................. 46
Selecting a Play Reference Item............................................................................................................... 47
Bookmarking Items................................................................................................................................... 48
The File Menu........................................................................................................................................... 49
Open......................................................................................................................................................... 50
Save.......................................................................................................................................................... 51
Close......................................................................................................................................................... 52
New........................................................................................................................................................... 53
Quit............................................................................................................................................................ 55
The Edit Menu........................................................................................................................................... 55
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Undo.......................................................................................................................................................... 57
Add Item.................................................................................................................................................... 58
Add Items.................................................................................................................................................. 59
Delete........................................................................................................................................................ 60
Copy.......................................................................................................................................................... 61
Move......................................................................................................................................................... 62
XChange................................................................................................................................................... 63
Shift Names............................................................................................................................................... 64
The Item Attributes Window...................................................................................................................... 66
Specifying a Name for an Item.................................................................................................................. 68
Item Locking.............................................................................................................................................. 70
The Media File Properties Window........................................................................................................... 70
Sorting the List of Items............................................................................................................................ 72
The Transfer Menu.................................................................................................................................... 73
Supported Formats for File Transfer Functions........................................................................................ 74
Supported Audio File Formats.................................................................................................................. 74
Properties of the Audio File Formats......................................................................................................... 76
Supported Audio Item Encoding Formats................................................................................................. 76
MPS Series Utilities for Importing and Exporting...................................................................................... 77
Importing Items......................................................................................................................................... 77
Combining Two Multimedia Files.............................................................................................................. 82
Exporting Items......................................................................................................................................... 82
Updating On-line Vocabularies................................................................................................................. 86
Synchronizing MultiMedia Files Across Nodes......................................................................................... 88
The Batch Tools Menu.............................................................................................................................. 88
Locking and Unlocking.............................................................................................................................. 89
Purging and Deleting Duplicate Item Names............................................................................................ 90
The Pick List Window................................................................................................................................ 92
The Pick List Action Menu......................................................................................................................... 95
Regular Expression Operators.................................................................................................................. 95
Add All Matching....................................................................................................................................... 96
Remove All Matching................................................................................................................................ 96
Change All Matching................................................................................................................................. 96
Generate New Item................................................................................................................................... 97
The Pick List Select Menu......................................................................................................................... 97
Chapter 3: The Waveform Editor....................................................................................... 99
Introduction............................................................................................................................................... 99
The Parameters Window........................................................................................................................... 101
Audio Controls........................................................................................................................................... 102
The Sound Level Meter............................................................................................................................. 104
Item Information Fields.............................................................................................................................. 105
The Waveform Displays............................................................................................................................ 105
Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item........................................................................................ 106
Three-Dimensional Waveform Displays.................................................................................................... 108
Common Features.................................................................................................................................... 109
The Display Mode Menu........................................................................................................................... 110
Show 3D for Selected Options.................................................................................................................. 110
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Show 3D for All Options............................................................................................................................ 111
Show Orthographic Options...................................................................................................................... 112
Working in the 3-D Environment............................................................................................................... 112
Changing 3-D Views................................................................................................................................. 113
Pointer Location and Movement............................................................................................................... 114
Frequency Distribution.............................................................................................................................. 114
Waveform Selection.................................................................................................................................. 116
Play Parameters........................................................................................................................................ 118
Playing an Item......................................................................................................................................... 120
Batch Play Operations.............................................................................................................................. 120
Editing Items in the Batch Play Mode....................................................................................................... 122
Batch Reference Play............................................................................................................................... 123
General Record Parameters..................................................................................................................... 124
Recording a Single Item............................................................................................................................ 126
Batch Record Parameters......................................................................................................................... 127
Recording Items in Batch Mode................................................................................................................ 129
Creating Audio Tapes for Use with MPS Studio....................................................................................... 131
The File Menu........................................................................................................................................... 132
Save.......................................................................................................................................................... 133
Reload....................................................................................................................................................... 134
Quit............................................................................................................................................................ 135
The Edit Menu........................................................................................................................................... 135
Undo.......................................................................................................................................................... 136
Cut............................................................................................................................................................. 137
Delete........................................................................................................................................................ 138
Copy.......................................................................................................................................................... 138
Paste......................................................................................................................................................... 139
Joining Two or More Items........................................................................................................................ 140
Trim........................................................................................................................................................... 141
Padding..................................................................................................................................................... 142
Silence...................................................................................................................................................... 144
Silence and Normalize.............................................................................................................................. 144
Smoothing................................................................................................................................................. 145
The Tools Menu........................................................................................................................................ 146
DTMF Detection........................................................................................................................................ 146
Chapter 4: The Audio Processing Tools........................................................................... 147
Introduction............................................................................................................................................... 147
Normalizing a Recording........................................................................................................................... 150
Local Normalization................................................................................................................................... 150
Global Normalization................................................................................................................................. 152
Adjusting Playback Time for an Item......................................................................................................... 154
Local Time Scaling.................................................................................................................................... 154
Global Time Scaling.................................................................................................................................. 156
Mixing Two Items...................................................................................................................................... 157
Padding an Item with Silence.................................................................................................................... 159
Local Padding........................................................................................................................................... 159
Global Padding.......................................................................................................................................... 160
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Gain Control of Recorded Items................................................................................................................ 161
Local Gain Control.................................................................................................................................... 162
Global Gain Control................................................................................................................................... 164
Using the Equalizer Tools......................................................................................................................... 165
Graphic Equalization................................................................................................................................. 166
The Local Graphic Equalizer..................................................................................................................... 167
The Global Graphic Equalizer................................................................................................................... 169
Parametric Equalization............................................................................................................................ 170
The Local Parametric Equalizer................................................................................................................ 170
The Global Parametric Equalizer.............................................................................................................. 173
Filtering for DTMF Tones.......................................................................................................................... 174
DTMF Detection Types............................................................................................................................. 175
Configure the DTMF Guard Time for DTMF Detection............................................................................. 175
Single Item DTMF Detection..................................................................................................................... 176
Batch DTMF Detection.............................................................................................................................. 180
Appendix A: Installation Procedures................................................................................ 183
Installing MPS Studio................................................................................................................................ 183
Backing Up and Restoring the Sample Files............................................................................................ 183
Backing Up Files....................................................................................................................................... 183
Restoring Files from Backups................................................................................................................... 184
Installing the Audio Interface..................................................................................................................... 185
The Avaya Speech and Development Platform........................................................................................ 186
The Mixpad 9 Stereo Mixer....................................................................................................................... 187
The MDR624 Six Channel Mixer............................................................................................................... 188
Denon Tape Deck..................................................................................................................................... 189
The Non-Captive Analog Recording Configuration................................................................................... 190
The Vocabulary Digitization Configuration................................................................................................ 192
Appendix B: Guidelines for Creating Vocabularies......................................................... 195
Introduction............................................................................................................................................... 195
Script Development................................................................................................................................... 195
Vocal Requirements.................................................................................................................................. 196
Style/Approach.......................................................................................................................................... 196
Voice Talent Selection.............................................................................................................................. 197
Recording Requirements and Procedures................................................................................................ 197
Recording Environment............................................................................................................................. 197
Equipment................................................................................................................................................. 198
Script Preparation..................................................................................................................................... 198
Conducting the Recording Session........................................................................................................... 199
Modifying Existing Scripts......................................................................................................................... 199
Index..................................................................................................................................... 201
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Chapter 1: Introduction to MPS Studio
This chapter covers:
1. Introduction
2. Hardware Requirements
3. Item and file formats
4. Running MPS Studio
5. Getting help
6. An overview of the software
Introduction to Media Processing Server Studio
The Media Processing Server (MPS) Studio is a graphical software tool used for creating,
editing, and managing vocabulary items for Avaya Media Processing Server (MPS) Series.
Using MPS Studio, you can:
• Record audio from a variety of sources (microphone, tape, line source, and other audio
data format files).
• Play back recorded vocabulary items for audible verification.
• Edit all or portions of the recorded data (cut, paste, delete, scale length, etc.).
• Import and export audio items from and to other multimedia format files.
• Perform advanced audio signal processing (equalization, normalization, mixing, filtering,
etc.) of recorded items to improve the sound quality.
• Perform batch editing and processing on multiple items in a single operation for obtaining
consistent vocabularies as well as saving time.
The audio items created by MPS Studio are stored in multimedia format (MMF) files. These
files are intended to interoperate with vocabulary and message files for MPS Series systems.
The MMF file is described under Supported File Formats on page 10.
MPS Studio is available for both Solaris and Windows operating systems. The MMF file format
is fully portable across platforms (i.e., vocabularies developed in the Windows version of MPS
Studio are compatible with a Solaris based MPS Series, and vice versa). Additionally, MPS
Studio supports importing and exporting of all common audio file formats. For information about
compatible formats, see Supported Audio Item Encoding Formats on page 76. For
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Introduction to MPS Studio
information regarding the use of MPS Studio to create MPS Series vocabulary files, see
Introduction on page 195.
Audio items serve a variety of purposes in the voice processing environment, including
providing verbal information, messages, voice recordings, touch-tones for phone line control,
sound effects, music, etc. In the MPS Studio editor, audio items may be initially recorded, as
well as edited in any way germane to audio processing (e.g., volume levels, frequency range,
duration of silent periods, etc.).
Note:
This manual covers both the Solaris/Motif and Windows versions of MPS Studio. Operation
and layout of the windows, dialogs, and menus of both versions are virtually identical.
Throughout this manual, where a window or menu is illustrated, the Motif version will
generally be shown. Differences in the Windows version are illustrated and described as
necessary. General differences between the graphical interfaces are discussed under
Overview of the MPS Studio Software on page 17.
System Storage, Performance, and Compatibility
The MPS Studio software is intended for operation on either of the following platforms:
• A Sun SPARC or UltraSPARC based MPS Series system, standalone SPARCstation, or
UltraSPARC station designated as a development station in an Avaya systems
environment. It is required that the workstation be running the Solaris 10 (SunOS 10)
operating system. It can be running either the OpenLook Window Manager (OLWM ) or
the Common Desktop Environment (CDE ) windowing system. Also, the lucida-sans font
family should be installed on the system. An external speaker is desirable.
Solaris 2.6 and above provides the option of running the CDE or
OpenWindows. Whether the workstation is running OpenWindows or
the CDE windowing system, the appearance of MPS Studio will not
be affected. Only the outer window borders are different. All MPS
Studio windows have a Motif graphical user interface (GUI).
• A Windows based MPS Series or IBM compatible PC with a Pentium class processor
running Microsoft Windows XP, Windows 2003 Server, Windows 7, or Windows 2008 R2.
A sound card with external speaker(s) is required.
An audio cassette tape player and a telephone handset are highly recommended for use with
MPS Studio. The Avaya Speech and Development Platform on page 186 is recommended
for this purpose. The cassette player is used to input speech recordings that are to be digitized
and processed for use on an MPS Series system. The telephone handset is used to verify the
speech quality of audio items as heard via the audio transmission characteristics of telephone
sets. The handset can also be used to directly record new speech items in the editor. The
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System Storage, Performance, and Compatibility
external speaker is useful during editing and any subsequent audio processing operations, to
determine the effect of signal modifications and enhancements.
Note:
For specific information on configuring the workstation and external audio devices for use
with MPS Studio, see Installing the Audio Interface on page 185.
In general, MPS Studio should be run on a platform that is used solely for vocabulary and
application development (e.g., with the MPS Developer package). A minimum of 12 Mbytes of
free random access memory (RAM) is required to adequately run MPS Studio to produce smallsize speech files. However, since the MPS system installer requires a minimum of
1,000,000,000 bytes (roughly 1GB) of system RAM in the machine in order to install the
software at all, this requirement will very likely be met by the minimum installation RAM size.
If other software is to be run concurrently with MPS Studio, the memory may need to be
increased accordingly.
The actual amount of memory needed depends on two factors:
• The memory requirements for editing a speech file are based on the number and sizes
of its multimedia items. For speech media items, each second of real-time audio requires
8 Kbytes. Therefore, approximately 1/2 Mbyte is required for each minute of audio.
• If you intend to use other software concurrently with MPS Studio, the storage needs of
these programs must be taken into account. There must be at least 12 Mbytes of free
memory after the other software is loaded and running to be able to run MPS Studio to
produce small-size speech files.
The capacity of the system disk must be sufficient to enable the storage of both all speech files
that will be created and any files required for other processes. It is recommended that the
available disk space be at least two times the total amount of recorded speech that will be held
in multimedia files (i.e., 1 Mbyte for each minute of audio in all multimedia files).
Depending on the particular functions being used, the use of MPS Studio may impact the
overall performance of the workstation. Processing-intensive activities (e.g., digitizing items,
adjusting their time scale, etc.) should not be done while other critical processes are
running.
The following are some important considerations regarding the use of
MPS Studio on SPARC workstations:
• MPS Studio should only be run when applications are offline. While
applications are active, it is likely that there will not be enough free
memory to concurrently run MPS Studio. Even if there is sufficient
memory, the functions of MPS Studio may have an adverse impact on
the performance of the applications.
• MPS Studio should not be used for recording items while other software
is performing disk access. This may result in an error message in MPS
Studio stating that there is a data overflow.
• Avaya has not verified the operation of the MPS Studio software on
Sun-compatible platforms, and does not support its execution on
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Introduction to MPS Studio
SPARC workstations supplied by manufacturers other than Sun
Microsystems.
Supported File Formats
The MPS Series platforms use MultiMedia Format (MMF) files for playing vocabularies in voice
processing applications. This is the native output file format of MPS Studio. The MMF file
structure is comprised of two separate files (or file pair):
• MultiMedia Index file ( .mmi ) - Contains an index of pointers and attributes for each
vocabulary item in the MMF. The list of items is viewed using the MPS Studio MultiMedia
File Editor window.
• MultiMedia Data file ( .mmd ) - Contains the digitized audio data of all the vocabulary items
in the MMF. The pointers in the .mmi file are used to access the audio data for the
particular items in the .mmd file. The digital audio waveform of each item can be viewed
graphically in the MPS Studio Waveform Editor window.
The data file and its associated index have the same base file name, which is specified when
the MMF is created. Upon creation, the system assigns .mmd extensions to data files and .mmi
extensions to index files. Depending on the particular feature being used, MPS Studio might
modify the data file, the index file, or both. Each MMF file can contain as many items as
required. The file will grow (as needed) to be as large as the disk partition size will allow.
Note:
The following are some important considerations regarding the use of MMF files:
• In this manual, the term MMF file generically refers to an .mmi/.mmd file pair. You will not
see a single file with a '.mmf' extension, nor should you assign that extension to a file. It
will be explicitly indicated in this manual if a given operation modifies one file and not the
other, if this information is relevant to you. Generally, modifications made in the
MultiMedia File Editor affect the .mmi file, and modifications made in the Waveform Editor
affect the .mmd file.
• The data and index files must exist in one-to-one correspondence in the same directory.
These files must be moved, copied, renamed, or otherwise manipulated only in pairs,
using the graphical file manager and/or commands issued from the command line. The
file names must be kept consistent, such that they remain identical except for their systemassigned extensions. These files must be kept in the same directory for MPS Studio or
any application to use them.
• If you are running MPS Studio on an MPS Series system that is currently running voice
applications, making changes to vocabularies and saving them to the system disk does
not make the updated vocabularies immediately available to the voice applications. The
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Supported File Formats
updated vocabularies must be activated to memory, in order for the updated vocabularies
to be available to the applications. Refer to the MPS System Operator's Guide.
The MPS Studio software can also process items that are not stored in MMF files. File
translation capabilities are provided for the formats listed below. These types of files may be
imported into the MPS Studio editor, or exported from it. For details about importing and
exporting files, see The Transfer Menu on page 73.
Format
Description
.def1
VGEN incremental format, which is used by the MPS Series system
for backup and restore operations involving vocabulary and
message files.
.au
Sun audio format, which is used by many Sun SPARCstation
software packages.
.wav
Microsoft Windows audio format commonly used by PC-based
software.
.aiff
Audio interchange format file used by many software packages for
Apple and Macintosh computers.
ASCII text file containing item names.
.txt
Vocabulary format for standalone MPS Series systems.
.voc
Note:
A file with the .def1 extension should not be confused with one with a .def extension. The .def
extension was used for older vocabulary files and is not a VGEN incremental file. The .def
extension is not recognized by current versions of MPS Studio. If you need to import a legacy
vocabulary file with a .def extension, rename the file with a .voc extension at the command
line and import the file as a vocabulary file. (See Supported Formats for File Transfer
Functions on page 74 .)
Three different audio encoding schemes are supported by MPS Studio. Within a multimedia
file, the type of encoding may be specified independently for each item.
Format
Description
u-Law
ITU1 standard for 8-bit PCM digital signals used in the U.S.,
Canada, and Japan.
A-Law
ITU standard for 8-bit PCM digital signals used in countries
other than the U.S., Canada, and Japan.
ADPCM
Adaptive Differential PCM encoding used by analog MPS
Series systems.
1. International Telecommunications Union (ITU), formerly the Consultative
Committee for International Telephone and Telegraph (CCITT).
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Introduction to MPS Studio
Information About This Software Revision
The following major features have been added or modified for software release 4.1 of MPS
Studio:
General Changes
Changes in the functionality of the MPS Studio user interface, since release 2.x, are outlined
in the following paragraphs.
The most significant change to MPS Studio 3.0 is the addition of three-dimensional (3-D)
waveform display modes in the Waveform Editor. The item loaded in the Waveform Editor is,
by default, displayed in the traditional 2-D format of amplitude (volume) versus time. There are
now multiple 3-D display options that allow the item to be displayed in amplitude, time, and
frequency. These display modes are useful in obtaining information about the frequency
content of the item, and for editing portions of the frequency spectrum. (See Three-Dimensional
Waveform Displays on page 108.)
Improvements have been made to the normalization algorithms used in MPS Studio. These
are “behind-the-scenes” changes that may only be apparent by improved audible results when
normalizing items. Additionally, the Post-Normalize option has been added to some audio
processing tools. Previous versions of MPS Studio performed post-normalization by default
when these tools were used.
The online version of this manual now contains active images. Most of the snapshots contain
active regions that link to the section of the manual describing the window, area, menu, option,
or function.
Item Attributes Window
The Creation Date and Modify Date fields now display a 4-digit year. (See The Item Attributes
Window on page 66.)
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Import Window
Import Window
The Show all [AU | WAV | AIFF] Files and Omit file extension options have been added. (See
Importing Items on page 77.)
Export Window
• The WAV Format menu is displayed in place of the Encoding options when WAV is
selected as the target export format.
• The Select via Pick List option has been added to the item selection menu.
(See Exporting Items on page 82.)
Batch Tools Menu
• The Normalize by average energy and Normalize by peak energy options have been
added to the Global Normalization window. (See Global Normalization on page 152.)
• The Post-Normalize option was added to the Global Gain Control window. (See Global
Gain Control on page 164.)
• A hidden Copy to Pick List menu option was added to the batch DTMF Detections window.
(See Batch DTMF Detection on page 180.)
• The Post-Normalize option was added to the Global Graphic Equalizer window. (See The
Global Graphic Equalizer on page 169.)
• The Post-Normalize option and the Band Stop filter have been added to the Global
Parametric Equalizer window. The Gain control range is increased from +3db to +10db.
(See The Global Parametric Equalizer on page 173.)
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Introduction to MPS Studio
Waveform Editor Window
• The hidden display mode menu has been added to the upper waveform display. This
menu contains options for multiple 3-D display modes and for returning to the default 2D mode. (See The Display Mode Menu on page 110.)
• The Frequency Distribution window (accessed from any 3-D mode) has been added. (See
Frequency Distribution on page 114.)
• The Silence and Normalize option has been added to the Edit menu. (See Silence and
Normalize on page 144.)
• The Mark option has been added to the Local Padding Silence window. (See Padding on
page 142.)
Parameters Window
The option to record directly from the CD-ROM has been added to the General Record
Parameters. (See General Record Parameters on page 124.)
Tools Menu
• The Normalize by average energy and Normalize by peak energy options have been
added to the Local Normalization window. (See Local Normalization on page 150.)
• The Post-Normalize option was added to the Local Gain Control window. (See Local Gain
Control on page 162.)
• The Post-Normalize option was added to the Local Graphic Equalizer window. (See The
Local Graphic Equalizer on page 167.)
• The Post-Normalize option and the Band Stop filter have been added to the Local
Parametric Equalizer window. The Gain control range was increased from +3db to +10db.
(See The Local Parametric Equalizer on page 170.)
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Starting MPS Studio From the Command Line
Starting MPS Studio From the Command Line
MPS Studio can be started from the command line as either a foreground or background
process. Optionally, the name of a multimedia file (MMF) to be opened may also be
specified.
To run MPS Studio, enter the following command at the command line:
peristudio &
Note:
The following is information about using the peristudio command:
• The command peristudio & runs the MPS Studio program as a background process. This
allows access (through the same command tool or VSH Tool) to other software in the
workstation while MPS Studio is active.
• The command peristudio -m [MMF_file_name] is optionally used to specify the name of
an MMF file to be automatically opened when MPS Studio is run (e.g., [sample.mmi]). A
full or relative path name may be included if needed (i.e. if the files are not in the current
working directory). The .mmi or .mmd extension need not be typed.
• If it is desired to acquire information about the version of MPS Studio that you are using,
enter the command peristudio -v. This will display an information screen that shows
the software version number, date of release, and copyright information.
• If you enter the command peristudio -h, a help message will be displayed that
describes the startup options for the peristudio command. Options other than those
discussed here may appear in the help message. Those additional options are generally
for use by Avaya personnel only, and should not be employed by most users. Employing
those options will likely have either negative or no effect on the operation of MPS
Studio.
Alternatively, MPS Studio may be run directly from the Avaya MPS Developer voice application
generator software package. Refer to the MPS Developer User's Guide. In this manner, a voice
processing application and its associated vocabulary files can easily be developed together.
MPS Studio should only take a few seconds to start; however, if several processes are running
on the platform, it could take longer. The following window will appear when MPS Studio is
initialized:
When initialization is complete, the MultiMedia File Editor is displayed:
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Introduction to MPS Studio
Starting MPS Studio in Windows
MPS Studio is typically started from the Start menu or from a desktop icon, if one exists. To
start MPS Studio from the Start menu, select Start > Programs > Avaya > MPS Studio. After
a few seconds, the MultiMedia File Editor window is displayed:
If a shortcut icon for MPS Studio exists on the desktop, you can start it by double-clicking on
the icon. If one does not exist, you can create one.
MPS Studio can also be started from the Command Prompt or Run window. Open a Command
Prompt window (Start > Programs > Command Prompt) or Run window (Start > Run...) and
enter
peristudio
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Overview of the MPS Studio Software
The peristudio command has the same options available in Windows as the peristudio
command in the Solaris command tool or VSH Tool environment. (See Starting MPS Studio
From the Command Line on page 15.)
Overview of the MPS Studio Software
These sections contain a general description of the MPS Studio software. If you are new to
MPS Studio, the following paragraphs and illustrations will give you an idea of the relative
scope of the software, its capabilities, and operational environment. If you are familiar with the
operation of MPS Studio, the following information can be used as a road map or quick
reference for MPS Studio's functions.
No attempt is made here to explain in detail the operation of MPS Studio. Detailed information
on the operation and use of MPS Studio is contained in the subsequent chapters of this manual.
To use MPS Studio effectively, this manual should be read in its entirety, and the procedures
practiced before using them in a vocabulary production environment.
Mnemonics and Shortcuts
In all of the windowing environments, certain MPS Studio menu functions can be accessed
and executed using mnemonics and shortcut keystrokes. These are particularly useful in
repetitive operations as an alternative to using the mouse.
Mnemonics are indicated by a single underscored letter in the menu title or option. Simply type
<ALT>+ the underscored letter (case insensitive) to display the menu or execute the option.
Once a pulldown menu is highlighted or displayed, the available menus in the title bar can be
navigated using the arrow keys.
Shortcut keystrokes are shown next to the menu option when displayed. Enter the indicated
keystrokes to execute the function. For example, <CTRL>+O means hold down the <CTRL>
key and type O, which displays the Open File window.
To use mnemonics and shortcuts, the window and the particular window area must have
mouse/keyboard focus. To focus on a particular window or area, click on it with the mouse.
Depending on the windowing environment, the item with focus is indicated by the border or
title bar highlighting or changing color. Focusing on a particular window and window area can
also be accomplished from the keyboard. This varies among windowing systems, has limited
practical use, and it is not within the scope of this manual to explain the different methods.
Refer to the help documentation for your windowing environment.
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Introduction to MPS Studio
General Operation in Solaris
The Solaris version of MPS Studio uses the Motif graphical user interface
(GUI). The Motif interface is similar in operation (but not appearance) to
the Microsoft Windows interface. The Motif interface should not be
confused with the windowing system or window manager running on your
system. Typically, MPS Studio operates in Sun Microsystems' Open Look
Windows Manager (OLWM), commonly called OpenWindows. You may
instead be running the Common Desktop Environment (CDE) windowing
system. MPS Studio and other Avaya software will run in either
environment. Whichever environment you choose, MPS Studio will retain
the same Motif interface; only the window borders will be different.
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General Operation in Solaris
Figure 1: The MultiMedia File Editor in OpenWindows
Figure 2: The MultiMedia File Editor in CDE
You should be familiar with the operating environment in which you are running MPS Studio,
and also with the Motif interface. All graphical images of MPS Studio windows in this manual
are depicted in OpenWindows.
Virtually all of MPS Studio's operations and functions are controlled via the three-button mouse.
Although the buttons can be reassigned by the user, they are typically designated from left to
right as <SELECT>, <ADJUST>, and <MENU>. Most of MPS Studio's functions are accessed
using the <SELECT> and <MENU> buttons. The <ADJUST> button is only used in MPS Studio
for certain waveform selection operations.
This naming convention for the mouse buttons is important in the OpenWindows environment
which is the interface used by most other Avaya software in both Solaris and Windows. This
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Introduction to MPS Studio
naming convention has less relevance in the Motif environment. Since this manual covers both
the Motif and Windows versions of MPS Studio, the following conventions will apply:
• Click or double-click. Indicates the <SELECT> (left) button on a three-button mouse or
the left button on a two-button-with-scroll-wheel mouse.
• <RIGHT> click. Indicates the <MENU> (right) button on a three-button mouse or the right
button on a two-button-with-scroll-wheel mouse.
• <ADJUST> click. Indicates the <ADJUST> (middle) button on a three-button mouse or
clicking the scroll wheel on a two-button-with-scroll-wheel mouse. Applies only to MPS
Studio for Motif (and to other Avaya software such as MPS Developer in Windows).
Simultaneously clicking both buttons on a two-button-with-scroll-wheel mouse has no
function in MPS Studio for Windows.
Operation in Windows
MPS Studio for Windows is a native Windows application that uses the
standard Microsoft Windows GUI. The differences between the Motif and
the Windows versions of MPS Studio relate mainly to their visual
appearance. The arrangement, layout, and functions of the menus,
windows, and dialogs for the two versions are virtually identical. Since
this manual covers both versions, the Motif version is almost always
illustrated in the examples. Specific differences are documented where
they are not obvious.
MPS Studio for Windows is likely to be run on a platform with a two-button-with-scroll-wheel
mouse, and the conventions listed above will apply. The only exception is when using
<ADJUST> to select a waveform. For example, for extended waveform selection, hold down
the <CTRL> key and click at the desired point in the Waveform Editor selection panel. (See
Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on page 106.)
Other Differences Between Solaris and Windows
The one major difference between the Motif and Windows versions of MPS Studio is the
operation of the file access windows. In MPS Studio, this difference applies only to the Open
File and New File windows. You are likely to be familiar with the Microsoft Windows version.
However, if you are not accustomed to working in OpenWindows on a Solaris platform, the
Motif file windows may be new to you. They are basically the same as other file windows if you
are running the CDE.
Examples of the Windows and Motif Open File windows are shown in the following
illustration.
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The MultiMedia File Editor
The Motif file window has a number of frames that allow you to navigate the directory structure,
locate, select, and access files. The Directories frame displays a list of the directories in the
current directory. They are sorted in alphanumeric order and the full path is included in each
name on the list. The first two entries on the list represent the current directory (appended with
"/.") and the next higher directory (appended with "/.."). To navigate the directory structure,
double-click on the directory name you want to move to. For example, to move to the next
higher directory, double-click on the directory name appended with "/..".
The Files list contains all the files in the current directory that satisfy the file type indicated in
the Filter box. By default, if a file window is opened from MPS Studio, the filter expression will
end in /*.mmi. Therefore, only the MMF index files contained in the current directory will be
shown in the Files list. This corresponds to the ”Files of type” combo box in the Windows
version.
To select a file, click on the name in the Files list. The name of the file will be added to the
directory path in the Selection field. To open the selected file, click on OK. You can also open
a file by double-clicking on the name in the Files list.
Note:
The Help button in the Open File or New File window is not supported by MPS Studio.
The MultiMedia File Editor
The MultiMedia File Editor window is displayed when MPS Studio is started. It is used to open,
create, edit, and save MultiMedia Format (MMF) files. (See Supported File Formats on
page 10.) Only one MMF can be open at a time, and it must be saved (or any changes
discarded) and closed before opening another.
An MMF consists of any number of vocabulary items. The items that comprise the MMF are
displayed in the item selection list in the center of the MultiMedia File Editor window. Items are
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Introduction to MPS Studio
selected for editing from this list. The MultiMedia File Editor provides several menu driven
functions for managing items, such as adding, deleting, copying, importing, exporting, and
modifying item attributes.
Each item contains the digitized audio that is accessed and played in the voice processing
environment. The audio of a single item cannot be played, recorded, or edited from the
MultiMedia File Editor. These operations can only be done via the Waveform Editor, which is
accessed by either double-clicking on an item or selecting an item and clicking on the Wave
Editor button. (See The Waveform Editor on page 27.)
The MultiMedia File Editor can be operated in the single selection or multiple selection (batch)
mode. The MultiMedia File Editor can alter the audio content of multiple items via batch mode
processing. Batch, or global, processing enables certain editing functions to be performed on
multiple items in a single operation. However, the modifications are permanently made to the
MMF on disk, without the chance to first audibly verify the results.
Caution:
Most batch functions should be used only by experienced users, where the outcome is
predictable. In any case, it is always prudent to back up an MMF whenever making
permanent edits to a critical file.
Note:
To obtain information about the version of MPS Studio you are using, click on the logo at
the top of the Multimedia File Editor window. The Information window will be displayed:
Figure 3: MPS Studio Information Window
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The MultiMedia File Editor
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Introduction to MPS Studio
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The MultiMedia File Editor
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Introduction to MPS Studio
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The Waveform Editor
The Waveform Editor
The Waveform Editor window is displayed by clicking on the Wave Editor button at the top of
the MultiMedia File Editor window (with an item selected). It can also be displayed by doubleclicking on any item in the item selection list in the MultiMedia File Editor. (See The MultiMedia
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Introduction to MPS Studio
File Editor on page 21.) When the Waveform Editor window is first displayed, the Parameters
window is also displayed.
The Waveform Editor is used to play, record, and edit the digitized audio of an item in the MMF.
The controls provided are typical of most audio recording devices. Two display areas provide
graphical representations of the item's audio waveform. The upper display (red) is called the
waveform display panel, and shows the item's entire waveform from beginning to end. The
lower display (black) is called the waveform edit panel, and shows a detailed sample of the
waveform (default two-dimensional rendering). The waveform edit panel is used to mark and
select segments of the waveform for editing operations. The relative length of the displayed
waveform sample area can be adjusted.
The Waveform Editor provides options for one of several visual renderings of the item's
waveform. The options are provided in a pop-up menu in the waveform display panel. By
default, the waveform is displayed in the waveform edit panel in two-dimensional format with
the horizontal and vertical axes representing time and amplitude, respectively. The waveform,
or a selected segment, can also be displayed in one of several three-dimensional renderings
where the third axis represents frequency. This can be useful for filtering or equalization
tasks.
It is possible to play a number of items in succession by initiating a batch play operation. It is
also possible to batch record items. Most operations are safer when performed on individual
items from the Waveform Editor than if done on multiple items from the Batch Tools... menu
of the MultiMedia File Editor, because you are given the opportunity to audibly verify the results
and decide whether to save or discard the edits, on an item by item basis.
Note:
Functions related to playing an item (as controlled from the Parameters window), do not
permanently affect the audio data of the item. Only the output on the device being used
(speaker, headphones, line out) is affected.
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The Waveform Editor
Figure 5: Waveform Editor Functions
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Introduction to MPS Studio
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The Waveform Editor
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Introduction to MPS Studio
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Chapter 2: The MultiMedia File Editor
This chapter covers:
1. Introduction to the MultiMedia File Editor
2. Basic and advanced file functions
3. Importing and exporting items
Introduction to the MultiMedia File Editor
The following paragraphs contain a brief description and illustrations of the MultiMedia File
Editor. The major functions that are described here are explained in greater detail later in this
chapter.
The MultiMedia File Editor window is opened when MPS Studio is started, and is the primary
interface for all MPS Studio windows and functions. The Editor is used to create new, or modify
existing MultiMedia Format (MMF) files. (See Supported File Formats on page 10.) The Editor
works with only one MMF at a time. The MMF that is opened (i.e., loaded into the editor), is
referred to as the current file.
An image of the File Editor window is shown above, with no current file. Until a file is loaded,
most of the file related menu options have no function. The only menu functions that can be
executed with no current file are: creating a new file (File > New…), opening an existing file
(File > Open…), and displaying the Media File Properties window from the Properties…
option.
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The MultiMedia File Editor
Note:
The following information pertains to the logo in the MultiMedia File Editor:
• If you want to view information about the version of MPS Studio that you are using,
click on the logo at the top of the MultiMedia File Editor window. This will display the
Information window that shows the software version number, date of release, and
copyright information.
• The color of the logo indicates the status of the File Editor. Initially, the logo is black. If
there are any unsaved changes to an item of the MMF, the logo is green (may display
as yellow or another color on some platforms). When the Pick List window is displayed,
the logo is red. This is a precaution, because most batch operations are performed on
the items in the Pick List, and the Pick List window can be obscured by other windows.
(See The Pick List Window on page 92.)
MultiMedia File Properties
The Media File Properties window is used to set defaults for the MultiMedia File Editor. These
defaults are applied to new items only. Changing these settings will not affect existing items.
These functions include encoding, setting the default name for new items, single or batch mode
selection, sort order of the item selection list, and digital-to-analog gain control.
The properties of the MultiMedia File Editor can be viewed and changed at any time (an MMF
does not have to be loaded).
To display the Media File Properties window, click on the Properties... menu option.
The functions of the Media File Properties window are described in detail later in this chapter.
(See The Media File Properties Window on page 70.)
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Opening a MultiMedia File
Opening a MultiMedia File
For most of the functions of the MultiMedia File Editor to be enabled, an MMF must be opened,
or loaded into the Editor.
To open an MMF:
1. In the MultiMedia File Editor, select File > Open... to display the Open File
window.
2. In the Open File window, change to the directory that contains the desired MMF.
3. Open the MMF to display the items of the file in the MultiMedia File Editor:
• Click on the MMF name to display the file name in the Selection field, then click
on the OK button.
or,
• Double-click on the file name of the MMF.
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The MultiMedia File Editor
An image of the File Editor window is shown below, and an MMF file named sample.mmi, which
has 16 items, is currently loaded. Some of the item names are visible in the item selection list
in the middle of the window.
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Functions of the MultiMedia File Editor
The various functions that are accessible from the MultiMedia File Editor window allow
modifications to item attributes and positions in the item selection list. Some of these functions
are invoked via the menus that are shown in the above image. A menu option followed by an
ellipsis (...), indicates the command will open another window or dialog box.
Caution:
The example procedures in this manual may be practiced using the sample MMF files that
are supplied with MPS Studio. However, some of the procedures involve making permanent
modifications to the current MMF. Read-only backups of the sample files supplied with MPS
Studio should be maintained so that they can be restored afterwards. (See Backing Up and
Restoring the Sample Files on page 183.)
Functions of the MultiMedia File Editor
The MultiMedia File Editor window has the following functional entities:
Window Item
Description
menu bar
Each of the options across the top of this window either produces a pulldown menu or opens an action window. These functions are discussed
later in this chapter.
item selection
list
Displays up to six items in the current file. In most instances, to perform
any editing on an item (i.e., its attributes or recorded contents), the item
must first be designated as the current item by selecting it from the list.
Some editing functions will require that more than one item be selected
from this list. (See Selecting the Current Item on page 40.)
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The MultiMedia File Editor
Window Item
Description
Action field
Certain user actions cause MPS Studio to display status messages and
instructions in this field. (Error messages are usually displayed in pop-up
windows.) Also, some operations that MPS Studio might be instructed to
perform are interactive, and will require subsequent actions on your part.
If the system requires that an action be performed by you, specific
instructions will be shown in this field.
file information
fields
At the bottom of this window, there are four fields that show information
about the current file.
File
Shows the full path name of the current file. If the full
path is too long for this field, you can click in the field
to place the cursor and scroll backward or forward in
the string using the left and right arrow keys. When a
file is loaded into MPS Studio, its name is shown in this
field. (See Open on page 50.)
Items:total
Shows the number of items in the file. The initial
maximum number of items that may be stored in the
multimedia file is defined in the File Definition window
when the file is created. This field shows the number
of items currently in the file. (See New on page 53.)
selected
Shows the number of items selected from the main
item selection list. When in single-item mode, this field
displays 0 if there is no current item and 1 if there is a
current item. When in batch mode, this field shows the
number of selected items to which a batch operation
will be applied (unless the Pick List is open; see The
Pick List Window on page 92). A Selected item may
be out of view on the item selection list.
Data Space
Used
Reflects the size of the file. The initial maximum
number of items is set from the File Definition window
when the file is created. This field shows the actual
data space occupied by the items in the file. The size
of the data space changes as the number and lengths
of items are altered. (See New on page 53.)
The Item Selection List
The item selection list in the center of the MultiMedia File Editor window displays the item
number, name, length, and status of up to six of the items in the current file. The elevator arrows
on the right side of the list can be used to scroll the window so that the other items in the file
can be displayed. The order of items as seen in the list is determined by the Sort Order field
of the Media File Properties window. (See Sorting the List of Items on page 72.)
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The Item Selection List
Most single-item mode editing functions (as opposed to batch editing functions) require that
an item from this list be designated as the current item. (See Selecting the Current Item on
page 40.) Some single-item functions (e.g., Copy, Move) require that item names be selected
from this list, independent of the current item. When an editing function entails selecting items
from the list, appropriate instructions will appear in the Action field at the bottom of the
MultiMedia File Editor window.
When an MMF is loaded, the MMF list select menu can be accessed to assist in managing
items in the selection list. To access the MMF list select menu, move the pointer into the item
selection list, and <RIGHT> click.
The MMF list select menu is described in detail later in this chapter under The MMF List Select
Menu on page 42.
The item selection list has four columns:
Column
Description
Item
Indicates the positions of items in the selection list. The order of the items
in the list is determined by the Sort Order field of the Media File Properties
window. This order should not be confused with the actual positions of
items in the data file, which is denoted by their EAP#s. The term EAP#
is synonymous with the term item number, as used when referring to
Avaya Media Processing Server (MPS) Series vocabularies. (See
Sorting the List of Items on page 72.)
Each item entry is shown next to a glyph that denotes its data type. MPS
Studio supports only audio items, which are indicated by miniature
waveform pictures.
Name
Shows the set of item names. Each item has a name (i.e., identification
label) designated either by the system using the Default Name field of
the Media File Properties window, or by the user in the Name field of the
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The MultiMedia File Editor
Column
Description
Item Attributes window. (See Specifying a Name for an Item on
page 68.)
Length
Shows the real-time length of each item's recording.
Status
Indicates the current status of each item as follows:
n
The item has a name, assigned either by the system or user.
r
The item has been recorded.
m
One or more of the item's attributes have been modified, and
these changes have not been saved. (See Save on page 51.)
l
The MPS Series Voice Data Memory lock flag is enabled. (See
Item Locking on page 70.)
Selecting the Current Item
To perform any editing on an item (i.e., modifying its attributes or recorded contents), the item
must be selected (or designated) as the current item by choosing it from the item selection
list.
To specify the current item, point to its entry in the item selection list and click. The system
responds by highlighting that entry to show that it is current. To deselect the item, click again
on the item.
In the image above, the item Change/Cancel menu is indicated as being the current item. A
double-click on an audio item name makes the item current and also opens the Waveform
Editor window. The Waveform Editor window can also be opened by clicking on the Wave
Editor… option. If an item is selected, the item is loaded into the Waveform Editor when it
opens. If no item is selected, the Waveform Editor will not open. (See Introduction on
page 99.)
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Selecting Multiple Items
Selecting Multiple Items
Multiple items can be selected when the File Editor is operating in the batch mode. The File
Editor is in the batch mode when the Multiple Selection field in the Media File Properties window
is checked. (See The Media File Properties Window on page 70.)
Multiple selections are made the same way as single selections. Each click on an item
alternately selects and deselects the item.
As shown in the image above, multiple selections do not need to be contiguous, and some
selected items might not be displayed. Notice that three items are displayed as selected in the
item selection list, but the number 4 is shown in the selected field at the bottom of the window.
The item selection list can display only six of the 16 items in this MMF. Use the elevator to
scroll to other parts of the list.
The yellow dashed box around the Change/Cancel menu item indicates that this was the item
most recently selected. If this item is deselected, the yellow dashed box will move to the upper
most (lowest item #) item selected, whether visible or not. The item selected last is generally
the focus of any action involving a single item operation. For example, if the Item Attributes...
option is selected, the Item Attributes window for the Change/Cancel item will appear.
Note:
At any time, if there is a designated current item and this item is not visible in the selection
list, the list can be scrolled to display the current item by means of the Locate Choice option
of the MMF list select menu. Selecting this option will place the most recently selected item
(i.e., current item) near the top of the select list display area. The list select menu is generally
used for batch-mode operations. (See The MMF List Select Menu on page 42 .)
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The MultiMedia File Editor
Item Attributes
The parameters associated with an item are referred to as its attributes. Some attributes are
user specified (e.g., item names, data types, etc.). Some are set by the MPS Studio software
(e.g., creation date/time, length, etc.) based on the actions that you take. The attributes for the
entire set of items are stored in the multimedia index file (i.e., the .mmi file). Modifications made
to an item's attributes affect only the index file. Changes that affect item positions (e.g., by
moving or deleting them) also modify the associated data file (i.e., the .mmd file).
To display the Item Attributes window, select an item, point to the Item Attributes... option in
the MultiMedia File Editor, and click.
The functions of the Item Attributes window are described in detail later in this chapter. (See
The Item Attributes Window on page 66.)
Note:
The following information pertains to item attributes:
• The functions of the MultiMedia File Editor can be used to modify only the attributes
and positions of items. The recorded contents of an item are manipulated in the
Waveform Editor window. (See Introduction on page 99.)
• After modifying one or more item attributes, the file must be saved via the Save option
of the MultiMedia File Editor's File menu for the changes to become permanent. (See
Save on page 51.)
The MMF List Select Menu
The MultiMedia File Editor has a hidden menu called the MMF list select menu. Its options are
used to assist with selecting items from the item selection list. Many of the options on this menu
are especially useful when editing multiple items (batch processing).
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The MMF List Select Menu
To view the MMF list select menu, <RIGHT> click anywhere inside the item selection list.
The following are the options of the list select menu. Some of these options are valid only if
the batch mode is enabled. See The Media File Properties Window on page 70 and The
Batch Tools Menu on page 88, for additional information.
Option
Description
Select All
Every item in the current file becomes selected (and highlighted).
This is useful if all of the items must be included in a batch operation.
If most items (but not all) are to be included, choose Select All and
then deselect the unneeded items one at a time. This option is
available only if Multiple Selection is enabled in the Media File
Properties window. (See The Media File Properties Window on
page 70.)
Select Range
Allows you to select a contiguous range of items by choosing the first
and last items in the range. Follow the instructions in the Action field
to make the selections. Multiple ranges may be selected. This option
is available only if Multiple Selection is enabled in the Media File
Properties window. (See The Media File Properties Window on
page 70.)
Deselect All
Deselects all selected items. After this option is chosen, there is no
current item. This allows you to begin selecting items from scratch.
Search by Name/
Item #...
Selecting this option displays the Item Names Search window.
Allows items to be located based on the occurrence of a specified
text string anywhere in their name, or by the item's number as it
appears in the item selection list. (See Searching for Items by Name
or Number on page 44.)
Name Prefix...
Opens a dialog box that allows names of selected items to be
modified by a common prefix. (See Assigning Name Prefixes on
page 45.)
Locate Choice
Scrolls the item selection list to display the current item (i.e., the most
recently selected item) if the item is not currently displayed in the
item selection list window.
Play Reference
Provides access to a submenu that is used to select, deselect, or
locate an item that is to be used as a reference for batch reference
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The MultiMedia File Editor
Option
Description
play. (See Selecting a Play Reference Item on page 47 and Batch
Reference Play on page 123.)
Bookmarks
Provides access to the Bookmarks submenu. Used to bookmark
items and to recall bookmarked items. (See Bookmarking Items on
page 48.)
Refresh List
In the event that the screen display is altered due to other software
running in the system, this will redisplay the item selection list.
Generally, this option has no visible effect.
Show Pick List
Displays the Pick List window. (See The Pick List Window on
page 92.)
Add an Item to Pick
List
Used to add a single item to the Pick List. After selecting this menu
option, the Action field displays an instruction to select the item to
be added to the Pick List. If the Pick List is not currently displayed,
it will display after the item is selected. (See The Pick List Window on
page 92.)
Add Selected to Pick Adds all selected items to the Pick List. If the Pick List is not currently
List
displayed, it will display when this option is selected. (See The Pick
List Window on page 92.)
Add All to Pick List
Adds all the items in the current MMF to the Pick List. If the Pick List
is not currently displayed, it will display when this option is selected.
(See The Pick List Window on page 92.)
Add Invalid Item
Name(s)
Searches for items that have invalid characters in their names, and
adds them to the Pick List, where they can be more easily corrected.
(See The Pick List Window on page 92.) For a list of invalid
characters, see Specifying a Name for an Item on page 68
Searching for Items by Name or Number
The Search by Name/Item #... option on the MMF list select menu allows you to search for an
item in the current file by name, by a text string contained in the name, or by the item's number
in the item selection list. Selecting the Search by Name/Item #... option opens the Item Names
Search window.
To search for an item by name, text string, or item number:
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Assigning Name Prefixes
1. In the item selection list of the MultiMedia File Editor window, <RIGHT> click to
display the MMF list select menu, and select the Search by Name/Item #... option
to display the Item Names Search window.
2. Select either the Search by Name or Go to Item # radio button. (The action button
at the lower left will be labeled Search or Go To, as applicable.)
3. In the Item Name entry field, enter the name of the item, the text string to be
searched for, or the item's item number as it appears on the list (which depends on
how the list is sorted). For a text string search, this field is case sensitive.
4. Click on the Search or Go To button. If any items satisfy the search, you will see
the following:
a. For Search by Name,
i. The number of items that satisfy the search and their item
numbers are displayed in the Item numbers found field.
ii. The first item that satisfies the search is displayed and
selected in the item selection list.
b. For Go to Item #,
The item that satisfies the search is displayed near the top of the
list, but is not selected, unless previously selected.
5. To view the next item that satisfied the search in the item selection list, click on the
Next button in the Item Names Search window. If the Item Name field in the Item
Names Search window has mouse/keyboard focus, the <RETURN> key can be
used to step to the next item.
6. Click on the Quit button to close the window.
Assigning Name Prefixes
This function adds a string of user-specified characters to the beginning of the names of a set
of selected items. This string is referred to as the name prefix.
Name prefixes are often used in the vocabularies of multilingual voice response applications.
Usually, the vocabulary files for multilingual applications contain one set of speech items for
each language. Typically, each language set has the same number of items in one-to-one
correspondence with the others. In each language set, the corresponding items have the same
names, except for one or more characters that form a prefix identifying the particular set to
which the items belong. When a caller first makes contact with the application, he or she
chooses which language is to be used for transactions. The application, which has been
programmed to issue voice prompts and messages in predefined sequences, uses the caller's
language selection to determine the particular language set to use, as identified by the
language prefix.
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The MultiMedia File Editor
To display the Batch Name Prefix window, select the Name Prefix ... option from the MMF list
select menu.
To assign a name prefix to one or more items:
1. In the item selection list, select the items that are to have a common prefix added
to their names.
2. From the MMF list select menu, select the Name Prefix ... option. The Batch Name
Prefix window opens.
3. Type the name prefix into the Prefix field, and click on the Apply button. The names
of the selected items are then prefixed with the specified string.
4. Click on the Done button to close the window.
Note:
This window can also be used to remove name prefixes one character at a time. If you click
on Apply while the Prefix field is blank, the system will provide a notice message stating that
the first character of each of the selected items will be removed. Click on the Yes button in
the notice window to proceed with the removal. Click on Apply for each character to be
removed from the prefixes of the selected items.
Batch Changing Existing Name Prefixes
To batch change prefixes on vocabulary items that already have prefixes, use the Pick List
window feature. For information on using the Pick List window, see The Pick List Window on
page 92.
To batch change items with existing prefixes:
Important:
Patterns are regular expressions or wildcards.
1. From the MMF List Select menu, select Show Pick List.
2. In the Pick List window, change the value in the combo box to Add All Matching.
3. In the Match field, enter "*" or any pattern to match the existing item prefixes and
click Apply.
4. Change the value in the combo box to Change All Matching.
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Selecting a Play Reference Item
5. In the Match field, enter the existing prefix.
6. In the Change To field, enter the new prefix and click Apply.
Selecting a Play Reference Item
The Play Reference option on the MMF list select menu is used to select, deselect, or locate
an optional reference item for batch reference play. Batch reference play is used to audibly
compare one or more items to the selected reference item. (See Batch Reference Play on
page 123.)
To select an item as the reference for batch reference play:
1. From the MMF list select menu, select Play Reference > Select. The Action line
displays Select a Reference item, and the pointer becomes caged to the MultiMedia
File Editor window.
2. Select the item to be the reference from the item selection list. The waveform glyph
of the selected item changes to an "R".
When the pointer becomes caged to the MultiMedia File Editor window, an item must be
selected, or the action canceled. To cancel the selection, <RIGHT> click to display the cancel
operation menu, and click on Cancel.
During batch reference play, all the selected items are played in succession with the reference
item played prior to each. Only one reference item can be selected at a time, however the
reference item can be changed by selecting another item (as described above) without
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The MultiMedia File Editor
deselecting the current reference item. The items that are played against the reference can be
changed as needed.
To locate the reference item, select Play Reference > Locate. The item selection list will scroll
to the location of the reference item (if not already visible).
To deselect the reference item, select Play Reference > Deselect. The reference item does
not have to be visible in the item selection list (or selected) to be deselected as the reference
item.
Bookmarking Items
The bookmarks feature provides a method to conveniently work with MMFs that contain large
numbers of items. By bookmarking items, they can be more easily located when working with
only a few of possibly thousands of items. There is no imposed limit on the number of items
that can be bookmarked, however an excessive number of bookmarks would defeat the
purpose. Only one item at a time can be added to the bookmarks list, and an item can be listed
more than once.
To bookmark an item:
1. Select the item to be bookmarked from the item selection list.
2. From the MMF list select menu, select Bookmarks > Add Bookmark.
3. To bookmark additional items, select each item, one at a time, and select
Bookmarks > Add Bookmark after each.
To locate a bookmarked item, select Bookmarks > Go to Bookmark, click on the desired item
and release. The item selection list will scroll to the selected item (if not already visible) and
display the item as selected.
To delete a single item from the bookmarks list, click on the Delete Bookmark option and slide
over to the bookmarks list. Move the pointer over the item to be deleted and release.
To delete all the items from the bookmarks list, click on the Clear All option.
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The File Menu
Note:
The following information pertains to bookmarks:
• The bookmarks list cannot be saved in the MMF for use in later sessions. When the
MMF is closed, all bookmarks are cleared.
• If multiple items are selected when bookmarking, the current item, or item of focus
(indicated by a dashed yellow box) will be bookmarked.
• The bookmarks list displays the item name up to 23 characters, preceded by the sixdigit item number. If the item name is greater than 23 characters, the name is shown
truncated at the 20th character, followed by an ellipsis (...).
• If a bookmarked item's name or item number is changed, it will also change on the
Bookmarks menu (i.e., point to the same item).
The File Menu
The MultiMedia File Editor window can be loaded with one MMF at a time (i.e., the current file).
The options of the MultiMedia File Editor File menu are used for opening an existing file,
creating a new file, saving the current file, closing the current file, and quitting the MPS Studio
software.
With the exception of Save, all options in the File menu cause the current file in memory (if
there is one) to be unloaded. If the current file has been modified since it was last saved, a
notice pop-up will appear, providing you with the option to save the current file before it is
cleared from memory.
Caution:
The pop-up will appear only if there is an unsaved change to one or more items in the MMF.
The Edit > Undo option can only undo a change to, or the addition or deletion of, a single
item, and only if it was the last action taken.
The following table describes the functions of the File menu options.
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The MultiMedia File Editor
Option
Description
Open...
Used to open an existing MMF (i.e., an .mmi.mmd file pair) for editing.
This option opens the Open File window where the file to be loaded into
memory is selected. (See Open on page 50.)
New...
Creates a new MMF and opens it for editing. This option opens the New
File window where the name of the new file is specified. The file extension
need not be included when the name is entered. When Create is selected,
the File Definition window will appear, which is used to configure
parameters for the new file. (See New on page 53.)
Save
Saves the currently loaded MMF. This incorporates any changes made
to the item attributes into the MMF file on disk. (See Save on page 51.)
Close
Unloads the current MMF. This option clears the editor and returns it to
its initial state. The editor is cleared of all data. New data may not be
added until a file is opened or created. (See Close on page 52.)
Quit
Exits from MPS Studio. A warning notice will be displayed if the current
file in memory, if any, has been modified since it was last saved. (See
Quit on page 55.)
Open
To access the items in an existing MMF, the file must first be opened. When an MMF is opened,
its items are loaded into the MultiMedia File Editor. To open a file, select the File > Open ...
option. This opens the Open File window, which allows navigation through the directory tree
of the system disk drive(s).
The left column of the Open File window lists the current directory (<pathname>/.), the path to
the next higher directory (<pathname>/..), and lower-level directories in the current directory,
sorted alphabetically. MMFs are shown in the right column with .mmi extensions. (When
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Save
the .mmi file is opened, the associated .mmd file is also opened.) To see the files in a given
directory, double-click on that directory's entry.
Note:
If there is a current MMF open in the File Editor that has not been modified since it was last
saved, when you select File > Open... , the file will automatically be closed for you before
MPS Studio opens the next file. If the current file has been modified, a pop-up appears that
asks if you wish to save the current file before it is closed.
To open an MMF:
1. Select File > Open... to display the Open File window.
2. In the Open File window, go to the directory that contains the MMF to display the
contents of the directory.
3. Open the MMF using one of the following methods:
• Double-click on the file name of the MMF.
• Click once on the MMF name to display the file name in the Selection field,
then click on the OK button, or press <RETURN>.
• Type the full path file name into the Selection field, then click on the OK button,
or press <RETURN>. (It is not necessary to include the .mmi extension when
entering the name.)
The items of the file are now displayed in the item selection list of the MultiMedia File Editor.
Note:
If a file is loaded that has read-only status, as designated by the file system, no functions in
MPS Studio that write data to the disk file will be accessible. In the MultiMedia File Editor,
this includes all functions in the Edit menu, as well as the Import and Item Attributes windows.
In the Waveform Editor, this includes the functions in the File, Edit, and Tools menus (except
for DTMF Detection ), the Gain function, and the Rec button. Inaccessible functions and
options are denoted by gray coloring (i.e., they are grayed out ) to show that they are not
available. When such a file is loaded, the message File opened Read-Only is displayed in
the Action field.
Save
After modifying the attributes of any item(s) in the list, the MMF must be saved to disk. If the
file is closed without saving it, these changes will not be in effect the next time the file is opened.
(See The Item Attributes Window on page 66, for information about item attributes.)
To save changes made to the current file, Select File > Save.
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The MultiMedia File Editor
Note:
The following information pertains to saving files:
• With the exception of the Edit > Shift Names function, it is not necessary to save the
file after making changes from the MultiMedia File Editor Edit menu. When the Edit
menu functions are used, the changes are automatically written to disk.
• A file can only be saved under its current name in the directory where it exists. If it is
desired to rename or move a file, this must be done from the command line or file
manager software. (See Supported File Formats on page 10 for important information
about moving files.)
• If it is necessary to update an on-line vocabulary (i.e., one that is currently in use by
applications), use the procedure for Updating On-line Vocabularies on page 86.
Close
When the current file is explicitly closed, the file is unloaded and the MPS Studio software
returns to its initial state. If any of the items have been modified since the file was last saved,
a warning notice will appear upon closing, which provides the options to save, don't save, or
cancel the close operation.
To close the current file, select File > Close.
Note:
The following information pertains to closing MMFs:
• The editor is cleared of all data, and new data may not be added until another file is
either opened or created.
• If the current file has not been modified since it was last saved, and the Open..., New...,
or Quit option is selected from the File menu, the file will automatically be closed before
MPS Studio performs your selection. If the current file has been modified, a dialog box
will open that asks if you wish to save the current file before it is closed:
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New
New
A new MMF is created using the File Definition window. To access this window, first choose
the New... option of the MultiMedia Editor File menu. This opens the New file window.
Before a name for the new file can be assigned, you must specify the directory where the file
is to be created, using the New File window. The purpose of the New File window is to allow
you to navigate through the directory tree and select a path name. Although other MMF names
are displayed, they are shown only for reference purposes and may not be selected. The name
for the new file is specified by appending to the path in the Selection field. The .mmi extension
is not necessary; it will be assigned by the system.
After specifying a valid file name in the New file window, click on the OK button. The File
Definition window will appear, which is used to configure the parameters of the new file. After
creation, the new file is automatically opened for editing.
To create a new MMF, two file capacity parameters must be specified. In general, values should
be entered based on the intended near-term use of the file. The system will automatically
expand the MMF as required.
The File Definition window contains two numeric fields that you can adjust. (The default values
are shown in the preceding image.)
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The MultiMedia File Editor
Field
Description
# of Items
Specifies the estimated number of items that the multimedia file will
initially store. Each item definition requires 1 Kbyte of disk space, in
addition to the space required to record the item. Either type the number
into the text field or use the associated arrow buttons to set the value.
Data Capacity
Sets the initial size of the .mmd file as measured in 8K blocks (i.e.,
seconds) of audio. For audio items, each block holds one second of
recorded speech. Although multimedia files will grow as needed to
store additional items, it may be useful to pre-allocate a specific amount
of space for the file to reserve the amount of space on the disk drive.
By pre-allocating the space, it is guaranteed that the media file will be
able to store the expected number of items.
To create a new MMF:
1. Select File > New.... This opens the New File window.
2. Use the New File window to navigate to the directory where the new file is to be
created.
3. Add the name of the new file to the path in the Selection field. You do not need to
include the .mmi extension.
4. Click on the OK button. The File Definition window appears.
5. Specify the parameter values for the # of Items and Data Capacity fields if the
defaults are inappropriate.
6. Click on the Apply button to proceed with creating the file. At this point, the system
physically creates the new MMF on the system disk in the specified directory. The
file is automatically opened for immediate use. Items may now be added and
recorded.
If the name of the new file is invalid (e.g., the name already exists in the current directory), an
error message will be displayed and the new file will not be created. If you want to use an
existing name for the new file, delete or rename the existing MMF (i.e., both the
<oldfilename>.mmi and <oldfilename>.mmd components) using the Solaris rm or mv
command, respectively. For example:
rm oldfilename.mm?
or
mv oldfilename.mmi newfilename.mmi
mv oldfilename.mmd newfilename.mmd
Then follow the procedure for creating a new MMF, as previously described.
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Quit
At the Windows Command Prompt, use the del command for rm , and
move or ren (or rename ) command for mv in the example above.
Quit
This function allows the software to terminate and exit gracefully. It is important to exit properly
so that the software can perform internal clean-up operations and close any open files.
The software can be exited by using the Quit option of the MultiMedia File Editor's File menu.
If the current file has modifications that require saving, upon exiting a warning notice will appear
providing an option to save the file before MPS Studio exits. If the current file does not have
unsaved modifications, MPS Studio exits without any warning after Quit is selected.
To exit from MPS Studio, select File > Quit in the MultiMedia File Editor.
Note:
If the current file has not been modified since it was last saved, and the Open..., New...,
Close... , or Quit option is selected from the File menu, the file will automatically be closed
before MPS Studio performs your selection. If the current file has been modified, a dialog
box will open that asks if you wish to save the current file before it is closed:
Note:
The Quit option on the File menu of the Waveform Editor window does not exit from the MPS
Studio software. This option only quits the Waveform Editor. (See The File Menu on
page 132 .)
The Edit Menu
The options of the MultiMedia File Editor Edit menu are used to manipulate the item definitions
(i.e., the names and attributes) in the current file. (To edit an item's recorded contents, use the
options in the Waveform Editor window.) The Edit menu options allow items to be added,
deleted, copied, and repositioned.
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The MultiMedia File Editor
With the exception of Shift Names, changes made to the current file using these options are
automatically saved to disk (i.e., unless the chosen option is Shift Names, there is no need to
explicitly save the file after using one of these functions). After a change is made to an item,
it should be evaluated for its appropriateness. If the change has been incorrectly made, use
the Undo option (see Undo on page 57) to restore the modified item. This must be done
before any additional changes are made to any item.
Note:
The following information pertains to the functions of this menu:
• The actual position of an item in the MMF is determined by its EAP # and not by its
relative position in the item selection list. (See The Item Attributes Window on
page 66.)
• Changes made to the item list with the Copy, Move, or Shift Names options cannot be
undone. Further, the use of any of these functions clears the buffer used by the Undo
option, thus disabling the restoration of previous changes.
• MPS Studio locks user control into a Copy, Move, or Xchange operation until
completion. To abort the operation, point inside the selection list area of the MultiMedia
File Editor window and <RIGHT> click. This opens a pop-up window. Click on the
window's Cancel button.
• The Edit menu is not available for files that are opened with read-only status.
Caution:
Due to the flexibility of the multimedia file format, items are position-independent. For most
voice applications, this is desirable. However, if an application accesses vocabulary items
based on their positions (i.e., via direct item references ), the order of the items in the file
must not be changed. Therefore, for such application environments, items must not be
deleted or moved (e.g., with the Delete, Move , or Xchange functions).
The functions of the Edit menu options are described briefly in the following table:
Option
56
Description
Undo
Restores an item's attributes to the previous state. (See Undo on
page 57.)
Add Item
Adds a new item to the current file. (See Add Item on page 58.)
Add Items
Adds multiple items to the current file. Up to 999 items can be added
at once. (See Add Items on page 59.)
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Undo
Option
Description
Delete
Deletes the selected item(s). (See Delete on page 60.)
Copy
Duplicates an item's name, attributes, and recorded contents. The
source and destination items are selected from the selection list
independently of the current item. (See Copy on page 61.)
Move
Moves an item's name, attributes, and recorded contents to a new
position. The source and destination items are selected from the
selection list independently of the current item. The destination item
is overwritten by the source item. (See Move on page 62.)
XChange
Switches two items. The names, attributes, and recorded contents
of two items are transposed. The source and destination items are
selected from the selection list independently of the current item.
(See XChange on page 63.)
Shift Names
This function is available only if the item list is sorted by EAP number
and exactly one item is selected. (See Sorting the List of Items on
page 72.) It reassigns the set of item names to the items in the
list. (Other attributes and item audio data are not affected.) Names
may be shifted up or shifted down, as selected in the submenu that
is opened when this option is selected. (See Shift Names on
page 64.)
Undo
If a mistake is made while performing most types of edits on an item, the Undo option of the
MultiMedia File Editor Edit menu can restore the item to its state prior to the change. The types
of changes that may be restored include adding an item, deleting an item, transposing two
items, and modifications made to the attributes of items.
To undo the last edit operation, select Edit > Undo in the MultiMedia File Editor.
Note:
The following information pertains to using the Undo function:
• This option cannot be used to reset changes to an item's recorded data made in the
Waveform Editor window. (See Reload on page 134 for information about restoring an
item's digitized data.)
• This option cannot be used to reset changes to any items that were applied via the
options of the Batch Tools menu.
• Because the Undo option can only restore one modification, it is useful to maintain
backups of any MMFs that are subject to editing.
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The MultiMedia File Editor
• If a file has been saved, and then the Undo function is used, the changes that have
been restored do not exist in the disk-based version of the file. The file must be saved
again.
• If this function is accessed when there is no edit that can be restored, an error window
will be displayed:
Caution:
The following cautions apply to the Undo function:
• Changes made to the item list with the Copy, Move , or Shift Names options cannot be
undone. The use of any of these functions clears the buffer used by the Undo option,
thus disabling the restoration of a previous change.
• Changes made to multiple items in the batch mode cannot be undone. Undo will only
restore the last edit made to a single item.
Add Item
New items are introduced into the current MMF by adding them. The position of the new item
is determined based on the sorting of the item list as set in the Media File Properties window.
(See Sorting the List of Items on page 72.)
• If the list is sorted by EAP number and there is a current item, the new item is added
directly above the current item.
• If the list is sorted by EAP number and there is no current item, the new item is added to
the bottom of the item list.
• If the list has a different sort order, when the new item is added it occupies the first vacant
EAP position in the file. Often, the first available position is at the end of the file. However,
if items have been deleted from that file, the positions formerly occupied by those items
become available. (The new item appears in the selection list at a position determined by
the specified type of sorting.)
After an item is added, the new item becomes the current item. If the Waveform Editor is open,
the new item is loaded into the Waveform Editor.
The Item Attributes window can be used to define the various characteristics of the new item,
such as the name of the item. (See The Item Attributes Window on page 66.)
To add an item to the current file, select Edit > Add Item in the MultiMedia File Editor. This
produces a new item in the selection list with the name assigned from the value in the Default
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Add Items
Name field of the Media File Properties window. (See The Media File Properties Window on
page 70.)
Note:
If it is desired to add more than one item at one time, this can be done with the Add Items
function. (See Add Items on page 59 .)
Add Items
The Add Items option on the Edit menu of the MultiMedia File Editor is used to add multiple
items to an MMF with a single action. This can be done when the Editor is in either the multiple
selection (batch) or single selection mode. Up to 999 items can be added at once. It is
recommended, when adding large numbers of items that will have similar names, that the
Default Name field in the Media File Properties window be defined accordingly before adding
the items.
To add multiple items to an MMF, select Edit > Add Items > 100s > 10s > units.
You also can click and release on each menu so that the subsequent submenu remains
displayed until a final selection is made.
Example: Add 283 items to the current MMF.
1. Click and release on the Edit menu option. The Edit menu is displayed.
2. Click and release on the Add Items menu option. The 100s submenu is
displayed.
3. Click and release on the 200 menu option. The 10s submenu is displayed.
4. Click and release on the 80 menu option. The units submenu is displayed.
5. Click and release on the 3 menu option.
A notice window indicating the progress will be displayed. To stop the operation, select Abort.
All items added at that point will remain (cannot be undone). If necessary, use the Delete
option. (See Delete on page 60.)
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Delete
The current item(s) may be deleted from the loaded MMF by means of the Delete option of the
MultiMedia File Editor Edit menu. When an item is deleted, its EAP position is freed and
becomes available for any item that is subsequently added. If the MultiMedia File Editor is in
the batch mode, several items can be selected for deletion. If the Pick List is open, the items
listed on the Pick List will be deleted.
To delete an item from the MMF:
1. Select the item(s) from the item selection list in the MultiMedia File Editor.
2. Select Edit > Delete in the MultiMedia File Editor. A pop-up will appear asking you
to confirm the deletion.
3. Click on the Yes(delete) button. The selected item(s) will be deleted from the item
selection list.
Note:
If you need to delete a range of items, use the Select Range option on the MMF list select
menu. (See The MMF List Select Menu on page 42 .) Then deselect items, as desired.
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Copy
Caution:
The following is important information regarding the deletion of items:
• If the Pick List is open during a delete operation, the items listed in the Pick List will be
deleted.
• If an item is deleted by mistake, it must be restored using the Undo function, before
any other changes are made to the MMF. If more than one item was deleted, Undo will
have no effect. (See Undo on page 57 .)
• If the item to be deleted is currently loaded in the Waveform Editor, upon deletion from
the item list, the Waveform Editor buffer is cleared. Any unsaved edits to the waveform
will be lost and cannot be recovered using either the Undo function or the Reload
function. (See The Edit Menu on page 135 and Reload on page 134 .)
Copy
This function copies the attributes and audio data of one item (the source) to another item (the
destination). This function is useful if it is needed to have two items that are similar to each
other, where one is to be a modified version of the other. Only one item can be copied at a
time.
The source and destination items are selected from the selection list. (Neither of these need
be the current item.) All data associated with the destination is replaced by the duplicated data
from the source. Since the destination is an existing item that will lose any data that is has, it
is often useful to create a new item via the Add Item function to be used as the destination,
before performing a Copy operation.
To copy an item:
1. Select Edit > Copy in the MultiMedia File Editor. The system responds by displaying
in the Action field the instruction Copy: Select the source item.
2. Select the source item (the item to be copied), by pointing to its entry in the item
selection list and clicking. The system then responds with the Action field instruction
Copy: Select the destination item.
3. Select the destination item (the item that is to be replaced by the duplicated data),
by pointing to the intended destination entry in the item selection list and clicking.
The system then performs the copy procedure.
The source item and its copy now exist under the same name in two locations.
Note:
After using this procedure, one of the duplicate item names should be changed to prevent
any confusion about which one will be output by applications. (See Specifying a Name for
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an Item on page 68 .) If one of these items is not renamed, the first item (the item with the
lowest EAP number) will be used when applications access that item name.
Note:
The following information pertains to copying items:
• Depending on the specified Sort Order, the result of copying an item might not be
readily visible in the selection list. (See Sorting the List of Items on page 72.)
• MPS Studio locks user control into the MultiMedia File Editor window until completion
of the operation. To abort, <RIGHT> click inside the MultiMedia File Editor window.
This opens a pop-up window. Select Cancel from this pop-up window.
• See The Edit Menu on page 55 for important information about editing items.
Caution:
The result of a Copy operation cannot be reversed using the Undo function. Also, the use
of Copy will eliminate the ability to restore any previous edit with Undo.
Move
This function is used to change the position of an item. The attributes and audio data of an
item (the source) are moved to the position of a second item (the destination). This function
acts like a combined Copy and Delete operation. The destination item is overwritten by the
data of the source item, then the source is deleted.
The items used as the source and destination are selected from the item selection list (neither
of these need be the current item). All data associated with the destination is replaced by the
data from the source. Since the destination is an existing item that will lose any data that it has,
it is often useful to create a new item via the Add function to be used as the destination, before
performing a Move operation.
To move an item:
1. Select Edit > Move in the MultiMedia File Editor. The software responds by
displaying in the Action field the instruction Move: Select the source item.
2. Choose the source item (i.e., the item to be moved) from the selection list, by
pointing to its entry in the selection list and clicking. The system then responds with
the Action instruction Move: Select the destination item.
3. Choose the destination item (i.e., the item that is to be overwritten by the source
item), by pointing its entry in the selection list and clicking. The system then performs
the Move operation.
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XChange
The source item now exists in the EAP position formerly occupied by the specified destination
item. After this procedure, the EAP of the original source item is free to be assigned to any
item that is subsequently added.
Note:
The following information pertains to moving items:
• Depending on the specified Sort Order, the results of moving an item might not be
readily visible in the item selection list. (See Sorting the List of Items on page 72.)
• MPS Studio locks user control into the MultiMedia File Editor window until completion
of the operation. To abort, <RIGHT> click inside the MultiMedia File Editor. This opens
a pop-up window. Select Cancel from this pop-up window.
• See The Edit Menu on page 55 for important information about editing items and
changing their positions.
Caution:
The result of a Move operation cannot be reversed using the Undo function. Also, the use
of Move will eliminate the ability to restore any previous edit with Undo.
XChange
This function is used to switch the positions of two items. All attributes and item data are
transposed for the two items. The two items are selected from the selection list. Neither of
these need be the current item.
To exchange the positions of two items:
1. Select Edit > XChange in the MultiMedia File Editor. The software responds by
displaying in the Action field the instruction Xchange: Select the first item.
2. Choose the first item to be switched by pointing to its entry in the selection list and
clicking. The software responds by displaying the action field instruction Xchange:
Select the second item.
3. Point to other item involved in the exchange and click. The two items are now
transposed in the MMF.
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Note:
The following information pertains to exchanging item positions:
• The XChange operation can be reversed with Undo, if XChange was the most recent
edit operation performed
• Depending on the specified Sort Order in the Media File Properties window, the results
of exchanging two items might not be readily visible in the item selection list. (See
Sorting the List of Items on page 72.)
• MPS Studio locks user control into the MultiMedia File Editor window until completion
of the operation. To abort, <RIGHT> click inside the MultiMedia File Editor. This opens
a pop-up window. Select Cancel from this pop-up window.
• See The Edit Menu on page 55 for important information about editing items and
changing their positions.
Shift Names
If certain functions (e.g., batch recording) are not performed properly, a set of item names can
be assigned in an skewed manner to the set of items. The Shift Names function is used to
reassign the set of item names to other items in the current file in case the names have been
misassigned. This is done from the Shift Names option on the Edit Menu.
Only item names are included in a shift operation. Other attributes and item audio data are not
affected. Item names may be shifted up or down:
64
Option
Description
Move Labels Up
to the
Highlighted Item
Shifts item names from the position immediately following the selected
item to the bottom of the list up to the selected item. The current item
(e.g., item N) is assigned the label of the next item (e.g., item N+1). The
former label of the current item is removed during this process. Item N
+1 receives the label of item N+2, and so on, until the last item is reached,
which is assigned the default name as specified in the Media File
Properties window.
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Shift Names
Option
Description
Move Labels
Down from the
Highlighted Item
Shifts item names from the position of the selected item down to the end
of the file. The label of the current item (e.g., item N) is assigned to the
next item (e.g., item N+1). The current item is then assigned the default
name as specified in the Media File Properties window. Item N+2
receives the label of item N+1, and so on, until the last item is reached.
The former name of the last item in the file is removed during this
process.
To shift items up or down:
1. Ensure that the item selection list is sorted by EAP number. (See Sorting the List
of Items on page 72.)
2. Locate the lowest-numbered item in the list where there is an item name mismatch
and make it the current item. (A single item must be preselected in the list to function
as the starting point for the shift operation.)
3. Select Edit > Shift Names > Move Labels Up to the Highlighted Item if the current
item should be assigned the name of the next item (and the name of the current
item is unneeded).
4. Select Edit > Shift Names > Move Labels Down from the Highlighted Item if the
name of the current item should be assigned to the next item (and the last item
name is unneeded).
The item names are immediately reassigned and a status message is displayed in the Action
field indicating the completion of the process. For a shift up operation, the last item in the list
should be renamed to accurately reflect its recorded contents. For shift down, the current
(lowest numbered) item should be renamed. (See Specifying a Name for an Item on
page 68.)
The following image shows an example of a shift up operation. At the start of the shift up
operation, item 00002 Element 3 is the current item. After the shift up is executed, the name
Element 3 is deleted, the names of items 00004-00005 shift up one item # (decremented), and
the Default Name is assigned to the last item on the list (item # 00005).
The following image shows an example of a shift down operation. At the start of the shift down
operation, item 00002 Element 3 is the current item. After the shift down is executed, the names
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of Element 3 and subsequent are shifted down one item # (incremented), the Default Name is
assigned item # 00002, and the name of the last item on the list (Element 6) is eliminated.
Caution:
The Shift Names operation cannot be reversed by Undo . However, the MMF can be closed
without saving to return the labels to their original items. All other pending edits would then
be lost.
Note:
To use this function, the following must be done beforehand:
• The item selection list must be sorted by EAP number. (See Sorting the List of
Items on page 72.)
• Exactly one item must be selected from the item list to serve as the starting point for
the shift operation.
The Item Attributes Window
This window is used to view and define the attributes that are associated with the current item.
While the window is open, if a different item is selected from the scrolling list, the window will
change to display the attributes of the newly selected item. Each attribute value is specified in
its own field or menu selection list within this window.
To access the Item Attributes window, highlight an item name in the item selection list of the
MultiMedia File Editor window, and then click on the Item Attributes... option.
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The Item Attributes Window
The values of the following fields are assigned by the MPS Studio software and cannot be
directly modified by you. However, based on your actions, the field values may be changed by
the system.
Field
Description
Item #
This is the item's index number. It indicates the item's current
position in the item selection list. The position of an item, i.e., its item
#, depends on how the list is currently sorted. (See Sorting the List
of Items on page 72.) See also the cautionary information under
The Edit Menu on page 55 for important details about item
positions.
Length
For audio items, this indicates the real-time length of the recorded
contents. If the item's length is changed (e.g., via the Time Scaling
function or by pasting audio data into the item), this field will be
updated to reflect the modification. The value is rounded to the
nearest hundredth second.
Creation Date/Time
Indicates when the item was initially created.
Modify Date/Time
Indicates when the item's recorded contents or attributes were last
modified. Whenever an item's recorded contents or attributes are
modified, this field will be updated based on the setting of the
workstation's internal clock.
The next set of fields are user-alterable. After specifying the items in this window, click on the
Apply button to implement the changes to the item's attributes. To make these changes
permanent, they must be explicitly saved to disk via the Save option of the File menu. (See
Save on page 51.)
Field
Description
Name
Specifies the item name (up to 167 characters). See Specifying a Name
for an Item on page 68.)
Data Type
Specifies the type of media item. Currently only SPEECH items (i.e.,
audio items) are implemented.
VPS Lock
Specifies whether the item is locked or unlocked when used with an
active vocabulary in the call processing environment. (See Item
Locking on page 70 and Locking and Unlocking on page 89.)
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Field
Description
Data Encoding
Specifies the encoding scheme used to digitize the item. (See
Supported Audio Item Encoding Formats on page 76.)
Owner ID
Specifies the user id of the owner of the item. Each item in the MMF is
assigned an owner. This is based on the user id of the logged-in user
at the time an item was created by adding or importing.
Note:
The following information pertains to the Item Attributes window:
• If it is desired to clear the pending changes made to the item from this window, click
on the Reset button to return the item to the state it was in when Apply was last
used.
• If the file was opened in read-only mode, the Apply button of this window will be
inaccessible, as indicated by grey coloring. (See Open on page 50.)
Specifying a Name for an Item
The name of an item is one of the attributes that is visible in the item selection list. When an
item is added, the system assigns a default name to it as specified by the value in the Default
Name field of the Media File Properties window. (See The Media File Properties Window on
page 70.) The item's name should be changed to one that is descriptive of the role that the
item will play when it is eventually used by voice processing applications.
As with other item attributes, the name is specified using the Item Attributes window. Each
attribute is specified using either a text field or menu selection list within this window.
Item names are composed of a sequence of up to 167 alphanumeric characters. The main
item list will display only the first 80 characters. An item name that cannot be completely
displayed due to its length will be shown with an ellipsis (...) following the name.
There are restrictions on the characters that are allowed in item names. If an item is going to
be used in a MPS Series system vocabulary, its name is restricted by the requirements of the
MPS Series VGEN software. Item names may not have any of the following characters:
Table 1: Invalid Characters in Item Names
Character
68
Description
@
"at" symbol
!
Exclamation point
:
Colon
^
Caret
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Specifying a Name for an Item
Character
Description
`
Back apostrophe/back quote/accent grave
~
Tilde
_
Underscore
{}
Braces
[]
Brackets
|
Vertical bar
/\
The forward and back slash are allowed but they cannot be the
first character in the name.
Also, space(s) leading or trailing the name, and multiple consecutive embedded spaces are
not allowed.
MPS Studio will not allow you to use invalid characters when changing the name of an item.
A notice will be displayed when you attempt to apply the change in the Item Attributes window.
However, you can import items with invalid names using the Transfer > Import... function. (See
Importing Items on page 77.) If you suspect this has occurred, us the Add Invalid Item
Name(s) option on the MMF list select menu to identify them and add them to the Pick List.
(See The MMF List Select Menu on page 42.) You can rename them individually using the
Item Attributes window, or fix them automatically using the Fix Invalid Item Name(s) option on
the Pick List select menu (see The Pick List Select Menu on page 97.)
Note:
After naming an item (or modifying any of its other attributes), the current file must be saved
in order for the changes to become permanent. (See Save on page 51 .)
To assign or change the name of an item:
1. Select the item as the current item in the item selection list.
2. Click on the Item Attributes... option. The Item Attributes window opens.
3. Point to the text entry area of the Name: field and click. The cursor is placed where
editing can begin.
4. Enter the new name of the item.
5. Click on the Apply button. The item is now renamed in the item selection list.
Note:
The following pertains to editing the Name: field in the Item Attributes window:
• The cursor can be placed at any point in the entry field where editing is desired. To
delete a portion of the existing name, use the <BACKSPACE> key.
• Several characters in the entry field can be selected by clicking and dragging across a
range of characters. The selected range of text will be reverse highlighted. A single
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<BACKSPACE> will delete the selected text, or typing will delete and replace the
selected text.
Item Locking
VPS lock status is one of the attributes associated with an item. Lock status is interpreted in
the MPS Series production environment by the Voice Memory Manager (VMM) process. If the
amount of Voice Data Memory is limited, the system can be configured (vmm loadall off) so
that only the locked items are loaded into memory, allowing them to be instantly accessed
when needed by the system. Unlocked items will then be paged from disk as needed, if the
disk paging feature is enabled.
To lock or unlock an item:
1. Click on the Item Attributes... option in the MultiMedia File Editor window. The Item
Attributes window appears.
2. Click on the appropriate selection (Locked/Unlocked) next to the VPS Lock
category.
3. Click on the Apply button.
Note:
The following is important information about locking items:
• The present lock status of the current item may be viewed and changed in the Item
Attributes window. (See The Item Attributes Window on page 66.) If the lock status is
changed through the Item Attributes window, the change must be explicitly applied and
then saved.
• See the MPS System Reference Manual for information about item locking.
• See Locking and Unlocking on page 89 for additional information.
The Media File Properties Window
The fields in this window are used to place the MultiMedia File Editor in single selection or
batch mode, to specify the order of item entries in the scrolling list, to set the default properties
of items to be added or recorded, and to adjust the volume level of exported items. For any
item, the default values applied by the settings in this window may be overridden by userspecified entries in the Item Attributes window. (See The Item Attributes Window on page 66.)
To display the Media File Properties window, click on the Properties... option in the MultiMedia
File Editor.
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The Media File Properties Window
After configuring the selections in this window, click on the Apply button to cause the changes
to take effect. The Reset button may be used to ignore any changes and restore the settings
to their state when Apply was last used.
Field
Description
Default Encoding
Specifies the default setting for the encoding method. The choice
specified here is used as the default encoding for new items. (See
Supported Audio Item Encoding Formats on page 76.)
Default Name
Specifies the name that will be assigned to new items by MPS
Studio. The string that is specified here is assigned as the name for
new items. Items may be added from the Add Item or Add Items
option of the Edit menu. (See Add Items on page 59.)
Item names may be changed via the Item Attributes window. This
field has no effect on existing item names. (See Specifying a Name
for an Item on page 68.)
For batch recording, the default name is used as the prefix for newly
recorded items (for example, Untitled, Untitled-001, Untitled-002,
etc.). (See General Record Parameters on page 124.)
Multiple Selection
When on, places the MultiMedia File Editor in the batch mode.
Enables multiple items to be selected from the item selection list.
(See Selecting Multiple Items on page 41.) In Motif, this feature is
on when the button appears concave (depressed). In Windows, the
box is check marked.
Sort Order
Determines how the item selection list in the MultiMedia File Editor
window will be sorted. It does not affect the actual (EAP) positions
of the items in the MMF. Items may be sorted in ascending order
according to their names (Name), recorded lengths (Size), dates and
times of last modification (Date), or actual positions in the MMF (EAP
#). See The Item Attributes Window on page 66 for information about
the meaning of these options. See Sorting the List of Items on
page 72 for general information about arranging the item list.
D to A Gain Factor
Sets the gain level for exported analog (ADPCM) recordings. This is
the gain level that will be used when MPS Studio exports MMF items
to an analog .voc, .def1, or MMF file (see Exporting Items on
page 82). This control has effect only during the export process.
After exporting and transferring the vocabulary to an MPS Series
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Field
Description
system, if the volume level of the voice output is too loud or too soft,
try the export operation again after adjusting this control. Initially, this
control should be used at the default setting of 250. When making
adjustments, use small increments or decrements. Initially, digital to
analog exports should be tried at a gain factor of 250. MPS Studio
retains the last setting in a preferences file for future sessions.
Sorting the List of Items
Often it is useful to be able to arrange the order of item entries as they appear in the selection
list. This function allows you to do such things as keep related item names together, easily
locate recently modified items, and ascertain the actual order of items in the MMF. Sorting the
list is done using the Sort Order field of the Media File Properties window. This pertains only
to the order of the items as they appear in the scrolling list.
The sorting function does not affect the actual positions of the items in the multimedia file,
which is defined by their Element Access Pointers numbers (EAP#). Items may be sorted in
ascending order according to their names, recorded lengths, dates and times of last
modification, or EAP numbers.
Field
72
Description
Name
Items are sorted alphabetically by name. Use this to cause similar item
names to be grouped together.
Size
The item order is based on the lengths of the recorded data, from
smallest to largest. This makes it easy, for example, to locate all
unrecorded items, since they will be at the top of the list.
Date
The sorting is based on the date and time of last modification. The most
recently modified items will appear at the end of the list.
EAP#
The list is arranged based on the actual physical order of the items in
the file. For some voice processing environments, knowledge of the
actual positions of items is necessary when modifying the applications
and/or their vocabulary files. (See The Item Attributes Window on
page 66.)
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The Transfer Menu
Note:
The following information pertains to sorting the item list:
• Depending on how the list is sorted, changes made to the item list (e.g., adding a new
item, moving an item, etc.) might not be apparent.
• Sorting the list by Name activates the duplicate name locator feature.
• If the chosen sort order is Name, after clicking on Apply, an additional field will appear
in this window that lists the positions in the selection list where duplicate names
occur.
To sort the item list:
1. Click on the Properties... option in the MultiMedia File Editor window. The Media
File Properties window appears.
2. Click on the appropriate selection (Name/Size/Date/EAP#) next to the Sort Order
category.
3. Click on the Apply button.
The Transfer Menu
The MultiMedia File Editor provides the ability to convert files between the multimedia format
and other supported formats, via the Transfer... menu.
Option
Description
Import...
Opens the Import window, which allows selected media items from
another MMF or non-MMF to be brought into the current MMF. (See
Importing Items on page 77.) The Import function is also used to
combine two MMF files. (See Combining Two Multimedia Files on
page 82.)
Export...
Opens the Export window, which allows selected media items from the
current MMF to be output in another file format or written to another
MMF file. (See Exporting Items on page 82.) Exporting items from
the current MMF file to another MMF file overwrites all the items in the
target file.
Note:
The following is important information about the item transfer functions:
• The import and export functions may be used to convert analog MPS Series
vocabularies to digital MPS Series format and vice versa. Import the items specifying
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their existing encoded format, and export them after specifying the intended encoding
format. See Supported Audio Item Encoding Formats on page 76 for information
about the encoding formats used by MPS Series systems.
• The MPS Studio editing tools are intended to work only with 8-bit (u-Law and A-Law)
MMFs. If you intend to use MPS Studio-generated files on an analog MPS Series
system, you must export the items to create a new analog MMF specifying ADPCM (4bit) format for the items. Be sure to save the original u-Law encoded file. If the MMF
requires modifications, you should not import the ADPCM file to make the changes.
Instead, load the original u-Law file, make the modifications, and then recreate the
ADPCM file (using the export facility) with the new modifications.
• See Supported Audio File Formats on page 74 for a description of the file formats
supported by MPS Studio.
• MPS Series systems use a unique internal file format for storing application
vocabularies. These files are identified by the file name extension .voc. Backups of
these vocabulary files are maintained in separate files that use the VGEN Incremental
format. These backup files are identified by extensions of the form .def#, where .def1
is the first backup, .def2 is the second in the same set, etc. Therefore, all VGEN
Incremental format files that you export (or import) should be specified with a .def1
extension (e.g., <filename>.def1). Do not use file extensions .def2, .def3, etc. The
specified import file must not have a number as the last character of the file name
extension, unless the file is coming from an MPS Series system. (In this case, the
extension is assigned by the MPS Series.) If necessary, rename a non-MPS Series file
at the command line before importing it. To import a set of like-named files with
extensions of the form .def#, specify only the first file in the set (e.g., <filename>.def1).
If you try to import a file with an extension .def2, .def3, etc., the results will be
unpredictable.
Supported Formats for File Transfer Functions
In addition to MMFs, the MPS Studio software can process items from other types of commonly
used file formats. Items may be both imported into and exported from the MPS Studio editor,
in the formats described below.
Supported Audio File Formats
Format
MMF
74
Description
Native MPS Studio and MPS Series format.
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Supported Audio File Formats
Format
.def1
Description
VGEN Incremental format for transferring MPS Series vocabulary files.
This is the format used by the MPS Series system for backup and restore
operations involving vocabulary and message files. The type of item
encoding required is dependent on the particular phone line interface that
the MPS Series is using.
Native vocabulary format for standalone MPS Series systems. This type
of file is created by the MPS Series VGEN utility from the VGEN
incremental format. The type of item encoding required is dependent on
the phone line interface that the MPS Series is using (see Properties of
the Audio File Formats on page 76).
.voc
Solaris audio format. Sun SPARCstation software packages (other than
MPS Studio) use this format. If items are being imported from a file
created with other Sun-based audio processing software, or will be
exported to a file for use with other Sun software, this format should be
specified.
.au
Microsoft Windows audio format. Personal computers running the
Windows family of operating systems commonly use this format. If items
are being imported from a file with a .wav extension, or will be exported
for use on a Windows PC, this format should be specified.
.wav
.aiff
Audio interchange format file. Apple computers typically use this format.
If items are being imported from a file created on an Apple computer (e.g.,
an iMac or MacBook), or will be exported for use on an Apple computer,
this format should be specified.
ASCII text file import/export. An ASCII text file may be imported into MPS
Studio to create item names (one name per line). This selection can also
be used to import .apd files created using the MPS Developer application.
After an application and its vocabularies are created in MPS Developer,
the .apd file containing the labels of all the vocabulary items for the
application can be imported into MPS Studio for digitizing. For more
information, refer to the MPS Developer User's Guide. A .txt file that
contains the names of selected items can be created by exporting the
item names from MPS Studio.
.txt
Note:
The following is important information about the supported formats for file transfer functions:
• A file with the .def1 extension should not be confused with one with a .def extension.
The .def extension was used for older vocabulary files and is not a VGEN incremental
file. The .def extension is not recognized by current versions of MPS Studio. If you need
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The MultiMedia File Editor
to import legacy vocabulary files with a .def extension, simply rename them with a .voc
extension at the command line and import them as vocabulary (.voc) files.
• The speech data in these various file formats must use 8-bit PCM encoding with a
sampling rate of 8 KHz. All other sampling rates and data encoding schemes are invalid
and not applicable to the standard telephony environment.
• See the Notes under The Transfer Menu on page 73 about file name extensions.
Properties of the Audio File Formats
Exporting to the various formats is done with the following fixed values:
Format
.def1/.voc
.au
.wav
.aiff
Sample Size
Sample Rate
Encoding
Channels
4 bits
8000 Hz
ADPCM
1
8 bits
8000 Hz
u-Law/A-Law
1
8 bits
8000 Hz
u-Law
1
16 bits
11025 Hz
Linear
1
16 bits
44100 Hz
Linear
1
Supported Audio Item Encoding Formats
Three different audio item encoding schemes are supported by MPS Studio. Within an MMF,
the type of encoding may be specified independently for each item. For an export operation to
an MMF, .def1, or .voc file, the specified encoding method will be stored with each item, in the
target file, regardless of the item's current encoding in the loaded MMF file, which is indicated
in the Item Attributes window (see The Item Attributes Window on page 66). For import
of .au, .wav, or .aiff files, encoding will be assigned according to the Default Encoding specified
in the Media File Properties window. (See The Media File Properties Window on page 70.) For
import of MMF, .def1, or .voc files, the encoding is derived from each imported item, regardless
of the Default Encoding specified in the Media File Properties window.
Format
u-Law
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Description
Format for MPS Series systems with a T1 interface. This is the ITU1 standard
for 8-bit PCM digital signals used in the U.S., Canada, and Japan. This format
offers superior fidelity and dynamic range. When processed, the 8-bit encoded
signal is expanded to 14 bits. It results in a data rate of 64 KBits/second.
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MPS Series Utilities for Importing and Exporting
Format
Description
A-Law
Format for MPS Series systems with an E1/CEPT interface. This is the ITU1
standard for 8-bit PCM digital signals used in countries other than the U.S.,
Canada, and Japan. This format offers superior fidelity and dynamic range.
When processed, the 8-bit signal is expanded to 13 bits. The supported
transmission rate is 64 KBits/second.
ADPCM
Format for analog MPS Series systems. The ADPCM (Adaptive Differential
PCM) encoding method is based on hardware from OKI Semiconductor. It is
used to compress speech signals, using a 4-bit voice data encoding scheme
resulting in a data rate of 32 KBits/second. If audio items will be used on MPS
Series systems having an analog interface, this type of encoding should be
specified.
1.
International Telecommunications Union (ITU), formerly the Consultative Committee
for International Telephone and Telegraph (CCITT).
MPS Series Utilities for Importing and Exporting
There are two utilities provided in the MPS Series platform that can simplify the tasks of
importing or exporting files in MPS Studio. The def12mmf utility is used to convert one or
more .def1 VGEN incremental files to a single new MMF. It can also be used to
concatenate .def1 files to an existing MMF. The mmf2def1 utility is used to export one or more
MMFs to a newly created .def1 file or to overwrite an existing .def1 file. For additional
information on these and other MPS Studio utilities, refer to the MPS Command Reference
Manual.
Importing Items
The Import function provides the means by which items (both MMF and non-MMF) can be
added to the current file. Imported items are brought into the current MMF as if they were new
items inserted into the selection list via the Edit > Add Item or Add Items option. (See Add
Item on page 58 and Add Items on page 59.)
To access the Import window, select Transfer > Import... from the MultiMedia File Editor
window.
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The MultiMedia File Editor
Note:
This function is used for either importing non-MMF items into an MMF, or importing items
from another MMF. (See Combining Two Multimedia Files on page 82 .)
This window has four parts: the file chooser, the format panel, the item selection panel, and a
pop-up menu used for selecting items. To display the pop-up item selection menu, point
anywhere within the item selection panel and <RIGHT> click.
Panel
File chooser
78
Field
Description
Allows selection of a file to be imported. The file chooser shows only files
of the type specified in the Format panel and lower level directories, in
alphabetical order. Select either a file or directory name by choosing it
from the list or typing the name in the File Name text field.
Directory
Displays the name of the current directory, the contents of
which appear in the scrolling list.
file
scrolling
list
Shows files with extensions matching the specified format
(.def1, .voc, .au, .wav, .aiff, .txt, or .mmi [MMF]). If .txt is
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Importing Items
Panel
Field
Description
selected, MPS Developer-created files with .apd extensions
are also shown.
Additionally, subdirectories accessible from the current
directory are shown. Selecting a directory opens it and
displays its contents.
File Name Displays the name of the selected file or directory. Enter the
name of a file or directory here or choose it from the scrolling
list.
Load
Format panel
Loads the import file specified in the File Name field. Click
on the Load button to load the import file into the item
selection panel.
Contains user-selectable settings for specifying the import file format and
import parameters.
Format
Specifies the internal format of the import file. (See
Supported Audio File Formats on page 74.)
Insert and Mutually exclusive buttons available only when .TXT (ASCII)
Overwrite format is selected, otherwise grayed out. Each line in the text
buttons
file will be imported as an item label. If no item is selected,
these buttons have no effect; new items will always be
added to the end of the list. If Insert is selected, the imported
labels will be placed above the current item (dashed yellow
box). If Overwrite is selected, the current and subsequent
items will have their labels overwritten (one item for each
line of text). If the number of text entries exceeds the number
of items remaining on the list, additional labels (as required)
will be added to the end of the list.
Item selection
panel
Show all
[AU |
WAV |
AIFF]
Files
Radio button, enabled only when .AU, .WAV, or .AIFF format
is selected for import (label changes accordingly). Tests
each file and displays all files that are valid for the selected
format, regardless of name or extension.
Omit file
extension
Radio button, enabled only when .AU, .WAV, or .AIFF format
is selected for import. When selected, imported item names
will not include the file extension.
Contains the import item selection list. This list displays the names of all
media items contained within the file selected in the File Chooser panel.
Use this list to select the names of the particular items to be imported by
pointing to each one and clicking, or by using the item selection menu.
(See Item selection menu, later in this table.) Items may be deselected
in the same manner. Each item selected on this list will be imported as
an item into the current MMF. By selecting and deselecting items in this
list, the values in the Items Selected and Total Bytes Selected fields vary
accordingly.
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The MultiMedia File Editor
Panel
Item selection
menu
Field
Description
Items In
Import
File
Specifies the total number of items in the import file available
for importing.
Items
Selected
Indicates the number of items currently selected for import.
Total
Bytes
Selected
Indicates the size in bytes that the selected items will occupy
in the current MMF.
Import
Imports all the items selected in the item selection list into
the current MMF. Click on this button to import the selected
items.
The item selection panel supports a hidden menu with functions for
selecting multiple items at a time. To access this menu, point inside of
the item selection panel and <RIGHT> click. This menu contains three
options.
Select All
All items in the item selection panel become selected.
Select
Range
All items between and including two chosen items become
selected. A notice to this effect will be displayed. Click OK
to dismiss the notice. The next two items selected (inclusive)
will define the range. This option can be used multiple times
to select non-contiguous ranges.
Deselect
All
All selected items are deselected.
To import items:
1. Open the MMF that is to receive the items to be imported.
2. Select Transfer > Import.... The Import window opens and the MultiMedia file Editor
window is locked out.
3. In the Import window, select the format of the file that contains the items to be
imported. (See Supported Formats for File Transfer Functions on page 74 for
background information.)
4. Use the file chooser selection list (top left) to select the appropriate directory or enter
its name in the File Name: text field. Then point to the Load button and click. The
panel now shows the names of all files in the selected directory that are of the
specified format (i.e., which have the appropriate file extension). If .au, .wav, or .aiff
files are to be imported, they will appear in the item selection panel. Each .au, .wav,
or .aiff file is imported as one item.
5. If .def1, .voc, .txt, or MMF items are to be imported, use the file chooser selection
list (top left) to select the file or enter the name of the file to be imported in the File
Name text field. Then point to the Load button and click. The item selection panel
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Importing Items
(bottom half of window) now shows the names of all items that can be selected for
import.
6. In the item selection panel, select the particular item(s) to be imported by either
pointing to each one and clicking or by using the functions of the hidden menu of
the Item Selection Panel (described previously). Each item becomes highlighted as
it is selected.
7. Point to the Import button and click. The import process commences.
Note:
The following information pertains to importing items:
• When the Import window is displayed, functions in other MPS Studio windows cannot
be performed until the Import window is dismissed.
• For an import operation, unless the specified import file is part of a multifile VGEN
Incremental format sequence, it must not have a numeric character at the end of its file
name extension. If necessary, rename the file at the command line before importing
the file. To import a VGEN Incremental Format file, specify only the file with .def1
extension.
• A file that is to be imported must exist on the local system disk drive or a mounted
network disk drive.
• Items cannot be imported if the current file was opened in read-only mode. However,
if the file to be imported has read-only constraints, it will not affect the import
procedure.
• It is possible to import items that contain invalid characters in their labels. For
information on allowable characters in item names, see Specifying a Name for an
Item on page 68. If you suspect this has occurred, use the Add Invalid Item Name(s)
option on the MMF list select menu to identify them and add them to the Pick List. (See
The MMF List Select Menu on page 42.) You can then rename them individually using
the Item Attributes window (see The Item Attributes Window on page 66), or fix them
automatically using the Fix Invalid Item Name(s) option on the Pick List select menu
(see The Pick List Select Menu on page 97.)
• If it is desired to add items to the current file from another MMF, see Combining Two
Multimedia Files on page 82.
• See The Transfer Menu on page 73 for general information about importing items into
the current file.
• An audio item named Tone - 1 kHz is provided with the MPS Studio software (contained
in sample.mmi and testtone1.def1). It is recommended that this item be imported into
every MPS Studio MMF. See the notes under Normalizing a Recording on page 150
for more information about using this item.
• See Supported File Formats on page 10 for background information.
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Combining Two Multimedia Files
In MPS Studio, the Import function is the means by which two MMFs may be combined. If you
wish to combine all or some of the items from an import file, select the file to be imported (from
the Import window), then select the desired items (also from the Import window). See Importing
Items on page 77 for more information.
Exporting Items
The Export function provides the means by which media items may be output from the current
MMF file to a non-MMF file, using the specified encoding and format parameters. This function
can also export MMF items from the current file and use them to create a new MMF (i.e.,
a .mmi/.mmd pair).
The file used to receive exported items is completely rewritten. Typically, the name of a nonexistent file is specified for an export operation. If the file already exists, a warning notice will
appear providing the option to rewrite the file or cancel the operation.
To access the Export window, select Transfer > Export... from the MultiMedia File Editor
window.
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Exporting Items
This window has four parts: the file chooser, the format panel, the item selection panel, and a
pop-up menu used for selecting items. To display the pop-up item selection menu, point
anywhere within the item selection panel and <RIGHT> click.
Panel
File chooser
Field
Description
Allows easy visual scanning of the file system to locate a directory to
export to. The file chooser shows only files of the specified type (as
selected in the Format panel) and lower level directories.
Directory
Displays the name of the directory, the contents of which
appears in the scrolling list.
file scrolling Shows only files with extensions representing supported
list
formats (.def1, .voc, .au, .wav, .aiff, .txt, .apd, and .mmi
[MMF]) and directories accessible from the current
directory. Selecting a directory opens it and displays its
contents.
File Name
Displays the name of the selected file or directory. Enter
the name of a file or directory here.
Export
Saves the items selected in the Export item selection list
using the chosen format. The individual item names are
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The MultiMedia File Editor
Panel
Field
Description
used as file names for .au, .wav, and .aiff files.
For .def1, .voc, .txt, and MMFs, a file name must be
specified. Click on this button to export the selected
items.
Format panel
Contains user-selectable settings for specifying the export file format.
For .txt files, the item names are exported in the order shown in the list.
For .au, .aiff, and .wav files, each item is exported to its own file. The file
names are derived from the item names and are assigned the appropriate
extension (i.e., .au, .aiff, .wav). For all formats, spaces will be replaced
by underscores in the file names.
Format
Specifies the internal format of the export file. (See
Supported Formats for File Transfer Functions on
page 74.)
Encoding
Specifies the encoding format to be used for the exported
items. If the specified format is different than the internal
encoding of the items, the items will be converted to the
specified format as they are placed in the export file. (See
Supported Audio Item Encoding Formats on page 76.)
When ADPCM is the selected format, the D to A gain factor
(as defined in the Media File Properties window) is
displayed at the bottom of this panel. This field is grayed
out when u-Law or A-Law format is selected.
WAV
Format
Menu displayed instead of Encoding buttons when .WAV
is selected as the target format for export. Offers two
options for PCM encoding resolution and two options for
sample rate, in any combination:
• 16-bit PCM resolution at 11K Hz sample rate (22kb/sec.)
• 16-bit PCM resolution at 8K Hz sample rate (16kb/sec.)
• 8-bit PCM resolution at 11K Hz sample rate (11kb/sec.)
• 8-bit PCM resolution at 8K Hz sample rate (8kb/sec.)
Lower resolution and sample rate result in smaller file size.
The approximate amount of memory per second of audio
data is listed with each option above. The lowest resolution
and frequency range (8 Bit 8K) is considered acceptable
for most telephony applications.
Preserve
EAP
Number(s)
This option becomes available when MMF is selected as
the export format. If this option is selected, the items that
are exported will retain the same EAP numbers as in the
current MMF.
D to A Gain Valid only when .DEF1, .VOC, or MMF is selected as the
Factor:
target format for export and ADPCM is selected for
Encoding. Indicates the current setting of the D to A Gain
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Exporting Items
Panel
Field
Description
Factor in the Media File Properties Window. (See The
Media File Properties Window on page 70.)
Item selection
panel
Contains the export item selection list, which displays the items available
for export. Use this list to select and deselect the names of the particular
items to be exported by pointing to each one and clicking, or by using the
item selection menu. (See Item selection menu, later in this table.)
Items In File Indicates the total number of items in the MMF available for
exporting.
Item selection
menu
Items
Selected
Indicates the number of items selected from the Export item
selection list.
Total Bytes
Selected
Indicates the number of bytes that the selected items will
occupy on the disk after exporting.
The item selection panel supports a hidden menu with functions for
selecting multiple items at a time. To access this menu, point inside of
the item selection panel and <RIGHT> click. Then click on the desired
option. This menu has four options.
Select All
All items in the item selection panel become selected.
Select
Range
All items between and including two chosen items become
selected. A notice to this effect will be displayed. Click OK
to dismiss the notice. The next two items selected
(inclusive) will define the range.
Deselect All All selected items are deselected.
Select via
MMF List
Items that were selected in the item selection list in the
MultiMedia File Editor Window when the Export window
was launched, become selected in the item selection
panel.
Select via
Pick List
Items that were listed in the Pick List (the last time the Pick
List was used) when the Export window was launched,
become selected in the item selection panel.
To export items:
1. Open the MMF that contains the items to be exported.
2. If the export file will be used on an analog MPS Series system, open the MultiMedia
File Properties window and set the D to A Gain Factor control as appropriate. (See
The Media File Properties Window on page 70.)
3. Select Transfer > Export.... The Export window opens and the MultiMedia file Editor
window is locked out.
4. In the Export window, select the particular items to be exported by either clicking
on each one, or by using the functions of the hidden menu of the item selection
panel (described previously). Each selected item is shown as highlighted.
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5. Configure the Export window's format panel for the type of file to be created. For
VGEN format (i.e., .voc, .def1) and MMFs, select the audio encoding setting to be
used for the items being exported. (See Supported Audio Item Encoding
Formats on page 76 for background information.)
6. For .def1, .voc, .txt, and MMF files, use the file chooser (top left) to select the file,
or enter the name of the export file in the File Name text field. (File names
for .au, .wav, and .aiff files are assigned as stated under Format panel in the
preceding table.)
7. Click on the Export button. The export process commences. The export file now
exists in the specified directory, and contains the exported items. After the items
are successfully exported, they become deselected in the item selection panel.
Note:
The following information pertains to exporting items:
• See The Transfer Menu on page 73 for important information about specifying the
export file name.
• See Combining Two Multimedia Files on page 82 if it is desired to output items from
the current file to another MMF that has existing items.
• See Supported File Formats on page 10 for background information.
• When the Export window is displayed, functions in other MPS Studio windows cannot
be performed until the Export window is dismissed.
• The file used to receive exported items is completely rewritten. Generally, the name of
a non-existent file should be specified for export operations. If the file already exists, a
warning notice will appear providing options for either canceling the export operation
or rewriting the file.
• After items are successfully exported, they become deselected in the item selection
panel.
Updating On-line Vocabularies
Generally, vocabulary files are intended to be updated when applications are off-line. However,
certain types of applications require that vocabulary items be updated regularly, and it is not
always possible to have regularly scheduled periods of down time for vocabulary maintenance.
For example, applications such as those for ticket listings (e.g., movies, concerts, sporting
events, etc.) will generally provide callers with current information using vocabulary items that
are regularly updated. Should it be necessary to update one or more items in a vocabulary
while the file is being used by applications, follow the procedure given below.
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Updating On-line Vocabularies
Note:
See the MPS System Operator's Guide for more information about installing, using, and
updating vocabulary files in the call processing environment.
To update vocabularies that are currently being used by applications, use this procedure. (For
an off-line file, simply load it into MPS Studio and process it normally.)
1. Open the file in MPS Studio. A file that is active in the call processing environment
has a write-lock flag placed on it by the system. When the file is loaded into MPS
Studio, it opens in read-only mode. (See Open on page 50.)
2. Export the items that require updating to a temporary file (e.g., temp_file). (See
Exporting Items on page 82.) Specify MMF (MPS Studio) for the file format.
3. Select File > Close to unload the current file from MPS Studio.
4. Select File > Open and open the previously created MMF (e.g. temp_file).
5. Edit the file as required. You may add new items or update the recordings of existing
items as needed.
6. Select File > Save to save the current file.
7. Export all of the items that have been modified to another temporary file. Specify
VGEN Incremental for the file format and the appropriate encoding for the type of
telephone interface. You may use the name chosen for step 2 on page 87 (e.g.,
temp_file) or choose a new name (e.g. export_file).
8. Exit from, or iconify MPS Studio.
9. From a V-shell or VSH Tool, use the vmm update command as follows to update
the MMF and activate the revised vocabulary to system memory:
vmm mmf <MMF_filename> update <export_file.def1>
where:
• vmm
Denotes the Voice Memory Manager
(VMM) process.
• mmf
Indicates an MMF-related function.
• <MMF_filename>
Specifies the base name of the loaded
MMF to be updated.
• update
Indicates an on-line item update.
• <export_file.def1>
Specifies the name of the file that has
the items to be incorporated into
<MMF_filename>. This was the last file
that was exported from MPS Studio (i.e.
whatever name was assigned in step
7 on page 87.) You must include the
path name to the file if you are not
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currently in its directory. Also, it is
required to include the VGEN
Incremental filename extension
(i.e. .def1).
The process is now complete. All subsequent use of the file by applications will access the
updated recordings.
Synchronizing MultiMedia Files Across Nodes
The MPS Series platform provides a utility for administrating, monitoring,
and updating MMFs across multiple nodes on a network. The Zero
Administration for Prompts (ZAP) utility can be used to monitor the
consistency between identically named MMFs, generate reports, and
automatically update all active instances of an MMF when changes are
made. Refer to the MPS System Operator's Guide for more information.
Also refer to the MPS Command Reference Manual for the zap
command.
The Batch Tools Menu
The Batch Tools menu provides item management functions that can be applied to multiple
items in one operation, thus saving time and obtaining more consistent results.
The Batch Tools menu also provides advanced audio processing tools that can be performed
on multiple items. Some of these tools are also available from the Waveform Editor Tools menu,
where they are used to process single items. A brief description of the Batch Tools menu
options is provided here for reference. Detailed descriptions of the audio processing tools for
batch and single item operations are contained in Introduction on page 147.
To access the Batch Tools menu, click on the Batch Tools option in the MultiMedia File Editor
window.
The options of the Batch Tools menu are as follows:
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Locking and Unlocking
Option
Description
Normalization...
Opens the Global Normalization window so that the volume levels
of selected items may be adjusted relative to a common reference
item. Normalizing a Recording on page 150
Time Scaling...
Opens the Global Time Scaling window so that the length of the
selected items can be adjusted by the same relative percentage.
Gain...
Opens the Global Gain Control window so that the selected items
may have their volumes adjusted by a common factor. Gain Control
of Recorded Items on page 161
DTMF Detection...
Scans all selected items for the presence of DTMF tones and opens
the DTMF Detections window if any are detected. Filtering for DTMF
Tones on page 174
Graphic EQ...
Opens the Global Graphic Equalizer window which allows the
frequency characteristics of selected items to be modified. Graphic
Equalization on page 166
Parametric EQ...
Opens the Global Parametric Equalizer window which allows
parametric filtering to be performed on the selected items.
Parametric Equalization on page 170
Padding...
Opens the Global Padding Silence window which allows a specified
interval of silence to be added to the beginning and/or end of the
selected items. Padding an Item with Silence on page 159
VPS Lock/Unlock...
Sets the lock attribute for the selected items to a common value.
Purge/Delete Names Scans the set of selected items and eliminates duplicate names.
Locking and Unlocking
VPS Lock status is an item attribute that is interpreted in the MPS Series production
environment by the Voice Memory Manager (VMM) process. The batch locking/unlocking
feature allows a change to be made to the lock status of a set of items at one time. The current
lock status of a selected item may be viewed and changed in the Item Attributes window (see
The Item Attributes Window on page 66) Lock status is also shown in the Status column of the
item selection list. (See The Item Selection List on page 38.)
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Note:
The following information pertains to locking items:
• Unlike changes to lock status via the Item Attributes window, when performed in batch
mode, the changes are automatically saved. These changes cannot be undone.
• See Item Locking on page 70 for information about the lock attribute.
To lock or unlock a number of items:
1. Select the items which are to have their lock status changed.
2. Select Batch Tools > VPS Lock/Unlock. Two additional options appear.
3. Select either Lock or Unlock, whichever is appropriate. The system immediately
begins changing the lock status of the selected items. The following status message
is shown when the process is complete: Batch VPS locked/unlocked N items, where
N is the number of items that have been operated on.
Purging and Deleting Duplicate Item Names
Although MPS Studio allows an MMF to have multiple items with the same name, in the
production environment, only the first such item in a file can be accessed by that name.
Generally, all item names should be unique and appropriately named, as this simplifies voice
script development. (See Specifying a Name for an Item on page 68 for information about
naming items.)
In the Batch Tools menu, the Purge/Delete Names function is used to automatically delete
duplicate named items from an MMF. Duplicate item names may be deleted from the entire
file or from a user-selected subset of items. Before selecting this option, you must select item
name(s) from the main item selection list to be used as criteria for finding the duplicated names.
Then, the search proceeds in one of the two ways described below.
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Purging and Deleting Duplicate Item Names
Caution:
It is recommended that a backup copy of the MMF be made before using this function, in
case necessary items are inadvertently deleted during the operation. This operation cannot
be undone.
Note:
In order to determine more easily which particular items should be retained when this
function is used, the list should be sorted by EAP# before selecting this function. (See Sorting
the List of Items on page 72 .)
When the Purge/Delete Names option is selected from the Batch Tools menu, a submenu
opens that has the two options described in the following table.
Option
Purge Names
Within Group
Description
The function uses the names of the selected (i.e. highlighted) set of items
as search criteria, and then scans within the set for identically named
items. For each duplicated item name, the duplicates are removed except
for the last occurrence in the set as determined by EAP number (i.e., the
redundantly named item with the highest EAP# is retained). When
complete, a message is displayed indicating the number of items
deleted.
All items that are not selected for this function are ignored during the
operation (i.e., they are not used as search criteria, and as such, cannot
be deleted).
Delete Using
This option functions as a global duplicate name purge. The function uses
Selected Names the names of the selected set of items as search criteria, and then scans
the entire file for duplicates. All items in the entire file with duplicated
names are removed from the file, including the highlighted items (i.e. all
items that share names with the highlighted items are deleted). Items that
are highlighted that do not have duplicates in the file are not deleted.
To ensure that a given item is preserved during use of this function, do
not highlight it, and do not highlight any other items that have the same
name.
Perform the steps below to purge and/or delete duplicate item names.
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1. Select the items which are to be included in the search for duplicate item names.
(See Selecting Multiple Items on page 41.)
2. Select Batch Tools > Purge/Delete Names. A submenu opens with the two options
described above.
3. Choose the appropriate option. A notice window appears describing the action of
the selected option and provides the option to continue or cancel the operation.
4. Click on the Continue button to proceed or on the Cancel button to abort. If Continue
is selected, the system searches through the file and performs deletions according
to the above descriptions. When finished, a message is displayed in the Action field
indicating the number of items deleted.
The Pick List Window
The Pick List window provides alternative methods of working with multiple items and
performing batch operations. This window is particularly useful when working with large MMFs
with many items. Selected items can be added to the Pick List to specify a subset of the MMF
upon which batch operations are to be performed.
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The Pick List Window
Some of the applications of the Pick List window are:
• For most options selected from the Batch Tools menu (excluding VPS Lock/Unlock and
Purge/Delete Names), the function is performed on all the items that are currently in the
Pick List.
• The Pick List can be used to concatenate (combine) items into a single new item.
• The Pick List can be used to perform a search on a specified text string in the names of
items for the purpose of inclusion, exclusion, or string changing.
Caution:
When the Pick List window is open, any batch operation that is performed will be performed
on all the items in the Pick List (except for VPS Lock/Unlock and Purge/Delete Names),
regardless of the items that are selected in the MultiMedia File Editor item selection list. This
includes the Edit > Delete function. The Pick List takes precedence over the item selection
list for batch operations.
Note:
When the Pick List window is open in the logo in the MultiMedia File Editor changes color
to red. If the Pick List window becomes hidden by other windows, this feature acts as a
safety measure to warn against inadvertent batch operations. (See the preceding caution.)
The Pick List window is displayed when any of the last five options from the MMF list select
menu is selected. (See The MMF List Select Menu on page 42.)
The Pick List window contains the following components and fields:
Option
selection list
Description
Lists all the items that have been added to the Pick List from the
MultiMedia File Editor item selection list. If Allow Duplicates is
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Option
Description
selected, the same item can be listed multiple times. Up to six
items can be viewed at once. The scroll bar can be used to view
additional items. <RIGHT> clicking accesses the select menu
for manipulating items in the list. (See The Pick List Select
Menu on page 97.)
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Item Name
Header fields for the Pick List. Lists the item numbers and
names of the included items.
Match:
Used to enter a text string that is matched against item names
in the MultiMedia File Editor item selection list. May contain
regular expression operators. (See Regular Expression
Operators on page 95.) Items with names that contain the
matched string can be added to or removed from the Pick List,
or the matched string can be changed. (See action menu button
later in this table.)
Change To:
Used to enter a text string that the matched text string is to be
changed to (in both the Pick List and the item selection list). This
field is grayed out unless the Change All Matching option is
selected from the action menu. (See action menu button later
in this table.)
Case Sensitive
When selected, the text string match is case sensitive.
Allow Duplicates
When selected, allows the same item to be listed multiple times
in the Pick List. When the same item appears more than once
in the Pick List, most Batch Tools menu options (except VPS
Lock/Unlock and Purge/Delete Names) and the Edit menu
Delete option are disabled.
Name for New item
Specifies the name of the item to be created by the
concatenation operation when the Generate new Item option is
selected from the action menu. (See action menu button later
in this table.)
This item is the target of the concatenation function and will
store the combined recorded contents of all selected items. If
the MMF file is sorted by EAP#, the new item is added to the
end of the item selection list. It should be assigned a name that
is descriptive of its role in the voice processing environment. If
a name is not given, the Default Name, as specified in the Media
File Properties window is used. (See Specifying a Name for an
Item on page 68.)
Items in List:
Indicates the number of items currently in the Pick List.
action menu button
Provides options for adding, removing, changing, and
concatenating items. (See The Pick List Action Menu on
page 95.)
Apply
Applies the changes made via the action menu.
Close
Exits from the Pick List window and clears the selection list. If
the Pick List window is Dismissed (Closed in Windows) from the
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The Pick List Action Menu
Option
Description
title bar, the contents of the selection list will be retained the next
time the window is opened.
The Pick List Action Menu
The Pick List action menu is a pulldown type menu located at the bottom left side of the Pick
List window. The option last selected remains displayed on the button. The default option
displayed when the Pick List window is opened is Add All Matching.
To access the four options on the action menu, click on the displayed option to display the
menu, then click on the desired option. The selected option will remain displayed. After
supplying all required information, click on Apply to execute the selected option.
The options on the action menu are described in the following paragraphs.
Regular Expression Operators
The text string entered in the Match: field (for the Add All Matching, Remove All Matching, and
Change All Matching options) may be a string of characters, or it may contain regular
expression operators. The regular expression operators are listed and described in the
following table:
Character
Description
^
Caret - Indicates start of string. Example: "^Enter" matches all item names
beginning with "Enter".
$
Dollar sign - Indicates end of string. Example: ".au$" matches all item names
ending in ".au".
.
Period (dot) - Match any single character (including space).
\
Back slash - Escape character. Interpret the next character literally (not as a
special character). Example: "\$" is interpreted as "$", not as end of string.
*
Asterisk (star) - Match 0 or more occurrences of the preceding pattern.
+
Plus sign - Match 1 or more occurrences of the preceding pattern.
?
Question mark - Match 0 or 1 occurrence of the preceding pattern.
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Character
[]
Description
Brackets - Match any one of the characters within the brackets.
The "^", "$", ".", and "\" operators are the most commonly used for simple text searching and
replacing. It is not within the scope of this manual to explain the use of regular expression
operators in string matching and manipulation. There are references to regular expression
operators in man pages for certain Solaris commands (e.g., grep, egrep, fgrep, etc.). More
comprehensive information can be found in textbooks covering UNIX and utilities such as awk,
sed, and Perl.
Note:
Most if not all of these system utilities support many regular expression features that are not
available in MPS Studio.
Add All Matching
This option is used to add items that have the same name, or a common text string in their
names, to the Pick List. Enter the common text string in the Match: field, select Add All
Matching, and click on Apply. All the items in the MMF with the specified text string in their
names will be added to the Pick List. For example, if sample.mmi is the current file, type buy/
sell in the Match: field, select Add All Matching, and click on Apply. The items named Buy/Sell
menu and Buy/Sell help are added to the Pick List. If Case Sensitive were selected, you would
have to enter Buy/Sell (initial caps) to obtain the same result.
Remove All Matching
Similar to Add All Matching, except that the matched name items (if any) are removed from
the Pick List.
Change All Matching
This option is used to rename items that have the same name, or a common text string in their
names. To execute this function, enter the text string to be matched in the Match: field and
select Change All Matching. This menu option remains displayed on the action menu button,
and the Change To: field becomes enabled (not grayed out). Enter the new text string in the
Change To: text box and click on Apply. The original matched text string will be replaced with
the new string in all applicable item names (in both the Pick List and the item selection list).
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Generate New Item
Generate New Item
Used to concatenate (combine) items that are commonly played in succession in a voice
application. A new item is created from all the items on the Pick List, and is added to the end
of the item selection list in the MultiMedia File Editor.
To use this function, first load the Pick List only with the items that are to be included in the
new item. If necessary, arrange the order of the items on the Pick List using the Move Up and
Move Down options from the Pick List Select menu. (See The Pick List Select Menu on
page 97.) The order of the items on the Pick List will determine the order of the concatenated
audio in the new item. Select Generate New Item from the action menu. This menu option
remains displayed on the action menu button, and the Name for New item field becomes
enabled (not grayed out). Enter the name of the new item in the Name for New item text box.
If a name is not specified, the new item is assigned the Default Name (as specified in the Media
File Properties Window; see The Media File Properties Window on page 70). Click on Apply
to complete the operation.
Note:
The concatenated audio of the new item can be played in the Waveform Editor (via the Play
Selected button) before clicking on Apply to complete the operation. (See Batch Play
Operations on page 120).
The Pick List Select Menu
The Pick List select menu provides options for managing the items in the Pick List. It is a popup menu, similar to the MMF list select menu. (See The MMF List Select Menu on page 42.)
To access the Pick List select menu, move the pointer into the Pick List and <RIGHT> click.
The options on the Pick List Select menu are described in the following table:
Option
Clear List
Description
Clears all items from the Pick List.
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Option
98
Description
Remove
Removes the selected item from the Pick List and places it on
the Pick List clipboard.
Paste
Pastes the contents of the Pick List clipboard into the Pick
List.
Locate Choice
Displays the selected item at the top of the Pick List. The order
of the list is not changed.
Show in MMF Window
If an item is selected in the Pick List, shows that item in the item
selection list in the MultiMedia File Editor.
Move Up
Moves the selected item up one place in the Pick List.
Move Down
Moves the selected item down one place in the Pick List.
Fix Invalid Item Name(s)
Generally used in conjunction with the Add Invalid Item Name(s)
option on the MMF list select menu. (See The MMF List Select
Menu on page 42.) Once the items with invalid characters in
their labels are identified, you can rename them manually using
the Item Attributes window (see The Item Attributes Window on
page 66), or you can fix them automatically with this option. All
invalid characters in the Pick List will be changed to a dash (-).
For more information on valid names, see Specifying a Name
for an Item on page 68.
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Chapter 3: The Waveform Editor
This chapter covers:
1. Introduction
2. Item recording and playback functions
3. Cut and paste editing for item waveforms
4. Waveform manipulation functions
Introduction
The Waveform Editor window is used for viewing, recording, playing, and modifying an item's
digital audio content. The Waveform Editor provides graphical representations of the item's
recorded audio data, and contains controls and displays that are similar to those of a standard
tape recorder.
To open the Waveform Editor window, select an item name in the item selection list in the
MultiMedia File Editor, and then click on the Wave Editor... option. This will also load that item
into the editor. Alternatively, the Waveform Editor window may be opened by double-clicking
on an item's entry in the item selection list.
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Only one item at a time (the current item) may be viewed in the Waveform Editor. The name
of this item (e.g. Enter account num) and its item number in the item selection list is shown at
the top center of this window. If a different item is selected from the item selection list in the
MultiMedia File Editor window while the Waveform Editor is open, the window will change to
display the waveform of the newly selected item. The set of options on the menu bar across
the top of this window allow access to functions that may be used to perform disk access or
audio modifications related to the current item. These functions are discussed in their own
sections later in this chapter.
Associated with the Waveform Editor is an area of memory called the clipboard, which is used
as temporary storage during cut, copy, and paste editing operations. When a segment is
inserted into the clipboard via Edit > Cut or Copy, it may be copied to one or more audio items
by means of the Paste editing function. The contents of the clipboard are undisturbed when
the current file is closed. This allows a new file to be created, or an existing one to be loaded,
and then receive data from the clipboard. The use of the clipboard is discussed under Marking
and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on page 106.
The Waveform Editor window contains the following areas:
Item
100
Description
menu bar
Each of these options accesses a pull-down menu, opens an
action window, or performs a direct function. These functions
are discussed later in this chapter.
Sound Level meter
Dynamically indicates the input level during recording and the
output level during playback. (See The Sound Level Meter on
page 104.)
item number and name
The number and name of the current item (if there is one) is
shown in the center of the screen below the menu bar. (See
Specifying a Name for an Item on page 68.)
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The Parameters Window
Item
Description
waveform displays
The waveform display area contains two graphical
representations of the recorded audio. The upper (red) display
shows a time base graphical representation of the item's entire
waveform. The lower (black) display, by default shows a
magnified segment of the waveform. This display can be
changed to a three-dimensional rendering of the waveform
where the third axis represents frequency. (See The Waveform
Displays on page 105.)
audio controls
Button controls with labels and glyphs that are typical of most
audio recording devices. (See Audio Controls on page 102.)
item information fields
Indicate information about the current item's audio data. (See
Item Information Fields on page 105.)
status line
Displays information about the current action (e.g. playing,
batch playing, recording, batch recording, etc.) in the lower left
corner of the Waveform Editor window.
Note:
The following information pertains to using the Waveform Editor window:
• The recorded contents of a set of items are stored in a multimedia data file (.mmd).
Any modifications that are made to these recordings must be explicitly saved to that
file via the File > Save option. (See Save on page 133.) Changes made to an item in
the Waveform Editor do not affect an item's user-defined attribute fields, but may affect
some of the system-maintained attributes. (See The Item Attributes Window on
page 66.)
• If a modification made to an item is deemed undesirable, the item can be restored to
its previous state by doing one of the following:
- Select Edit > Undo in the Waveform Editor.
- Select File > Reload in the Waveform Editor.
- Click on the Reload option at the top of the Waveform Editor.
(See Reload on page 134 for additional information.)
The Parameters Window
The Parameters window displays automatically when the Waveform Editor window is
displayed. It can be dismissed if it is not needed and displayed again later by clicking on the
Parameters... option in the Waveform Editor.
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The Parameters window contains three categories for setting the parameters of the Waveform
Editor:
Category
Function
Batch Record Parameters
Provides settings for parameters that are specific to the
recording of multiple items. For batch recording, Batch
must be selected under the General Record Parameters.
These settings only affect audio data before it is recorded
(i.e., does not affect previously recorded audio). (See
Batch Record Parameters on page 127.)
General Record Parameters
Provides initial settings for all recording operations. These
settings only affect the audio data before it is recorded.
(See General Record Parameters on page 124.)
Play Parameters
Provides settings for the playback of recorded items.
Changing these settings has no effect on previously
recorded audio (i.e., they affect only how the audio is
played). (See Play Parameters on page 118.)
Audio Controls
The buttons at the bottom of the Waveform Editor window are controls for recording and playing
items. Each button is shown with a text label and a glyph that is typical of those on most audio
tape recorders. Some of the labels may change, depending on the operation being performed
or the current state of the Waveform Editor.
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Audio Controls
Table 2: Recording and Playback Controls
Button
Description
Pauses the current operation. Use this button during recording or playback to
temporarily stop the operation. When actuated during record or single play,
the caption changes to Resume. Click on Resume to resume the operation.
When actuated during batch play, pauses the item and the caption changes
to Pause At End. A second click resumes play at the end of the item; if there
are more items in the batch, the caption changes to Resume. Click Resume
again to play the next item in the batch, or click Repeat (see Repeat button
later in this table) to replay the current item. (See Batch Play Operations on
page 120.)
Initiates the process of recording. First, all previous recorded contents of the
RAM-based record buffer are erased and the item's length is set to zero. Then
the recording process commences using the specified input source. (See
Recording a Single Item on page 126.) Click on the Pause button to pause
while recording. Click on Pause again to resume recording. Click on the Stop
button to end the recording. If you accidentally use the Rec button (thus
erasing the current item's recorded contents), use the Reload function to
restore the item from disk. (See Reload on page 134.)
Ends the current operation. Use this button to terminate the recording or
playback.
Click for single play. The caption below the button changes to Play Single,
during play. Plays the item from the beginning or starting from the marked
position, if any. Playback is heard through the specified output device(s). (See
Playing an Item on page 120.) During playback, the upper waveform display
is highlighted as the item plays and the lower display is scrolled. If a portion
of the item is selected, only that portion is played. (See Marking and Selecting
a Waveform for an Item on page 106.)
For batch play, <RIGHT> click, or click and hold for two to four seconds. The
caption below the button changes to Play Selected during play. Plays all items
that are selected on the item selection list or Pick List, in list order. (See Batch
Play Operations on page 120.)
Loads the next recorded item in the item selection list into the Waveform Editor
and plays the item. The current item is removed from the Waveform Editor. If
the Waveform Editor window has mouse/keyboard focus, the <RETURN> key
can also be used to perform this function. If unsaved changes to the current
item are pending, a notice is displayed prompting an action. Click Continue
without Save to discard the changes to the current item and continue loading
the next recorded item; Save then Load to save the changes made to the
current item before loading the next recorded item; or Cancel to abort loading
the next recorded item, retaining the changes to the current item.
Displayed only during batch play operations. Used to repeat an item that has
been paused during batch play. (See Batch Play Operations on page 120.)
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Button
Description
Loop selection is used to specify that the item(s) or selected segment is to
play in a continuous loop. To select or deselect, click on the button. (In Motif,
this option is on when the button appears concave (depressed). In Windows,
the option is on when the checkbox is checked.)
The Sound Level Meter
The Sound Level meter is used for both recording and playback operations. It dynamically
indicates the audio input level during recording and the output level during playback. This is
useful for ensuring that items are recorded at appropriate and consistent volume levels. Very
low volume audio passages might not be adequately audible to the caller. Very loud segments
might cause saturation or distortion of the signal during transmission over telephone lines.
The input level is set using the Rec. Volume field of the Parameters window. (See General
Record Parameters on page 124.) When recording, set the Rec. Volume level such that the
Sound Level meter always stays in the black zone (Norm) and does not exceed -8 dbm. The
meter should never peak in the red zone, as is illustrated above (Overload, >-2 dbm), and
should not exceed -8 dbm for any perceptible time period, which would indicate that the
recording is saturated. Ideally, no portion of the recording should exceed -8 dbm.
Note:
The Play Volume control in the Parameters window (see Play Parameters on page 118 )
has no effect on the volume level of the recorded item. Therefore, adjustments to this control
have no effect on the Sound Level display. There are four features that may be used to
adjust the recorded level of an item after it is digitized. Use one or more, as appropriate, for
the particular item and MMF file. See the following topics:
• Normalizing a Recording on page 150
• Gain Control of Recorded Items on page 161
• Graphic Equalization on page 166
• Parametric Equalization on page 170
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Item Information Fields
Item Information Fields
At the bottom right corner of the Waveform Editor window there are three fields that display
time-oriented information about the item currently being viewed. Each field has the format
mmm:ss:hh (i.e., minutes, seconds, hundredth of a second):
The values shown in these fields change in response to operations on the current item in the
Waveform Editor.
Field
Description
Total Length:
Indicates the length of the item's audio recording.
Selected Length:
Indicates the length of the marked segment, if there is one. (See
Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on page 106.)
Time @ Pointer:
Indicates the current position of the mouse pointer when it is in
one of the waveform displays.
The Waveform Displays
The Waveform Editor has two separate window areas that display the waveform of the current
item. The upper display shows the signal of the entire item. The lower display, by default, shows
a magnified view of a portion of the item's waveform. The size of this magnified view is specified
in tenths of a second in the Windows Length (tenths): field under Play Parameters in the
Parameters window. (See Setting the Scale for the Waveform Edit Display on page 119.) Both
displays present a two-dimensional graphical representation of the waveform in time
(horizontal axis) and volume (vertical axis).
To select the portion of the waveform to be magnified, point to the desired area in the upper
display, then double-click. The lower waveform will be redrawn, starting at the specified point.
To make fine adjustments to the position of the lower display or to pan through the whole image,
use the horizontal scroll bar at the bottom of the window. Most waveform editing tasks are
performed using this default display mode. For details on using the waveform displays in the
default two-dimensional mode, see Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on
page 106.
The lower display can be changed to display all or a portion of the item's audio signal in a threedimensional rendering. The third axis represents the frequency content of the waveform. To
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select the display mode for the lower display, <RIGHT> click in the upper display to access
the display mode menu. The three-dimensional display mode is most useful when frequency
content (e.g., equalization) is a primary concern. For details on using the waveform displays
in the three-dimensional mode, see Three-Dimensional Waveform Displays on page 108.
Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item
For most waveform editing operations, the default two-dimensional display mode is used. A
portion of an item's waveform can be marked or selected for the purpose of targeting it for use
by various editing functions in the Waveform Editor window (e.g., the functions of the Edit and
Tools menus). For these functions, if there is a selected audio segment, the particular operation
will affect only the selected area. If there is no selected segment, the operation will be
performed on the entire waveform.
The following image shows a segment of the item waveform that has been selected.
After selecting a segment, the desired function can be performed and only the selected area
will be affected. For the Cut and Copy functions of the Edit menu, the selected segment will
be inserted into the internal clipboard of the Waveform Editor. When a segment is added to
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Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item
the clipboard, the previous clipboard contents (if any) are overwritten. The audio segment in
the clipboard may be pasted one or more times into the same or different items. To receive
data from the clipboard, an item must be the current item.
When a mark is placed at a point in the waveform and the item is played, it will start at the point
of the mark and play to the end of the item. If a segment of the item is selected and played,
only the segment will be played. This does not hold true for recording. For example, a segment
of an item cannot be recorded over while leaving the remainder of the item intact. Recording
overwrites the entire item and can only be reversed with Edit > Undo or Reload.
MPS Studio offers flexibility in the methods used for marking and selecting waveforms. The
following exercises describe most of the aspects of using the Waveform Editor for segment
selecting and editing, and explain some of the interaction of the individual techniques. Use the
technique that best suits the editing task. Experiment to become comfortable selecting
segments, and to develop your own work methods.
• Move the pointer within the upper display or the lower display. Notice the Time @ Pointer
field continually indicates the location of the pointer in either display. This field is used to
precisely place a mark or select a segment.
• Double-click at a location in the upper display. This moves the left edge of the lower
display to the designated place in the waveform. Fine adjustment can be made with the
scroll bar below the display.
• Click in the lower display. This places a mark (vertical line) in the waveform. Notice the
mark appears in both displays, and the Time @ Pointer field indicates the location of the
mark.
• Click in the lower display, and drag across the display. A segment of the waveform is
selected. During the drag operation, both displays indicate the selection by reverse
highlighting the segment. After releasing, the selected segment is indicated in the upper
display only by two vertical lines. The length of the marked segment is displayed in the
Selected Length field. When drag selecting, if the segment to be selected is larger than
the displayed portion in the lower display, you can drag beyond the edge of the window
(in either direction), and the display will scroll.
• <RIGHT> click in the lower display. This removes any visible selection or mark. If the item
is played, it will play in its entirety. However, if a segment selection is now made by adjust
selecting (see next item), the location of the last mark is used as the starting point.
• Click in the lower display. To adjust select a segment, move the pointer to another position
in the lower display and click <ADJUST> (on Solaris platform) or <CTRL>+click (on
Windows platform). A segment of the waveform is selected, encompassed by the two
actions.
• Select a segment as previously described. Move the pointer to another point in the lower
display (either inside or outside of the selected segment) and adjust select (as described
in the preceding item). The length of the selection adjusts accordingly. A selected
segment can be adjusted by adjust selecting inside or outside the selected area to,
respectively, shorten or lengthen the selection. When adjust selecting, if the segment to
be selected extends beyond the displayed portion in the lower display, you can doubleclick in the upper display, or use the scroll bar to move to another position in the waveform.
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This technique is useful when selecting a large portion of the item. Selecting all of an
item's waveform is usually not necessary since most edit operations will affect the entire
item if there is no segment selected.
In Windows, to adjust select a segment of a waveform, hold down the
<CTRL> key and click at the desired point in the lower display.
Note:
The following information pertains to marking audio segments:
• To verify that the appropriate segment has been marked, click on the Play button. This
will output only the marked segment. To re-mark the item when there is already a
marked segment, point to the appropriate position and begin the marking operation
again. To unmark the item, <RIGHT> click while pointing anywhere in the lower
display.
• To reselect a segment that has been deselected, hold down the <SHIFT> key and click
with the pointer anywhere in the lower display.
• The contents of the Waveform Editor clipboard remain intact when an item is closed.
This is one means of copying audio data from the current item and pasting it into another
item.
Three-Dimensional Waveform Displays
The Waveform Editor display mode menu offers multiple options to change the lower waveform
display to a three-dimensional (3-D) rendering of the item's waveform. The third axis (or
dimension) that is added when one of the 3-D options is selected represents the frequency
distribution of the signal over time. Each option offers a different visual perspective of the
signal. This environment is mainly useful when filtering out problematic frequency components
such as DTMF tones and other spurious frequency components.
It should be understood that these 3-D representations do not represent a physical image of
the signal when, for example, transmitted through an air space. That is, it is not what the audio
would look like if you could see it. Physical space is not a variable. The display is a graphic
plot using time, amplitude, and frequency as the variables.
Working in the 3-D environment on a 2-D display (sometimes referred to as virtual reality) takes
practice to become comfortable with, especially when combining it with the techniques
described under Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on page 106. The following
sections describe the basic functionality of the interface. Experimenting with the environment
will help to develop a greater understanding.
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Common Features
Common Features
When any of the 3-D options on the display mode menu is selected, the initial display contains
fields, features, and defaults that are common to all the 3-D options:
• The audio content is shown in purple mesh or yellow surface above the amplitude "zero
plane". The zero plane is represented by a flat green surface. There is silence wherever
the zero plane can be seen.
• The zero plane is viewed from above the plane, from the near left corner (zero time, zero
frequency). The orientation angle can be changed; however, the zero plane cannot be
viewed from below.
• All the audio energy in the waveform is shown as an absolute value above the zero plane.
The amplitude zero plane has no consistent value (e.g., in db or dbm) within an item or
from item to item.
• The frequency axis is represented by the left edge of the zero plane. The full scale
represented by the plane on the frequency axis is 0-4000 Hz.
• The time axis is represented by the right edge of the zero plane (or bottom edge in
orthographic views). The full scale represented by the plane on the time axis is total length
of the item.
• A reference diagram shows the relative direction of each axis (i.e., Freq, Amp, and Time)
as a vector component. The location of the reference diagram and direction of the vector
components can change when the orientation of the waveform view is changed.
• Information fields for frequency (Freq) and amplitude (Amp) are included in the display.
The value displayed in the Freq field indicates the location of the pointer along the
frequency axis. This is similar to the Time @ Pointer field, which provides the same
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information for the pointer on the time axis. (See Item Information Fields on page 105.)
The Amp field indicates the amplitude of the waveform at the current pointer location. This
value is not the relative location of the pointer above the zero plane. The pointer is always
fixed on the zero plane and can only be positioned along the time and frequency axes.
• The horizontal scroll bar has no function in the 3-D environment and is not displayed.
The orientation of the waveform can be changed from the view that is initially displayed when
a 3-D option is selected. The vector diagram and the information fields are used as reference
for reorienting, navigating, and selecting a portion of the signal to be edited. More details are
provided under Working in the 3-D Environment on page 112.
The Display Mode Menu
To access the display mode menu, <RIGHT> click in the upper waveform display. The lower
display changes according to the selected option. Use the Show 2D Waveform option to return
the display to the default.
When one of the Mesh options is selected, a purple mesh of intersecting perpendicular curves
is used to represent the contours of the waveform envelope. When one of the Surface options
is selected, the contours of the waveform envelope are represented by a shaded yellow
surface. The type of display is a matter of user preference. However, depending on the density
of the waveform or area being viewed, one type of display will generally offer better visibility
than the other. In general, a "busy" or more dynamic signal is easier to view as a surface
display, while a smoother or less changing signal may be viewed more precisely as mesh
curves.
Show 3D for Selected Options
The Show 3D Mesh for Selected or Show 3D Surface for Selected option can be used when
a particular area of interest is to be viewed in detail. First, select a segment of the waveform
in the 2-D mode. (See Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on page 106.) The
selected segment must be at least 2/100 of a second in length as indicated in the Selected
Length field (i.e., 000.00.02). When either of these menu options is selected, a 3-D rendering
of the segment will be displayed.
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Show 3D for All Options
Once a segment is displayed, a portion of the waveform within the displayed area can be
selected. If there is no selected segment when either of these options is selected, the entire
item is displayed (same as selecting a Show 3D for All option). Editing can only be done on
the displayed segment or a selected area within it. The upper display cannot be used to move
to another area of the item's waveform (i.e. by double-clicking). If the item is reloaded into the
Waveform Editor (see Reload on page 134), the marked segment information is discarded
and the entire item will be displayed.
Show 3D for All Options
The Show 3D Mesh for All or Show 3D Surface for All option displays the entire waveform,
regardless of the segment selected. If a segment is selected, it is indicated by a darker region
of the waveform.
All four of the Show 3D menu options present a perspective view of the plot. That is, the
opposite edges of the zero plane appear to converge toward respective "vanishing points".
While this may provide a better visualization, a drawback is that the direction of each axis
gradually changes as you move across the zero plane. The vector diagram indicates the
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component direction of each axis, but this reference always applies to the lower left corner of
the zero plane (zero time, zero frequency).
Show Orthographic Options
The Show Orthographic for Selected and Show Orthographic for All options present an
orthographic view of the selected segment and entire waveform, respectively. That is, the
opposing edges of the zero plane are parallel lines. The references indicated by the axis vector
diagram apply at all points on the zero plane. The orthographic views are available in mesh
rendering only.
Since the three axes of the orthographic view are always shown perpendicular to each other,
these options may be best suited for waveform selection and editing tasks. However, the
display mode selected is usually a matter of user preference, the audio content of the item,
and the nature of the editing task.
Working in the 3-D Environment
Working in one of the 3-D display environments involves navigating the display, interpreting
the additional information the 3-D display provides, and selecting a region of the waveform (in
time and/or frequency) for a particular editing task. For most editing tasks, the 2-D display
mode is adequate, and perhaps even preferable, because of its simplicity and ease of use.
The 3-D modes are most useful when the frequency content of the item is of primary interest.
However, the 3-D display modes may be used for all waveform selection and editing tasks.
This section describes the basic functionality of the MPS Studio 3-D interface. Practice and
experiment with the techniques described below to become familiar with the environment. In
doing so, you will likely discover features of the interface that are not documented here, but
may find useful.
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Changing 3-D Views
Since frequency is often the primary interest when working with the 3-D displays, the sample
illustrations that follow depict the DTMF 5 item (from the standard number set vocabulary).
This illustrates a simple frequency distribution. For reference, DTMF 5 contains two major
frequency components (i.e., tones) at 770 and 1336 Hz.
Changing 3-D Views
Orientation
By default, when any of the 3-D views is initially displayed, the zero plane is viewed from the
zero time, zero frequency (i.e., lower left) corner. The view can be changed by double-clicking
on any of nine locations in the lower waveform display indicated by the arrows in the following
illustration.
For example, double-clicking in the upper right corner of the display reorients the image as if
viewed from the opposite corner (maximum time and frequency). The waveform can be viewed
from any corner or edge, or from directly over the plane (“bird's eye” view). The axis vector
diagram changes accordingly with each view.
The orientation can also be fine adjusted in a manner similar to a virtual reality environment.
Click and drag the pointer in an arc from any edge (not corner) to any adjacent edge, as shown
by either arrow in the illustration below. When the mouse is released, the image begins rotating
until the mouse is clicked again within the lower display. The axis vector diagram adjusts with
each animation frame. The image can be rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise.
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Amplitude Scale
Items that are recorded with dynamic extremes may be difficult to view in the 3-D mode.
Saturated audio may extend outside the display area, and audio recorded softly may display
too small to provide much information. Although such items should be normalized or gain
adjusted, they can be viewed by changing the amplitude scale. To increase the amplitude
scale, in the area of the axis reference diagram, click and drag in the direction of the Amp
arrowhead.
The image is refreshed with the volume of the entire wave appearing greater. The recorded
volume is not changed, only the magnification of the amplitude scale. To decrease the
amplitude scale, click and drag in the opposite direction of the Amp vector arrow.
Pointer Location and Movement
Regardless of how it may appear, it is important to remember that the pointer is always located
somewhere on the zero amplitude plane. Moving the pointer upward may give the appearance
that it is moving above the amplitude plane, but it is always located at the time and frequency
that it intersects the zero amplitude plane. If the zero amplitude plane is obscured by waveform
data, the Time @ Pointer field and the Freq field are used to determine the exact location of
the pointer on the zero amplitude plane. The Amp field indicates the amplitude of the signal at
the pointer location (not the location of the pointer on the amplitude axis).
The pointer can be precisely moved using the cursor (arrow) keys on the keyboard. The display
area must have mouse/keyboard focus (i.e., click anywhere in the lower display) and the
pointer must be within the lower display area. Use the cursor keys to move the pointer vertically
or horizontally. The Time @ Pointer, Freq, and Amp fields will update dynamically.
Frequency Distribution
The 3-D display modes provide two additional tools for determining the frequency content of
the item at a specified point in the waveform. To display the frequency distribution of the item
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Frequency Distribution
at a point in time, click anywhere on the waveform at the desired time and press the <F> key.
The Frequency Distribution window is displayed.
This graph shows the frequency content of the waveform at a given time. It is effectively a cross
section of the 3-D waveform at the specified time. Notice the two major frequency components
for DTMF 5 (at 770 and 1336 Hz). Within the window, the pointer becomes a crosshair. The
Amp and Freq fields at the upper right indicate the respective waveform values at the pointer
location when the pointer is placed on the response curve.
To display the amplitude of the item at a particular frequency, click anywhere on the waveform
at the desired frequency and press the <T> key. The Frequency Distribution window is
displayed.
This graph shows the amplitude of the waveform at a given frequency over time. It is effectively
a cross section of the waveform at the specified frequency. To put this graph in perspective,
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the standard 2-D waveform display is the summation of this graph at all frequencies for this
item.
Only one Frequency Distribution window can be displayed. If the window is left open, the two
graphs can be toggled by pressing the <F> or <T> key (when the lower waveform display has
mouse/keyboard focus). These graphs will update dynamically if the <SHIFT> key is held down
and the pointer is moved within the waveform display.
Waveform Selection
Most of the selection techniques described under Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an
Item on page 106 are valid for selecting a portion of a waveform in the 3-D displays. These
are mainly comprised of the following:
• Drag-Selection - Click and drag across the waveform to select a time segment or
frequency range.
• Adjust-Selection - To increase or decrease a current selection, move the pointer to the
desired boundary point and click <ADJUST> (in Solaris) or <CTRL>+click (in
Windows).
• Deselection - <RIGHT> click to deselect any current selection.
Information particular to selecting waveform segments in the 3-D displays is provided in the
following sections.
Selecting a Time Segment
Selecting a time segment of a waveform is basically the same in the 3-D display as in the
default 2-D display. The selection is made along the time axis at any frequency. For example,
click and drag along the time axis at any point on the zero plane. The selected time segment
becomes darkened over the entire frequency spectrum. The selection is also indicated by
marks in the upper waveform display.
Note:
An initial mark (by clicking in the display area) cannot be made in the 3-D display as it can
in the 2-D display. The initial mark is always set at zero time. Attempting an adjust-selection
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Waveform Selection
without a current selection results in the waveform selected from the beginning to the point
of the adjustment.
Selecting a Frequency Range
Selecting a frequency range, initially, is done by drag-selecting between the upper and lower
limits of the range in either direction along the frequency axis. It may be preferred to first orient
the display so that the frequency axis is viewed horizontally.
Generally, the Freq field is used as a reference for accurate selection. The Freq field value
resolves the pointer location to within 125 Hz. The selected frequency range is also in multiples
of 125 Hz. Once a frequency range is selected, it can be adjust-selected. Also, the Freq
Selected field appears, showing the lower and upper limits of the selected range. There is no
marked selection indicated in the upper display because the selection applies to the entire time
length of the item.
Caution:
If the Cut, Delete, Copy, or Paste function is used when a frequency range is selected, the
function will be executed on the entire waveform, NOT just the selected band. Use the
Silence or Silence and Normalize function to completely remove audio from a frequency
range.
Time and Frequency Selection
A selection can be made on the item in both time and frequency. This type of selection requires
the two actions to be done separately. First select either a time segment or frequency range
(along the respective axis), then make a selection along the other axis. Once a "patch" of the
waveform is selected, it can be adjusted in any direction along either axis. The variable
adjusted is generally the boundary of the current selection the pointer is closest to. For
example, if you are satisfied with the time segment selected and a large increase or decrease
is to be made to the frequency range, place the pointer as close to the center of the time
segment, inside or outside the selected area and adjust in small increments. Placing the pointer
near a corner of the selection may cause the unintended variable to change range.
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Caution:
If the Cut, Delete, Copy, Paste, or Trim function is used when a frequency range and time
segment is selected, the function will be executed on the entire time segment, NOT just the
selected band. In the case of Trim, the areas outside the selected time segment will be
removed (not silenced). Use the Silence or Silence and Normalize function to completely
remove audio from a frequency range.
Play Parameters
The Play Parameters are used to select settings for playback of recorded items. These settings
only affect the playback of items, and have no permanent affect on the recorded audio data of
items. Thru and Play Volume settings are retained across MPS Studio sessions. Play
Parameters are part of the Parameters window that is displayed by clicking on the
Parameters... option in the Waveform Editor window.
Field
Thru:
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Description
Specifies the device(s) that will be used for output of the item playback.
The setting of this field determines which device(s) will provide the audio
output when the Play button is used to play back a recorded item. This
setting has no effect when recording data. Select Speaker to hear output
from the workstation's speaker. Select Headphones to monitor the signal
via the headphones jack. Select Line Out to send the signal to devices
connected to the Avaya Media Processing Server (MPS) Series audio
interface. (See Installing the Audio Interface on page 185.) MPS Studio
validates the selection with respect to the system's hardware components.
An invalid choice will not be accepted by the system. For example, if you
are using an MPS Series system which is not equipped with an external
speaker, MPS Studio will not allow the Speaker option to be selected.
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Play Parameters
Field
Description
Window
Length
(tenths):
Sets the scaling factor for the Waveform Editor lower display. The value
of this field can be adjusted by using the up/down arrows next to the field,
or by clicking in the entry field to place the cursor and editing from the
keyboard. To specify maximum magnification, enter a 1 in this field. To
specify no magnification, enter a value greater than or equal to the length
of the current item (as measured in tenths of a second). If the value in the
entry field was modified directly using the keyboard, you must hit
<RETURN> to cause the new value to take effect. The effect is immediate
if the mouse is used to change the value using the up/down arrows. (See
Setting the Scale for the Waveform Edit Display on page 119 for details.)
Play Volume:
Sets the volume level for playback via the output device(s). The level can
be adjusted using the slide control or by entering a value from 0 to 100 in
the text box. This functions only as a volume control for playback, and has
no effect on the actual recorded contents of the items.
Setting the Scale for the Waveform Edit Display
The waveform edit window is a magnified view of the item's waveform, displaying only a portion
of the entire signal that is visible in the upper window. The size of this portion is determined
by the value in the Window Length field under Play Parameters in the Parameters window.
(See Play Parameters.) By setting this field appropriately, editing may be performed accurately
on small sections of the waveform representation.
To specify the length of the waveform edit window:
1. Load the item that is to be edited into the Waveform Editor window.
2. Click on the Parameters… option in the Waveform Editor. The Parameters window
opens.
3. Under Play Parameters, adjust the value in the Window Length (tenths): field as
desired. This can be done by using the up/down arrows next to the entry field, or
by clicking in the field and entering a new value from the keyboard. If the entry is
made from the keyboard, press <RETURN> when finished.
Before or after the scale factor is specified, the waveform edit display may be panned using
either the scrolling arrows below the display or by pointing in the upper waveform display at
the area to be magnified and double-clicking.
Note:
The following information pertains to the Window Length (tenths) : field:
• The minimum value allowed in the Window Length field is 1 tenth of a second. This
produces the maximum magnification, which displays every digital sample of the item's
signal, allowing for very precise editing. (This level of detail cannot be shown in the
waveform display window.)
• The maximum value allowed depends on the length of the current item (e.g., if the item
is 4.50 seconds in length, the maximum value for this field is 45 tenths of a second).
When the maximum value is used, the lower display shows the item's entire waveform
(i.e., no magnification).
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Playing an Item
Item playback is one of the most basic functions that can be performed within MPS Studio. It
allows both the contents and audio quality of the recording to be verified. In addition to playback
via the selected output device, items should be played back through a local telephone before
they are exported for use in the voice processing environment. (See Installing MPS Studio on
page 183.)
To play an item:
1. Ensure that the audio interface is properly installed and that the appropriate
monitoring device(s) have been selected. (See Installing the Audio Interface on
page 185.)
2. In the MultiMedia File Editor window, select the item to be played as the current
item.
3. Click on the Wave Editor… option to open the Waveform Editor window. The current
item's waveform will be visible.
4. In the Play Properties window, set the Play Parameters fields as appropriate. (See
Play Parameters on page 118.)
5. Click on the Play button at the bottom of the Waveform Editor window. The caption
below the Play button changes to Play Single and the item audio is played through
the output device(s).
Note:
During playback, the waveform display reverse highlights the waveform from left to right as
the play operation proceeds. The lower display scrolls as each portion of the waveform is
played.
If it is necessary to play more than one item in succession, this can be done using either the
Batch Play or Reference Play function (see Batch Play Operations on page 120 and Batch
Reference Play on page 123). Multiple items can also be played from the Pick List (see
The Pick List Action Menu on page 95 ).
The Thru and Play Volume functions are interfaced to the Sun Audio Tool.
Configurations made via the Play Properties window override those of
the Audio Tool and vice versa.
Batch Play Operations
The Waveform Editor is capable of playing multiple items in succession. To batch play items,
the MultiMedia File Editor must be in the batch (multiple selection) mode. (See The Media File
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Batch Play Operations
Properties Window on page 70.) The items to be played may be selected in the item selection
list or loaded into the Pick List. To start the batch play, the Play button in the Waveform Editor
is actuated by <RIGHT> clicking or clicking and holding for two to four seconds. During batch
play, the following changes occur in the Waveform Editor:
• The Repeat button appears (if more than one item is selected).
• The caption below the Play button changes to Play Selected.
• The status of the batch play operation is displayed in the left side of the status bar along
with the current item number.
The following image shows an item being played in the batch mode.
To play multiple items in the batch mode:
1. Ensure the MultiMedia File Editor is in the multiple selection (batch) mode. (See
The Media File Properties Window on page 70.)
2. Select multiple items from the item selection list. They do not have to be contiguous.
Alternatively, you can load the items to be batch played into the Pick List.
3. Open the Parameters window and establish the appropriate settings under Play
Parameters.
4. <RIGHT> click, or click and hold for two to four seconds, on the Play button.
The selected items play in succession, in the order they appear on the item selection list or
Pick List. The status bar indicates Status: Playing… Item # n. After all the items in the selected
batch are played, the batch mode is exited. As long as the Repeat button is displayed, the
Waveform Editor is in the batch play mode. Only the selected items can be played, paused,
repeated, or edited. For additional information on batch play, see Editing Items in the Batch
Play Mode on page 122.
To exit from the batch play mode, click on the Stop button.
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Note:
The following information pertains to batch play and editing:
• Before playing in the batch mode, the playback environment should be customized to
your preferences and particular hardware configuration. (See the discussions under
Play Parameters on page 118 for information.)
• While in the batch mode, functions outside the Waveform Editor cannot be accessed.
If you need to use other functions, you must exit from the batch play mode.
• The Item # depicted in the status message shows the item number as seen in the main
item selection list. This number depends on how the item selection list is currently
sorted. (See Sorting the List of Items on page 72.)
Editing Items in the Batch Play Mode
Waveform editing can be performed on any of the selected items during batch play by using
the Pause and Repeat buttons.
To edit an item in the batch play mode:
1. While the item to be edited is being played, click on the Pause button. The item is
paused, and the caption below the Pause button changes to Pause at End.
2. Click on either the Pause at End button (plays to the end of the item), or on the
Repeat button (plays the entire item). Either action leaves the item loaded in the
Waveform Editor. After clicking on Pause at End, the caption below the button
changes to Resume, and the status bar indicates Status: Paused.
3. Edit the item using any of the tools available from the Waveform Editor. Use the
Repeat button to play the current item as many times as necessary after editing.
When the item is being played using the Repeat button, the caption below the
Resume button changes to Pause, and the status bar indicates Status:
Repeating.
4. Select File > Save, to effect the changes. The changes must be saved or discarded
before you can resume play in the batch mode, or exit the batch play mode. If there
are unsaved changes and you click on Resume, Stop, Quit, or Reload, a pop-up
will appear, explaining your options. To save your edits, click on Cancel and select
Save from the File menu. To discard your edits and load another item, click on
Continue.
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Batch Reference Play
Batch Reference Play
This feature is an extension of the Batch Play function. It allows a designated item to be played
as a reference during batch playback. The primary use of this feature is to locate small
inconsistencies among items such as in their volume levels and tonal qualities. Before each
batch-selected item is played, the reference is played, allowing the audio quality of each item
to be judged against the reference.
Note:
The following pertains to using the Batch Reference Play feature:
• Before using this function, it is recommended that you become familiar with the Batch
Play feature. (See Batch Play Operations on page 120.)
• See Selecting a Play Reference Item on page 47.
• See Normalizing a Recording on page 150 for additional information about using
reference items.
• It is not necessary to designate a reference item for batch reference play. If a reference
item is not selected, the operation will be similar to a batch play operation (with no
reference item played preceding each selected item).
To play items in the batch reference play mode:
1. Select the items to be played and audibly compared to the reference.
2. In the MultiMedia File editor item selection list, <RIGHT> click to display the MMF
list select menu, and select Play Reference > Select. The Action field displays the
message Select a Reference item. Until the reference item is selected, the mouse
pointer is locked into the MultiMedia File editor. To cancel the operation, <RIGHT>
click, then select Cancel from the pop-up menu.
3. From the selection list, choose an item to be used as a reference. The waveform
glyph changes to an "R", to indicate the reference item.
4. Open the Waveform Editor window. The waveform of the item most recently
selected for batch playback will be visible.
5. Open the Parameters window and adjust the Play Parameters as appropriate. (See
Play Parameters on page 118.)
6. <RIGHT> click on the Ref. Play Selected button to start the batch play mode. Each
selected item is played in list order, preceded by the reference item.
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General Record Parameters
The General Record Parameters area of the Parameters window is used for specifying the
settings for recording audio items. Before recording any items, the suitability of these settings
should be verified for the selected input source. It may be necessary to perform several test
recordings before beginning the actual recording session, in order to determine the settings
that will produce optimal results. The options in this window only have effect on items while
they are being recorded. There is no effect on previously recorded data.
Field
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Description
Batch/
Single
Specifies whether multiple items will be recorded in succession or if just one
item will be recorded.
Input
Specifies the source of audio input. There are three options for audio input.
See Installing the Audio Interface on page 185 for more information about
configuring audio input devices.
Microphone
This setting specifies that audio input is taken from the installed
audio interface (i.e., AMP-2000 or SAS assembly). (See
Installing the Audio Interface on page 185.) If you need to
record using any device (e.g., telephone handset, system tape
deck, etc.) that connects to the system via the interface, use
this setting. To use a microphone with the AMP-2000, the AMP
unit must be unplugged from the system and a microphone
connected in its place. To use a microphone with the SAS
assembly, connect it to the interface and select the microphone
on the unit's front face.
Line in
Select this setting for devices that are connected directly to the
system via the line-in jack. Do not use this setting if the input
device is connected via either the AMP-2000 or SAS
assembly.
CD-ROM
Select this option to record directly from the CD-ROM while the
audio is being played. Use this option only when recording from
a standard audio CD. If the files are stored on the CD in one
of the supported file formats, transfer the files to a local file
system and import the audio items instead. (See Supported
Formats for File Transfer Functions on page 74 and Importing
Items on page 77.)
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General Record Parameters
Field
Description
Maximum
Record
Length
Specifies the maximum size (in minutes) for the length of any item that will be
subsequently recorded. This parameter is used by the system to determine
the amount of memory that will be allocated for the recording buffer. Each time
a new item is about to be recorded, the system clears this memory and then
uses it for the new recording. During recording, if this length is reached,
recording will stop. The setting of this parameter has no effect on items that
are already recorded or on those that will be input to the MMF via the Import
function.
Generally, this parameter should be set to an established practical limit based
on the amount of available system memory and the expected lengths of items
that will be recorded during the current session. It should not be set to an
excessively large value since memory might be otherwise needed by other
system processes.
Rec.
Volume
Sets the recording volume for audio items. This field sets the amplitude scaling
factor for items that will be subsequently recorded. (It has no effect on items
that were previously recorded.) The actual amplitude of the digitized data will
be based on this factor and on the volume level of the signal that is input to
MPS Studio.
The Rec. Volume control must be set relative to the output volume of the input
source device. For microphone (or telephone) recording, set this control
based on the vocal characteristics of the person speaking and on the distance
from the microphone. Regardless of the source, several test recordings
should be made. Use the Sound Level meter as a guide when setting this
control. (See The Sound Level Meter on page 104.)
Item volume levels should not be boosted such that they exceed -8dbm (as
shown by the Sound Level meter) during playback.
The following information pertains to making audio recordings:
• When using the microphone for single-item recording, MPS Studio will overwrite the
current item in RAM. MPS Studio will not overwrite the disk file item until you select File
> Save in the Waveform Editor.
• A tape deck (or other type of line-level device) cannot be connected directly to the
workstation. It must be connected to the Avaya audio interface unit. (See Installing the
Audio Interface on page 185.)
• A file containing an item named Tone - 1kHz is provided with the MPS Studio software.
It is contained in sample.mmi/.mmd and testtone1.def1. The purpose of this item is to be
a reference for setting the volume levels of other items. It is intended that this item be
imported into every MMF file that will be created with MPS Studio. (See Importing
Items on page 77.) After importing, if necessary, use the Gain feature to set the volume
of this item to an appropriate level. (See Gain Control of Recorded Items on page 161.)
Then use this item as a guide when setting the parameters for recording items. Also, the
Normalization feature may be used to directly correlate item volume levels. (See
Normalizing a Recording on page 150.)
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Recording a Single Item
An item's recording is stored as digitized data in the .mmd file of the MMF. An item may be
recorded and digitized (in one process) using the system microphone. Alternatively, items may
be prerecorded on a cassette tape, and then digitized into the MMF file. After items are
digitized, they should be played back so that their contents and acoustic quality can be verified.
A newly recorded item must be saved before exiting from the Waveform Editor or loading
another item into the editor. (See Save on page 133.)
Before commencing the recording process, certain properties need to be set in the Record
Properties window. (See General Record Parameters on page 124.)
Caution:
Item recording should not be done while other system processes are performing disk access.
If there is contention for the system disk when MPS Studio is attempting to record, a data
overflow error might occur.
To record, or rerecord a single item:
1. Ensure that the audio interface is properly installed and that the appropriate input
source has been selected.
2. Designate the item to be recorded as current:
• If the item already exists in the selection list, select it from the list.
• If the item does not exist, add a new item. (See Add Item on page 58.)
3. Open the Waveform Editor window. The current item's waveform is now visible. If
the item is unrecorded, the waveform panels are empty.
4. Open the Parameters window, select the Single record button and adjust the
General Record Parameters fields as appropriate.
5. Click on the Rec button. Any previously recorded contents are erased and the item's
length is set to zero.
6. Commence the input of audio to MPS Studio:
• If the audio is to be input from cassette, press the tape player's Play button.
• If the audio is to come from the system microphone, begin speaking.
7. Click on the Stop button when finished.
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Batch Record Parameters
Note:
The following information pertains to recording items:
• After recording any items, process them with the DTMF Detection feature. (See
Filtering for DTMF Tones on page 174.)
• If the MMF file was opened in read-only mode, the recording function is unavailable.
Batch Record Parameters
Batch recording is used when several items are to be recorded in succession with similar or
identical parameters. For batch recording to be in effect, the Batch button In the Batch/Single
field under General Record Parameters, must be selected. Batch Record Parameters are part
of the Parameters window that is displayed by clicking on the Parameters... option in the
Waveform Editor window.
Field
Description
Threshold:
Specifies the relative volume levels of the loudest background noises and
softest recorded contents. This field is relevant only when Filter is
selected. It is a numeric parameter that is used by MPS Studio to
distinguish between actual recorded contents and implicit background
noise based on relative volume levels. Any sound from the input source
that has a volume level below the specified threshold is considered to be
background noise, and will be dropped during the digitizing process.
The optimal setting of this parameter is specific to the audio
characteristics of the input source. The default value should be adequate
if the source is a well-recorded cassette tape. Generally, a higher value
than the default will be needed for a "noisy" tape. If the input source tape
is very high quality, and/or contains subtleties in the audio, it may be
necessary to set a value lower than the default, to preserve the lowvolume passages and relative dynamics of the recording. Setting this
parameter by experimentation may be necessary to achieve the best
results. Valid threshold values are between 0 and 8096 inclusive.
Item Gap:
Specifies the minimum amount of silence (in seconds) between audio
items. This field is relevant only when Filter is selected. When a silent
period (as defined by the Threshold parameter) of the specified gap
duration is detected, MPS Studio considers the current item to be fully
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Field
Description
digitized, and strips any trailing silence from this item. The system then
prepares for digitizing the next item. Upon encountering the next audio
signal with a volume level at or above the specified threshold, the
digitizing of that item begins, without any leading silence.
The default value of this field is 2 seconds. Values may be set between
1 and 20 inclusive. If 1 second is specified and there is other activity
occurring on the workstation, the beginnings of audio items may be cut
off due to the amount of time required to prepare for a new recording after
the current one is finished. In general, a value of 2 or greater should be
used.
Timeout:
Specifies the length of continuous silence allowed to be detected before
the batch record process terminates. The length is specified in
seconds.
This field is relevant only when Filter is selected. To avoid the possibility
of continuously receiving silence from the input audio device, a userdefined timeout will occur after MPS Studio records the specified amount
of silence. When this timeout occurs, the batch record process will
terminate and the message Silence Timeout has occurred will pop up in
a window. The maximum timeout that you can set in the Timeout field is
120 seconds.
Min. Item Length Specifies the minimum real-time duration (in milliseconds) for an item to
(msec):
be considered a valid recording.
This field is relevant only when Filter is selected. Any audio items that are
shorter than the specified minimum length are not included in the MMF
file. This is used to guard against the creation of false audio items that
may be produced by loud bursts of background noise (e.g., pops, static,
etc.) during the silent periods. The default is 225 (milliseconds).
Mode:
Filter button
128
Indicates how the batch record process will obtain the items to record the
audio data into MPS Studio. There are two options:
Append
In this mode, new items will be created to store the audio
data. Each new item is created after the prior item has been
successfully written to disk. As MPS Studio creates items, it
assigns default names to them. After the first default name,
each default name has a unique number appended to its end
(e.g., Untitled-001, Untitled-002, etc.) that reflects the item's
position on the tape.
Overwrite
In this mode, all new audio data will be saved into existing
items of the loaded MMF file (i.e., items are overwritten). The
order is determined by the file editor's item scrolling list,
starting at the current item position (see the Caution
below).
Toggles silence detection. Silence detection is the means by which MPS
Studio distinguishes individual voice items in the batch audio stream. To
use batch recording, Filter must be active (selected). If Filter is set to off,
the contents of the entire audio stream are digitized into one item.
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Recording Items in Batch Mode
Caution:
When using Line in batch recording with Mode set to Overwrite MPS Studio will overwrite
the items shown in the MultiMedia File Editor item selection list, starting with the current
item. When the items have been overwritten to the end of the list, MPS Studio will start
appending new items to the current MMF file. Batch recording permanently alters the MMF
file on disk. Therefore, the MMF file should be backed up before using this option.
Note:
Refer to Recording a Single Item on page 126 and General Record Parameters on
page 124 for additional information about recording.
Recording Items in Batch Mode
After the parameter fields have been properly set, to commence the batch recording process,
click on the Rec button. This starts the recorder, but actual digitizing does not commence until
the first audio signal is detected at a level at or above the value specified in the Threshold field.
For a tape-based recording, start the tape player. For recording via microphone, begin
speaking the items, leaving a several-second interval of silence between items.
Each item will be digitized as it is encountered with the silent periods determining where the
items begin and end. Any noise recorded on the tape, or picked up by the microphone, that is
below the volume level specified by the Threshold parameter is considered to be silence/
background noise by the system, and is filtered out during the digitizing process. A silent
interval that is longer than the specified Item Gap value will signify a new item. When a new
item is detected, a unique label for it (based on the Default Name) is automatically created as
needed by the system. The number of the item currently being recorded is indicated in the
Action field. To end batch recording, click on the Stop button.
At this point, if the names for the newly created items were assigned by MPS Studio, these
items should be assigned descriptive names in place of the default designations. (See The
Item Attributes Window on page 66.)
Note:
To produce optimal results, it may be necessary to perform a batch recording session
several times, making adjustments to the recording parameters as required.
To record a series of items in batch mode, perform the following procedure, repeatedly, until
the desired results are obtained:
1. Specify the first item to be recorded. If this is a new file, add the first item name. For
a file with existing items, one of these can be used as the first batch-recorded item,
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or a new item may be added for this purpose. Designate the item as current by
selecting it in the item selection list.
2. If closed, open the Waveform Editor and Parameters windows. The waveform for
the current item will be visible if it is a recorded item. If the item is unrecorded, the
waveform panels will be blank.
3. Configure all recording parameters. All fields in the Batch Record Properties window
(in addition to General Record Parameters) are used by the batch recording
mechanism. If the recording is being done from a tape, these parameters should be
set based on the particular characteristics of the recorded tape and tape deck. It
may be necessary to perform several test recordings, experimenting with these
controls (e.g., Rec., Volume, Threshold, etc.) to produce optimal results. (See
General Record Parameters on page 124 and Batch Record Parameters on
page 127 for a description of these fields.)
Note:
The Sound Level meter displays the recorded level only in single record mode.
During batch recording (as described in step 4.b on page 130 ), the Sound Level
does not display an indication of the recorded level. Test the record level in single
mode (as described in step 3 on page 130), and set all other record parameters
in batch mode.
4. Digitize the items using the batch recording facility:
a. Click on the Rec button. This starts the recorder. However, actual
digitizing does not commence until the first audio signal is detected at a
level at or above the specified Threshold value. If the Timeout timer
expires before the next item's signal is detected, the batch recording
process stops. (See Batch Record Parameters on page 127.)
b. Start the input device. For a tape-based recording, start the tape player.
For microphone recording, begin speaking each item, leaving several
seconds of silence (the item gap) between items. MPS Studio will digitize
the items as they are encountered, using the silent periods to determine
where the items begin and end. Any noise recorded on the tape or picked
up by the microphone that is below the volume level specified by the
Threshold parameter is considered to be silence/background noise by
the system, and will be filtered out during the digitizing process. New item
labels are automatically created as needed by the system.
c. Stop the input device after the last item is heard. If you are using a
cassette deck, stop the tape playback.
d. Stop the recorder. When all items have been digitized, click on the Stop
button. (There is a brief delay when digitizing items. Stopping MPS
Studio too quickly can cause truncation of the last item.)
5. Play all items that have been recorded. Listen to each item to judge its clarity and
tonal quality. Use the Sound Level meter to gauge the overall volume level. The
optimal recording is one where the indicator bounces vibrantly between the left and
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Creating Audio Tapes for Use with MPS Studio
right extremes of the black (i.e., Norm) meter. It should not enter the red (i.e.,
Overload) zone for any appreciable duration, as this indicates audio signal
saturation.
6. If necessary, rerecord the items. First, use the Delete function of either the Edit or
Batch Tools menus of the MultiMedia File Editor to remove the batch-recorded
items. (See Delete on page 60.) Then go back to step 1 on page 129.
Note:
The following information pertains to recording in batch mode:
• After the items have been satisfactorily digitized, descriptive names should be specified
for them in place of the default designations assigned by MPS Studio (see Specifying
a Name for an Item on page 68). An ASCII .txt file containing the names can be imported
in overwrite mode to replace the default names. (See Importing Items on page 77.)
• If the audio stream is recorded into one item (i.e. MPS Studio could not detect the silent
periods between items), first verify that the Item Gap field is appropriately set. If it is,
then try lowering the Threshold value. After repeated attempts, if the batch recording
still fails, it may be necessary to rerecord the tape. Be sure that the tape is recorded
with as high a quality as possible as described under Creating Audio Tapes for Use
with MPS Studio on page 131.
Creating Audio Tapes for Use with MPS Studio
Usually, a cassette tape is the best source for audio input, because a tape can be produced
in an acoustically controlled environment (e.g., a recording studio) such that all items are
recorded with consistent characteristics (e.g., volume level, tonal quality, noise reduction, etc.).
The best type of tape deck to use is a DAT (Digital Audio Tape) deck. The Avaya Speech and
Development Platform on page 186 is recommended for vocabulary development, however
any device that can directly connect to the workstation (UNIX or Windows) is acceptable.
Note:
See General Record Parameters on page 124 for more information about the input sources
that are appropriate for use with your system.
To use a cassette tape for the audio data, record a series of audio items on tape with a
consistent amount of silence between each item. The silent period between recordings is called
the item gap. Each item gap should be at least two seconds in length, and must be significantly
longer than the duration of any periods of silence within the audio items.
The tape should be recorded with as high a quality as possible. It is much easier to apply quality
controls during the initial audio recording, than to attempt to improve the sound of the items
using the features of MPS Studio (e.g., if noise reduction is used during the initial recording,
tape hiss will not have to be removed from the digitized recording).
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Note:
Although MPS Studio has a number of functions to manipulate and enhance audio signals,
as with any audio processing environment, these features should not be considered a
substitute for quality controls when the recording is initially made.
The following are general recommendations for making voice recordings using a standard
cassette deck:
Function
Description1
bias
The tape should be a high-bias cassette. A metal or chromium tape will
produce better results than a normal-bias cassette. Be sure to set the
tape type and bias controls to the proper settings (e.g., metal or CrO2)
for recording. For playback (i.e., input to MPS Studio), experiment with
the bias setting before inputting the cassette tape audio to MPS Studio.
The normal bias mode may produce better results on playback, even
if the tape was recorded with a high-bias setting.
noise reduction
If recording to a cassette tape, use the tape deck's built-in Dolby®-B
noise reduction to minimize the background noise and accentuate the
voice frequencies. Dolby®-B noise reduction should be used during
both recording and playback. Dolby®-B significantly reduces the highend frequencies in playback, in order to minimize tape hiss. Although
this may be undesirable for high-fidelity sound retrieval, this should not
produce any detrimental effects on voice recordings, since telephone
lines do not transmit any sounds above 4 kHz.
volume levels
For both recording and playback, tape deck volume level controls
should be set as close to 0 db as possible. This will create a tape with
a strong signal, i.e., one that has a very large dynamic difference
between the recorded segments and the silent periods separating
them. If the cassette deck has a variable output level, this control must
be set in inverse correlation to the Rec. Volume slide control in MPS
Studio. To produce high-gain sound, set the output level high and the
record slide control relatively low. The effect of this is that the lower
harmonics of the recording will be augmented, producing a fuller sound
when recorded via MPS Studio. However, optimal results can only be
achieved through experimentation.
After the tape is recorded, insert it into the tape deck connected to the workstation. For more
information on creating vocabularies, see Introduction on page 195.
The File Menu
The items in this menu are used to save or abort changes made to the digitized recording of
the item being viewed in the Waveform Editor window. Also included is an option to exit from
the Waveform Editor.
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Save
Option
Description
Save
Saves changes made to the current item in the .mmd file. After an item
has been modified using the functions of the Waveform Editor window,
the item must be explicitly saved via this menu option for the changes
to become permanent. Usually, before quitting from the Waveform
Editor, the current item should be saved. (See Save on page 133.)
Reload
Restores the current item to the state it had when it was last saved.
This function causes the item to be reloaded from the .mmd file. Any
changes made to the item since it was last saved are discarded. This
menu option does not restore an item's associated attributes if they
have been modified. (See Undo on page 57 for information about
restoring an item's attributes.) This menu option serves the same
purpose as the Reload option at the top of the Waveform Editor window.
(See Reload on page 134 for more information about the Undo and
Reload functions.)
Quit
Exits from the Waveform Editor window. This closes the Waveform
Editor. If modifications have been made to the current item since it was
last saved, a reminder notice will appear, providing an option to first
save the item. (See Quit on page 135.)
Save
After recording or performing any edits on the current item's waveform, it is necessary to save
the audio data. This causes the newly modified or recorded data to be included in the MMF
file on disk (i.e., the .mmd file).
To save the current item, select File > Save in the Waveform Editor.
Note:
The following is important information about saving items:
• After performing edits to an item's waveform, the item should be saved only when
satisfactory results are achieved. If a modified item is saved while in an unacceptable
condition, the Reload function will not restore the item to the previous condition. (See
Reload on page 134.)
• If the file was opened in read-only mode, this menu is unavailable. (See Opening a
MultiMedia File on page 35.)
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Reload
The current item in the Waveform Editor window is manipulated by the system entirely within
RAM. Any changes that are made to an item using any of the functions in the Waveform Editor
window must be saved for them to be incorporated into the MMF file. Until an item is saved,
its data may be reloaded for the purpose of restoring the original data after a modification is
made. The Reload function allows you to experiment with the options in the Edit and Tools
menus, without causing any change to the MMF file.
Clicking on the Reload option restores the item visible in the Waveform Editor (i.e., the current
item) from disk. This serves the same purpose as the Reload option in the File menu of the
Waveform Editor.
To restore an item's condition to that of the last change/save, perform either of the following:
• Click on the Reload option at the top of the Waveform Editor.
• Select File > Reload in the Waveform Editor.
If there are unsaved edits in the Waveform Editor, the following notice will appear, asking for
you to confirm the reload:
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Quit
Quit
The Quit option is used to close and exit the Waveform Editor window and any associated
operations. It will not exit the MPS Studio application. If there are any unsaved changes to the
current item, the following notice will be displayed:
The Edit Menu
In addition to providing item playback and recording facilities, the Waveform Editor window
supports various editing functions that allow you to manipulate the current item's recorded data,
without having to rerecord it. These include various options in the Edit and Tools menus. After
any of these functions are used, the item should be saved. In conjunction with mouse
operations on the graphical waveform representation, the functions of the Edit menu are used
to edit an item's audio content.
Option
Description
Undo
Restores the last edit made to an item. (See Undo on page 136.)
Cut
Removes the selected section of an item's waveform and places it on
the clipboard. If there is no selected segment, the operation is
performed on the entire waveform. (See Cut on page 137.)
Delete
Permanently deletes the selected section of an item's waveform. If
there is no selected segment, the operation is performed on the entire
waveform. The deleted data is not captured on the clipboard, and the
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Option
Description
contents of the clipboard are not affected. Delete can only be reversed
by Reload. (See Reload on page 134.)
Copy
Copies the selected section of an item's waveform to the clipboard. If
there is no selected segment, the operation is performed on the entire
waveform. (See Copy on page 138.)
Paste
Pastes the contents of the clipboard into the current item at the
specified position. (See Paste on page 139.)
Trim
Deletes all of an item's digitized data, except for the selected segment
(i.e., only the selection is retained). The deleted data is not captured on
the clipboard, and the contents of the clipboard are not affected. Trim
can only be reversed by Undo (if it was the last edit operation) or by
Reload. (See Trim on page 141.)
Padding...
Adds a specified amount of silence to the item. (See Padding on
page 142.)
Silence
Changes recorded contents of the selected segment to silence. If no
segment is selected, silences the entire waveform. (See Silence on
page 144.)
Silence and
Normalize
Option available only when a frequency range is selected. Applies
silence to the selected range and raises the audio energy of the
remaining frequencies to retain the original volume level. (See Silence
and Normalize on page 144.)
Smoothing
Attenuates extreme changes in the recording. If no segment is
selected, operates on the entire waveform. (See Smoothing on
page 145.)
Note:
The following information pertains to using the options of the Edit menu:
• If any of these functions are used to modify an item, for the changes to become
permanent the item must be saved to disk via File > Save. (See Save on page 133.)
• Only the Padding... function opens its own window.
• If the file was opened in read-only mode, the Edit menu is unavailable. (See Opening
a MultiMedia File on page 35.)
• The Cut and Copy functions place data from the Waveform Editor onto the clipboard.
When either Cut or Copy is used, the previous contents of the clipboard (if any) are
overwritten.
Undo
The Edit > Undo option restores the last modification made to an item's recorded data. During
an editing operation that entails a series of modifications, if it is discovered immediately after
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Cut
making an edit that it was done incorrectly, this function can be used to negate the effects of
only the last change. To fully restore the item following multiple changes, use File > Reload.
To undo the last change made to an item's waveform, select Edit > Undo in the Waveform
Editor.
Cut
It may be necessary to remove a segment of an item's audio data for the purpose of moving
it elsewhere or deleting it altogether. This audio segment may be identified by selecting a
portion of the item's waveform. If there is no selected segment, the operation will be performed
on the entire waveform. When a segment is cut from an item, it is placed on the clipboard of
the Waveform Editor, where it may subsequently be pasted into any location within the same
item or a different item.
To cut all or part of an item's audio data:
1. Load the item containing the segment to be cut into the Waveform Editor.
2. If necessary, select the segment to be cut. (See Marking and Selecting a Waveform
for an Item on page 106.) If there is no selected segment, the operation will be
performed on the entire waveform.
3. Select Edit > Cut.
The segment is now removed from the item. It exists only on the clipboard, where it will remain
until another segment is either cut or copied. The segment on the clipboard can be pasted
anywhere (i.e., into the current item or into another item loaded into the Waveform Editor).
(See Paste on page 139.)
Note:
The following information pertains to cutting audio segments from items:
• After cutting a segment from the item, the item should be played so that the edit can
be verified for accuracy. If the edit was performed inaccurately, use the Undo function
immediately, before any other changes are made. (See Undo on page 136.)
• The Cut function places data from the Waveform Editor onto the clipboard. When Cut
is used, the previous contents of the clipboard (if any) are overwritten.
• The Cut function only operates on the recorded data of an item. If it is needed to delete
an entire item definition, use the Edit > Delete option of the MultiMedia File Editor. (See
Delete on page 60.)
• The Cut function will cut the entire waveform and place it on the clipboard if the item is
unmarked.
• The Delete or Trim function may also be used to remove part of the current item's
waveform. (See Delete on page 138 and Trim on page 141.)
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Delete
If it is desired to permanently remove data from the current item, without disturbing the
clipboard contents, use the Delete function. The deleted portion of the item is not inserted into
the clipboard, so this function can be used without disturbing clipboard contents. The deleted
data cannot be pasted.
To delete all or part of an item's audio data:
1. Load the item containing the segment to be removed into the Waveform Editor.
2. Identify the segment to be deleted by selecting it. (See Marking and Selecting a
Waveform for an Item on page 106.)
3. Select Edit > Delete. The specified segment is deleted. If there is no selected
segment, the operation will be performed on the entire waveform.
Note:
The following information pertains to deleting audio data from items:
• After using this function, the item should be played so that the edit can be verified for
correctness. If the edit was performed inaccurately, only the Reload function can
restore the item to its original condition (Undo cannot be used). (See Reload on
page 134.)
• The Delete function is the complement of the Trim function. When deleting, the selected
portion of the waveform is deleted and the remainder is preserved. When trimming, the
selected portion of the waveform is preserved and the remainder is deleted. (See
Trim on page 141.)
Copy
It is often useful to be able to duplicate part or all of an item's waveform. The audio segment
to be copied is identified by marking a portion of the item's waveform. If there is no marked
segment, the operation will be performed on the entire waveform. When a segment is copied,
it is placed on the clipboard of the Waveform Editor. From the clipboard, it may be pasted one
or more times into the current item, which may or may not be the same item from which the
segment was originally taken.
To copy all or part of an item's waveform:
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Paste
1. Load the item containing the segment to be copied into the Waveform Editor.
2. If necessary, select the segment to be copied. (See Marking and Selecting a
Waveform for an Item on page 106.) If there is no selected segment, the operation
will be performed on the entire waveform.
3. Select Edit > Copy.
The segment now exists on the clipboard where it will remain until another segment is either
cut or copied. The segment on the clipboard can now be pasted into the same or another item.
(See Paste on page 139.)
Note:
The following information pertains to using the Copy function:
• The Copy function of the Waveform Editor window operates on the recorded data of
an item. If it is needed to copy an entire item definition, use the Edit > Copy in the
MultiMedia File Editor. (See Copy on page 61.)
• The Copy function places data from the Waveform Editor onto the clipboard. When
Copy is used, the previous contents of the clipboard (if any) are overwritten.
Paste
After an audio segment has been placed on the clipboard using either the Cut or Copy function,
that segment can be pasted one or more times into the current item, even if this is not the item
from which the audio data originally came.
To paste an audio segment into an item:
1. Using the Cut or Copy function (whichever is appropriate), place the desired
segment onto the clipboard. (See Cut on page 137 or Copy on page 138.)
2. If necessary, load the item that is to receive the segment into the Waveform
Editor.
3. Mark the location where the segment is to be inserted, by pointing to it in the lower
display, and clicking once. A vertical line will be drawn in the display at this
position.
4. Select Edit > Paste. The audio segment is now inserted into the item at the marked
position.
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Note:
The following information pertains to using the Paste function:
• After pasting a segment into an item, the item should be played so that the edit can be
verified for correctness. If the edit was performed inaccurately, use the Undo option
immediately, before any other changes are made. (See Undo on page 136.)
• One use of this function is to insert an interval of silence into an item. First, copy a silent
audio segment of appropriate length into the clipboard. Then load the target item, and
paste the silent segment into the item.
• The Paste function has no effect if the clipboard is empty.
• If the position in the current item is not indicated (as described in step 3 on page 139
above), and the Paste option is selected, the clipboard segment will be inserted at the
beginning of the item.
Joining Two or More Items
If two or more items are always output in the same sequence, they may be combined for the
purpose of reducing the number of items. As an example of messages that might be joined,
the following two items are part of an application's greeting:
• Thank you ("Thank you for calling the XYZ company.")
• Press one ("Press one if you are using a touchtone phone.")
Assume, for example, that whenever a call is placed to the application, these two items are
output in succession. Combining them makes it easier to manage the MMF file. Always ensure
that there is an appropriate pause (in this example, about 1 second) between the joined
items.
To join the audio data of two items:
1. Load the item that is to be output first, into the Waveform Editor.
2. Select Edit > Copy. The item's entire recorded data now exists in the clipboard.
3. Load the second item into the Waveform Editor. (It is not necessary to save the first
item before loading the second one.)
4. Select Edit > Paste. The clipboard data is inserted at the beginning of the current
item, thus combining the two items.
5. Play the item and verify that there is an appropriate amount of silence at the
beginning and end, and between the two segments. Adjust the amount of silence
as appropriate:
• To add silence at the beginning and/or end of the waveform, use the Padding...
feature. (See Padding on page 142.)
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Trim
• To trim silence from the beginning and/or end, use the Trim feature. (See
Trim on page 141.)
• To insert silence in the middle, copy a silent segment and use the Paste
feature. (See Paste on page 139.)
• To remove silence from the middle, use the Cut or Delete feature. (See Cut on
page 137 and Delete on page 138.)
Note:
The following information pertains to joining two items:
• Since the data from the first item now exists as part of the second, the first may be
deleted from the MMF file. (See Delete on page 60.) Also, it is recommended that the
second item be renamed to reflect its new contents (e.g., rename Press one to
Greeting). (See Specifying a Name for an Item on page 68.)
• The audio data of two items can also be joined using the Pick List. (See The Pick List
Action Menu on page 95.)
Trim
If it is desired to remove leading and/or trailing data from the current item (thus preserving a
middle portion of the waveform), use the Trim function. The deleted portion(s) of the item are
not inserted into the clipboard, so this function can be used without disturbing clipboard
contents. This function can be used not only to remove excess silence from the edges of an
item, but also to remove any type of data.
To trim audio data from an item:
1. Load the item containing the segment(s) to be removed into the Waveform Editor.
2. Identify the segment to be preserved by selecting it. (See Marking and Selecting a
Waveform for an Item on page 106.)
3. Select Edit > Trim. The specified segment now comprises the entire recorded data
of the item.
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Note:
The following information pertains to trimming audio data from items:
• After using this function, the item should be played so that the edit can be verified for
correctness. If the edit was performed inaccurately, use the Undo option immediately,
before any other changes are made. (See Undo on page 136.)
• The main differences between the Trim and Cut functions are:
- The Trim function removes the portions of the waveform that are not selected, and
the Cut function removes the portion that is selected.
- The Trim function removes the data without writing it to the clipboard, so the
contents of the clipboard remain intact. The Cut function moves the selected data
to the clipboard, overwriting any contents. Once the contents of the clipboard are
overwritten, the original contents are discarded.
• The Trim function is not available (grayed out) if the item is unmarked.
• The Cut or Delete function may be used if it is necessary to remove a middle portion
of the current item's waveform. (See Cut on page 137 and Delete on page 138.)
Padding
Often, it is useful to pad items with intervals of silence, e.g., for the purpose of providing
adequate separation of voice item output when two or more items are output in succession by
an application. Without sufficient separation, voice items can audibly run together, which
causes unnatural sounding output. If you need to add silence to the beginning, end, or both
parts of an item's recorded data, use the Padding... function, which is configured from the Local
Padding Silence window.
To access the Local Padding Silence window, select Edit > Padding... in the Waveform
Editor.
Field
Location
Description
Specifies where to add silence to the item.
Beginning
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Silence is added to the beginning of the item.
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Padding
Field
Length
Description
Mark
Adds an interval of silence at the marked location in
the waveform. (See Marking and Selecting a
Waveform for an Item on page 106.) Does not silence
audio surrounding the mark. If there is no mark when
this option is selected, no interval is added.
End
Silence is added to the end of the item.
Specifies the amount of silence (in milliseconds) to pad to the current
item.
To pad an item with silence:
1. Load the item to be adjusted into the Waveform Editor.
2. Select Edit > Padding.... This opens the Local Padding Silence window.
3. Specify types of padding:
• To add silence to the beginning of an item, select Beginning.
• To add an interval of silence, place a mark at the desired location and select
Mark.
• To add silence to the end of an item, select End.
4. Specify the amount of silence to be added (in milliseconds) in the Length text field
(e.g., to add 1/2 second of silence to the beginning, end, or to both parts of the item,
enter 500). The maximum that can be entered is 1000.
5. Click on the Apply button. The item has now been padded with the specified amount
of silence.
Note:
The following information pertains to padding silence to items:
• If Beginning, Mark, and End are selected, the number of milliseconds specified in the
Length field will be padded to all locations. For example, if 100 is specified, then 100
milliseconds of silence will be added to the beginning, the end, and at the marked
location of the current item's audio recording, thus increasing the length of the item by
300 milliseconds.
• To silence existing audio data, use the Silence or Silence and Normalize function on
the Waveform Editor Edit menu. (See Silence on page 144 and Silence and
Normalize on page 144.)
• The Local Padding function can be used to create a completely silent item. Simply apply
padding to an unrecorded item.
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Silence
The Silence function changes the recorded contents of all or part of an item to the equivalent
interval of silence. This is often useful because background noises occurring during the
recording of an item can create intervals of sound where there should be silence within the
waveform. These undesirable sounds cannot always simply be cut from the waveform, as this
would affect the pacing of the item.
To change all or part of an item to silence:
1. Load the item to be adjusted into the Waveform Editor.
2. If necessary, select the audio segment to be silenced. If there is no marking, the
entire item will be silenced. (See Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on
page 106.)
3. Select Edit > Silence. The selected segment has now been replaced by silence.
Note:
The following information pertains to changing item audio data to periods of silence:
• After using this function, the item should be played so that the edit can be verified for
correctness. If the edit was performed inaccurately, use the Undo option immediately,
before any other changes are made. (See Undo on page 136.)
• If it is necessary to insert periods of silence into an item, use either the Paste function
or the Padding function. (See Paste on page 139 or Padding on page 142.)
Silence and Normalize
The Silence and Normalize function is available only when a frequency range of the waveform
is selected. (See Selecting a Frequency Range on page 117.) The frequency range selected
cannot include the entire range (0-4000 Hz). A time segment may or may not be selected when
this function is used.
When the Silence and Normalize function is applied to a selected frequency range, that
selection is silenced. Also, the remaining frequencies (i.e., those outside the selected range)
are amplified such that the total energy of the item (or selected time segment) remains
unchanged.
The illustration below shows a 3-D view of the Tone - 1kHz item. Notice that in addition to the
incidental 1000 Hz frequency component, there is a small 3000 Hz frequency component in
this item. A time segment of the item is selected and the incidental frequency component is
selected from 500-1500 Hz.
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Smoothing
When Silence and Normalize is applied to the the selected area, the incidental wave is silenced
within the time segment and the remaining audio is amplified inversely. Notice that in the upper
display, the overall level of the waveform is consistent.
The amplified portions of the frequency spectrum are normalized according to their relative
energy before normalization. That is, louder frequencies receive more amplification while softer
frequencies receive less. Audio data is not introduced where none previously existed.
Caution:
The Silence and Normalize function should only be applied to a relatively narrow part of the
spectrum. If it is applied to a predominant frequency range, the amplified portions may
introduce audible noise.
Smoothing
Often, amplitude spikes appear in the waveforms of poorly digitized items. These represent
abrupt changes in the signal, often caused by pops and background noise from poor quality
media and/or recording equipment. Sometimes, spikes will be created during the recording
process if consonant sounds (e.g., "p", "t", etc.) are enunciated loudly and/or too close to the
microphone. The effects of these spikes can be lessened by means of the Smoothing
function.
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To apply smoothing to an item's waveform:
1. Load the item to be adjusted into the Waveform Editor.
2. If necessary, mark the audio segment to be smoothed. If there is no marking, the
entire item will be included in the operation. (See Marking and Selecting a Waveform
for an Item on page 106.)
3. Select Edit > Smoothing. If the waveform (or marked segment) contained any
extreme instantaneous amplitude changes, these are now reduced.
Note:
The following information pertains to item smoothing:
• After using this function, the item should be played so that the edit can be verified for
correctness. If the edit was performed inaccurately, use the Undo option immediately,
before any other changes are made. (See Undo on page 136.)
• If the audio anomalies are not sufficiently extreme, this function will not produce any
audible effects. If further processing is required, mark off the portion of the waveform
containing the spikes, and use the Gain... function. (See Gain Control of Recorded
Items on page 161.)
The Tools Menu
The Waveform Editor Tools menu provides access to advanced audio processing functions.
Some of these functions are also available for batch mode operations from the MultiMedia File
Editor Batch Tools menu. These functions are described in detail under Introduction on
page 147.
DTMF Detection
The DTMF Detection option at the top of the Waveform Editor allows the current item to be
scanned for DTMF tones. This function scans the current item's waveform for audio frequency
patterns that match any standard telephone line DTMF tones (i.e., touch tones) and provides
an indication if any are present. This function is described in detail under Filtering for DTMF
Tones on page 174.
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Chapter 4: The Audio Processing Tools
This chapter covers:
1. Normalization
2. Time Scaling
3. Audio Mixing
4. Padding
5. Gain Control
6. Graphic Equalization
7. Parametric Equalization
8. DTMF Detection
Introduction
MPS Studio contains a number of facilities for advanced audio processing of MMF items. These
signal processing tools may be used to tailor audio recordings for particular voice processing
environments. This chapter describes how to use these tools. It is assumed that you are familiar
with the material in the preceding chapters.
The set of local signal processing tools are accessed from the Waveform Editor Tools menu.
These tools are used when editing all or a portion of an item's waveform. Editing locally only
modifies the item currently loaded in the Waveform Editor. These tools do not modify the file
stored on the disk until the item is saved. Local operations can be reversed (before they are
saved) with the Undo or Reload function.
These tools can also be used for batch edit operations, and can be accessed from the
MultiMedia File Editor Batch Tools menu. (See The Batch Tools Menu on page 88.) These are
global tools that are used to modify multiple items from the MultiMedia File Editor.
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Each of these tools is documented in its own section later in this chapter. Refer to the crossreferenced pages for detailed information about each feature. The following tools are available:
Option
Description
Normalization...
Accessed from either the Waveform Editor Tools menu or the
MultiMedia File Editor Batch Tools menu. Opens the Local or Global
Normalization window, which allows adjustments to be made to the
volume level of the selected item(s) relative to a selected reference
item. (See Normalizing a Recording on page 150.)
Time Scaling...
Accessed from either the Waveform Editor Tools menu or the
MultiMedia File Editor Batch Tools menu. Opens the Local or Global
Time Scaling window, which allows the length of the selected item(s)
to be altered based on user-specified parameters. (See Adjusting
Playback Time for an Item on page 154.)
Audio Mixer...
Accessed from the Waveform Editor Tools menu. Opens the Audio
Mixer window, which allows the signal of the current item to be blended
with that of a selected item. (See Mixing Two Items on page 157.)
Padding...
Accessed from either the Waveform Editor Edit menu or the MultiMedia
File Editor Batch Tools menu. Opens the Local or Global Padding
Silence window which allows a specified amount of silence to be added
to the beginning and/or end of the selected item(s). (See Padding an
Item with Silence on page 159.)
Gain...
Accessed from either the Waveform Editor Tools menu or the
MultiMedia File Editor Batch Tools menu. Opens the Local or Global
Gain Control window, which allows the actual volume of recorded items
to be adjusted. (See Gain Control of Recorded Items on page 161.)
DTMF Detection... Accessed from either the Waveform Editor DTMF Detection button or
the MultiMedia File Editor Batch Tools menu. Scans the signal of the
selected item(s) for frequency patterns that match DTMF tones. (See
Filtering for DTMF Tones on page 174.)
Graphic EQ...
148
Accessed from either the Waveform Editor Tools menu or the
MultiMedia File Editor Batch Tools menu. Opens the Local or Global
Graphic Equalizer window, which allows adjustments to the relative
volumes of selected frequency bands in the signal of the current
item(s). (See Graphic Equalization on page 166.)
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Introduction
Option
Description
Parametric EQ...
Accessed from either the Waveform Editor Tools menu or the
MultiMedia File Editor Batch Tools menu. Opens the Local or Global
Parametric Equalizer window, which allows a selected frequency
range to be enhanced, de-emphasized, or altogether removed. (See
Parametric Equalization on page 170.)
DTMF Fix...
Accessed from the Waveform Editor Tools menu. Allows the removal
of DTMF tones by either selecting specific DTMF frequency pairs or by
scanning the signal of the selected item(s) for frequency patterns that
match DTMF tones. (See Filtering for DTMF Tones on page 174).
Note:
The following information pertains to using the set of signal processing tools:
• The results of using any of these tools should be verified. After using a signal
processing tool, play the audio item by clicking on the Play button. If the modifications
are unsatisfactory, use either of the Undo or Reload functions, whichever is appropriate
to restore the item. Then try using the signal processing tool again until the desired
results are obtained. (See Reload on page 134 and Undo on page 136)
• Like other functions in the Waveform Editor, the audio processing tools modify the
current item's digitized data. These modifications are done solely in the workstation's
RAM memory. Therefore, after using any of the signal processing tools (except for
DTMF Detection), it is necessary to save the current item before loading another item
or exiting from the Waveform Editor window. To save the current item, select File >
Save. By saving, the modifications become part of the disk-based MMF file.
• It is important to verify that the item is in a satisfactory state before it is saved. Whatever
condition the item is in when it is saved will replace the previous state as stored in the
MMF file. This is the state to which the item will be restored when the Reload function
is subsequently used.
• All items that will be used in the voice processing environment should be verified for
telephone line compatibility using the DTMF Detection function. After using any of the
signal processing tools to alter an item (for even seemingly insignificant modifications),
the item should be verified again. (See Filtering for DTMF Tones on page 174.)
• If the file was opened in read-only mode, only the DTMF Detection function will be
available.
Caution:
The following cautions apply to the use of the audio processing tools:
• The audio processing tools that are accessed from the MultiMedia File Editor Batch
Tools menu affect the multimedia file directly, and cannot be undone. Before using
these batch (or global) tools, first make a backup of the MMF to another file or disk.
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Audibly verify the effects of any of these tools on each of the items to which they are
applied.
• Some of the signal processing tools affect the internally stored volume level of items.
Item volume levels should not be boosted such that they exceed -8 dbm (as shown by
the Sound Level meter) during playback.
Normalizing a Recording
The Normalization feature is one of the signal processing tools that affect the recorded volume
levels of items. It is used to ensure that a set of items is consistently recorded. This tool modifies
the amplitude of the current item's waveform (or marked segment) to be similar to the amplitude
of a second reference item. This is useful when one or more items (or audio segments within
an item) are recorded at different volume levels than the rest, and it is necessary to scale the
levels up or down (i.e., normalize the levels) relative to each other. Normalization can be
performed on a single item (local normalization) or multiple items (global normalization).
Local Normalization
This tool modifies the volume of the current item to match that of a reference item. (This differs
from the Gain tool, which allows the volume of a recording to be freely scaled without a
reference.)
To access the Local Normalization window, select the Normalization option from the Waveform
Editor Tools menu.
In general, all items in an MMF file should be normalized to the same reference item. For this
reason, it is desirable to include a reference tone as a recorded item in all MMF files. The Tone
- 1kHz item in the sample MMF supplied with MPS Studio is recommended for this purpose.
This item should remain as part of the file so that if other items are subsequently added, they
can also be normalized to the same reference. If the volume of the reference tone is too high
or low, it may be attenuated or boosted using the Gain Control feature of the Waveform Editor.
(See Gain Control of Recorded Items on page 161.)
The Normalization window contains the following fields:
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Local Normalization
Field
Description
Normalize by
average energy or
Normalize by peak
energy
Mutually exclusive radio buttons used to select the relative level of
normalization to the reference item. If Normalize by average energy
is selected, the average level of the reference item is used as the
reference. If Normalize by peak energy is selected, the highest
volume level of the reference item is used.
Normalization
Window (mSec)
Configures the item normalization tool. This number is a factor used
in the normalization calculations to determine how much of the two
audio segments are compared at one time during the internal
computational sequence. This value is specified in units of
milliseconds. The optimal setting of this field is signal-dependent.
Small window values result in comparing only the highest peaks of
the two signals (e.g., a value of 1 will make the maximum peaks of
the two audio segments the same). Larger values cause more of the
signal information to be compared. The larger the value selected,
the more averaged the two overall signals will be. (Depending on the
contents of the selected items, this might not be a desirable effect.
If a given audio item contains both loud and soft passages, the result
of using a large normalization window is that the relative dynamics
of the item will be lessened. Audio information that has been
previously emphasized by loudness will lose some of its impact.)
Note:
The following information pertains to using the Normalization tool:
• The Normalization Window factor should be specified based on the characteristics of
the current item's waveform. Often, item waveforms appear to have discrete energy
bursts within them, usually corresponding to individual spoken words within the
recording. Some burst patterns will have higher amplitude peaks than others.
Generally, the Normalization Window factor should be set just large enough to
encompass the energy burst having the highest amplitude peak, as seen in the
waveform display.
• In the sample file provided with the software (sample.mmi), there is an item named
Tone — 1kHz, which has been included specifically for use as a reference item. This
item may be exported and used in any MMF file. The item Tone — 1kHz has also been
provided with the software as a VGEN Incremental file (testtone.def1), so it can easily
be imported into other MMF files. (See Importing Items on page 77.)
• Before normalizing a set of items, the designated reference item must have the proper
volume level. If necessary, use the Gain Control feature (see Gain Control of Recorded
Items on page 161) to adjust the volume of the chosen item.
• If there is a marked segment, when the Normalization tool is applied, only the marked
segment will be normalized. This is useful if an item's signal has been composed from
cut and paste operations and/or one or more segments are significantly different in
volume from the rest.
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• MPS Studio locks user control into the MultiMedia File Editor window during the
operation. To abort, <RIGHT> click inside the MultiMedia File Editor and select Cancel
from the pop-up window.
• If it is necessary to adjust the volumes of multiple items to the same reference, the
Normalization feature may be used in batch mode. (See Global Normalization on
page 152.)
• When this process is finished, the current item (or marked segment) will have a volume
level adjusted relative to that of the reference item. Generally, this should be done for
all items in an MMF file.
• See the notes under Introduction on page 147 before using this tool to modify any
critical recordings.
To normalize an item:
1. Load the item into the Waveform Editor (i.e., make it the current item).
2. Select Tools > Normalization..... This opens the Local Normalization window.
3. In the Local Normalization window, select either Normalize by average energy or
Normalize by peak energy.
4. Configure the Normalization Window parameter by measuring the target energy
burst:
a. Select the target burst such that it is entirely highlighted. (See Marking
and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on page 106.)
b. Read the value in the Selected Length field.
c. Multiply this number by 1000, and enter the result into the Normalization
Window field (e.g., if the Selected Length is 0.24 seconds, enter the
number 240).
d. Deselect the burst by pointing to the lower waveform display and
<RIGHT> clicking once.
5. If necessary, select the particular segment to be adjusted. If there is no selected
segment, the entire item will be modified based on the specified Normalization
Window factor.
6. Click on the Apply button. The Normalization window will close, and the message
Select a Reference Signal appears on the Action line.
7. Select the item to be used as a reference in the item list. MPS Studio then uses the
amplitude (average or peak) of the reference item's signal as the basis for scaling
the current item.
Global Normalization
The Global Normalization tool provides a means of ensuring that a set of items has a consistent
volume level. When using Global Normalization, a single item is chosen as the designated
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Global Normalization
volume level reference, and the recordings of all selected items are adjusted relative to the
reference. Use of this tool is similar to that of Local Normalization.
To access the Global Normalization window, select Batch Tools > Normalization... from the
MultiMedia File Editor.
Note:
The following information pertains to using this tool:
• MPS Studio locks user control into the MultiMedia File Editor window until completion
of the operation. To abort, <RIGHT> click inside the MultiMedia File Editor and select
Cancel from the pop-up notice.
• See Introduction on page 147 before using this tool to modify critical data.
• Item volume levels should not be boosted such that they exceed -8dB (as shown by
the Sound Level meter) during playback.
Caution:
Before globally normalizing multiple items, the multimedia file (MMF) should be backed up.
Applying this tool to one or more items cannot be undone. After using this tool, audibly verify
the effect on each of the items. If the results are not satisfactory, the entire MMF, or individual
items may need to be restored from the backup.
To apply Global Normalization to multiple items:
1. Select the items which are to have their volume levels adjusted.
2. Select Batch Tools > Normalization. The Global Normalization window opens.
3. In the Global Normalization window, select either Normalize by average energy or
Normalize by peak energy.
4. Configure the Normalization Window parameter by measuring an energy burst from
the item currently visible in the waveform displays:
a. Select the target burst such that it is entirely highlighted. (See Marking
and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on page 106.)
b. Read the value in the Selected Length field.
c. Multiply this number by 1000, and enter the result into the Normalization
Window field. For example, if the Selected Length is 0.24 seconds, enter
the number 240.
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d. Deselect this burst by pointing to the lower waveform display and
<RIGHT> clicking once.
5. Click on the Apply button. The Normalization window closes and the message
Select a Reference Signal appears on the Action line.
6. Select the reference item in the item list. In succession, MPS Studio adjusts the
volume of each item relative to the amplitude (average or peak) of the reference
item's signal. When the process is finished, the message Batch Normalization
completed is shown on the Action line.
Adjusting Playback Time for an Item
The Time Scaling tool is used to adjust the real-time length of the current item without altering
its frequency characteristics. This is useful if one or more audio items have been recorded too
fast or slow for optimal clarity. Also, it is useful in conjunction with the Audio Mixer tool to adjust
the relative lengths of two items before they are mixed. Time scaling can be performed on a
single item (local time scaling) or multiple items (global time scaling).
Local Time Scaling
The degree of adjustment may be specified in terms of either the desired absolute total length
(i.e., Desired Length) or via a relative scale factor (%). If only part of an item requires time
adjustment, the segment may be selected and the function will include only the specified
segment in the operation. Click on the Apply button after configuring one of these fields. To
reset the field values to their state when Apply was last used, click on the Reset button. To
restore the item to its previous state, use the Reload function of the Waveform Editor.
This window's fields are as follows. The intended compress/expand operation is specified in
either the Desired Length field or in the Compress/Expand field.
Field
Actual Length
154
Description
Indicates current length of the item (or selected segment). The value
in this field is supplied by the software (i.e., a value cannot be directly
entered by the user). The field shows the current length of the item (or
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Local Time Scaling
Field
Description
marked segment). The value will change after a compress/expand
operation is done using this window.
Desired Length
Specifies the intended length for the item (or selected segment) after
time adjustment. Any number entered into this field must be within 50%
of the value in the Actual Length field. The signal of the entire item (or
marked segment) will be compressed or expanded such that its realtime length becomes the specified value. The relative amount that the
signal will be adjusted appears in the % field immediately after a
number is entered in the Desired Length field.
Compress/
Expand %
Specifies whether the item should be shortened or elongated, and by
how much. If a value is entered here, it is used to compute the new
length for the item or marked segment. The Compress and Expand
buttons are mutually exclusive; only one may be selected. Valid values
for the % field are between 0% and 50%. The value of the new length
will appear in the Desired Length field immediately after this number is
entered. If this length is acceptable, click on the Apply button.
Otherwise, enter a different scale factor % value. The result of the time
scaling operation will be based on the specified value (within ±1%) and
will appear in the Actual Length field when the process is finished. The
<RETURN> key must be pressed to register the value in the Compress/
Expand Scale Factor field. Otherwise, the current Desired Length value
will be applied to the waveform.
Note:
The following information pertains to using the Local Time Scaling tool:
• The resultant length of a compression or expansion operation is derived based on the
current length of the item as well as the user specifications in this window. In some
cases, brief amounts of silence will be padded to the beginning and/or end of the item
during the scaling procedure, which may be subsequently removed by the user. (See
Trim on page 141.)
• Compression and expansion operations can only be applied to within 50% of the
current length. This should be adequate for most purposes. However, if it is deemed
necessary to go beyond this limit, the operation may be multiply applied. (Generally, if
extreme length adjustments are necessary, the item should be rerecorded.)
• See Introduction on page 147 before using this tool to modify any critical data.
To adjust the length of an item:
1. Select the item to be adjusted and open the Waveform Editor window. Make the
item that is to be operated on the current item. This item's waveform will be visible
in the Waveform Editor window.
2. Select Tools > Time Scaling... option. The Local Time Scaling window will appear.
Note that the field labeled Actual Length indicates the current length of the entire
item.
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3. If necessary, select the audio segment to be scaled. If there is a selected segment,
only the audio data within that segment will be scaled based on your specifications.
When there is a selected segment, the Actual Length field shows the length of only
that segment. (See Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on page 106.)
4. Specify the amount of adjustment for the item (or marked segment). The new length
for the item may be specified as either an absolute amount or as a percentage
relative to the current length. Do one of the following:
• In the Desired Length field, enter the intended new length of the item specified
as an absolute time length. This must be within 50% of the current Actual
Length. When the value is entered, the relative Compress/Expand ratio is
computed and displayed in the % field.
• Click on the Compress or Expand button, whichever is applicable. Then in the
% field, enter a relative amount specified as a percentage by which the current
length will be adjusted. Valid values are 0 to 50. When the value is entered,
the new length for the item is computed and displayed in the Desired Length
field. Hit the <RETURN> key to register the value entered in this field.
5. Click on Apply to apply the new settings. This commences time adjustment based
on the specified absolute length or relative factor. When completed, the value of the
Actual Length field will be updated to reflect the new length.
Global Time Scaling
The Global Time Scaling tool is used to scale the length of multiple items by a common relative
factor (%). As with the Local Time Scaling tool, the maximum allowable scaling factor is ±50%,
and the tonal pitch of the items is unaffected. There is no option to adjust the absolute length
of the items since there can be great differences in the lengths of the items.
Caution:
Before globally time scaling multiple items, the multimedia file (MMF) should be backed up.
Applying this tool to one or more items cannot be undone. After using this tool, audibly verify
the effect on each of the items. If the results are not satisfactory, either the entire MMF or
individual items may need to be restored from the backup.
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Mixing Two Items
To apply Global Time Scaling to multiple items:
1. Select the items that are to have their lengths adjusted.
2. Select Batch Tools > Time Scaling.... This opens the Global Time Scaling
window.
3. Click on the Compress or Expand button, whichever is applicable. Then in the %
field, enter a relative amount specified as a percentage, by which the current lengths
will be adjusted. Allowable range is 0 to 50.
4. Click on Apply to apply the new settings. This commences time adjustment based
on the specified percentage.
Mixing Two Items
The Audio Mixer is used to combine the recorded signals of two items. This is useful, for
example, when mixing two items where one consists of music and the other contains only voice
data. This feature can also be used multiple times to mix several tracks of sound (e.g., music)
together. Before combining two items, it may be useful to adjust their relative lengths. (See
Adjusting Playback Time for an Item on page 154.)
The mixer works with two selected items and adds the recording of one item (item2) to the
other (the current item). If item2 is longer, the segment to be added will be truncated to match
the length of the current item.
To access the Audio Mixer window, select Tools > Audio Mixer... in the Waveform Editor.
The Audio Mixer slide controls function such that they always total 100%. The relative audio
levels are adjusted by dragging one of the sliders with the mouse. As one slider is moved, the
other is moved in a complementary fashion. It is not possible to adjust one slider independently
of the other.
Control
Channel 1
Description
This is the signal of the current item, which is presently being viewed in the
Waveform Editor. Its recorded contents will be mixed with that of channel two.
The resulting mix of the two signals will be the new contents of the current
item.
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Control
Channel 2
Description
The relative percentage of the second item's signal amplitude to be copied
into (i.e., added to) that of the current item. This item remains in its original
state after the mixing operation. If this item is longer than the current item or
segment, the added item will be truncated to match the length of the current
item or segment.
To mix the audio of two items:
1. Designate the item that is to contain the mixed signal as the current item and open
the Waveform Editor window. (Its waveform should be visible in the Waveform
Editor window.) For a mixed music and voice recording, choose the voice item as
the primary.
2. If necessary, select the audio segment to be mixed. If there is a selected segment,
only the audio data within that segment will have its contents mixed with the audio
of the other item. (See Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on page
106.)
3. Select Tools > Audio Mixer.... The Audio Mixer window will appear. Note that there
are two slide controls. The current item (or marked segment) corresponds to
Channel 1.
4. Adjust the slide controls to the desired relative levels. Click and hold to drag the
slider to the appropriate position. Note that the other control moves in the opposite
direction with the same degree of movement. (Only one control need be adjusted
to achieve the desired effect.) Release when the slide is in the desired position.
5. Click the Apply button to apply the settings. This causes the message Select a signal
as input for channel #2 to appear in the Action field.
6. Select the item to be added to the first. Point to the second item's name in the
MultiMedia File Editor window and click. The two signals will then be mixed together
using the specified relative audio levels. This combined signal is the new recorded
contents of the current audio item (or marked segment). The item selected for
channel two remains in its original state.
7. Play the mixed item in the Waveform Editor to audibly verify the results.
8. If the resultant audio of the mixed waveform is satisfactory, save the item by
selecting the Save option from the File menu in the Waveform Editor. If the resultant
audio is not satisfactory, undo the operation using the Undo or Reload function.
(See Reload on page 134 and Undo on page 136)
Note:
The following information pertains to using the Audio Mixer tool:
• See Introduction on page 147 before using this function to modify critical data.
• During the process of selecting the second item, MPS Studio locks user control into
the MultiMedia File Editor window until completion of the operation. To abort, <RIGHT>
click inside the MultiMedia File Editor. This opens a pop-up window. Click on the Cancel
button in this window.
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Padding an Item with Silence
Often, it is useful to pad items with intervals of silence, e.g., for the purpose of providing
adequate separation of voice item output when two or more items are output in succession by
an application. Without sufficient separation voice items can audibly run together, which
causes unnatural sounding output. If you need to add silence to the beginning, end, or both
beginning and end, and/or at a marked point within an item's recorded data, use the Padding
function. Padding can be added to individual items (local padding) or to multiple items (global
padding).
Local Padding
To access the Local Padding Silence window, select Edit > Padding... in the Waveform
Editor.
Field
Location
Length
Description
Specifies where to add silence to the item.
Beginning
Silence is added to the beginning of the item.
Mark
Adds an interval of silence at the marked location in the
waveform. (See Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an
Item on page 106.) Does not silence audio surrounding the
mark. If there is no mark when this option is selected, no interval
is added.
End
Silence is added to the end of the item.
Specifies the amount of silence (in milliseconds) to pad to the current item.
To pad an item with silence:
1. Load the item to be adjusted into the Waveform Editor.
2. Select Edit > Padding.... This opens the Local Padding Silence window.
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3. Specify types of padding:
• To add silence to the beginning of an item, select Beginning.
• To add an interval of silence, place a mark at the desired location and select
Mark.
• To add silence to the end of an item, select End.
Note:
You can also select a combination of the padding types (Begging, Mark, and
End).
4. Specify the amount of silence to be added (in milliseconds) in the Length text field
(e.g., to add 1/2 second of silence to the selected parts of the item, enter 500). The
maximum that can be entered is 1000.
5. Click on the Apply button. The item has now been padded with the specified amount
of silence in the specified locations.
Note:
The following information pertains to padding silence to items:
• The number of milliseconds specified in the Length field will be padded to all locations,
selected by the Location buttons. For example, if 100 is specified and all three Location
buttons are selected, then 100 milliseconds of silence will be added to both the
beginning and end of the current item's audio recording, thus increasing the length of
the item by 300 milliseconds.
• To silence existing audio data, use the Silence or Silence and Normalize function on
the Waveform Editor Edit menu. (See Silence on page 144 and Silence and
Normalize on page 144.)
• The Local Padding function can be used to create a completely silent item. Simply apply
padding to an unrecorded item.
Global Padding
Global padding allows a common amount of silence to be added to the beginning and/or the
end of multiple items in one operation.
To access the Global Padding Silence window, select Batch Tools > Padding... in the
MultiMedia File Editor
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Gain Control of Recorded Items
The operation of this window is the same as that of the Local Padding Silence window, except
the effects are applied to all the items selected in the MultiMedia File Editor item selection
list.
Note:
The Mark option is always disabled in the Global Padding Silence window.
Caution:
Before globally padding multiple items, the multimedia file (MMF) should be backed up.
Applying this function to one or more items cannot be undone. After using this function,
audibly verify the effect on each of the items. If the results are not satisfactory, the entire
MMF, or individual items, may need to be restored from the backup.
To globally pad several items with silence:
1. Select the items to be padded from the item selection list in the MultiMedia File
Editor.
2. Select Batch Tools > Padding in the MultiMedia File Editor. This Opens the Global
Padding Silence Window.
3. Specify either or both types of padding. To add silence to the beginning of each
item, select Beginning. To add silence to the end of each item, select End.
4. Specify the amount of silence to be added (in milliseconds) in the Length text field
(e.g., to add 1/2 second of silence to the beginning, end, or to both parts of the item,
enter 500). The maximum that can be entered is 1000.
5. Click on the Apply button. All selected items have now been padded with the
specified amount of silence.
Gain Control of Recorded Items
It is often useful to make adjustments to the volume levels of items after they have been
digitized. One way to do this is to use the Gain Control function, which may be used to either
increase or decrease volume levels. Volume adjustments can be performed on a single item
(local gain control) or multiple items (global gain control).
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Local Gain Control
To access the Local Gain Control window, select Tools > Gain in the Waveform Editor. This
function can operate on the entire item, or just a selected portion of it.
The amplitude of the current item is scaled by the value specified in the Percent Gain field.
The change is immediately visible in the Waveform Editor. To abort changes made to the item,
use the Reload or Undo function.
Field
Description
Percent Gain
Specifies the numeric percentage by which the current item's amplitude
will be boosted or attenuated. This field accepts integer values in the range
of 0 to 100. The value can be controlled using the up/down arrows or
keyboard entry.
PostNormalize
This option is available only when the Waveform Editor is in 3-D mode and
a frequency range is selected. (See Selecting a Frequency Range on
page 117.) Gain is applied only to the selected range. After gain is applied,
the unselected frequencies are normalized to retain a consistent volume
level for the item. For example, if gain is increased on the selected range,
the remaining frequencies are attenuated proportionally.
Increase
button
Amplifies the audio signal by the percentage specified in the Percent Gain
field. An increase of 0 percent has no effect on the signal. An increase of
100 percent doubles the amplitude of the signal.
Decrease
button
Attenuates the audio signal by the percentage specified in the Percent
Gain field. A decrease of 0 percent has no effect on the signal. A decrease
of 50 percent reduces the amplitude of the signal by half. A decrease of
100 percent reduces the signal to silence.
To experiment with volume level changes, use this function multiple times. Specify a relatively
small number in the Percent Gain field (e.g., 5), then repeatedly click on Increase or Decrease,
observing the results and playing the item after each click. Repeat this process until the desired
volume level is obtained.
Caution:
An item's volume level should not be boosted such that it exceeds -8 dbm (as shown on the
Sound Level meter) upon playback. For non-barge-in speech applications, use a volume
level of -8 dbm. For barge-in speech applications, use a volume level of -12 dbm to prevent
false recognition triggering. For more information on volume level of prompts used with
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Local Gain Control
barge-in, refer to the Avaya Media Processing Server Series Speech Server 6.0.1 Reference
Guide .
To amplify or attenuate the volume of all or part of a recorded item:
1. Load the item to be adjusted into the Waveform Editor.
2. Select Tools > Gain... in the Waveform Editor. This opens the Local Gain Control
window.
3. If necessary, select the audio segment to be adjusted. (See Marking and Selecting
a Waveform for an Item on page 106.) If there is no marked segment, the entire
item will be affected. If desired, change the Waveform Editor to a 3-D mode and
select a time segment and/or frequency range. (See Working in the 3-D
Environment on page 112.)
4. In the Local Gain Control window:
a. Select Post-Normalization, if desired.
Note:
This is possible only if a frequency range was selected in the 3-D mode
of the Waveform Editor)
b. Enter a value between 0 and 100 in the Percent Gain field, or use the
up/down arrows to increment or decrement the value. For the extremes,
the effects will be as follows:
• A value of 0 will have no effect on the selection (Increase or
Decrease).
• A value of 100 and selecting Increase will cause the amplitude of
the selection to double.
• A value of 100 and selecting Decrease will cause the selection to
be silenced.
c. Click on Increase or Decrease, whichever is appropriate.
Note:
The following information pertains to using the Local Gain Control tool.
• This tool changes an item's digital audio contents via arithmetic calculations. If the
volume of an item is decreased, expanding the reduced amplitude by the same
percentage will not restore the item to its original condition. To fully restore an item,
use the Undo option on the Waveform Editor Edit menu, or the Reload button at the
top of the Waveform Editor. (See Undo on page 136 and Reload on page 134.)
• If the file was opened in read-only mode, this function is unavailable. (See Opening a
MultiMedia File on page 35.)
• When the volume level of the signal is boosted, any background noise (e.g., hiss) in
the recording will likewise be increased. If it is desired to increase the volume of only
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selected frequency ranges within the item, use the equalizer functions. (See Using the
Equalizer Tools on page 165.)
• If it is necessary to adjust the volumes of multiple items by a common scale factor, the
Gain feature may be used in batch mode. (See Global Gain Control on page 164.)
• The Normalization feature can also be used to adjust the volume of items after they
are recorded. (See Normalizing a Recording on page 150.)
Global Gain Control
The Global Gain Control tool allows the volume levels of items to be freely scaled up or down.
If items from a given vocabulary are digitized from the same source, it is likely that their volumes
will be similar. If it is the case that a few of the items have volumes that are inconsistent with
respect to the rest, then the Local Gain Control function can be used to correct them. If a large
number of items or if all vocabulary items have volume levels that are consistent with respect
to each other, but the volume is too loud or soft for the production environment, the Global
Gain Control function can be used to adjust all selected items by the same percentage. This
method preserves consistency among the items, while adjusting their volumes to an
appropriate level.
To access the Global Gain Control window, select Batch Tools > Gain... in the MultiMedia File
Editor.
The Global Gain tool can be applied to multiple items with a frequency range selected in one
of the items. (See Working in the 3-D Environment on page 112.) If global gain is applied to
multiple items when a frequency range is selected, the specified gain will be applied only to
that frequency range in the selected items. If the Post-Normalize option is selected, all the
items will be normalized to themselves. (See Local Gain Control on page 162 for details.)
Note:
The following information pertains to using this function:
• See Introduction on page 147 before using this function to modify critical data.
• Another means of adjusting the volume of a set of items is to use the Normalization
feature in batch mode. See Global Normalization on page 152.
• The Gain function changes an item's digital audio contents arithmetically. If the volume
of an item is decreased, increasing the reduced amplitude by the same percentage will
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Using the Equalizer Tools
not restore the item to its original condition. It is recommended that a backup copy of
the data file be made before using this function.
• Item volume levels should not be boosted such that they exceed -8 dbm (as shown by
the Sound Level meter) during playback.
• Consider the possibility of using one of the equalization functions. (See The Global
Graphic Equalizer on page 169 and The Global Parametric Equalizer on page 173.)
Caution:
Before globally adjusting the gain of multiple items, the multimedia file (MMF) should be
backed up. Applying this function to one or more items cannot be undone. After using this
function, audibly verify the effect on each of the items. If the results are not satisfactory, the
entire MMF or individual items may need to be restored from the backup.
To apply Global Gain Control to multiple items:
1. Select the items which are to have their volume levels adjusted, in the MultiMedia
File Editor.
2. Select Batch Tools > Gain.... The Global Gain Control window opens.
3. If desired, change the Waveform Editor to a 3-D mode and select a frequency range
in one of the items. (See Working in the 3-D Environment on page 112.)
4. In the Global Gain Control window:
a. Select Post-Normalization, if desired.
Note:
This will be possible only if a frequency range was selected in the 3D mode of the Waveform Editor.
b. Configure the Percent Gain parameter. (See Local Gain Control on
page 162 for details.)
c. Click on Increase or Decrease, whichever is appropriate. One by one,
all selected items are adjusted. When the process is finished, the
message Batch Gain Completed is shown on the Action line.
Using the Equalizer Tools
The equalizer tools are used to improve the overall sound of poor recordings by making
adjustments to an item's frequency characteristics. (A well-made recording should not require
any equalization.) Either or both types of equalization may be used on the same item.
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Tool
Description
Graphic Equalization Adjusts the relative volumes of selected frequency bands in the
signal of the current item. (See Graphic Equalization on page 166.)
Parametric
Equalization
Adjusts selected frequency ranges to be emphasized, deemphasized, or altogether removed. (See Parametric
Equalization on page 170.)
If all of the items in an MMF file were digitized from the same source, usually similar equalizer
settings should be used for processing each item. However, if some of the items contain
acoustic anomalies, the equalizer settings may have to be set uniquely for each item.
These two tools are quite flexible and can be used to make significant changes to the acoustic
characteristics of items. However, if extreme settings are used, the results might not be natural
sounding. Also, extreme settings that produce acceptable quality sound in the MPS Studio
environment, may not be acceptable for use in voice processing applications. Always verify
the final equalized output by listening to the audio through the local telephone attached to the
system. (See Play Parameters on page 118 for information about specifying the output device.)
Note:
The following information pertains to the use of the equalizer tools:
• Selecting a frequency range has no effect on any of the equalizer tools. Equalizer
functions are applied to the entire frequency content of the item(s).
• After modifying an item using either of the equalizers, resetting and applying the
equalization controls will not restore the item to its original condition. To fully restore
an item, use the Undo option of the Waveform Editor Edit menu or the Reload function
of the Waveform Editor. (See Undo on page 136 and Reload on page 134.)
• If it is desired to attenuate or boost the volume level across an item's entire frequency
range, use the Gain Control function. (See Gain Control of Recorded Items on
page 161.)
• The intended use of the equalizers is to compensate for deficiencies in poorly recorded
signals. A well-made recording should not require any equalization.
• The telephone is essentially a low-fidelity audio transmission device and does not have
the dynamic range capability of the MPS Studio workstation environment. Extreme
equalizer settings that produce acceptable quality sound in MPS Studio might not be
acceptable for use in voice processing applications.
Graphic Equalization
The Graphic Equalizer is used to adjust the relative volume levels of the current item's signal
in five frequency bands. It is particularly useful if items have been recorded from more than
one source. By customizing the controls specifically for the items recorded from each source,
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The Local Graphic Equalizer
it is possible to make them sound more consistent (within reason), as if they were all from the
same source. This function may be used in conjunction with the parametric equalizer. (See
Parametric Equalization on page 170.) Graphic equalization can be performed on a single
item (local graphic equalizer) or multiple items (global graphic equalizer).
The Local Graphic Equalizer
The Local Graphic Equalizer has constant Q-coefficient band-pass filters with center
frequencies indicated by the on-screen slide controls. Each band consists of a range of
frequencies centered around the primary frequency, which is indicated by the label on its slide
control. Generally, small modifications produce better results than extreme changes when
using either of the equalizer tools.
To access the Local Graphic Equalizer window, select Tools > Graphic EQ... in the Waveform
Editor.
Each slide control represents a single frequency band, which is used to attenuate the band
within a 24 dB range. The flat setting (i.e., no equalization) is when all of the slides are set to
their highest position (i.e., 0 dB).
Note:
The slide controls cannot be used to boost signals. Use the Local Gain Control function if it
is necessary to amplify the signal. (See Local Gain Control on page 162.)
The slide controls may be adjusted independently of each other. Each control corresponds to
a specific frequency band as follows:
Control
Description
125 Hz
Very low frequencies. Use this control to minimize bass rumble and other
forms of low frequency distortion.
250 Hz
Low midrange frequencies. Use this control to thin out the lower tones of voice
data. If voice data has too much bass, the output will not be optimally clear.
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Control
Description
500 Hz
Midrange frequencies. Most voice data is carried in this range. Use this control
to attenuate voices in a mixed voice and music recording. One of the effects
of decreasing this setting is that the apparent overall frequency response of
the item can be improved (i.e., high and low-tone frequencies will become
more prominent).
1000 Hz
High midrange frequencies. Use this control if the recording sounds too
harsh.
3000 Hz
High frequencies. This control can be used to lessen the effect of high-end
distortion in the voice data (often produced by the enunciation of consonants
like "s" and "t"). Also, this control can be used to reduce high-end background
noise (i.e., hiss) in the recording.
PostNormalize
button
Normalizes the item to its previous level after equalization is applied. May
reduce some of the desired effects of equalization. For example, when
equalizing to reduce low frequencies, post normalization may boost the higher
frequencies to retain the original level.
To use the Local Graphic Equalizer to modify an item's audio data:
1. Select the item to be adjusted, making it the current item, and open the Waveform
Editor window. The item's waveform should be visible in the Waveform Editor
window.
2. Select Tools > Graphic EQ.... This opens the Local Graphic Equalizer window.
3. If necessary, select the audio segment to be modified. If there is a selected segment,
the equalizer settings will be applied only to the audio data within that segment.
(See Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on page 106.)
4. In the Local Graphic Equalizer window:
a. Set the Post-Normalize button as desired.
b. Use the slide controls to specify the adjustment for each frequency band.
Each frequency band may be adjusted independently of the others.
Usually small adjustments (e.g., less than 4 dB) produce the best
results.
c. Click on the Apply button. This modifies the item (or marked segment)
based on the specified slide control settings.
Note:
See Introduction on page 147 for important information about using the Graphic Equalizer
and other signal processing tools.
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The Global Graphic Equalizer
The Global Graphic Equalizer
The Global Graphic Equalizer is used to perform graphic equalization of multiple items from
the MultiMedia File Editor. It is particularly useful when several items have been recorded from
the same source and conditions, and the outcome of this operation is predictable.
Caution:
Before using the Global Graphic Equalizer on multiple items, the multimedia file (MMF)
should be backed up. Global equalization of one or more items cannot be undone. After
using the Global Graphic Equalizer, audibly verify the effect on each of the items. If the
results are not satisfactory, the entire MMF or individual items may need to be restored from
the backup.
To access the Global Graphic Equalizer window, select Batch Tools > Graphic EQ... in the
MultiMedia File Editor.
To use the Global Graphic Equalizer on multiple items:
1. Back up the MMF to be modified, to another directory or file.
2. Select the items to be adjusted from the item selection list in the MultiMedia File
editor.
3. Select Batch Tools > Graphic EQ.... This opens the Global Graphic Equalizer
window.
4. In the Global Graphic Equalizer window:
a. Set the Post-Normalize button as desired.
b. Use the slide controls to specify the adjustment for each frequency band.
Each frequency band may be adjusted independently of the others. Make
the adjustments based on previous experience with items that were
recorded under similar conditions.
c. Click on the Apply button. This modifies the selected items based on the
specified slide control settings.
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d. Audibly verify the results on each item. If the results are not satisfactory,
restore the original MMF (or individual items) and retry the procedure.
Consider modifying each item locally. (See The Local Graphic
Equalizer on page 167.)
Note:
The slide controls cannot be used to boost signals. Use the Global Gain Control function if
it is necessary to amplify the signals. (See Global Gain Control on page 164 .)
Parametric Equalization
The Parametric Equalizer is used to adjust the frequency characteristics of the current item in
a user-specified range. It is primarily used for reducing high frequency background noise and
low frequency distortion by attenuating signals within specific frequency ranges. However, the
shelf filters may also be used to provide small signal boosts. The Parametric Equalizer may
be used in conjunction with the Graphic Equalizer. (See Graphic Equalization on page 166.)
Parametric equalization can be performed on a single item (local parametric equalizer) or
multiple items (global parametric equalizer).
The Local Parametric Equalizer
Each use of this tool attenuates or accentuates the audio data in one frequency band. The
controls may be combined and used multiple times on the same item, allowing control over the
entire audio spectrum.
To access the Local Parametric Equalizer window, select Tools > Parametric EQ... in the
Waveform Editor menu.
Note:
In the preceding image, all the fields in the Local Parametric Equalizer window are shown
as available for use (not grayed out). This is for the purpose of clear illustration only. There
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The Local Parametric Equalizer
are six available filter types, of which only one can be used at a time. When a filter type is
selected, only the window fields relevant to that filter are accessible. The actual conditions
under which the various fields are available are discussed in the following table.
Field/Control
Post-Normalize button
Filter type
Description
Normalizes the item to its previous level after
equalization is applied. May reduce some of
the desired effects of equalization. For
example, when equalizing to reduce low
frequencies, post normalization may boost the
higher frequencies to retain the original level.
High Pass
Removes bass frequencies from the item's
waveform. All audio information below the
value specified in the Cutoff Freq field is
eliminated.
Low Pass
Removes high frequencies from the item's
waveform. All audio information above the
value specified in the Cutoff Freq field is
eliminated.
Band Pass
Retains midrange frequencies, eliminating all
others. The specifications in the Center Freq
and Bandwidth fields define the frequency
range to be preserved during equalization. The
value in the Center Freq field specifies the
middle of the range. The value in the Bandwidth
field determines the size of the range. All
frequencies outside the target frequency range
will be removed from the item's signal.
High Shelf
Cuts or boosts frequencies above the specified
cutoff. This filter adjusts the relative volume
level of frequencies in the item's waveform
above the value specified in the Cutoff Freq
field based on the setting of the Gain slide. The
Gain setting determines the amount of
adjustment to the target frequencies.
Frequency levels may be boosted by up to 10
dB and reduced by as much as 24 dB.
Low Shelf
Cuts or boosts frequencies below the specified
cutoff. This filter adjusts the relative volume
level of frequencies in the item's waveform
below the value specified in the Cutoff Freq
field based on the setting of the Gain slide.
Frequency levels may be boosted by up to 10
dB and reduced by as much as 24 dB.
Band Stop
Inverse function of Band Pass filter. Removes
all frequencies in a band specified by the
Bandwidth field, centered at the frequency
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Field/Control
Description
defined by the Center Freq field. All
frequencies outside the Band Stop filter are
retained.
Frequency
specifiers
Slide control
Cutoff Freq
Specifies the cutoff value used by the High
Pass, Low Pass, High Shelf, and Low Shelf
filters.
Center Freq
Specifies the middle of the frequency envelope
used by the Band Pass and Band Stop filters.
Bandwidth
Specifies the width of the frequency envelope
used by the Band Pass and Band Stop filters.
Gain
Used by the High Shelf and Low Shelf filters to
determine the level by which the targeted
frequencies are amplified or attenuated. Levels
may be boosted by up to 10 dB and reduced by
as much as 24 dB.
To use the Parametric Equalizer to modify an item's audio data:
1. Select the item to be adjusted, making it the current item, and open the Waveform
Editor window. This item's waveform should be visible in the Waveform Editor
window.
2. If necessary, select the audio segment to be modified. If there is a selected segment,
the equalizer settings will be applied only to the audio data within that segment.
(See Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on page 106.)
3. Select Tools > Parametric EQ.... This opens the Local Parametric Equalizer
window.
4. In the Local Parametric Equalizer window:
a. Select Post-Normalization, if desired.
b. Specify the type of frequency adjustment operation as follows:
• To remove bass frequencies (e.g., to diminish bass rumble), select
the High Pass filter, then specify the lowest frequency that is to be
retained in the Cutoff Freq field.
• To remove high frequencies (e.g., to diminish tape hiss), select the
Low Pass filter, then specify the highest frequency that is to be
retained in the Cutoff Freq field.
• To remove frequencies outside of a specified range (e.g., to retain
a selected frequency envelope), select the Band Pass filter, and
specify the middle frequency to be retained in the Center Freq field.
Then specify the width of the frequency envelope in the Bandwidth
field.
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• To attenuate or accentuate bass frequencies (as opposed to
removing them altogether), select the Low Shelf filter, then specify
the lowest frequency that is to remain unaffected in the Cutoff Freq
field. Then set the Gain slide control as appropriate.
• To attenuate or accentuate high frequencies, select the High Shelf
filter, then specify the highest frequency that is to remain unaffected
in the Cutoff Freq field. Then set the Gain slide control as
appropriate.
• To remove frequencies within a specified range (e.g., to remove or
"notch" a selected frequency), select the Band Stop filter, and
specify the middle frequency to be removed in the Center Freq field.
Then specify the width of the frequency envelope in the Bandwidth
field.
c. Click on the Apply button. This modifies the item (or selected segment)
based on the specified slide control settings.
The Global Parametric Equalizer
The Global Parametric Equalizer is used to perform parametric equalization of multiple items
from the MultiMedia File Editor. It is particularly useful when several items have been recorded
from the same source and conditions, and the outcome of this operation is predictable.
Caution:
Before using the Global Parametric Equalizer on several items, the multimedia file (MMF)
should be backed up. Global equalization of multiple items cannot be undone. After using
the Global Parametric Equalizer, audibly verify the effect on each of the items. If the results
are not satisfactory, the entire MMF or individual items may need to be restored from the
backup.
To access the Global Parametric Equalizer window, select Batch Tools > Parametric EQ... in
the MultiMedia File Editor.
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Note:
In the preceding image, all the fields in the Global Parametric Equalizer window are shown
as available for use (not grayed out). This is for the purpose of clear illustration only. The
actual conditions under which the various fields are available are discussed under The Local
Parametric Equalizer on page 170 .
To use the Global Parametric Equalizer on multiple items:
1. Back up the MMF to be modified, to another directory or file.
2. Select the items to be adjusted from the item selection list in the MultiMedia File
editor.
3. Select Batch Tools > Parametric EQ.... This opens the Global Parametric Equalizer
window.
4. Configure the Global Parametric Equalizer as described under The Local
Parametric Equalizer on page 170.
5. Click on the Apply button. This modifies the selected items based on the specified
control settings.
6. Audibly verify the results on each item. If the results are not satisfactory, restore the
original MMF (or individual items) and retry the procedure. Consider modifying each
item locally. (See The Local Parametric Equalizer on page 170.)
Filtering for DTMF Tones
This function scans the current item's waveform for audio frequency patterns that match any
standard telephone line DTMF tones (i.e., touch tones) and provides an indication if any are
present.
In the voice processing environment, one of the means by which callers communicate with an
application is by entering touch tones via the telephone keypad. Depending on the application,
the touch tones might be used as data input, or to signal instructions to the Avaya Media
Processing Server (MPS) Series system (e.g., to stop accepting voice input, repeat the last
message, etc.). The frequencies used for DTMF tones are in the lower half of the telephone
bandwidth, which is also within the frequency range of human speech. If part of an item's
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DTMF Detection Types
waveform matches a DTMF tone, the MPS Series system might interpret the audio output as
one or more caller-entered touch tones when that item is output by the system, and act
accordingly. This type of occurrence is referred to as talk-off. This tool locates potential
occurrences of talk-off that could be caused by items spoken by an MPS Series system.
Note:
Any audio signal can contain random modulation that may be interpreted as DTMF tones.
The presence of these anomalies are not necessarily the result of inadvertent touch-tone
input. All vocabularies should be checked for DTMF tones after all audio processing is done
and before the MMF is activated in an MPS Series application.
DTMF Detection Types
There are two types of DTMF detection algorithms available in MPS Studio, Quick Detection
and DFT-based Detection.
The Quick Detection method is a faster process that is useful for quick DTMF detection on
audio recordings longer than one minute. The DFT-based Detection method is a more thorough
but slower algorithm for detailed DTMF detection. However, the DFT method is not
recommended for recordings longer than one minute.
Configure the DTMF Guard Time for DTMF Detection
You can configure the DTMF guard time for DTMF detection. The guard time is the minimum
time duration a tone must exist for it to be detected. There is no GUI option for configuring the
guard time.
Before you configure the DTMF guard time, note the following:
• If you change the DTMFGuardTime parameter while MPS Studio is open, the change will
not take effect until the next time you close and open MPS Studio.
• By default, the DTMFGuardTime is 40 milliseconds (ms).
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• If you set the DTMFGuardTime parameter to less than 40 ms, the parameter is treated
internally as 40 ms.
• If you set the DTMFGuardTime parameter to greater than 32767 ms, the parameter is
treated internally as 40 ms.
To configure the DTMF guard time, do the following.
Configuring the DTMF guard time
1. Open and close MPS Studio.
2. Open the file $HOME/.pstudiorc (on Windows) or %HOME%\.pstudiorc (on Solaris)
in a text editor.
3. Edit the entry peristudio.DTMFGuardTime and set the required guard time.
For example: peristudio.DTMFGuardTime:40
4. Save the file.
5. The next time you open MPS Studio, the new DTMFGuardTime takes effect.
Single Item DTMF Detection
To check for DTMF tones in an item, load the item into Waveform Editor, then click on the
DTMF Detection button. Select the desired detection method, either Quick Detection or DFTbased Detection. If the item contains any DTMF characteristics, they will be indicated between
pairs of vertical lines (green) in the upper waveform display. If no lines appear after selecting
this function, the item does not contain any (detectable) DTMF tones. If multiple DTMF tones
have been detected, they will be indicated with alternating pairs of green and blue vertical
lines.
Note:
The sample.mmi/.mmd supplied with MPS Studio contains an item named Change/Cancel
menu . This item contains a DTMF tone. A read-only copy of the sample MMF should always
be kept for reference. (See Backing Up and Restoring the Sample Files on page 183 .) The
following illustration shows a modified version of the Change/Cancel menu item, where the
portion of the waveform containing the DTMF tone has been copied and pasted several
times. This is shown for illustrative purposes only.
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After this function is used, a status message is displayed indicating whether or not DTMF tones
were detected. The following message will be shown in the Action field if any tones were found:
DTMF code number(s) detected (N total tone(s)): C 1 , C 2 , ..., C N, where N is the number of
detected tones and the C values represent the designations of the various detected codes. If
no tones are detected, the displayed Action message is No DTMF codes were detected in
audio data.
Note:
Some audio items (e.g., those used in outdial sequences) in the voice processing
environment contain recorded frequency patterns that are used for providing telephony
signaling tones. It is normal that these items contain DTMF frequencies. Only those items
that are speech items should have DTMF frequency patterns removed from their signals.
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The waveforms of every item found to have DTMF tones (except for those items intended for
telephone signalling) should be adjusted such that the frequencies no longer coincide with
DTMFs. To remove DTMF tones, the first step is to use the signal processing functions (e.g.,
the Local Graphic Equalizer) to operate on the areas that have the tones. One by one, mark
off these areas and use the tools, applying small adjustments to these areas. Usually, small
adjustments will be effective. In some cases however, minor alterations might not be adequate,
and the items may have to be rerecorded. When attempting to remove DTMF tones, it is
important to operate only on the specific areas of the waveform that contain the tones.
Otherwise, it is possible that by operating on other areas, new DTMF characteristics may be
created within the item.
Note:
The talk-off characteristics of human speech are variable and the nature of the telephone
network also has an impact on how or whether talk-off will manifest itself. Thus, not all items
that may cause talk-off are detectable by this function due to the wide variety of equipment
that may be supporting the telephone connection. Further, DTMF tones detected by this
function might not actually cause talk-off during online operations. However, speech items
that are reported to contain DTMF patterns by this function should be modified using the
signal processing functions to reduce potential interference during on-line operations.
To scan an item for DTMF tones:
1. Designate the item that is to be scanned as the current item, and open the Waveform
Editor window. This item's waveform should be visible in the Waveform Editor
window.
2. Click on the DTMF Detection button. The Local DTMF Detection window opens.
3. Select the desired detection method, either Quick Detection or DFT-based
Detection, and click on the Apply button. This begins the DTMF scan immediately.
The duration of the scanning process depends on the length of the item and the
detection method selected. When the scan of the current item is complete, this
function terminates.
Automatically removing DTMF tones from an item:
Note:
In the steps below, sample.mmi is being used only as an example of the steps to be followed
for automatically removing DTMF tones from an MMF file.
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Single Item DTMF Detection
1. Open a writable copy of the sample MMF (sample.mmi) file provided with MPS
Studio. Then load the item named Change/Cancel menu into the Waveform
Editor.
2. Either select the entire item or a portion of the item. (See Marking and Selecting a
Waveform for an Item on page 106.)
3. Select Tools > DTMF Fix.... Perform either step 4 or step 5.
4. To remove specific frequency pairs (touch tones) from the selected item, check the
box, Select one or more DTMF frequency pairs to filter out: and click on the button(s)
of the desired frequency pair(s).
Note:
Removing unwanted DTMF tones using frequency pairs is only recommended
when an item is known to have talked-off on the system and the DTMF was not
detected by MPS Studio.
5. To remove all DTMF tones from an item, select Automatically detect and remove
DTMFs: then select the detection method, Quick Detection or DFT-based
Detection.
Manually removing DTMF tones from an item:
Note:
In the steps below, sample.mmi is being used only as an example of the steps to be followed
for manually removing DTMF tones from an MMF file.
1. Open a writable copy of the sample MMF (sample.mmi) file provided with MPS
Studio. Then load the item named Change/Cancel menu into the Waveform
Editor.
2. Play the item one or more times. Listen carefully to its acoustic characteristics.
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3. Scan this item for DTMF tones. One DTMF tone should be found.
4. Use the mouse pointer and Time @ Pointer field to find the time coordinates of the
DTMF area boundaries.
5. Double-click while pointing just left of the first vertical line to focus the waveform
edit display on this segment. Then select the DTMF area between the indicated
lines. (See Marking and Selecting a Waveform for an Item on page 106.)
6. Open the Local Graphic Equalizer window and set the 1000 Hz control to one notch
below 0 dB and click Apply. The control must be centered at the notch for this to
work. (See Graphic Equalization on page 166.)
7. Deselect the item by <RIGHT> clicking in the waveform edit panel.
8. Scan it for DTMF tones again. There should be none present.
9. Play the item again. Note that there is no audible difference. As is evident, the DTMF
tone was removed by applying a small amount of equalization to an area
approximately 1/20 of a second in duration.
Note:
The above example shows how a small change to the item's waveform can remove DTMF
frequency characteristics. However, it is also true that signal processing changes can
introduce occurrences of DTMF tones where there were none before. For this reason, it is
necessary to scan for DTMFs after any of the signal processing tools are used, even if the
modifications are seemingly minor.
Batch DTMF Detection
The batch-mode DTMF Detect function scans the waveforms of all selected items for audio
frequency patterns that match standard DTMF tones (i.e., touch tones) and provides an
indication if any are present. With the exception of items used for phone line control (e.g.,
outdial sequences), every item should be checked before it is used in the production
environment. This function is a convenient way to scan all items or a subset of them. The DTMF
Detections window appears only if DTMF tone(s) are detected in one or more of the selected
items.
Any items found to have DTMF tones will have their names and item numbers displayed in the
DTMF Detections window, along with indications denoting the specific tone designations that
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have been found. In the preceding image, one item containing one DTMF frequency was found.
If more items were identified as containing DTMF tones, they would be listed as well.
The listed items can also be copied to the Pick List. <RIGHT> clicking in the list area displays
the single option pop-up menu (Copy to Pick List) shown above.
This window may also be used to select items, one at a time, for the purpose of editing them
to remove the DTMF frequencies.
Note:
The following information pertains to using the Batch DTMF Detection function:
• See Filtering for DTMF Tones on page 174 for background information.
• The detection function does not modify any audio data. If DTMF tones are detected by
this function, those areas in the item waveforms would have to be adjusted using one
or more of the signal processing tools, such that the frequencies no longer coincide
with DTMF tones.
• After processing the waveform, even if the modifications are minor, it is necessary to
use this function again to both ensure that the existing incidences of tones have been
removed and that no new tones have been introduced.
Caution:
Before using batch DTMF detection to remove DTMF tones from item(s), the multimedia file
(MMF) should be backed up. Globally fixing DTMF tones in one or more items cannot be
undone. After using this function, audibly verify the effect on each of the items. If the results
are not satisfactory, the entire MMF or individual items may need to be restored from the
backup.
To detect and remove DTMF tones in batch mode:
1. To detect DTMF tones, select the items in the MultiMedia File Editor that are to be
scanned (or add them to the Pick List), and select Batch Tools > DTMF Detection.
The Global DTMF Detection window opens.
2. Select the desired detection method, either Quick Detection or DFT-based
Detection, and click the Apply button. Immediately, the system begins scanning
items for DTMF tones, and the following window is displayed:
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Status messages that indicate the progress of the operation will be shown on the
Action line. When the process is complete, the DTMF Detections window will open
displaying a list of items containing tones. If any are found, the message Batch
DTMF Detection Completed, N items with DTMF tone(s) detected is shown on the
Action line (where N is the number of items containing detected tones).
3. Remove the DTMF tones using any of the following methods:
• Click on one of the items in the detection list. This opens the Waveform Editor
with the location(s) of the detected tones indicated in the upper waveform
display. The tones can be filtered as described under Single Item DTMF
Detection on page 176.
• Select one of the items in the detection list, then click on the Fix button. A popup containing a cautionary statement is displayed. Clicking on Continue
automatically removes the DTMF tones from the selected item. This operation
cannot be undone.
• Click on the Fix All button. A pop-up containing a cautionary statement is
displayed. Clicking on Continue automatically removes the DTMF tones from
all the items listed in the DTMF Detections window. This operation cannot be
undone.
4. Verify that the existing tones have been removed and that no new ones have been
introduced:
a. Reselect all items that were processed in step 3 on page 182.
b. Go back to step 1 on page 181, and repeat the entire procedure until no
tones are detected.
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Appendix A: Installation Procedures
This chapter covers:
1. Installing MPS Studio
2. Installing the Audio Interface
3. The Avaya Speech and Development Platform
Installing MPS Studio
Installation of MPS Studio is comprised of installing any prerequisite Avaya software packages,
the MPS Studio software package, and the audio interface. In order to use all of the features
of MPS Studio, the software and audio interface must be properly installed. If the installation
is incomplete, some of the functions might not work as described in this manual. After the
system is installed, the software is ready to be used.
Installation procedures for the various configurations of the audio interface are contained in
the subsequent sections of this appendix.
Backing Up and Restoring the Sample Files
Along with the MPS Studio program files, three sample vocabulary files are installed in the
directory specified by %MPSHOME%/PERIpstu/sample on Solaris or $MPSHOME/
PERIpstu/sample on Windows. These three files (sample.mmi, sample.mmd, and
testone.def1) are used extensively for examples in other places in this manual. These sample
MMF files should be backed up for the purpose of safekeeping.
Backing Up Files
The following command sequence backs up the sample vocabulary files. This procedure
should be done only once, when MPS Studio is installed. (Some of the examples in this manual
modify these files, so it is important to back them up before they have been modified.)
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To back up the sample files in Solaris:
1. In a C-shell (csh) or VSH Tool, enter the following command: cd $MPSHOME/
PERIpstu/sample
This sets the present working directory to the one used to store the MPS Studio
files.
2. Create a subdirectory called backups: mkdir backups
3. Copy the files to that subdirectory: cp sample.* backups
4. Make the files read-only: chmod 444 backups/sample.*
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for testtone.def1.
To back up the sample files in Windows:
1. In a Command Prompt window, enter the following command: cd %MPSHOME%/
PERIpstu/sample
This sets the present working directory to the one used to store the MPS Studio
files.
2. Create a subdirectory called backups: mkdir backups
3. Copy the files to that subdirectory: copy sample.* backups
4. Make the files read-only: attrib +r backups\sample.*
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for testtone.def1.
Restoring Files from Backups
At any point while using the sample files, if the intended results are not obtained, it may be
necessary to copy the backup sample files into the main directory, and then start the exercises
again. The following command sequence is used to restore the sample files. This procedure
may be done as needed.
To restore the sample files from the backups in Solaris:
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Installing the Audio Interface
1. Close the sample file if it is loaded.
2. Exit from MPS Studio.
3. Change to the MPS Studio home directory: cd $MPSHOME/PERIpstu/sample
4. Copy the files to this directory: cp backups/sample.* .
5. Restart MPS Studio.
6. Open the sample file again.
To restore the sample files from the backups in Windows:
1. Close the sample file if it is loaded.
2. Exit from MPS Studio.
3. Change to the MPS Studio home directory: cd %MPSHOME%/PERIpstu/sample
4. Copy the files to this directory: copy backups\sample.* .
5. Restart MPS Studio.
6. Open the sample file again.
Installing the Audio Interface
In order for MPS Studio to access various audio input and output devices, a hardware interface
is required to connect these devices to the Avaya Media Processing Server (MPS) Series or
workstation. Recommended devices include tape decks, microphones, and telephones.
Interface
Audio Package
Description
The Avaya Speech and Development Platform is the recommended
platform for vocabulary development. It is a packaged system
comprised of tape deck, mixer, microphone, and associated cables for
interconnection. (See The Avaya Speech and Development Platform on
page 186.)
All cables for connecting the audio interface to the system and standard audio devices are
supplied by Avaya. Non-standard audio sources may also be used, if adapted properly to the
interface.
To monitor the audio output via the audio interface when playing items in MPS Studio, the Line
Out option must be selected in the Thru field of the Play Parameters window. (See Play
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Parameters on page 118.) When recording, in addition to having a properly connected
interface, the appropriate settings must be made in the General Record Parameters window.
(See General Record Parameters on page 124.) This includes setting the Rec. Volume control
to a level appropriate for the specified Input Source.
Note:
The following pertains to using a tape deck to supply audio input to MPS Studio. (See Denon
Tape Deck on page 189 for additional information.)
• The electrical characteristics of the interface adapters are optimized for use with the
SPARC microphone, Denon DRM-540 tape deck, and the headphones that are
supplied with the system hardware. Other equipment may also be used assuming it is
properly connected to the interface adapter, but less than optimal audio quality may be
the result.
• If you are not using the Denon tape deck that is supplied with the system and your deck
has an output level control (e.g., a Nakamichi), this control must be set in inverse
relation to the Rec. Volume software control (i.e., as one is set higher, the other must
be set lower) when using the deck to provide audio input. Initially, set the output level
to the center position, and then vary it based on the results that are achieved.
The Avaya Speech and Development Platform
The Avaya Speech and Development platform (Audio Package) is a set of add-ons for a standalone development workstation that enables the production of MMF files with MPS Studio. The
Audio Package is intended for those users who desire to use a separate workstation as an
application and vocabulary development system.
The Audio Package consists of the following components:
Component
microphone
microphone stand
stereo jack (1/4" -> RCA)
stereo mixer (Mixpad 9 or MDR624)
tape deck (Denon)
headphones
cable, 1/4" (dual) to 3.5mm (single)
cable, microphone (male/female)
cable, stereo jack (1/4" to RCA)
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The Mixpad 9 Stereo Mixer
Component
cable, dual stereo (RCA to RCA)
Two configurations of the Audio Package are provided for development of speech vocabularies
for use with MPS Studio:
• The Non-Captive Analog Recording Configuration on page 190
• The Vocabulary Digitization Configuration on page 192
The non-captive analog recording configuration is intended for making high quality recordings
of speech vocabularies on tape. The vocabulary digitization configuration provides facilities for
digitizing analog vocabularies to MMF files. The configurations described in these procedures
are not mutually exclusive. They can be installed on the same platform.
The Mixpad 9 Stereo Mixer
The Mixpad 9 is an audio mixing board that routes input from a source device (e.g., a
microphone) to the system tape deck. The Mixpad 9 is used for single-source and multi-source
mixed recording. For mixed recordings, two or more microphones and/or line-level inputs can
be combined into a single signal and delivered to the tape deck.
The Mixpad 9 supports the following features:
• Three balanced XLR microphone inputs.
• Electronically balanced main stereo output.
• Dedicated tape/CD player input.
• Two-band equalization for each channel.
• Pan controls for balancing left and right channels.
• 48-volt phantom power and microphone trims.
• Peak LED meters for left and right main outputs for showing signal level (e.g.,
overload).
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The MDR624 Six Channel Mixer
The MDR624 is a six channel mixer, with two low noise microphone pre-amps. In addition to
the two mono Mic/line inputs, there are two channels with left and right inputs to handle stereo
signals. The tone quality of microphones or other line inputs can be changed by using the
three-band channel equalizers.
The MDR624 supports the following features:
• Six channels - Two Mic/Line plus two Stereo inputs.
• 2 Track to Mix Level control allows mixing of CD, DAT, Cassette, Computer Sound Card
or Mini Disk with the channel faders.
• Three-band channel equalizer, +/-15 dB at 80 Hz, 2.5 kHz and 12 kHz provides precise
and musical results in sound shaping.
• Auxiliary Send for external effects, on stage monitor mix, or headphone mixing.
• LED Meter with VU ballistics displays the main MIX output.
• Discrete microphone pre-amplifiers with 48-Volt phantom power, provide Maximum
Dynamic Range and transparent audio.
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Denon Tape Deck
Denon Tape Deck
The Denon tape deck is a high-quality standard audio cassette deck. Because of its superior
performance and audio characteristics, it is recommended that you use only the Denon tape
deck supplied with the Audio Package when performing batch recording with MPS Studio.
The recording level meter on the deck indicates the exact volume of the input. Generally, the
input level control should be positioned between 4 and 5. As the audio characteristics of the
input change (e.g., deep voice vs. high-pitched voice, regular speech vs. emphasized speech),
the recording levels will also change. Therefore, before recording, the input level on the tape
deck should be tested (i.e., adjusted) to each voice segment. Make sure that the maximum
level indication on the meter reads 0 dB. After the recording has been captured on tape, the
recording can be digitized into an MMF file using MPS Studio. (See Recording Items in Batch
Mode on page 129.)
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For the digitization process, MPS Studio allows the volume level of the input source (in this
case, the tape deck) to be adjusted. (See General Record Parameters on page 124.) This is
to be done if the output level of the tape deck is too high or too low.
Note:
For best results, use a metal particle type cassette. Also, Dolby C noise reduction should
be enabled during both recording and playback to minimize background noise and tape hiss.
(See Creating Audio Tapes for Use with MPS Studio on page 131 for more information.)
The Non-Captive Analog Recording Configuration
The non-captive analog recording configuration is used to make high quality recordings of
speech vocabularies on tape.
To configure the Audio Package hardware for non-captive analog recording (see the illustration
that follows):
1. Connect the AC power transformer to the mixer.
2. Connect the microphone cable:
a. Connect the male end of the microphone cable to the female connector
on the mixer.
b. Connect the female end of the microphone cable to the male connector
on the microphone.
3. Connect the stereo jack cable:
a. Connect the 1/4" stereo jacks to the BALANCED MAIN OUTPUT LEFT/
RIGHT (Mixpad 9) or MIX OUTPUT (MDR624) connections on the
mixer.
b. Connect the RCA jacks to the LINE IN L/R jacks of the tape deck.
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The Non-Captive Analog Recording Configuration
4. Connect the left Line Out jack of the tape deck to the Line In jack of the development
workstation.
5. Connect the power cord of the mixer to an AC power source.
6. Connect the power cord of the tape deck to an AC source.
Note:
To configure the Mixpad 9 proceed to step 7, to configure the MDR624 mixer
proceed to skip 8.
7. Configure the Mixpad 9 mixer as follows (See illustration under The Mixpad 9 Stereo
Mixer on page 187.):
a. Set the MIC TRIM control fully clockwise to -50.
b. Set the HIGH and LOW controls to middle positions (between -15 and
+15).
c. Set AUX1 PRE and AUX2 controls to middle positions (between infinity
and +10).
d. Set PAN control to middle position (between L and R).
e. Set LEVEL control to middle position (between infinity and +10).
f. Set MAIN LEVEL control to middle position (between infinity and +10).
g. Set AUX RET 1/2 and AUX RET 3/4 controls fully counterclockwise.
h. Set all other level controls to middle positions.
i. Continue with step 9.
8. Configure the MDR624 mixer as follows (See illustration under The MDR624 Six
Channel Mixer on page 188.):
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Installation Procedures
a. Set PHANTOM power switch (located on back of unit) to OFF.
b. Set the GAIN control between 50-55 dB.
c. Set the High (HF), Medium (MF), and Low (LF) frequency band of the
channel equalizer to the middle position (between -15 and +15).
d. Set AUX pre fader control to the middle position (between 0 and 10).
e. Set PAN to the middle position (between L and R).
f. Set LEVEL to the middle position (between 0 and 10).
g. Set AUX RETURN to the middle position (between 0 and 10).
h. Set 2TK to MIX and 2TK to CR switch to OFF position.
i. Set CR/PHONES control to middle position (between 0 and 10).
j. Set MAIN LEVEL control to middle position (between 0 and 10).
9. On the tape deck (as an initial condition) set the INPUT LEVEL control to 4 1/2. (See
illustration under Denon Tape Deck on page 189.)
Note:
The following information pertains to recording with the tape deck:
• The RECORD LEVEL INDICATOR indicates the record and play level in dB. Voice
characteristics will vary from person to person, therefore the input level on the tape
deck should be tested and adjusted accordingly.
• For optimum results during recording, the maximum level indicated on the RECORD
LEVEL INDICATOR during peaks should be 0 dB.
• Recording in Dolby C is recommended.
The Vocabulary Digitization Configuration
The vocabulary digitization configuration provides a facility for MPS Studio to create MMF files
from existing analog vocabularies.
To configure the Audio Package hardware for vocabulary digitization (see the illustration that
follows):
1. Connect the AC power transformer to the mixer.
2. Connect the dual stereo cable (RCA to RCA):
a. Connect one end of the dual stereo cable to the LINE OUT L/R outputs
of the tape deck.
b. Connect the other end of the dual stereo cable to the TAPE/CD INPUT
(Mixpad 9) or the 2T IN L/R (MDR624).
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The Vocabulary Digitization Configuration
3. Connect the 1/4" (dual) to 3.5mm (single) cable:
a. Connect 1/4" ends of cable to MAIN OUTPUT BALANCED LEFT/RIGHT
(Mixpad 9) or the MIX OUTPUT (MDR624).
b. For MDR624, depress the 2TK to MIX switch. Signal is not present at
output of mixer if switch is not depressed.
c. Connect 3.5mm end of cable to LINE INPUT of the development
workstation.
4. For the Mixpad 9, configure the unit as follows (See illustration under The Mixpad
9 Stereo Mixer on page 187.):
a. In the 8/9 column:
i. Set the HIGH control to the center (12 o'clock) position.
ii. Set the LOW control fully counterclockwise (dot on -15
side).
iii. Set AUX1 PRE control fully counterclockwise.
iv. Set AUX2 control fully counterclockwise.
v. Set PAN control to center (12 o'clock) position.
vi. Set LEVEL control to 9 o'clock position. (This is a starting
point, adjust as necessary later.)
b. Set AUX RET 1/2 and AUX RET 3/4 controls fully counterclockwise.
c. Set the MAIN LEVEL control to the center (12 o'clock) position.
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Installation Procedures
5. For the MDR624 mixer, configure the unit as follows (See illustration under The
MDR624 Six Channel Mixer on page 188.):
Configure the mixer as per The Non-Captive Analog Recording
Configuration on page 190. In addition:
i. Set the MAIN LEVEL switch to the 9 o'clock position. (This is a
starting point, adjust as necessary later.)
ii. Verify all other inputs to mixer are not active.
6. In MPS Studio, set the following initial conditions:
a. In the Waveform Editor Parameters window under General Record
Parameters, set the Input Source selection to Line in. (See General
Record Parameters on page 124.)
b. Set Rec. Volume to 50.
Caution:
When recording or digitizing speech vocabularies in MPS Studio, the recording level, as
indicated in the Sound Level meter in the Waveform Editor, should not exceed -8 dbm.
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Appendix B: Guidelines for Creating
Vocabularies
This chapter covers:
1. Script development
2. Selection of the voice
3. Recording environment and equipment
4. Selection of tape media
5. Editing considerations
Introduction
This appendix provides guidelines and considerations for creating vocabularies for IVR
systems. These considerations should help to save time and effort, and to ensure a better
quality end product.
Script Development
The success of a voice response application is largely determined by the quality of the script
and recorded vocabulary. One function of the dialog is to relay all informational prompts or
messages to the caller in a friendly, efficient manner. The dialog must instill confidence in the
calling community by consistently providing accurate and easy-to-acquire information. The
script should also be designed such that it allows for easy modifications and enhancements.
Due to the comprehensive nature of the product line's voice storage and playback facilities,
the conversational structure of natural human dialog is easily accommodated. The traditional
approach to voice response involves the concatenation of single words and phrases to form
coherent message responses. This provides great flexibility in using phrases or word groups
in conjunction with variables (i.e., account numbers, dates, dollar amounts, etc.).
Whenever possible, dialogs should utilize phrase-oriented (ideally sentence-oriented) design
and avoid using single-word items. There are instances where single word construction is
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Guidelines for Creating Vocabularies
unavoidable, but with intelligent planning, this can be kept to a minimum. Dialogs that have
been constructed largely of single items will sound robotic or mechanized to the caller.
As an example of phrase-oriented construction, the following illustrates how dialog can be
designed for flexibility:
Example:
a. The account number entered ...
b.is not active on our database.
c.is a valid number.
d.has an authorization hold.
Note that The account number entered ... is used as a lead-in phrase to be coupled with
either is not active on our database., is a valid number., or has an authorization hold.,
depending upon the nature of the particular transaction. When utilizing any type of
vocabulary construction, particular attention should be focused on the vocal inflection of
each word or phrase. (Inflection is the raising or lowering of the vocal pitch at the beginning,
middle, or end of any given item or phrase.) Inflections are used as transitional cues to the
caller that signify either the beginning or end of a thought. Thus, an end-of-thought inflection
would be used when recording is not active on our database., is a valid number., and has
an authorization hold., but not with The account number entered ....
Vocal Requirements
Style/Approach
Avaya places great emphasis on the style of the recorded voice in voice response applications.
Voice response dialogs are often informational in nature, but should also have a motivational
effect on the caller. This is achieved partially by the vocal style of the recorded dialog. If the
caller is greeted by a friendly voice, it tends to minimize their apprehension in using an
automated service.
Throughout the dialog, all message responses should be spoken in a clear, friendly fashion.
Also, the voice talent should speak in a cadence or rhythm that is easy to understand.
Generally, only one voice should be used in a given dialog. When handling error conditions
(such as caller did not respond), the voice should never sound offensive to the caller, but should
instead convey a helpful and supportive attitude (thus reflecting the attitude of the company
toward its customers). The overall approach must be consistent so that it will make the caller
feel comfortable with using the system again.
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Voice Talent Selection
Voice Talent Selection
The selection of talent to record the dialog might seem to be subjective, but certain objective
criteria must be observed before a final selection is made. This type of recording style is unique
in that it requires the individual to speak vocabulary phrases out of context, while maintaining
a mode of consistency in pitch, volume, cadence, and overall personality.
It is recommended that a professional voice talent be used to record your dialog. Professionals
are familiar with the aspects of vocal performance that are critical to a quality production.
Whether you decide to select a professional or use an individual within your organization, the
chosen voice should meet the following criteria:
• Availability for both the short and long term: This is a prime factor in your selection of a
suitable voice because it will directly impact future revisions or enhancements.
Consideration should be given to using an alternate voice as a backup. This will provide
flexibility if a conflict should arise, and reduce the likelihood of costly project delays.
• Regional accent requirements: This concerns whether the voice meets the accepted
criteria for pattern of speech in a given region. Most professional voices will have a neutral
or non-regional quality that is widely accepted. The scope of your caller audience will
determine what is acceptable for your application.
• Ability to control speech: Because the voice talent must be able to take direction from
others (e.g., an audio engineer) during the recording session, the selected voice must
have the ability to control his or her speech. Specifically, volume, pitch, cadence, and
style must be alterable under direction. Any lack of flexibility in these criteria should be
considered undesirable.
Recording Requirements and Procedures
Avaya strongly recommends the use of a professional recording facility or studio to record your
voice dialog. Either will provide the necessary expertise and equipment to make a high-quality
recording.
Recording Environment
The facility should be equipped with an acoustically constructed sound or announcement
booth. It should be a non-ambient area so as not to add any room-specific influences to the
recording. Conference, choral, or large ensemble rooms are not suitable for voice recordings.
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Guidelines for Creating Vocabularies
The booth should also have a talk-back system to allow the voice talent to communicate with
the vocal coach or engineer.
Equipment
The equipment used should be able to accomplish the following:
• Record a session master on a digital audio editing station.
• Assemble and edit the master session recording onto a data CD.
• Make multiple copies of the master CD (called production masters).
Because of the wide variety of recording equipment types, the following is a general guide to
selecting equipment. See the discussion of The Avaya Speech and Development Platform on
page 186 for information about recording equipment available from Avaya.
• Microphone: The microphone should be of professional quality and have a relatively
uniform frequency response. The pickup pattern should be cardioid or super cardioid,
which will reject sound from a specific axis. It should also be able to counteract the
proximity effect by having a bass roll-off switch. (The proximity effect is the boosting in
bass response as a function of decreasing the distance between the voice and
microphone.)
• Mixer: Most studios are equipped with consoles that allow for multiple inputs (sources),
in addition to the capability of producing multi-track recordings. Inputs to the console
should be balanced, with neither equalization nor pre/post signal processing applied from
the console.
Script Preparation
The finalized printed script that will be read from during the recording session should contain
each vocabulary item required in the dialog. Copies should be forwarded to the voice talent
and audio engineers prior to the session to address any questions or concerns that they may
have.
For all items, vocal inflections and any unique pronunciations should be indicated on the printed
script. When defining inflections on the script, phrases with a middle or beginning inflection
should be documented with an ellipsis (...) following them. Likewise, ending inflections should
be designated with a "T".
The sample of items below illustrates the format and structure of a recording script:
• Hello. Welcome to Avaya, the leader in voice response technology (T)
• Your credit authorization number is ...
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Conducting the Recording Session
Conducting the Recording Session
The typical recording session required for a voice application dialog is approximately two hours.
You may want to schedule additional time for re-takes or additional items that come about as
last-minute changes.
Once the voice is situated and operating levels have been set, the recording session can
commence. The voice should speak out the script leaving between 2 to 2.5 seconds of silence
between each item. This gap facilitates the separation of items in the digitization process. The
amount of silence between sentences that are part of the same item should not be more than
one second. If the length is greater than one second, the phrases intended to be within one
item could be digitized into two or more separate items.
If the recording session exceeds two hours, you should be aware that the voice could become
raspy or fatigued. If this happens take a ten-minute break. If the talent is still exhibiting
unacceptable speech, schedule a recording session for another day.
Depending on the script length, you should have multiple examples (i.e., takes) of each unique
vocabulary item. If the script is lengthy, one complete read-through should be performed to
ensure a unified sound in the dialog.
As the session progresses, the engineer or director must continually monitor the following:
• silence between recorded items (i.e., a minimum of 2 to 2 1/2 seconds),
• silence between sentences within one item (i.e., a maximum of 1 second),
• distance from microphone,
• overall speech control,
• inflectional control and consistency,
• ambient room noise (e.g., air conditioning, chair squeaks, etc.).
When the session is complete, a backup copy of the recorded medium (e.g., CDs with WAV
files) should be made and stored for safekeeping. All audio-related media should be stored in
a cool and dry place away from any magnetic fields.
Modifying Existing Scripts
The voice talent should review the previous tape and strive to replicate the same performance
level pertaining to volume level, style, and vocal pitch. Failure to maintain a level of consistency
in all recordings will detract from the integrity of the dialog, and may affect the attitude of callers
toward the automated service.
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Guidelines for Creating Vocabularies
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Index
Numerics
bookmarking items ..................................................... 48
3-D waveform displays ................108–110, 112–114, 116
common features ............................................... 109
display mode menu ............................................ 110
working in ............................................ 112–114, 116
changing views ............................................ 113
frequency distribution .................................. 114
pointer .......................................................... 114
waveform selection ...................................... 116
C
A
adding an item ............................................................ 58
adding multiple items ..................................................59
Audio Package ......................................................... 186
audio tape ................................................................. 131
creating .............................................................. 131
audio tools ............ 150, 154, 157, 159, 161, 166, 170, 174
DTMF detection ..................................................174
gain .................................................................... 161
graphic equalizer ................................................ 166
mixing ................................................................. 157
normalization ...................................................... 150
padding .............................................................. 159
parametric equalizer ...........................................170
time scaling ........................................................ 154
B
backing up and restoring sample files ...................... 183
Batch Changing Existing Name Prefixes ....................46
batch play editing ......................................................122
batch play operations ............................................... 120
batch record parameters .......................................... 127
batch reference play ................................................. 123
Batch Tools menu ...................................................... 88
DTMF Detection ................................................... 88
Gain ..................................................................... 88
Graphic EQ .......................................................... 88
Normalization ....................................................... 88
Padding ................................................................ 88
Parametric EQ ..................................................... 88
Purge/Delete Names ............................................88
Time Scaling ........................................................ 88
VPS Lock/Unlock ................................................. 88
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CDE ........................................................................ 8, 18
closing an MMF file .................................................... 52
combining two MMF files ............................................ 82
commands ........................................... 15, 16, 53, 77, 86
def12mmf ............................................................. 77
del ........................................................................ 53
mmf2def1 ............................................................. 77
move .................................................................... 53
mv ........................................................................ 53
peristudio ........................................................ 15, 16
ren ........................................................................ 53
rename ................................................................. 53
rm ......................................................................... 53
vmm ..................................................................... 86
Common Desktop Environment ................................... 8
see CDE ................................................................ 8
conventions ...........................................................18, 20
operating ........................................................ 18, 20
Solaris ........................................................... 18
Windows ........................................................ 20
copying ................................................................61, 138
all or portion of waveform ................................... 138
an item ................................................................. 61
creating a new MMF file ............................................. 53
current item ................................................................ 38
see item ............................................................... 38
cutting all or portion of waveform ..............................137
D
deleting ............................................................... 60, 138
all or portion of waveform ................................... 138
an item ................................................................. 60
Denon tape deck ...................................................... 189
display mode menu ........................................... 110–112
Show 3D Mesh for All .........................................111
Show 3D Mesh for Selected ...............................110
Show 3D Orthographic for All .............................112
Show 3D Orthographic for Selected ...................112
Show 3D Surface for All ..................................... 111
Show 3D Surface for Selected ........................... 110
DTMF detection and filtering ......................175, 176, 180
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detection types ................................................... 175
global (batch) ..................................................... 180
local (single) ....................................................... 176
DTMF guard time ......................................................175
E
Edit menu ............................................................ 55, 135
MultiMedia File Editor .......................................... 55
Waveform Editor ................................................ 135
editing ................................................................122, 135
an item ............................................................... 135
in batch play ....................................................... 122
equalizer tools .......................................................... 165
exchanging two items ................................................. 63
exporting files to the MPS Series environment .......... 77
exporting items ........................................................... 82
F
File menu ............................................................ 49, 132
MultiMedia File Editor .......................................... 49
Waveform Editor ................................................ 132
Frequency Distribution window .................................114
G
gain control ........................................................162, 164
global (batch) ..................................................... 164
local (single) ....................................................... 162
general record parameters ....................................... 124
graphic equalizer ............................................... 167, 169
global (batch) ..................................................... 169
local (single) ....................................................... 167
editing in batch play ........................................... 122
information fields ................................................ 105
locking/unlocking ..................................................70
moving ................................................................. 62
naming ................................................................. 68
playing ................................................................ 120
recording ............................................................ 126
reference ............................................... 47, 123, 150
saving audio ....................................................... 133
selecting ............................................................... 40
trimming ............................................................. 141
undo edit .............................................................. 57
Item Attributes window ..........................................42, 66
item selection list ............................................. 38, 40, 41
list select menu .................................................... 38
selecting an item .................................................. 40
selecting multiple items ........................................ 41
items 41, 44, 45, 59, 63, 64, 68, 70, 72, 120, 129, 140, 157
adding multiple ..................................................... 59
assigning name prefixes ...................................... 45
exchanging ...........................................................63
joining ................................................................. 140
locking/unlocking ..................................................70
mixing ................................................................. 157
naming ................................................................. 68
playing multiple .................................................. 120
recording (batch) ................................................ 129
searching for by name or item number ................ 44
selecting multiple ................................................. 41
shifting names ...................................................... 64
sorting .................................................................. 72
J
joining two items ....................................................... 140
I
importing files from the MPS Series environment ...... 77
importing items ........................................................... 77
installing ....................................................................185
audio interface ....................................................185
invalid names .............................................42, 68, 77, 97
item ... 40, 42, 47, 48, 57, 58, 60–62, 68, 70, 105, 120, 122,
123,
126,
133,
135,
141,
150
adding .................................................................. 58
attributes .............................................................. 42
bookmarking ........................................................ 48
copying .................................................................61
current .................................................................. 40
deleting ................................................................ 60
editing .................................................................135
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L
locking/unlocking items ......................................... 70, 89
Loop button ...............................................................102
M
marking waveforms .................................................. 106
MDR624 six channel mixer .......................................188
measuring the audio volume level ............................ 104
Media File Properties window .................................... 70
mixing two items ....................................................... 157
Mixpad 9 stereo mixer .............................................. 187
MMF .................................... 10, 33–35, 50–53, 70, 82, 86
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closing .................................................................. 52
combining .............................................................82
creating ................................................................ 53
current .................................................................. 33
description ............................................................10
opening ...........................................................35, 50
properties ....................................................... 34, 70
saving ...................................................................51
updating ............................................................... 86
MMF list select menu ................................. 42, 45, 47, 48
Add All to Pick List ............................................... 42
Add Invalid Item Name(s) .................................... 42
Add Item to Pick List ............................................ 42
Add Selected to Pick List ..................................... 42
Bookmarks ..................................................... 42, 48
Deselect All .......................................................... 42
Locate Choice ...................................................... 42
Name Prefix ....................................................42, 45
Play Reference ............................................... 42, 47
Refresh List .......................................................... 42
Search by Name .................................................. 42
Select All .............................................................. 42
Select Range ....................................................... 42
Show Pick List ......................................................42
moving an item ........................................................... 62
MPS Developer .....................................................15, 74
importing .apd files from .......................................74
starting MPS Studio from ..................................... 15
MPS Series utilities .................................................... 77
MPS Studio .................................7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 55, 131
creating audio tapes ........................................... 131
initialization window ............................................. 15
introduction ............................................................ 7
quitting/exiting from .............................................. 55
supported file formats .......................................... 10
system storage, performance, and compatibility ... 8
this software revision ........................................... 12
multimedia data file (.mmd) ........................................ 10
MultiMedia File Editor ... 21, 33, 34, 37, 38, 42, 49–53, 55,
57–64, 66, 70, 73, 77, 82, 88–90, 92, 152, 156, 160,
164,
169,
173,
180
Action field ........................................................... 37
Batch Tools menu .... 88–90, 152, 156, 160, 164, 169,
173,
180
DTMF Detection .......................................... 180
Gain ............................................................. 164
Graphic EQ .................................................. 169
Normalization ............................................... 152
Padding ....................................................... 160
Parametric EQ ............................................. 173
Purge/Delete Names ..................................... 90
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Time Scaling ................................................ 156
VPS Lock/Unlock ........................................... 89
Data Space Used field ......................................... 37
Edit menu ..................................................55, 57–64
Add Item ........................................................ 58
Add Items ...................................................... 59
Copy .............................................................. 61
Delete ............................................................ 60
Move .............................................................. 62
Shift Names ................................................... 64
Undo .............................................................. 57
XChange ....................................................... 63
exporting items .....................................................82
File field ................................................................37
file information fields ............................................ 37
File menu .................................................. 49–53, 55
Close ............................................................. 52
New ............................................................... 53
Open .............................................................. 50
Quit ................................................................ 55
Save .............................................................. 51
functions ...............................................................37
importing items .....................................................77
Item Attributes window ......................................... 66
item selection list ............................................ 37, 38
Items .................................................................... 37
Total field ....................................................... 37
Media File Properties window ........................ 34, 70
MMF List Select menu ......................................... 42
Pick List window ...................................................92
selected field ........................................................ 37
Transfer menu ......................................................73
multimedia format ....................................................... 10
see MMF .............................................................. 10
multimedia index file (.mmi) .................................. 10, 50
N
name prefixes ............................................................. 45
naming an item ........................................................... 68
Next button ............................................................... 102
normalization ..................................................... 150, 152
global (batch) ..................................................... 152
local (single) ....................................................... 150
normalizing a recording ............................................ 150
O
OLWM .......................................................................... 8
see OpenWindows .................................................8
Open Look ....................................................................8
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see OpenWindows .................................................8
opening an MMF file ............................................. 35, 50
OpenWindows ........................................................ 8, 18
operation ............................................................... 18, 20
in CDE ..................................................................18
in OpenWindows .................................................. 18
in Solaris .............................................................. 18
in Windows ...........................................................20
S
P
padding ...................................................... 142, 159, 160
global (batch) ..................................................... 160
local (single) ................................................142, 159
Parameters window .................................................. 101
parametric equalizer ..........................................170, 173
global (batch) ..................................................... 173
local (single) ....................................................... 170
pasting an audio segment ........................................ 139
Pause button ............................................................ 102
Pick List ................................................................ 95, 97
action menu ......................................................... 95
Pick List Select menu ...........................................97
Pick List window ......................................................... 92
Play button ................................................................102
play parameters ........................................................ 118
playing ...................................................................... 120
an item ............................................................... 120
in batch mode .....................................................120
properties ................................................................... 34
see Media File Properties window ....................... 34
properties of audio file formats ................................... 76
purging and deleting duplicate item names ................ 90
Q
quitting ................................................................ 55, 132
MPS Studio .......................................................... 55
the Waveform Editor .......................................... 132
sample.mmi/.mmd ................... 35, 77, 124, 150, 176, 183
backing up .......................................................... 183
saving an MMF file ..................................................... 51
script .......................................................... 195, 198, 199
development .......................................................195
modifying ............................................................ 199
preparation ......................................................... 198
search by name or item number .................................44
Selected Length field ................................................ 105
selecting multiple items .............................................. 41
selecting the current item ........................................... 40
selecting waveforms ................................................. 106
shifting item names .................................................... 64
silence ............................................................... 142, 144
adding ................................................................ 142
and normalize .....................................................144
changing recorded data to ................................. 144
smoothing a waveform ............................................. 145
Solaris ................................................................... 18, 20
differences from Windows ....................................20
operation of MPS Studio ...................................... 18
sorting item ................................................................. 72
Sound Level meter ................................................... 104
speech and development platform ........................... 186
starting MPS Studio in Windows ................................ 16
Stop button ............................................................... 102
supported audio file formats ....................................... 74
supported formats for file transfer .............................. 74
T
R
Rec (record) button ...................................................102
record parameters ............................................. 124, 127
batch .................................................................. 127
general ............................................................... 124
recording .................................................... 126, 129, 198
an item ............................................................... 126
equipment .......................................................... 198
in batch mode .....................................................129
recording environment .............................................. 197
204
recording requirements and procedures ...................197
recording session ..................................................... 199
reference item ..................................................... 47, 150
selecting ............................................................... 47
reference play ........................................................... 123
regular expression operators ......................................95
Repeat button ........................................................... 102
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talk-off ....................................................................... 174
Time @ Pointer field ................................................. 105
time scaling ....................................................... 154, 156
global (batch) ..................................................... 156
local (single) ....................................................... 154
Total Length field ...................................................... 105
Transfer menu ................................................. 73, 77, 82
Export ...................................................................82
Import ................................................................... 77
trimming an item waveform ...................................... 141
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U
undo .............................................................57, 134, 136
MultiMedia File Editor .......................................... 57
Waveform Editor ......................................... 134, 136
undoing the previous edit ......................................... 136
updating online vocabularies ...................................... 86
V
version information ............................................... 12, 21
vocabularies ...................................................... 195–197
guidelines for creating ........................................ 195
style/approach .................................................... 196
vocal requirements ............................................. 196
voice talent selection .......................................... 197
volume ................................................ 104, 118, 124, 161
gain control .........................................................161
measuring .......................................................... 104
playback ............................................................. 118
record ................................................................. 124
VPS locking and unlocking ......................................... 89
W
waveform .............. 105, 106, 108, 118, 137–139, 141, 145
3-D ..................................................................... 108
copying all or portion of ...................................... 138
cutting all or portion of ........................................ 137
deleting all or portion of ...................................... 138
displays .............................................................. 105
marking and selecting ........................................ 106
pasting segment into .......................................... 139
setting display scale ........................................... 118
smoothing ...........................................................145
trimming ............................................................. 141
Waveform Editor .27, 99, 102, 104, 105, 110, 118, 132–139,
141, 142, 144–146, 150, 154, 157, 159, 162, 167,
170,
175,
176
audio controls ............................................... 99, 102
display mode menu ............................................ 110
DTMF Detection ..........................................146, 176
DTMF Detection Types ...................................... 175
Edit menu ...............135–139, 141, 142, 144, 145, 159
Avaya Media Processing Server Studio User Guide
Copy ............................................................ 138
Cut ............................................................... 137
Delete .......................................................... 138
Padding ................................................ 142, 159
Paste ........................................................... 139
Silence ......................................................... 144
Silence and Normalize ................................. 144
Smoothing ................................................... 145
Trim ............................................................. 141
Undo ............................................................ 136
File menu .................................................... 132–135
Quit ....................................................... 132, 135
Reload .................................................. 132, 134
Save ..................................................... 132, 133
item information fields ...................................99, 105
item number and name field ................................ 99
Loop button ........................................................ 102
Next button ......................................................... 102
opening ................................................................ 99
Pause button ...................................................... 102
Play button ......................................................... 102
Rec button .......................................................... 102
Repeat button .....................................................102
Selected Length field ..........................................105
setting scale for waveform display ..................... 118
Sound Level meter ....................................... 99, 104
Stop button ......................................................... 102
Time @ Pointer field ...........................................105
Tools menu ............ 146, 150, 154, 157, 162, 167, 170
Audio Mixer .................................................. 157
Gain ............................................................. 162
Graphic EQ .................................................. 167
Normalization ............................................... 150
Parametric EQ ............................................. 170
Time Scaling ................................................ 154
Total Length field ................................................105
waveform displays ............................................... 99
Windows ............................................................... 16, 20
differences from Solaris ....................................... 20
operation of MPS Studio ...................................... 20
starting MPS Studio in ......................................... 16
Z
ZAP ............................................................................ 88
Zero Administration for Prompts ................................. 88
see ZAP ............................................................... 88
August 2013
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