AutoShell: Allow PAL to Run External Programs

[Chris_Kewl]

Ever want SAM to combine a bunch of WAV files to play or open a ShoutCast server on-the-fly? AutoShell makes that happen.

 

How does it work? It is a program that sits on your desktop waiting for communication from PAL. PAL sends it a command and then it replies to PAL to tell it if the command was successful or not. Simple enough!

http://www.nexmix.com/images/autoshell.jpg

AutoShell Interface With SAM 4.9.6

 

Configuration is easy, the hardest part is writing the PAL script. ;)

 

Need proof? Listen to StudioHits (http://www.studiohits.com/listen/) on the :00 and :30 and you'll hear timed announcements, this is all ran by AutoShell!

 

Cost? HAH! No cost at all. If you want to donate, please Paypal me via this link: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=9FTTHR9ZPMFJJ

 

Download: http://www.nexmix.com/files/AutoShell_1_0.zip

Version 1.0: Initial Release

• .NET Program
  
• External executables go into the App Directory
  
• Allow for special Pass Key so no random injections
  
• Hide Command Window on Execute (You'll want to Show while debugging PAL scripts)
  

 

Here is a PAL example, it shows you how to connect to AutoShell:

 

{
Description
This PAL script is configured to send data to AutoShell.
Made by Chris "Kewl" Haslage
}

PAL.LockExecution;

//===============================================================================
// Settings - Change these as required
//===============================================================================

var URL        : String = 'http://127.0.0.1:9000';
var PASS_KEY   : String = '0000'; // Auto Generated in AutoShell
var START_CHAR : String = '?';    // Default Value is ?
var SEPARATOR  : String = '|';    // Default Value is |
var END_CHAR   : String = '^';    // Default Value is ^

//===============================================================================
// CODE BELOW LINE
//===============================================================================
var postResult : String = WebToStr (URL + START_CHAR + PASS_KEY + SEPARATOR +
                'command #1' + SEPARATOR +
                'command #2' + SEPARATOR +
                'pause' + END_CHAR);

WriteLn('Post Status: ['+postResult+']'); // OK is good / ERR is bad

if (postResult = 'OK') then
  Begin
     {Good Code Goes Here}
  End
Else
  WriteLn('An error with AutoShell has occured.');

    
PAL.UnlockExecution;
PAL.WaitForPlayCount(1);
PAL.Loop := true;

Enjoy and share your creations!

[Chris_Kewl]

Here is the first AutoShell submission, which also runs on StudioHits.com, the timed station announcements. Currently this runs on StudioHits on the :00 and :30. It will say any time and sound like real speech with no hard PAL tweaks.

 

Make sure to get the required files found in the PAL below.

 

{
Description
This PAL script is configured to send data to AutoShell.
Made by Chris "Kewl" Haslage on 8/14/11

This simple will combine multiple time elements into one file for SAM.

Needed:

MP3Wrap can be found at:
http://mp3wrap.sourceforge.net/

ID3 can be found at:
http://blog.forret.com/2007/08/id3exe-ideal-tool-for-tagging-and-renaming-mp3-files/

Audio Files can be found at:
http://www.nexmix.com/files/time.zip
}

PAL.LockExecution;

//===============================================================================
// Settings - Change these as required
//===============================================================================

var URL        : String = 'http://127.0.0.1:9000';
var PASS_KEY   : String = '0000';        // Auto Generated in AutoShell
var START_CHAR : String = '?';           // Default Value is ?
var SEPARATOR  : String = '|';           // Default Value is |
var END_CHAR   : String = '^';           // Default Value is ^
var DIR        : String = 'c:\StudioHits\time\';    // Where the MP3s are stored.
var MP3_LOC    : String = 'c:\StudioHits\';         // Where the output file goes.
var MP3_NAME   : String = 'timenow.mp3'; // Output file name.
var MP3_WRAP   : String = '_MP3WRAP';    // MP3Wrap Specific Tag
var MP3_TITLE  : String = 'The Best of the Greatest Hits'; // ID3 Changer
var MP3_ARTIST : String = 'StudioHits.com';                // ID3 Changer
var AtTimes : Array of Integer = [28,58];
//===============================================================================
// CODE BELOW LINE
//===============================================================================

//MP3Wrap Specific Renaming for SAM
var thePos      : Integer;

thePos := Pos ('.', MP3_NAME);
var MP3_OUT : String = MP3_NAME;
Delete (MP3_OUT, thePos, Length(MP3_OUT));

var EXT : String = MP3_NAME;
Delete (EXT, 1, thePos -1);

MP3_WRAP := MP3_OUT + MP3_WRAP + EXT;
//WriteLn(MP3_WRAP);
//MP3Wrap Specific Renaming for SAM

var randomInteger : Integer = 0;
randomInteger := RandomInt(4) + 1;

var hh,mm,ss,ms   : Integer;
var ampm          : String = 'AM';
var padmm         : String = '';

DecodeTime(Now,hh,mm,ss,ms);

if (hh = 0) then hh := 12;
if (hh > 12) then
Begin
  hh := hh - 12;
  ampm := 'PM';
end;
if (mm    padmm := '0' + IntToStr(mm)
else
  padmm := IntToStr(mm);

// Example String
// mp3wrap.exe output.mp3 file1.mp3 file2.mp3 file3.mp3|cd c:\|ren output_MP3WRAP.mp3 output.mp3

var output : String = URL + START_CHAR + PASS_KEY + SEPARATOR +
            //Delete old file if still there
            'DEL ' + MP3_LOC + MP3_NAME + SEPARATOR +
            //Combine MP3s
            'mp3wrap.exe "'+ MP3_LOC + MP3_NAME + '" ' +
            '"' + DIR + 'currenttime' + IntToStr(randomInteger) + '.mp3" ' +
            '"' + DIR + IntToStr(hh) + '.mp3" ' +
            '"' + DIR + padmm + '.mp3" ' +
            '"' + DIR + ampm + '.mp3" ' + SEPARATOR +
            //ID3 Editor (Because MP3Wrap puts junk in ID3)
            'ID3.exe -1 -2 -3 -a "' + MP3_ARTIST + '" ' +
            '-t "' + MP3_TITLE + '" ' +
            '"' + MP3_LOC + MP3_WRAP + '"' + SEPARATOR +
            //Change Directory
            'cd ' + MP3_LOC + SEPARATOR +
            //Rename Files
            'REN ' + MP3_WRAP + ' ' + MP3_NAME + END_CHAR;

WriteLn('Output: ' + output);
var postResult : String = WebToStr (output);
WriteLn('Post Status: ['+postResult+']'); // OK is good / ERR is bad

WriteLn('Current Time is ' + IntToStr(hh) + ':' + padmm + ' ' + ampm);

if (postResult = 'OK') then
  Begin
     Queue.AddFile(MP3_LOC + MP3_NAME, ipTop);
     CAT['Jingles (All)'].AddFile(MP3_LOC + MP3_NAME, ipTop);
     CAT['Play once and erase'].AddFile(MP3_LOC + MP3_NAME, ipTop);
  End
Else
  WriteLn('An error with AutoShell has occured.');

PAL.UnlockExecution;

PAL.Loop := true;

[Zimdjsounds]

thanks Chris ... gonna try this and see how it works.

[Chris_Kewl]

Hope you enjoy it. If you have suggestions to improve the actual program itself, let me know.