Open an .mp3 file in C

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Hey everyone!
Recently I learnt how to open and close text files in C with fopen, fclose and how to use fprintf, fscanf etc!
Now I want to open an .mp3 file using C language but it seems a bit difficult!
I tried to work with the mp3 file as if it was a txt file but obviously it didn't work!
I know you can help me!:)
Thank you in advance!

Posted 31-Jan-12 23:14pm

MG2011

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CPallini · Answer 1 · 2012-01-31T23:22:00

Solution 1

MP3 is definitely a binary file, hence you have to read it (on Windows platform, at least) in binary mode.
However, just reading it won't help you, since it is a bit difficult to interpret the MP3 encoded data (usually you have to use a library[^] for the purpose).

Posted 31-Jan-12 23:22pm

CPallini

Comments

MG2011 1-Feb-12 5:28am

I 've already downloaded an audio library from this site http://www.un4seen.com/ but I still don't know how to use it!:$
Will it be easier if I convert my mp3 file to another audio format such as wav, or will it be exactly the same?

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 1-Feb-12 5:30am

Sigh...
--SA

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 1-Feb-12 5:31am

To "convert" it you need to parse it, and you even don't know how to start even having the library...
--SA

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 1-Feb-12 5:32am

"Exactly the same"? Do you think inventors of audio compression formats are complete idiots? :-)

Sorry, perhaps I did not understand... do you mean "as difficult"? Is your idea to convert using some 3rd-party tool and then use converted file in your code?
Of course WAV is much simpler...

--SA

MG2011 1-Feb-12 5:39am

Yes that's what I mean...If wav is simpler then I'd better work with that audio format.

CPallini 1-Feb-12 5:52am

Definitely.

MG2011 1-Feb-12 6:01am

Can you show me an example, please? I don't know what to do either with an mp3 or with a wav file!:(

CPallini 1-Feb-12 6:02am

You may find some info here:
https://ccrma.stanford.edu/courses/422/projects/WaveFormat/

MG2011 1-Feb-12 6:19am

Could PlaySound() function be useful?

CPallini 1-Feb-12 6:21am

Of course, if you need to play the WAV file (and you haven't to read it).

MG2011 1-Feb-12 6:27am

Yes I want it to play throughout the programm! Does the file need to be smaller that 1 MB like I've read?Is this right or at least close to right?:$
PlaySound("C:\\Users\\MG2011\\Desktop\\Song.WAV", NULL, SND_LOOP);

MG2011 1-Feb-12 6:51am

it gives me this error all the time
[Linker error] undefined reference to `PlaySoundA@12'
What 's my mistake?Now I've changed my code to this:
char soundfile[] = "C:\\Users\\MG2011\\Desktop\\Song.WAV";
PlaySound(soundfile,NULL,SND_FILENAME|SND_ASYNC);

CPallini 1-Feb-12 6:57am

You have to LINK with the 'Winmm.lib' (as stated in the documentation).

MG2011 1-Feb-12 7:12am

Alright, and how do I do that?:$
I'm sorry for asking so many questions, I'm a beginner:$

CPallini 1-Feb-12 7:47am

It depends on your development tools. For instance, if you are using Visual Studio IDE then you should select the Project->Properties menu then, in the newly appeared window choose the Configuration Properties->Linker->Input node and finally add Winmm.lb to the 'Additional dependecies' line.

MG2011 1-Feb-12 8:16am

Just like that it works:
system("start explorer D:\\Song.WAV");

CPallini 1-Feb-12 5:36am

Writing a parser for a WAV file is simpler, since the WAV format itself is one of the simplest (audio) ones.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 1-Feb-12 5:30am

My 5.
--SA

CPallini 1-Feb-12 5:36am

Thanks.