Merging MP3 Files: Stopped Around Ubuntu/Kubuntu 20.04 - FFmpeg
When working with audio files, especially MP3s, there may be a need to merge multiple files into one. This process, also known as concatenation, can be achieved using the powerful FFmpeg tool. However, some users have reported issues when attempting to merge MP3 files on Ubuntu and Kubuntu 20.04 systems. This article will explore the root cause of this issue and provide a solution using the sed command.
The Problem
When attempting to merge MP3 files using the following command:
ffmpeg -protocol_whitelist file,pipe -f concat -i -c copy output.mp3 Users receive an error stating:
"file '|' not found"This issue arises due to a change in the default behavior of the sed command in Ubuntu and Kubuntu 20.04. In previous versions, the sed command would automatically append a newline character when reading from standard input. In 20.04, this behavior has been changed, causing issues with commands that rely on this behavior, such as the FFmpeg concatenation command.
The Solution
To resolve this issue, we can use the sed command to properly format the input file list for FFmpeg. The following command will correctly format the file list and allow the concatenation process to complete successfully:
sed -e 's/\(.*\)/file\'\1\'/' | ffmpeg -protocol_whitelist file,pipe -f concat -i - -c copy output.mp3 Here, the sed command is used to enclose each line from the input file list with single quotes, which FFmpeg requires for proper file handling. The output from sed is then piped directly into the FFmpeg command, allowing for seamless merging of MP3 files.
Example
Consider the following example file list:
file 'input1.mp3'
file 'input2.mp3'
file 'input3.mp3'Using the sed command to format this file list:
sed -e 's/\(.*\)/file\'\1\'/' Will yield the following output:
file 'input1.mp3'
file 'input2.mp3'
file 'input3.mp3'
This properly formatted file list can then be used with the FFmpeg command to merge the MP3 files:
sed -e 's/\(.*\)/file\'\1\'/' | ffmpeg -protocol_whitelist file,pipe -f concat -i - -c copy output.mp3 By understanding the root cause of the issue and utilizing the sed command, users can successfully merge MP3 files using FFmpeg on Ubuntu and Kubuntu 20.04 systems. This powerful combination of tools enables users to manipulate audio files with ease, making it an essential skill for anyone working with audio content.
- Users have reported issues when attempting to merge MP3 files on Ubuntu and Kubuntu 20.04 systems using FFmpeg.
- The root cause of the issue is a change in the default behavior of the sed command in Ubuntu and Kubuntu 20.04.
- The problem can be resolved by using the sed command to properly format the input file list for FFmpeg.
- The following command can be used to merge MP3 files successfully:
sed -e 's/\(.*\)/file\'\1\'/' | ffmpeg -protocol_whitelist file,pipe -f concat -i - -c copy output.mp3 References
- FFmpeg: https://ffmpeg.org/
- Ubuntu: https://ubuntu.com/
- Kubuntu: https://kubuntu.org/