wex screencast, webcam, audio recorder

[mikeslr]

FWIW,

I thought the post regarding extracting Appimages was by RetroTechGuy. Using it as part of the search field I was just as successful as Mike Walsh -- not at all. Having long ago realized that my memory leaks, I've developed the habit of making notes of things I may want to revisit. I just have to remember that I did make a note, and where I put it. So the note, a pdf of the post, lead to this:

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 240#983240

TecnoGuy458, RetroTechGuy -- wars have been fought over smaller differences.

[fredx181]

I do not know how you can look inside an AppImage, once created.

Hi Mike, The newest appimages from https://appimage.github.io/apps/ can be extracted with e.g.

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./name.AppImage --appimage-extract

, but I think all these are 64-bit, so only works from a 64-bit OS.

For to extract appimages that are packaged the old style (from years ago) https://sourceforge.net/projects/portable/files/ you can use:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/portab ... t/download (32-bit)

Another way is to run the appimage and look in /tmp for the (mounted) hidden folder named like .mount_XXXXXX, then to extract it would be copying that folder to another location.

Fred

[gabtech]

@Mike Walsh

Thanks for the Wex pet. Wex opens but when I click on the config button it closes. The two libs you mentioned are installed. And when I click the record button, wex seems to be recording but after clicking stop I can't find the output video.

[wiak]

@Mike Walsh

Thanks for the Wex pet. Wex opens but when I click on the config button it closes. The two libs you mentioned are installed. And when I click the record button, wex seems to be recording but after clicking stop I can't find the output video.

Like I suggested in one of the links, try installing pupradio from Puppy Package Manager. Wex doesn't actually use pupradio but has it as a default utility (and one is needed hence just install it cos its tiny) - as far as I remember that stops weX closing after config button.

By default, the recording normally appears in /root directory. But once config button okay you should be able to set the directory where recording will be stored (and see where it current default is for save directory/filename).

wiak

[gabtech]

@wiak

Thanks. Just downloaded pupradio, the config button now opens. Left everything as is and tried to record but still no video in root.

[wiak]

@wiak

Thanks. Just downloaded pupradio, the config button now opens. Left everything as is and tried to record but still no video in root.

Did you follow the absolutely required change (that fredx181 has since done) for BionicDog64 (same change needed for BionicPup64) outlined here:

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 15#1009415

That is:

edit /root/.wex/plugins/audio_in.plug and use:

ffmpegFilter_Complex0=""
(i.e. edit audio_in.plug to uncomment this one; meaning remove the hash)

instead of:

ffmpegFilter_Complex0="-filter_complex asyncts"
(i.e. edit audio_in.plug to comment out this line)

In weX config window, what are the entries in "Directory (default homedir)" and in "File to record or process" and what check/radio buttons are selected?

On first install, I recall you may need to run the program twice. If in severe trouble, remove directory /root/.wex and run the program again, close it down and then run it once more (it should then automatically recreate its own default config file).

wiak

[gabtech]

@wiak
I've attached some files for forensic analysis.

[Mike Walsh]

@ gabtech:-

I think I know what your 'problem' might be. I had the same issue in my Pups, but it was a simple 'fix'. (I could be wrong, but it's definitely worth a try.)

Can you run

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arecord -l

....in the terminal for me, and post the output, please? If my guess is correct, all that's required should be a simple edit. (That's a small 'L', BTW, not a '1').

It's not your fault, nor is it wiak's; it's all to do with the way in which ffmpeg apparently functions - the 'backend' for so many different screencasters. It can be quite fussy; if everything isn't 'just so', it'll turn its nose up and refuse to play ball....


Mike.

[gabtech]

@Mike Walsh

Here is the output you requested.

[Mike Walsh]

@ gabtech:-

O-kay. Right; in the config window, at the bottom, edit the 'audio device' box to change it from

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plughw:0,0

...to:-

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hw:1,0

Everything else in your config window looks fine. Hit the 'Record' ('Continue') button, top-left corner; this should return you to the small 'toolbar' at the top of the screen. Now click the 'Record' button (far left). All things being equal, you should be able to record a short, full-screen 'clip' now. Click the 'Stop' button when you're finished.....and when you're ready to quit, do so by using the 'X' at the far right; don't just close the GUI with the 'X' at the top corner, or you'll lose all your settings, and it'll go back to default again.

Before doing any of the above, though, do as wiak suggests, and delete /root/.wex. (The '.' shows it's a hidden file in /root; if you don't already know this, click on the 'eye' symbol in ROX's toolbar to show hidden files). This will return it to 'freshly installed' status. Fire WeX up, then shut it down again with the 'X' in the GUI as stated above; that will re-create the default .config file. Now fire it up again, and this time, make the above modification.....and then see what happens.

You should find 'try.mp4' in /root.

Let us know what happens, please. (BTW, the same advice applies to the config window; if you wish to make changes without continuing, close it with the 'X' button, bottom right corner. That way, you retain your changes.)


Mike.

[Mike Walsh]

Mike/Fred:-

Thanks for the advice, guys. I've already put it to good use in Xenialpup64 to get a newer VLC AppImage running - turning it back into a 'ROX-App', and running the terminal command that makes VLC think it's just running as a 'user' instead.

I realised that what TecnoGuy detailed in his post was something I wanted to do myself (I only had 2.2.2 in Xenial, so 2.2.8 was a worthwhile upgrade). Accordingly,

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sed -i 's/geteuid/getppid/' ./vlc

...did the trick.

Worked a treat. Cheers!

(BTW, Fred, thanks for the extra advice concerning older AppImages. I may put that to use, too; I've already got a couple or three candidates in mind for that one.)


Mike.

[gabtech]

@Mike Walsh

Thanks a zillion man. The suggested tweak worked magic.

[Mike Walsh]

@Mike Walsh

Thanks a zillion man. The suggested tweak worked magic.

@ gabtech:-

Ah, good. Glad to hear that did the trick. I had to perform the same 'tweak' when I first started to use it myself, and it looked like that was the problem for your situation, too. TBH, I don't quite know where Will got the 'plug' part of 'plughw:0,0' from....Puppy always refers to soundcards as 'hw:x,x' (soundcard, device - as delivered by the 'arecord -l' or 'aplay -l' terminal commands).

I'm guessing it's all to do with the way ffmpeg works. In one form or another, it's the 'back-end' for pretty much every screencaster I've tried over the years.

From the command-line, it's an incredibly versatile tool.....but there's so many variables, and each variable has multiple options.... If you don't dot every 'i' & cross every 't' to ffmpeg's satisfaction, it point-blank refuses to run. It's incredibly fussy; even if you don't want to include the audio stream in Wex, you still need to select the correct device, regardless! It sounds daft, I know, but that seems to be the way it's coded to work.

Anyway, you're sorted.....and that was the object of the exercise.


Mike.

[gabtech]

Is there a way of using wex to screen desktop to live streaming services?

[Mike Walsh]

@ gabtech:-

You mean, like 'sharing' your desktop live with a bunch of other people? Mmm; TBH, I've no idea. I would think you'd be better using something like a remote-desktop type of thing for that.....

wiak would have a better idea of how that might work, I expect. But don't expect any instant answers, 'cos that isn't really what WeX was intended for. Wex is for recordings, which you can then share after they're created.....


Mike.