multimedia_paradise 1.1.314

data/lib/multimedia_paradise/conversions/conversions.rb

@@ -0,0 +1,930 @@
+#!/usr/bin/ruby -w
+# Encoding: UTF-8
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+# =========================================================================== #
+# Code in this .rb file has to do with converting multimedia formats, and
+# thus will contain all kind of conversion-related aspects - but it can
+# also be used for cutting, splitting etc.. of audio files, at the least
+# for some of that.
+#
+# If you want to use a wrapper over image-to-image manipulation then
+# you should use another module/class though, perhaps even the project
+# called image_paradise.
+# =========================================================================== #
+# require 'multimedia_paradise/toplevel_methods/conversions.rb'
+# MultimediaParadise.video_to_images
+# =========================================================================== #
+module MultimediaParadise
+
+  begin
+    require 'opn'
+  rescue LoadError; end
+
+  begin
+    require 'cliner'
+  rescue LoadError; end
+
+  require 'multimedia_paradise/constants/conversions.rb'
+  require 'multimedia_paradise/toplevel_methods/e.rb'
+  require 'multimedia_paradise/toplevel_methods/esystem.rb'
+  require 'multimedia_paradise/toplevel_methods/merge_multimedia_file.rb'
+  require 'multimedia_paradise/toplevel_methods/output_directory.rb'
+  require 'multimedia_paradise/toplevel_methods/rds.rb'
+  require 'multimedia_paradise/toplevel_methods/run_sys_command.rb'
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === @use_this_binary_for_conversions
+  #
+  # Specify which program we will use by default for binary-related
+  # conversions.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  @use_this_binary_for_conversions = :ffmpeg # Can be :sox too.
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.use_this_binary_for_conversions?
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.use_this_binary_for_conversions?
+    @use_this_binary_for_conversions
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === cliner
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def cliner
+    Cliner.cliner
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion
+  #
+  # Use ffmpeg here in a simplified manner through this method, in order
+  # to convert one format to another one.
+  #
+  # Simply provide the input file as the first argument to this method,
+  # and the desired target file as the second argument. See the following
+  # usage examples for how to use this method specifically.
+  #
+  # Usage examples:
+  #
+  #   MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion('foo.wav','foo.mp3')
+  #   MultimediaParadise.convert('foobar.mp3', to: 'wav')
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.general_format_conversion(
+      input_file,  # Such as 'foobar.wav'.
+      target_file, # Such as 'foobar.mp3'.
+      &block
+    )
+    if input_file.is_a? Array
+      input_file.each {|entry|
+        general_format_conversion(entry, target_file, &block)
+      }
+    else
+      if target_file.is_a? Hash
+        # =================================================================== #
+        # === :to
+        #
+        # Allow support for the ":to" keyword.
+        # =================================================================== #
+        if target_file.has_key? :to
+          target_file = target_file.delete(:to)
+        end
+      end
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # The variable target_file may be a symbol. Check this first.
+      #
+      # We work on the target_file first.
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      case target_file.to_s
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # === to_webm
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      when /^to(_|-)?webm$/i,
+           /webm$/i
+        target_file = input_file.gsub(File.extname(input_file), '')+'.webm'
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # === to_ogg
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      when /^to(_|-)?ogg$/i,
+           /ogg$/i
+        target_file = input_file.gsub(File.extname(input_file), '')+'.ogg'
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # === to_aac
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      when /^to(_|-)?aac$/i,
+           /\.?aac$/i
+        target_file = input_file.gsub(File.extname(input_file), '')+'.aac'
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # === to_dv
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      when /^to(_|-)?dv$/i,
+           /\.?dv$/i
+        target_file = input_file.gsub(File.extname(input_file), '')+'.dv'
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # === to_wav
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      when /^to(_|-)?wav$/i,
+           /wav$/i,
+           '2wav'
+        target_file = input_file.gsub(File.extname(input_file), '')+'.wav'
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # === to_mp3
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      when /^to(_|-)?mp3$/i,
+           /mp3$/i
+        target_file = input_file.gsub(File.extname(input_file), '')+'.mp3'
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # === to_mp3
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      when /^to(_|-)?mp3$/i,
+           /mp3$/i
+        target_file = input_file.gsub(File.extname(input_file), '')+'.mp3'
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # === to_opus
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      when /^to(_|-)?opus$/i,
+           /opus$/i
+        target_file = input_file.gsub(File.extname(input_file), '')+'.opus'
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # === to_wv
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      when /^to(_|-)?wv$/i,
+           /wv$/i
+        target_file = input_file.gsub(File.extname(input_file), '')+'.wv'
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # === to_wma
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      when /^to(_|-)?wma$/i,
+           /wma$/i
+        target_file = input_file.gsub(File.extname(input_file), '')+'.wma'
+      end unless target_file.to_s.include?('/')
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      #          ^^^ here we assume the second argument to be like this: /Depot/j/yodel.wav
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      # The "target_file" variable may be something such as '.wma'
+      # In this case, the file name is missing. We fix this problem
+      # by using the real name of the input_file as output format.
+      # ===================================================================== #
+      if target_file.start_with? '.'
+        if input_file.include? '.'
+          target_file = input_file[0, input_file.index('.')]+target_file
+        end
+      end if target_file.respond_to? :start_with?
+      target_file = rds(target_file)
+      target_file = File.absolute_path(target_file)
+      if File.exist? input_file
+        cliner {
+          please_be_patient(
+            input_file, 'to '+File.extname(target_file)+' format'
+          )
+          ::MultimediaParadise.display_warning(:lossy)
+        }
+        # =================================================================== #
+        # By default we will use ffmpeg, but this can be changed to sox or
+        # any other toolkit.
+        # =================================================================== #
+        _ = "#{::MultimediaParadise.use_this_binary_for_conversions?} -y ".dup
+        _ << " -i #{input_file} "
+        # =================================================================== #
+        # Do some ad-hoc clean up next.
+        # -ac means audio_channel
+        # =================================================================== #
+        if target_file.end_with?('.opus')
+          _ << '" -ar 48000 -ac 2 -acodec libopus -ab 256k '
+        elsif target_file.end_with?('.ogg')
+          _ << ' -acodec libvorbis -aq 60 '
+        end
+        if block_given?
+          yielded = yield
+          if yielded.is_a? Hash
+            # =============================================================== #
+            # === :bitrate_to_use
+            # =============================================================== #
+            if yielded.has_key? :bitrate_to_use
+              # -b:a will convert the audio bitrate to be exactly that value.
+              _ << ' -b:a '+yielded[:bitrate_to_use].to_s+'k'
+            end
+          end
+        end
+        _ << " #{target_file}"
+        _.squeeze!(' ')
+        run_sys_command _
+        # =================================================================== #
+        # Since as of August 2016, we will return the path to the newly
+        # generated file.
+        # =================================================================== #
+        return target_file.to_s
+      else
+        file_does_not_exist(input_file)
+      end
+    end
+  end; self.instance_eval { alias convert          general_format_conversion } # === MultimediaParadise.convert
+       self.instance_eval { alias basic_conversion general_format_conversion } # === MultimediaParadise.basic_conversion
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.mp4_to_mp3
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.mp4_to_mp3(a, b = '.mp3')
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(a, b)
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.ogg_to_mp3
+  #
+  # Convert .ogg files into .mp3 files.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.ogg_to_mp3(this_file, to = '.mp3')
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(this_file, to)
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.mp3_to_opus
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.mp3_to_opus(this_file, to = '.opus')
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(this_file, to)
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.wav_to_midi
+  #
+  # Convert wav to midi file using waon.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.wav_to_midi(
+      input_file, output_file = 'ack.mid'
+    )
+    cmd = 'waon -i '.dup
+    cmd << input_file
+    cmd << ' -o '+output_file
+    run_sys_command cmd
+  end 
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.flash_to_mpg
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.flash_to_mpg(
+      input_file  = 'jokes.flv',
+      output_file = 'jokes.mpg'
+    )
+    if File.exist? input_file
+      cmd = 'ffmpeg -i '
+      cmd << input_file
+      cmd << ' -ab 56 -ar 22050 -b 500 -s 320×240 '
+      cmd << output_file
+      run_sys_command cmd
+    end
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.m4a_to_mp3
+  #
+  # From .m4a audio to a .mp3 file.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.m4a_to_mp3(this_file, to = '.mp3')
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(this_file, to)
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.any_to_mp3
+  #
+  # Wrapper method. Converts any file to mp3 format. Right now it uses 
+  # ffmpeg for this. This may be superior to the other variants actually.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.any_to_mp3(this_file, to = '.mp3')
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(this_file, to)
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.decrease_volume
+  #
+  # This should decrease audio volume, by using sox.
+  #
+  # We do this by using the command --volume FACTOR.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.decrease_volume(
+      of_this_file,
+      by_how_much = '0.5'
+    )
+    run_sys_command 'sox --volume '+
+                     by_how_much+' '+of_this_file+' AUDIO_REDUCED_'+of_this_file 
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.wav_to_opus
+  #
+  # Use this method to convert a .mp4 file into a .mp3 file.
+  #
+  # We will use ffmpeg for this conversion.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.wav_to_opus(this_file, to = '.opus')
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(this_file, to)
+  end
+  
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.wav_to_mp3                 (wav_to_mp3 conversion)
+  #
+  # We convert a .wav file into a .mp3 file with this method here.
+  #
+  # The second argument can be a hash such as:
+  #
+  #   :output => output?
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   MultimediaParadise.wav_to_mp3
+  #
+  # Another way would be to use ffmpeg like so (-ab is the audio bitrate):
+  #
+  #   ffmpeg -i audio.wav -acodec mp3 -ab 192k audio.mp3
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   result = MultimediaParadise.wav_to_mp3 '/Depot/j/BOTY_2013_MorningOfOwlShowcase.mp3'
+  #   MultimediaParadise.wav_to_mp3 '/Depot/jj/Youtube2008_Soundmix.wav'
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.wav_to_mp3(
+      this_file, bitrate_to_use = 192, to = '.mp3'
+    )
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(this_file, to) {{
+      bitrate_to_use: bitrate_to_use
+    }}
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.normalize
+  #
+  # Normalize audio.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.normalize(
+      this_file
+    )
+    cmd  = 'normalize '
+    cmd << this_file
+    run_sys_command cmd
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.mp3_to_midi
+  #
+  # Convert mp3 to midi file using lame and waon. We need to do two
+  # steps because a single step is not yet enough.
+  #
+  # I do not know presently (December 2021) whether ffmpeg allows 
+  # mp3-to-midi conversions, but waon does, so let's use that.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.mp3_to_midi(
+      input_file, output_file = 'ack.mid'
+    )
+    result = mp3_to_wav(input_file)
+    cmd = 'waon -i '.dup
+    cmd << result
+    cmd << ' -o '+output_file
+    run_sys_command cmd
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.flash_to_avi
+  #
+  # Convert a .flv file to .avi.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def flash_to_avi(file)
+    run_sys_command "ffmpeg -i #{file} #{file}.avi"
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.flash_to_mp4
+  #
+  # Do flash .flv to .mp4 conversion.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.flash_to_mp4(input_file = 'input.flv')
+    if File.exist? input_file
+      cmd  = 'ffmpeg '
+      cmd << '-i '+input_file+' '
+      cmd << '-an output.mp4  '
+      run_sys_command cmd
+    end
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.images_to_video
+  #
+  # Notice that %d is replaced by the image number in question.
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   MultimediaParadise.images_to_video
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.images_to_video(img = 'img%d.jpg')
+    frames_per_second = '5'
+    img = img.join(' ') if img.is_a? Array
+    cmd = 'ffmpeg -r '+frames_per_second+' -b '+DEFAULT_VIDEO_BITRATE.to_s+' -i '+img+' output.mp4'
+    run_sys_command cmd
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.avi_to_m4v
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.avi_to_m4v(
+      output_file = 'output.m4v', *input_files
+    )
+    output_file = 'output.m4v' if output_file.nil?
+    output_file = 'output.'+output_file unless output_file.include? '.'
+    _  = 'ffmpeg '.dup
+    _ << '-i '+input_files.join(' ')+' '
+    _ << '-r 12.5 '
+    _ << '-b 80 '
+    _ << '-vcodec libxvid '
+    _ << '-maxrate 80 '
+    _ << '-bufsize 5 '
+    _ << output_file
+    run_sys_command _
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.to_vob
+  #
+  # This method converts input to a .vob file, which is a file that is
+  # used for DVD-playback.
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   require 'multimedia_paradise/autoinclude'
+  #
+  #   to_vob 'Simpsons_Halloween_DasHaus.avi'
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.to_vob(*i)
+    _ = 'ffmpeg -y -i '+i.join(' ')+' MERGED.vob'
+    e _
+    run_sys_command _
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.demultiplex
+  #
+  # Demultiplex using tcdemux.
+  #
+  # Ffmpeg should also allow it - this is an example for it:
+  #
+  #   ffmpeg -i source -map 0:a -c:a copy audioout -map 0:v -c:v copy videoout
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   MultimediaParadise.demultiplex('foo.mpg')
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.demultiplex(this_file)
+    cmd  = 'tcdemux -i '.dup
+    cmd << this_file
+    cmd << ' -x ac3 > bla.ac3'
+    run_sys_command cmd
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.stretch_audio
+  #
+  # More than 1.0 means longer duration, less then 1.0 will shorten the song.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.stretch_audio(
+      this_audio_file,
+      by_this_factor = 1.2
+    )
+    if this_audio_file.is_a? Array
+      this_audio_file.each {|entry| stretch_audio(entry) }
+    else
+      cmd = 'sox '+this_audio_file+' '+this_audio_file+' stretch '+by_this_factor.to_s
+      run_sys_command cmd
+    end
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.trim_audio
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.trim_audio(of_this_file)
+    e 'Start at how many seconds:'
+    start_pos = $stdin.gets.chomp
+    e 'Capture how many seconds?'
+    duration = $stdin.gets.chomp
+    cmd = 'sox '+of_this_file+' trim '+start_pos+' '+duration
+    e cmd
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.avi_to_flash
+  #
+  # Convert an .avi file to flash format, i.e. to .flv.
+  # Right now we will simply use ffmpeg for this.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.avi_to_flash(file)
+    run_sys_command 'ffmpeg -i '+file+' '+file+'.flv'
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.au_to_wav
+  #
+  # convert .au file to .wav file.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.au_to_wav(
+      this_file, to = 'wav'
+    )
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(this_file, to: ot)
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.video_to_images
+  #
+  # This method can, by leveraging "ffmpeg", convert a video-file into
+  # a set of image-files.
+  #
+  # The first argument to this method should be the filename of the
+  # video-file, such as "foobar.mp4" or "cool_movie.mkv".
+  #
+  # Right now the default target format for the images will be .jpg,
+  # but you could also use .png or any other image-format. This is
+  # the second argument to this method.
+  #
+  # If you need a variant that works for bash (the shell), try
+  # this:
+  #
+  #   ffmpeg -i ack.mkv extracted_images_from_file_ack_%d.jpg
+  #
+  # Or via the bin/video_to_images file:
+  #
+  #   video_to_images ack.mkv
+  #   videotoimages *.avi
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.video_to_images(
+      which_video      = 'video.mpg',
+      format_to_use    = :default,
+      framerate_to_use = 25
+    )
+    if format_to_use.frozen?
+      format_to_use = format_to_use.dup
+    end
+    case format_to_use
+    # ======================================================================= #
+    # === :default
+    # ======================================================================= #
+    when :default
+      format_to_use = '.jpg'
+    end
+    unless format_to_use.start_with? '.'
+      format_to_use.prepend '.'
+    end
+    [which_video].flatten.compact.each {|this_video_file|
+      cliner
+      cmd = 'ffmpeg '+
+            '-i '+this_video_file.to_s+' '+
+            '-r '+framerate_to_use.to_s+
+            ' extracted_images_from_the_movie_%d'+format_to_use
+      run_sys_command cmd
+      cliner
+    }
+  end; self.instance_eval { alias to_images video_to_images } # === MultimediaParadise.to_images
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.audio_info
+  #
+  # As of November 2013 this method makes use of ffprobe, from ffmpeg
+  # instead.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.audio_info(i)
+    if i.is_a? Array
+      i.each {|entry| audio_info(entry) }
+    else
+      # cmd = 'sox '+i+' -e stat'
+      cmd = 'ffprobe '+i
+      run_sys_command cmd
+    end
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.file_does_not_exist
+  #
+  # Use this method when reporting that a file does not exist (or was not
+  # found).
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.file_does_not_exist(file)
+    e "No file exists at `#{sfile(file)}`."
+  end; self.instance_eval { alias no_file_exists_at file_does_not_exist } # === MultimediaParadise.no_file_exists_at
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.for_ipod
+  #
+  # Convert to ipod.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.for_ipod
+    cmd = 'mencoder -ovc raw -ofps 15 -oac pcm '.dup
+    cmd << '-vf scale=176:-2,expand=176:132,format=bgr16 input.file '
+    cmd << '-o output.avi'
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.wav_to_ogg
+  #
+  # Perform a .wav to .ogg conversion through this method here.
+  #
+  # Usage examples:
+  #
+  #   wav_to_ogg 'test.wav'
+  #   MultimediaParadise.wav_to_ogg('/Depot/j/foobar.wav','/Depot/j/yodel.ogg')
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.wav_to_ogg(
+      i  = '/Depot/j/foobar.wav',
+      to = 'ogg'
+    )
+    MultimediaParadise.convert(i, to: to)
+  end; self.instance_eval { alias wav2ogg wav_to_ogg } # === MultimediaParadise.wav2ogg
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.mp3_to_wav
+  #
+  # This method will attempt to convert a .mp3 file to a .wav file.
+  #
+  # Returns result as well.
+  #
+  # Rather than use ffmpeg we could also use lame, such as via:
+  #
+  #   'lame --decode "'+i+'" "'+output_file+'"'
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   MultimediaParadise.mp3_to_wav('/Depot/j/foobar.mp3','/Depot/j/yodel.wav')
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.mp3_to_wav(
+      i  = '/Depot/j/foobar.mp3',
+      to = 'wav'
+    )
+    MultimediaParadise.convert(i, to: to)
+  end; self.instance_eval { alias mp3towav mp3_to_wav } # === MultimediaParadise.mp3towav
+       self.instance_eval { alias to_wav   mp3_to_wav } # === MultimediaParadise.to_wav
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.please_be_patient
+  #
+  # Simply display a little message so the user can remain patient.
+  #
+  # The second argument is an optional target-format message.
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   please_be_patient(file, 'to mp3 format')
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.please_be_patient(
+      file, optional_target_format = ''
+    )
+    optional_target_format = optional_target_format.to_s
+    optional_target_format << ' ' if optional_target_format.empty?
+    opn; e 'Converting `'+::MultimediaParadise.sfile(file)+'` '+
+            optional_target_format.strip+
+           ' next, please be patient.'
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.extract_audio_from_until
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #  MultimediaParadise.extract_audio_from_until('/Depot/j/foobar.mp4', 25, 35)
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.extract_audio_from_until(
+      this_file,
+      from_start_pos = 30, 
+      duration       = 30
+    )
+    this_file = File.absolute_path(this_file)
+    base_dir = File.dirname(this_file)
+    output_file = 'CLIPPED_'+File.basename(this_file)
+    output_file = base_dir+'/'+output_file
+    this_command = 'ffmpeg -y'+ # -y for "automatically overwrite".
+                   ' -i '+this_file+' -ss '+from_start_pos.to_s+
+                   ' -t '+duration.to_s+' '+output_file
+    run_sys_command this_command
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.increase_volume
+  #
+  # Increase the volume of an audio file using sox with this method.
+  #
+  # We do this by using the command --volume FACTOR.
+  #
+  # A value of 0.9 would mean a new audio file with 90% volume of the
+  # original file. 2.0 would mean 200% of the volume.
+  #
+  # Note that this method depends on sox, which in turn has limitations.
+  # For instance, sox can not handle .mp4 files. In the long run I may
+  # have to switch to ffmpeg, but for now this method will stay as
+  # it is. (In the future perhaps an additional argument has to
+  # denote which toolkit we will use.)
+  #
+  # Usage examples:
+  #
+  #   MultimediaParadise.increase_volume 'Mittwoch_14.10.2015.mp3'
+  #   MultimediaParadise.increase_volume '/Depot/j/CLIPPED_foobar.mp4', '1.5'
+  #   MultimediaParadise.increase_volume '/Depot/j/ack.mp3', '1.5'
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.increase_volume(
+      of_this_file,
+      by_how_much = '2.0'
+    )
+    of_this_file = File.absolute_path(of_this_file)
+    unless by_how_much.is_a? String
+      by_how_much = by_how_much.to_f.to_s
+    end
+    extname = File.extname(of_this_file) # This will result in e. g. ".mp4".
+    run_sys_command 'sox --volume '+
+                     by_how_much+' '+
+                     of_this_file+' '+
+                     of_this_file.delete_suffix(extname)+
+                     'AUDIO_GAINED_'+extname 
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.capture_screen
+  #
+  # This captures a screen by using ffmpeg.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.capture_screen(size_angabe = '1024x800')
+    begin
+      require 'capture_screen'
+    rescue LoadError; end
+    img_file = '$MY_TEMP/GRABBED_X11_screencast.mov'
+    _ = CaptureScreen.new :dont_run_yet
+    _.store_here = img_file
+    _.size = size_angabe
+    return _.main_string?
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.remove_noise
+  #
+  # Use sox to remove noise stuff.
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   require 'multimedia_paradise'; MultimediaConversions.remove_noise('*.mp3')
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.remove_noise(
+      of_this_file = '*.mp3', this_rate = '3400'
+    )
+    of_this_file = glob(of_this_file) if of_this_file.include? '*'
+    if of_this_file.is_a? Array
+      of_this_file.each {|entry|
+        remove_noise(entry, this_rate)
+      }
+    else
+      esystem 'sox '+of_this_file+' removed_noise_'+of_this_file+' lowp '+this_rate
+    end 
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.extract_video
+  #
+  # Extract the video portion using mencoder.
+  #
+  # The return value will be the new filepath in question, or nil otherwise.
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.extract_video(this_file)
+    new_file_location = nil
+    if this_file.is_a? Array
+      this_file = this_file.first # For now, we only use the first member.
+    end
+    name_of_the_extension = File.extname(this_file.delete('.'))
+    output_file_name = 'video_extracted_from_'+
+                       File.basename(this_file.sub(/\.avi$/,'')).
+                       sub(/#{name_of_the_extension}$/,'')+'.avi'
+    output_file_name = output_file_name.squeeze('.')
+    _ = 'mencoder -idx -ovc copy -nosound '+this_file+' -o '+output_file_name
+    run_sys_command _ if _
+    new_file_location = output_file_name
+    return new_file_location
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.display_warning
+  #
+  # Use this method when you wish to display a warning.
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   display_warning :lossy
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.display_warning(what_kind_of_warning)
+    case what_kind_of_warning
+    when :lossy
+      e 'Warning: Converting from one lossy format to another '\
+        'lossy format.'
+    end
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.mp3_to_aac
+  #
+  # Convert from .mp3 to .aac format, using ffmpeg.
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   MultimediaParadise.to_aac('/Depot/jjj/foobar.mp3')
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.mp3_to_aac(
+      this_file,
+      to = '.aac'
+    )
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(this_file, to)
+  end; self.instance_eval { alias to_aac mp3_to_aac } # === MultimediaParadise.to_aac
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.mp3_to_ogg
+  #
+  # Convert from .mp3 to .ogg format.
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   mp3_to_ogg 'foo.mp3'
+  #   MultimediaParadise.mp3_to_ogg('/Depot/j/output.mp3')
+  #   MultimediaParadise.to_ogg('/Depot/jjj/foobar.mp3')
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.mp3_to_ogg(
+      this_file,
+      to = '.ogg'
+    )
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(this_file, to)
+  end; self.instance_eval { alias mp3toogg mp3_to_ogg } # === MultimediaParadise.mp3toogg
+       self.instance_eval { alias mp32ogg  mp3_to_ogg } # === MultimediaParadise.mp32ogg
+       self.instance_eval { alias to_ogg   mp3_to_ogg } # === MultimediaParadise.to_ogg
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.webm_to_mp3
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   MultimediaParadise.webm_to_mp3 'Intermission_Six_Days-Jg9P3Z7ZCcE.f171.webm', '/Depot/j/yo.mp3'
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.webm_to_mp3(a, b = '.mp3')
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(a, b)
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.to_webm
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   MultimediaParadise.to_webm 'foobar.mp4'
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.to_webm(a, b = '.webm')
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(a, b)
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.to_mkv
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   MultimediaParadise.to_mkv 'foobar.mp4'
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.to_mkv(a, b = '.mkv')
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(a, b)
+  end
+
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  # === MultimediaParadise.to_dv
+  #
+  # This entry point will convert into "Digital Video" format.
+  #
+  # Usage example:
+  #
+  #   MultimediaParadise.to_dv 'foobar.mp4'
+  #
+  # ========================================================================= #
+  def self.to_dv(a, b = '.dv')
+    ::MultimediaParadise.general_format_conversion(a, b)
+  end
+
+end
+
+if __FILE__ == $PROGRAM_NAME
+  # MultimediaParadise.extract_audio_from_until('/Depot/j/foobar.mp4')
+  # MultimediaParadise.increase_volume '/Depot/j/CLIPPED_foobar.mp4', '3'
+  # MultimediaParadise.increase_volume '/Depot/j/ack.mp3', '1.5'
+  # MultimediaParadise.convert('/Depot/j/foobar.mp3', to: 'wav')
+  # MultimediaParadise.mp3_to_wav('/Depot/j/foobar.mp3','/Depot/j/yodel.wav')
+  # MultimediaParadise.webm_to_mp3 'Intermission_Six_Days-Jg9P3Z7ZCcE.f171.webm', '/Depot/j/yo.mp3'
+  # MultimediaParadise.wav_to_ogg('/Depot/j/foobar.wav','/Depot/j/yodel.ogg')
+  MultimediaParadise.ogg_to_mp3('/Depot/j/yodel.ogg', '/Depot/j/this_came_from_ogg.mp3')
+end