Steinberg WaveLab 7 Operation Manual

							4.9 Scripting 77
ˆ toLocaleDateString()
ˆ toLocaleTimeString()
ˆ valueOf()
ˆ getTime()
ˆ getFullYear()
ˆ getUTCFullYear()
ˆ getMonth()
ˆ getUTCMonth()
ˆ getDate()
ˆ getUTCDate()
ˆ getDay()
ˆ getUTCDay()
ˆ getHours()
ˆ getUTCHours()
ˆ getMinutes()
ˆ getUTCMinutes()
ˆ getSeconds()
ˆ getUTCSeconds()
ˆ getMilliseconds()
ˆ getUTCMilliseconds()
ˆ getTimeZoneOffset()
ˆ setTime(time)
ˆ setMilliseconds(ms)
ˆ setUTCMilliseconds(ms)
ˆ setSeconds(sec [, ms])
ˆ setUTCSeconds(sec [, ms])
ˆ setMinutes(min [, sec [, ms]])
ˆ setUTCMinutes(min [, sec [, ms]])
ˆ setHours(hour [, min [, sec [, ms]]])
ˆ setUTCHours(hour [, min [, sec [, ms]]])
ˆ setDate(date)
ˆ setUTCDate(date)
ˆ setMonth(month [, date])
WaveLab 7 
						

							78 WaveLab Concepts
ˆ setUTCMonth(month [, date])
ˆ setFullYear(year [, month [, date]])
ˆ setUTCFullYear(year [, month [, date]])
ˆ toUTCString()
Example:
//Create a new date object
var d = new Date();
//Print it out in the log window
logWindow.printInfo(d);
//Get just the hours
logWindow.printInfo(d.getHours());
RegExp Objects
Functions
ˆ exec(string)
ˆ test(string)
ˆ toString()
Example:
//Create a new regular expression defining a 5 digit number
var reg = new RegExp(/^\d{5}$/);
//Test a string with it to see if it contains a 5 digit number
var isFiveDigit = reg.test("12345");
//Trace the result to the log window
logWindow.printInfo(isFiveDigit);
Error Objects
Values
ˆ name
ˆ message
Functions
ˆ toString()
WaveLab 7 
						

							4.10 The Spectrum display 79
Types of Native Errors available
ˆ EvalError
ˆ RangeError
ˆ ReferenceError
ˆ SyntaxError
ˆ TypeError
ˆ URIError
Related topics
WaveLab Scripting Language
Scripting window (Audio File Workspace)
Scripting window (Audio Montage Workspace)
4.10 The Spectrum display
In WaveLab's Audio File Workspace, the main wave editing and overview windows can be
set to display your audio as a spectrogram (Spectrum).This spectrum mode allows a unique
view of your audio and when used in conjunction with the
Spectrum editor offers powerful
audio restoration and processing functions. The Spectrum display is a "spectrogram", where
each vertical line represents the frequency spectrum at the corresponding time location.
The bottom of the display corresponds to the lower frequencies while the upper part of the
display represents the higher frequencies. The intensity or level of the frequencies are either
represented as a color spectrum, from red (maximum intensity) to purple/black (minimum
intensity), or as a monochrome intensity (depending on the setting in the
Spectrum options
dialog
). The vertical ruler on the left shows the frequency area (in Hz) for the spectrum.
You can view the Spectrum display in the Audio File Workspace by choosing the "Spectrum"
tab below either of the waveform display windows.
Related topics
Spectrogram options
Spectrum editor
4.10.1 Spectrogram options
This dialog allows you to adjust how the Spectrogram is displayed.
You can adjust the visual style of the spectrogram and its resolution. You can also specify
a cut-off point above which frequencies are displayed and to plot them using a linear or
logarithmic scale. This can be useful for isolating a certain range of frequencies: for example,
in sound restoration you may wish to focus on a high frequency band which is more accurately
displayed using a linear scale.
WaveLab 7 
						

							80 WaveLab Concepts
You can access this dialog from both wave windows in the Audio File Workspace via the
Spectrum tab >
Edit settings....
For an explanation of each parameter and interface feature, click on , or the 'What's this?'
question mark icon. For more information see
Getting Help
Related topics
The Spectrum display
Spectrum editor
4.11 Spectrum editor
This specific tool window allows you to select and perform operations on an Audio File via
its audio spectrum.
It uses high quality linear-phase filters to process a spectrum selection both in the time do-
main and in the frequency domain. This can be useful for advanced audio restoration tasks
like removing noise from a specific source in a recording, for example.
Making and editing selections
Spectrum editing can only be performed when a waveform is first displayed in Spectrum
display mode and when a spectrum selection is defined. To activate the Spectrum editor,
click on the Spectrum edit tool
in the command bar (or viaWorkspace>Specific tool
windows >Spectrum Editor ). This displays the Spectrogram if this is not already the case
(see
The Spectrum display ).
To select a region, point and drag to define a rectangle. The region selection defines a time
and a specific frequency range. This allows you to edit and process audio both in the time
domain and in a specific frequency domain, as opposed to standard wave editing which
always operates in the full frequency domain.
Notes on spectrum selections:
ˆ When defining a region in a stereo file, a "mirrored" region is automatically created in
the other channel. To define a region in only one channel, press [Shift]while drawing
the region.
ˆ Once you have a region selected, if you place your mouse cursor inside the region,
a pop-up appears showing the currently set frequency range (Hz) and the time range
(seconds/milliseconds) for the selection.
ˆ A selected region can be moved in any direction by clicking and dragging the region
with the cursor.
ˆ If you press [Shift]whilst dragging a region, it only moves horizontally thus retaining
your selected frequency range. If you press [Ctrl]/[Command]+[Shift] the region
only moves vertically thus retaining the selected time range.
WaveLab 7 
						

							4.11 Spectrum editor 81
ˆ You can resize a region by placing the mouse cursor at the edges of the region (so that
a double-arrow appears) and then clicking and dragging.
ˆ To remove a region that you have drawn, click anywhere else on the waveform and it
disappears.
ˆ If you have defined a region as a Source or Target, it can be selected at any time to
create a new selection using the same dimensions.
Spectrum editor functions
The Spectrum Editor has the following parts:
ˆ Selection - use this part to refine and define your selection(s). You can expand se-
lections, shift selections around and define a source and target region for performing
copy operations.
ˆ Operations - use this part to perform copying, filtering and processing operations.
For copying operations, you require both a source and a target region to have been
defined using the Selection tab. You can choose which method to copy audio between
the Source and Target regions. You can also choose to apply processing to a single
spectrum region using a variety of different modes. See
Spectrum Processing Modes
for information on each mode type.
ˆ Master Section - use this part to process and route selected spectral audio regions
through the Master Section and its effects plug-ins. This allows for frequency-selective
processing. A selected region's frequency spectrum can be routed to the Master Sec-
tion where you can choose to process it separately from the non-selected frequency
spectrum. The signal is split so that one part (region spectrum or non-selected spec-
trum) is sent to the plug-ins, while the other part can be mixed with this processed
signal, after the Master Section output.
Using the Spectrum editor
You can use the Spectrum editor in two main operational modes:
Region copying and filtering (Operations tab)
This is mainly intended for audio restoration applied over brief time ranges. Selections can
be copied, pasted, and filtered. This type of processing is mainly used to reduce, remove
or replace unwanted sound artifacts in the audio material, and can be carried out with great
precision. This could be useful for example, to replace part of a live recording that contains
an unwanted noise (such as a mobile phone ring tone), with a copy of a similar region of the
spectrum that only contains a "clean" signal. In general, the spectral Copy/Paste combination
gives the best results, given that the source and destination regions are properly choosen.
Master Section processing (Master Section tab)
This allows you to process a specific frequency range via the Master Section. The selected
or non-selected regions of the spectrum can be processed differently. You can also employ
a number of filters (Bandpass/Low-pass/High-pass) to further refine the particular range of
frequencies to be affected by any Master Section effects.
A selected spectrum region can either be:
WaveLab 7 
						

							82 WaveLab Concepts
ˆ Processed separately by the Master Section plug-ins. The non-selected spectrum can
either be bypassed or sent to the Master Section.
ˆ Bypassed. This removes the selected spectrum region from the Audio File. The non-
selected spectrum can either be routed to the Master Section input or the Master Sec-
tion output.
ˆ Sent to Master Section output. The non-selected spectrum can either be bypassed
or sent to the Master Section input. If the latter is selected, it will be mixed with the
selected spectrum region at the Master Section output.
You can access this window by choosing Workspace>Specific tool windows >Spec-
trum Editor .
For an explanation of each parameter and interface feature, click on , or the 'What's this?'
question mark icon. For more information see
Getting Help
Related topics
The Spectrum display
Spectrum Processing Modes
Spectrogram options
Spectrometer
4.11.0.1 Spectrum Processing Modes
When applying processing to a spectrum region in the
Spectrum Editor you can use a variety
of different modes:
Damp
This is used to attenuate the level of a region. The Gain parameter specifies the level of the
attenuation (it is also possible to set positive gain values, i.e. to boost the frequencies in the
region). Three filter types are available to perform the damping:
ˆ Bandpass filter: All frequencies in the region are equally attenuated.
ˆ Low-pass filter: Higher frequencies in the region will be more attenuated.
ˆ High-pass filter: Lower frequencies in the region will be more attenuated.
For the Low- and High-pass filters, a low Filter steepness setting is normally used (around 6
to 18dB).
Blur peaks
This filter operation analyzes the region to find the frequencies with the highest level. The
level of these frequencies will be attenuated (or boosted) according to the set Gain value. If
the gain is negative, these frequencies will be "blurred" and disappear in the mix as a whole.
The purpose of the filter is to mask the loudest frequencies (e.g. it could be used to eliminate
a sudden burst of pitched but unwanted sound in the audio material, like acoustic feedback).
WaveLab 7 
						

							4.12 About Regular Expressions 83
This mode works best with the Infinite steepness setting, which is automatically selected
when Blur peaks is used. You can, however, freely set any Filter steepness setting. The filter
type options are not available when this mode is selected.
Dispersion
This is a special filter that "smears" the dynamics and pitch of the region, without changing
the actual frequency content. This works best on lower frequencies, to mask the identity of
a signal without changing the frequency spectrum.
This mode works best with the Infinite steepness setting, which is automatically selected
when Dispersion is used. You can, however, freely set any Filter steepness setting. The filter
type options are not available when this mode is selected. Dispersion can also be used to
create special effects as it warps the sound in an unique way.
Fade Out
This can be used with any of the three filter types (Bandpass/Low-pass/High-pass). It grad-
ually filters the frequencies in the region along the time axis (from nothing at the left edge of
the region, to maximum allowed by the gain parameter at the right edge), useful for gradually
removing frequencies from a region.
Fade In
This works like Fade out but inversed. It can also be used in conjunction with any of the three
filter types (Bandpass/Low-pass/High-pass).
Fade out then in
This is a mix of the two previous options; the filtering effect gradually fades out until the
middle of the region, then fades back in. It can also be used in conjunction with any of the
three filter types (Bandpass/Low-pass/High-pass).
Fade in then out
The inverse of the above. It can also be used in conjunction with any of the three filter types
(Bandpass/Low-pass/High-pass).
Related topics
The Spectrum display
Spectrogram options
Spectrum editor
4.12 About Regular Expressions
At various places in WaveLab you can use
Regular Expressions to build complex text match-
ing capabilities into your conversion and renaming processes. A regular expression is a set
of text symbols that describe a method to find a specific text string within a large body of
text, and then apply a specific operation to this text string. Regular expressions are available
for the advanced user to perform powerful string search/replace operations, for example, in
batch renaming or batch processing.
Throughout WaveLab, wherever you see this bulb icon
there is a field where you can
create your own regular expressions. A fly-out menu containing shortcuts to build up the
basic syntax of an expression is also available.
WaveLab 7 
						

							84 WaveLab Concepts
It is beyond the scope of this Help system to describe this subject thoroughly (there are good
internet resources available), but please read on if you wish to check out the basic building
blocks used in regular expressions.
Common expressions
A regular expression is a formula composed of characters that have special meanings (called
operators ). Other characters are just plain letters and numbers that are searched for.
The search engine browses the target text one character at a time and stops as soon as
it finds a sequence of characters that matches the regular expression. Searches are not
case-sensitive. Note that there are various versions of regular expressions: WaveLab uses
a version that represents a good compromise between power and ease-of-use.
The term expression refers to a single character, a character class, or a sub-expression
enclosed with () or fg.
The following items are available on the Regular Expression pop-up menu:
WaveLab 7 
						

							4.12 About Regular Expressions 85
Menu item Operator Description
Any character . Symbolizes any character
Character in range [ ] A bracketed text is treated
as a single character, for
example: [AEW13] means
A or E or W or 1 or 3. A
hyphen within the brackets
specifies a range of
characters. For example,
[F-I] means F or G or H or I,
and [A-Z0-9] matches all
letters and all digits.
Character not in range [^
]
A circumflex located at the
first position in a bracket is
a complement operator. In
other words, all characters
match except those
included in the bracket.
Example: [ ^
E] means any
character exceptE.
Slash / A slash before a character
means that this character is
to be treated literally, not as
an operator.
0 or 1 match (1 if possible) ? Matches 0 or 1 time the
preceding expression. 1
repeat if possible is
grabbed, then the rest of
the regular expression
continues to be evaluated.
0 or 1 match (0 if possible) ?? Matches 0 or 1 time the
preceding expression. 0
repeat if possible (the
NEXT step in the regular
expression is also
evaluated and has priority).
0 or more matches (as
many as possible)
 Matches 0 or more times
the preceding expression.
As many repeats as
possible are grabbed, then
the rest of the regular
expression continues to be
evaluated.
0 or more matches (as few
as possible)
?
Matches 0 or more times
the preceding expression.
As few repeats as possible
are grabbed (the NEXT
step in the regular
expression is also
evaluated and has priority).
1 or more matches (as
many as possible)
+ Matches 1 or more times
the preceding expression.
As many repeats as
possible are grabbed, then
the rest of the regular
expression continues to be
evaluated.
1 or more matches (as few
as possible)
+? Matches 1 or more times
the preceding expression.
As few repeats as possible
are grabbed (the next step
in the regular expression is
also evaluated and has
priority).
Or j OR operator. Use this to
separate two expressions
and to match expression
#1 or expression #2. E.g.
Piano jDrum matches all
texts that contain Piano or
Drum.
Not ! Negation (NOT) operator:
the expression following !
must not match the
browsed text. For example,
a!b matches any "a" not
followed by "b".
Generic Group () Grouping operator. Useful
to form a sub-expression.
This sub-expression can be
followed by one of the
repeat operators.
Capture fg Capture operator. By
default, the found text
corresponds to the entire
regular expression. But it is
possible to limit a part of
the regular expression with
f g , and if a part is
matched, this will be the
retained part. For instance
the regular expression
"ab fcd gef" that is applied
on "abcdef" will return "cd".
Beginning of text ^
Use the circumflex sign to
specify that the
sought-after text MUST be
located at the start of the
browsed text. Any match
not located at the start of
the browsed text is ignored.
End of text $ Put this sign to specify that
the sought-after text MUST
be located at the end of the
text. Any match not located
at the end of the text is
ignored.
WaveLab 7 
						

							86 WaveLab Concepts
The Shortcuts sub-menu on the Regular Expression pop-up menu contains the following
options:
Menu item Operator Description
Any digit /d Special code to symbolize
any digit, as [0-9].
Any non-digit /D Special code to symbolize
any non-digit, as [ ^
0-9].
Any letter /l Special code to symbolize
any letter, as [a-z].
Any non-letter /L Special code to symbolize
any non-letter, as [ ^
a-z]. -
Any alphabetic /w Special
code to symbolize any
alphabetic character, as
[0-9a-z].
Any non-alphabetic /W Special code to symbolize
any non-alphabetic
character, as [ ^
0-9a-z].
Any number /u Special code to symbolize
a number (without a sign).
Number with possible +-
before.
/i Special code to symbolize
a number which can be
preceded by a + or - sign.
Quoted string /q Special code to symbolize
quoted text.
Simple word /z Special code to symbolize
a simple word (a sequence
of letters surrounded by
non-letters, e.g. spaces).
All special characters used for regular expressions are available from the "Special characters"
submenu. There is also a Presets sub-menu with pre-defined operations, which include the
following:
Menu item Description
1st/2nd/3rd word This searches for the first, second or third
word, respectively (separated by a space).
Last word This searches for the last word (separated
by a space).
1st/2nd/3rd expression in parentheses This searches for the first, second or third
string enclosed in parentheses,
respectively.
Last expression in parentheses This searches for the last string enclosed
in parentheses.
1st/2nd/3rd expression in brackets This searches for the first, second or third
string enclosed in brackets, respectively.
Last expression in brackets This searches for the last string enclosed
in brackets.
Related topics
Batch Renaming
Convert marker type
WaveLab 7