Uploading audio #

This page is for producers and editors who add the audio of an episode. It covers preparing the file, the two ways to upload it, and the checks that keep the feed valid. Video is on Uploading video.

Contents #

1. Prepare the file
2. Upload in the edit form
3. Upload on the upload page
4. Player options
5. Check the file
6. Replacing a file

Prepare the file #

Exponential stores the file exactly as you upload it; it does not convert or compress audio (What is not built in). So prepare the final file in your editing software:

Formats such as M4A, AAC or Opus are not in the shipped mime.ini; uploaded as they are, they get the type application/octet-stream, which podcast apps reject. Ask your administrator to add them first (Working with your administrator).

Upload in the edit form #

This is the usual way for an episode:

1. Create the episode in the show (or season) folder, or edit an existing one.
2. In the audio field (a media field), choose the file under New file for upload.
3. Fill in the other fields and press Send for publishing.

The file is uploaded with the form. A large file takes as long as your connection needs; keep the page open until the form comes back. If the upload is refused, the field says why, for example that the file is larger than the upload_max_filesize of PHP allows (kernel/classes/datatypes/ezmedia/ezmediatype.php).

Upload on the upload page #

The upload page takes many files at once (Images, media and uploads). Each file becomes an item of the class that settings/upload.ini [CreateSettings] MimeClassMap[] names for its type. As shipped there is no entry for audio/mpeg, so an MP3 becomes a File item (DefaultClass=file): a download, not a player. Use the upload page for audio only when:

• your administrator has mapped audio/mpeg to your episode class (Building an episode class), or
• File items are what you want, for example as a download archive.

The option Keep as drafts keeps the new items unpublished, so you can add show notes before anything appears.

Player options #

For a media field with player type Html5 Audio, the form offers:

The template writes preload="none", so the file is fetched only when someone presses play (design/standard/templates/content/datatype/view/ezmedia.tpl).

Check the file #

After publishing, open the episode signed out and:

• To do: press play: the audio starts, and seeking works (downloads answer Range requests);
• To do: look at the field in the administration: MIME type says audio/mpeg, Size matches your file;
• To do: open the feed when it is built: the item's enclosure has the same type and length (Checking your feed).

Replacing a file #

To fix the audio of a published episode, edit the episode and upload the new file in the same field, then publish. The episode keeps its remote id, so podcast apps treat it as the same episode with a new file. Do not create a new episode for a corrected file; apps would list it twice (The podcast feed explained).

The earlier version stays in the item's history, so you can go back to it; see Publishing, versions and the trash.

Related pages #

• The media field and the file field
• Upload limits and large files
• Publishing an episode
• Free documentation: this page is free to copy, translate and improve under the GNU FDL 1.3.