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.TH "FLAC" "1" "02 February 2005" "" ""
.SH NAME
flac \- Free Lossless Audio Codec
.SH SYNOPSIS

\fBflac\fR [ \fB\fIoptions\fB\fR ] [ \fB\fIinfile.wav\fB\fR | \fB\fIinfile.aiff\fB\fR | \fB\fIinfile.raw\fB\fR | \fB-\fR\fI ...\fR ]


\fBflac\fR [ \fB-d\fR | \fB--decode\fR | \fB-t\fR | \fB--test\fR | \fB-a\fR | \fB--analyze\fR ] [ \fB\fIOPTIONS\fB\fR ] [ \fB\fIinfile.flac\fB\fR\fI ...\fR ]

.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.PP
\fBflac\fR is a command-line tool for
encoding, decoding, testing and analyzing FLAC streams.
.PP
This manual page was originally written for the Debian GNU/Linux
distribution because the original program did not have a
manual page.
.SH "OPTIONS"
.PP
A summary of options is included below.  For a complete
description, see the HTML documentation.
.SS "GENERAL OPTIONS"
.TP
\fB-v, --version \fR
Show the flac version number
.TP
\fB-h, --help \fR
Show basic usage and a list of all options
.TP
\fB-H, --explain \fR
Show detailed explanation of usage and all options
.TP
\fB-d, --decode \fR
Decode (the default behavior is to encode)
.TP
\fB-t, --test \fR
Test a flac encoded file (same as -d
except no decoded file is written)
.TP
\fB-a, --analyze \fR
Analyze a FLAC encoded file (same as -d
except an analysis file is written)
.TP
\fB-c, --stdout \fR
Write output to stdout
.TP
\fB-s, --silent \fR
Silent mode (do not write runtime
encode/decode statistics to stderr)
.TP
\fB--totally-silent \fR
Do not print anything of any kind,
including warnings or errors.  The exit
code will be the only way to determine
successful completion.
.TP
\fB-f, --force \fR
Force overwriting of output files.  By default,
flac warns that the output file already exists and
continues to the next file.
.TP
\fB-o \fIfilename\fB, --output-name=\fIfilename\fB\fR
Force the output file name (usually flac just
changes the extension).  May only be used when
encoding a single file.  May not be used in
conjunction with --output-prefix.
.TP
\fB--output-prefix=\fIstring\fB\fR
Prefix each output file name with the given
string.  This can be useful for encoding or decoding
files to a different directory.  Make sure if your
string is a path name that it ends with a trailing
`/' (slash).
.TP
\fB--delete-input-file \fR
Automatically delete the input file after a
successful encode or decode.  If there was an
error (including a verify error) the input file
is left intact.
.TP
\fB--skip={\fI#\fB|\fImm:ss.ss\fB}\fR
Skip over the first number of samples of the input.
This works for both encoding and decoding, but not
testing.  The alternative form mm:ss.ss can be used
to specify minutes, seconds, and fractions of a
second.
.TP
\fB--until={\fI#\fB|[\fI+\fB|\fI-\fB]\fImm:ss.ss\fB}\fR
Stop at the given sample number for each input file.
This works for both encoding and decoding, but not testing.
The given sample number is not included in the decoded
output.  The alternative form mm:ss.ss can be used to
specify minutes, seconds, and fractions of a second.  If a
`+' (plus) sign is at the beginning, the --until point is
relative to the --skip point.  If a `-' (minus) sign is at
the beginning, the --until point is relative to end of the
audio.
.TP
\fB--ogg\fR
When encoding, generate Ogg FLAC output instead
of native FLAC.  Ogg FLAC streams are FLAC streams
wrapped in an Ogg transport layer.  The resulting
file should have an '.ogg' extension and will still
be decodable by flac.

When decoding, force the input to be treated as
Ogg FLAC.  This is useful when piping input from
stdin or when the filename does not end in '.ogg'.
.TP
\fB--serial-number=\fI#\fB\fR
When used with --ogg, specifies the serial number to
use for the first Ogg FLAC stream, which is then
incremented for each additional stream.  When encoding and
no serial number is given, flac uses a random number for
the first stream, then increments it for each additional
stream.  When decoding and no number is given, flac uses
the serial number of the first page.
.SS "ANALYSIS OPTIONS"
.TP
\fB--residual-text \fR
Includes the residual signal in the analysis
file.  This will make the file very big, much
larger than even the decoded file.
.TP
\fB--residual-gnuplot \fR
Generates a gnuplot file for every subframe;
each file will contain the residual distribution
of the subframe.  This will create a lot of
files.
.SS "DECODING OPTIONS"
.TP
\fB--cue=[\fI#.#\fB][-[\fI#.#\fB]]\fR
Set the beginning and ending cuepoints to decode.
The optional first #.# is the track and index point at
which decoding will start; the default is the beginning
of the stream.  The optional second #.# is the track
and index point at which decoding will end; the default
is the end of the stream.  If the cuepoint does not
exist, the closest one before it (for the start point)
or after it (for the end point) will be used.  If those
don't exist, the start of the stream (for the start
point) or end of the stream (for the end point) will be
used.  The cuepoints are merely translated into sample
numbers then used as --skip and --until.
.TP
\fB-F, --decode-through-errors \fR
By default flac stops decoding with an error
and removes the partially decoded file if it
encounters a bitstream error.  With -F, errors are
still printed but flac will continue decoding to
completion.  Note that errors may cause the decoded
audio to be missing some samples or have silent
sections.
.SS "ENCODING OPTIONS"
.TP
\fB-V, --verify\fR
Verify a correct encoding by decoding the
output in parallel and comparing to the
original
.TP
\fB--lax\fR
Allow encoder to generate non-Subset
files.  The resulting FLAC file may not be
streamable or might have trouble being played
in all players (especially hardware devices),
so you should only use this option in
combination with custom encoding options meant
for archival.
.TP
\fB--replay-gain\fR
Calculate ReplayGain values and store in
Vorbis comments, similar to vorbisgain.  Title
gains/peaks will be computed for each input
file, and an album gain/peak will be computed
for all files.  All input files must have the
same resolution, sample rate, and number of
channels.  Only mono and stereo files are
allowed, and the sample rate must be one of
8, 11.025, 12, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, or 48
kHz.  Also note that this option may leave a
few extra bytes in a PADDING block as the exact
size of the tags is not known until all files
are processed.  Note that this option cannot be
used when encoding to standard output (stdout).
.TP
\fB--cuesheet=\fIfilename\fB\fR
Import the given cuesheet file and store it in a
CUESHEET metadata block.  This option may only be used
when encoding a single file.  A seekpoint will be added
for each index point in the cuesheet to the SEEKTABLE
unless --no-cued-seekpoints is specified.
.TP
\fB--sector-align\fR
Align encoding of multiple CD format WAVE
files on sector boundaries.  See the HTML
documentation for more information.
.TP
\fB-S {\fI#\fB|\fIX\fB|\fI#x\fB|\fI#s\fB}, --seekpoint={\fI#\fB|\fIX\fB|\fI#x\fB|\fI#s\fB}\fR
Include a point or points in a SEEKTABLE.  Using #,
a seek point at that sample number is added.  Using
X, a placeholder point is added at the end of a the
table.  Using #x, # evenly spaced seek points will
be added, the first being at sample 0.  Using #s, a
seekpoint will be added every # seconds (# does not
have to be a whole number; it can be, for example, 9.5,
meaning a seekpoint every 9.5 seconds).  You may use
many -S options; the resulting SEEKTABLE will be the
unique-ified union of all such values.  With no -S
options, flac defaults to '-S 10s'.  Use --no-seektable
for no SEEKTABLE.  Note: '-S #x' and '-S #s' will not
work if the encoder can't determine the input size before
starting.  Note: if you use '-S #' and # is >=
samples in the input, there will be either no seek
point entered (if the input size is determinable
before encoding starts) or a placeholder point (if
input size is not determinable).
.TP
\fB-P \fI#\fB, --padding=\fI#\fB\fR
Tell the encoder to write a PADDING metadata
block of the given length (in bytes) after the
STREAMINFO block.  This is useful if you plan to
tag the file later with an APPLICATION block;
instead of having to rewrite the entire file later
just to insert your block, you can write directly
over the PADDING block.  Note that the total length
of the PADDING block will be 4 bytes longer than
the length given because of the 4 metadata block
header bytes.  You can force no PADDING block at
all to be written with --no-padding.  The encoder
writes a PADDING block of 4096 bytes by default.
.TP
\fB-T \fIFIELD=VALUE\fB, --tag=\fIFIELD=VALUE\fB\fR
Add a Vorbis comment.  The comment must adhere
to the Vorbis comment spec; i.e. the FIELD must
contain only legal characters, terminated by an
\&'equals' sign.  Make sure to quote the comment if
necessary.  This option may appear more than once
to add several comments.  NOTE: all tags will be
added to all encoded files.
.TP
\fB-b \fI#\fB, --blocksize=\fI#\fB\fR
Specify the block size in samples.  The
default is 1152 for -l 0, else 4608; must be one of
192, 576, 1152, 2304, 4608, 256, 512, 1024, 2048,
4096, 8192, 16384, or 32768 (unless --lax is used)
.TP
\fB-m, --mid-side\fR
Try mid-side coding for each frame (stereo
input only)
.TP
\fB-M, --adaptive-mid-side\fR
Adaptive mid-side coding for all frames (stereo
input only)
.TP
\fB-0..-8, --compression-level-0..--compression-level-8\fR
Fastest compression..highest compression
(default is -5).  These are synonyms for other
options:
.RS
.TP
\fB-0, --compression-level-0\fR
Synonymous with -l 0 -b 1152 -r 2,2
.TP
\fB-1, --compression-level-1\fR
Synonymous with -l 0 -b 1152 -M -r 2,2
.TP
\fB-2, --compression-level-2\fR
Synonymous with -l 0 -b 1152 -m -r 3
.TP
\fB-3, --compression-level-3\fR
Synonymous with -l 6 -b 4608 -r 3,3
.TP
\fB-4, --compression-level-4\fR
Synonymous with -l 8 -b 4608 -M -r 3,3
.TP
\fB-5, --compression-level-5\fR
Synonymous with -l 8 -b 4608 -m -r 3,3
.TP
\fB-6, --compression-level-6\fR
Synonymous with -l 8 -b 4608 -m -r 4
.TP
\fB-7, --compression-level-7\fR
Synonymous with -l 8 -b 4608 -m -e -r 6
.TP
\fB-8, --compression-level-8\fR
Synonymous with -l 12 -b 4608 -m -e -r 6
.RE
.TP
\fB--fast\fR
Fastest compression.  Currently
synonymous with -0.
.TP
\fB--best\fR
Highest compression.  Currently
synonymous with -8.
.TP
\fB-e, --exhaustive-model-search\fR
Do exhaustive model search
(expensive!)
.TP
\fB-l \fI#\fB, --max-lpc-order=\fI#\fB\fR
Set the maximum LPC order; 0 means use only the fixed predictors
.TP
\fB-p, --qlp-coeff-precision-search\fR
Do exhaustive search of LP coefficient
quantization (expensive!).  Overrides -q;
does nothing if using -l 0
.TP
\fB-q \fI#\fB, --qlp-coeff-precision=\fI#\fB\fR
Precision of the quantized linear-predictor
coefficients, 0 => let encoder decide (min is 5,
default is 0)
.TP
\fB-r [\fI#\fB,]\fI#\fB, --rice-partition-order=[\fI#\fB,]\fI#\fB\fR
Set the [min,]max residual partition order
(0..16). min defaults to 0 if unspecified.  Default
is -r 3,3.
.SS "FORMAT OPTIONS"
.TP
\fB--endian={\fIbig\fB|\fIlittle\fB}\fR
Set the byte order for samples
.TP
\fB--channels=\fI#\fB\fR
Set number of channels.
.TP
\fB--bps=\fI#\fB\fR
Set bits per sample.
.TP
\fB--sample-rate=\fI#\fB\fR
Set sample rate (in Hz).
.TP
\fB--sign={\fIsigned\fB|\fIunsigned\fB}\fR
Set the sign of samples (the default is signed).
.TP
\fB--input-size=\fI#\fB\fR
Specify the size of the raw input in bytes.  If you are
encoding raw samples from stdin, you must set this option
in order to be able to use --skip, --until, --cue-sheet, or
other options that need to know the size of the input
beforehand.  If the size given is greater than what is
found in the input stream, the encoder will complain about
an unexpected end-of-file.  If the size given is less,
samples will be truncated.
.TP
\fB--force-aiff-format\fR
Force the decoder to output AIFF format.  This option
is not needed if the output filename (as set by -o) ends
with \fI.aiff\fR.  Also, this option has no
effect when encoding since input AIFF is auto-detected.
.TP
\fB--force-raw-format\fR
Force input (when encoding) or output (when decoding)
to be treated as raw samples (even if filename ends
in \fI.wav\fR).
.SS "NEGATIVE OPTIONS"
.TP
\fB--no-adaptive-mid-side\fR
.TP
\fB--no-decode-through-errors\fR
.TP
\fB--no-delete-input-file\fR
.TP
\fB--no-exhaustive-model-search\fR
.TP
\fB--no-lax\fR
.TP
\fB--no-mid-side\fR
.TP
\fB--no-ogg\fR
.TP
\fB--no-padding\fR
.TP
\fB--no-qlp-coeff-precision-search\fR
.TP
\fB--no-residual-gnuplot\fR
.TP
\fB--no-residual-text\fR
.TP
\fB--no-sector-align\fR
.TP
\fB--no-seektable\fR
.TP
\fB--no-silent\fR
.TP
\fB--no-verify\fR
These flags can be used to invert the sense
of the corresponding normal option.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.PP
metaflac(1).
.PP
The programs are documented fully by HTML format
documentation, available in
\fI/usr/share/doc/flac/html\fR on
Debian GNU/Linux systems.
.SH "AUTHOR"
.PP
This manual page was written by Matt Zimmerman <mdz@debian.org> for
the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others).