Changing Audio Preferences with Extendscript?

[Megaman9]

I'm trying to make a script that can change settings in Premiere using Extendscript - similar to this thread https://community.adobe.com/t5/premiere-pro/is-it-possible-change-adobe-premiere-preferences-using-e...

My idea is to eventually turn it into an extension panel with common settings to avoid digging in the preferences menu.

I have managed to make it work when changing Audio Default Keyframe Duration, but now I am trying to make it work for the Audio Hardware Setup, specifically the default output. I've found the setting int the preferences file under  'App.Prefs.AudioHardwareSetup' but this setting is not a simple string, number or bool, but seemingly an object? I have tried using app.properties.setProperty() but it doesn't seem to work.

Here is a code sample. can this be done? Any help much appreciated!

//SETUP VARS
var prefToModify = 'App.Prefs.AudioHardwareSetup';
var appProperties = app.properties;
var newValue = '{"abe.io.audio.classes":[{"abe.io.audio.class.default":true,"abe.io.audio.class.id":1668248165,"abe.io.audio.coreaudio.inputdevicename":"Display Audio","abe.io.audio.coreaudio.inputdeviceuid":"AppleUSBAudioEngine:Apple Inc.:Display Audio:161902EC:2,1","abe.io.audio.coreaudio.ioblocksize":512,"abe.io.audio.coreaudio.masterdevice":false,"abe.io.audio.coreaudio.max.ioblocksize":2048,"abe.io.audio.coreaudio.min.ioblocksize":16,"abe.io.audio.coreaudio.outputdevicename":"Display Audio","abe.io.audio.coreaudio.outputdeviceuid":"AppleUSBAudioEngine:Apple Inc.:Display Audio:161902EC:2,1","abe.io.audio.coreaudio.samplerate":48000,"abe.io.audio.coreaudio.srvalue":[44100,48000]}],"abe.io.audio.outputonly":false,"abe.io.audio.userdata":{"PrefDontShowAgain_DeviceListChange":{"type":"bool","value":true},"abe.io.audio.DefaultDeviceClassID":{"type":"std::uint32_t","value":1668248165},"kPrefDontShowAgain_PerformDeviceChange":{"type":"bool","value":false}}}';

// DOING THE ACTUAL CHANGING
if (appProperties){
var propertyExists = app.properties.doesPropertyExist(prefToModify);
var propertyIsReadOnly = app.properties.isPropertyReadOnly(prefToModify);
var originalValue = app.properties.getProperty(prefToModify);

alert(appProperties.getProperty(prefToModify));

appProperties.setProperty(prefToModify, newValue, 1);
var safetyCheck = app.properties.getProperty(prefToModify);
if (safetyCheck == 'false') {
    alert("False");
} else {
    alert("Success?.");
}
} else {
    alert("Properties not found.");
}

[Bruce Bullis · Accepted solution]

In a prefs file containing the 'canonical' settings you want to copy, aren't there several other preferences, other than App.Prefs.AudioHardwareSetup, that need to be changed? 

0 Delete PPro prefs.

1 Launch PPro.

2 Immediately close PPro.

3 Make a copy of prefs, "Before".

4 Launch PPro.
5 Set preferences as you want them to be.

6 Close PPro.

7 Compare the 'before' prefs, to the current prefs; I think you'll find a few other preferences are changed.

[Megaman9]

Hey @bbb_999,

You're absolutely right there's heaps more being changed behind the scenes, including some things that seem to have nothing to do with the audio.

Seems like it's probably just too much hassle. bit of a shame as I think it would be a really useful feature for people working with clients to be able to switch it!

Thanks for your response!

[Bruce Bullis]

I know at least a few broadcasters are managing audio preferences, using the manner I described. 🙂 
You'll see some preference keys with crazy, GUID-like names; those are the ones you'd need to manage.

[Megaman9]

Oh, so it's possible!

That's great to hear. I don't suppose you could put me in contact with one of them? Understand if not but it would be great to hear from them how to do it properly.

[Bruce Bullis]

Sorry I can't, but I do know at least some of them frequent these forums. 

They're following the same instructions I provided, above. 

[MikeDiliberto]

@Megaman9 Did you ever get a script working for this? I use bluetooth headphones for normal editing, but speakers to do my audio clip adjustments, and it's a pain to have to go into the preferences menu every time I want to change it. I'd love just a panel or script that I could easily use to change the settings.

[Bruce Bullis]

Have you tried following the provided instructions? They work. 🙂

[abrahamg13357302]

@Bruce Bullis I don't know how to write scripts. I was hoping he could provide the file that he uses.

[Bruce Bullis]

Ahhh, sorry.

Unless your configuration is nearly identical to MegaMan9's, using his prefs won't work correctly on your system.

[MikeDiliberto]

Okay thanks! (that last reply was also from me. I was logged into the wrong account).

[Megaman9]

Hey @MikeDiliberto !

I tried a few times to get Bruce's instructions to work but it never worked for me for whatever reason. However I did come up with something else.

You can set a keyboard shortcut directly to "Audio Hardware Settings". After that I made a macro using Keyboard Maestro on Mac (you could use autohotkey if your on pc) to press the shortcut key, press tab the correct amount of times to get to the drop-down, and press either up or down to change the hardware, then change a variable in the macro to make sure it did the opposite direction next time it was activated. This worked well.

Are you on Mac or PC? I can help you set up the script.

[MikeDiliberto]

Thanks for responding! I didn't even think about using a hotkey, that's a great idea. I'm on windows and just installed AutoHotkey. Any tips on how to set up a script for this? I've never used this before.