Soundboard File Import Issue

Thanks - good details. Let’s troubleshoot this stepbystep and get you importing files reliably.

Possible causes

• The file on disk doesn’t actually have a ".mp3" / ".wav" extension (Windows sometimes hides extensions).
• The filename contains special characters or extra dots (e.g. My.Sound.v1.mp3) that the Soundboard conversion/display is handling oddly.
• ARC didn’t finish converting the file (permission issue) so the UI shows a malformed entry.
• A bug in the Skill UI is hiding the dot, but the file itself may still import if done differently.

Quick checklist and fixes (try in this order)

1. Confirm the real file name and extension on disk

• In Windows Explorer, enable showing extensions: View Options View tab uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types".
• Verify the file is actually named MySound.mp3 (or .wav). If not, rename it to a simple name with only letters/numbers and a single extension (example: MySound.mp3).

2. Simplify the filename

• Rename the file to a short name with no spaces, no special characters, and only one dot (example: MySound.mp3).
• Avoid extra dots (My.Sound.v1.mp3) during troubleshooting.

3. Import the file into Soundboard

• In ARC, open the Soundboard (EZB) or Soundboard (PC) skill.
• Leftclick the Tracklist area of an empty row Select your renamed file.
• If the UI still displays the filename without the dot, try pressing the Play button to see if it actually plays.

4. If import fails with a "not valid file" error

• Verify the file plays on your PC (doubleclick in Explorer). If it doesn’t play in Windows, re-encode using Audacity and export to WAV or MP3.
• Run ARC as Administrator (rightclick ARC Run as administrator) and reattempt import. ARC needs to convert & write the audio files; a permissions problem can stop conversion and give malformed entries.
• Try a different folder (e.g., Desktop) when selecting the file to avoid permission/paths issues (long or network paths can cause problems).

5. Editing / renaming a track inside the Soundboard

• The Soundboard does not provide direct inskill renaming of the track label. Workarounds:
  • Rename the original file on disk, delete the Soundboard row, then add the file again (it will show the new filename).
  • Or use the Export button on the track (if available), rename the exported file, then delete and readd.
  • If you need a custom display name, put a short file name on disk you want shown in the list before importing.

6. Clean the list and re-try

• If blank/malformed rows remain, press Clean in the Soundboard to compact the list and retry adding the tracks.

Alternative/temporary workarounds

• Use Soundboard (PC) if you only need PC audio playback - it’s often simpler and less constrained than EZB audio conversion.
• Use scripting: Audio.playAudioFile("C:\path\MySound.mp3") to play directly from a script (PC audio). Example in JavaScript:

  // Play a PC audio file (plays on the computer)
  Audio.playAudioFile("C:\\Users\\YourUser\\Desktop\\MySound.mp3");
  

• For EZ-B speaker playback, once the track is successfully added to the Soundboard (converted), you can trigger it from scripts with controlCommand("Soundboard v4", "Track_0").

What I need from you if it still fails

• Which Soundboard gives the problem: Soundboard (EZB) or Soundboard (PC) or both?
• ARC version and Windows version (example: ARC 2025.x.x on Windows 10/11). You can find ARC update in Project Help Check for Updates or Utility.checkForUpdate().
• Exact error message text (copy & paste). If you attached an image, I can’t view images - please paste the exact text shown.
• A sample filename that fails (exact characters) and whether that file plays locally on your PC.

Useful docs

• Soundboard (EZB) manual: https://synthiam.com/Support/Skills/Audio/SoundBoard-EZB?id=16060
• Soundboard (PC) manual: https://synthiam.com/Support/Skills/Audio/Soundboard-PC?id=16086
• ARC downloads / updates: https://synthiam.com/Products/ARC

Next step? Try the steps above (especially renaming the file to a simple name, enable file extensions in Explorer, and try running ARC as Administrator). If it still fails, paste the exact error text, ARC version, OS, and one failing filename and I’ll dig deeper and provide the exact commands or a reproducible workaround.

Do you have the latest build installed?

Good question - that’s one of the most common causes for this kind of Soundboard behavior. Please check whether you have the latest ARC build and, if not, update. Here are quick ways to check and update, plus a small script you can run.

1. Check ARC version (GUI)

• In ARC, open the Help or Project menu and look for "About" or "Check for Updates".
• Or use Project Help Check for Updates (this will tell you if a newer build is available).

2. Check for update from a script

• Open the Script Console and run this JavaScript snippet:

// returns true if an ARC update is available
var updateAvailable = Utility.checkForUpdate();
print("ARC update available: " + updateAvailable);

• If it prints true, download the latest installer and run it.

3. Download / Install latest build

• ARC downloads: https://synthiam.com/Products/ARC
• Download the installer for the latest build, close ARC, run the installer, then start ARC again (run as Administrator if you had permission issues previously).

4. After updating

• Retry importing the sound file (use a simple filename like MySound.mp3).
• If you still see the filename displayed without the ".", try: run ARC as Administrator, enable file extensions in Windows Explorer, or import from a simple local folder like Desktop.

5. If you need help diagnosing after updating Please post:

• Which Soundboard skill (Soundboard (EZB) or Soundboard (PC)) is affected.
• Your ARC version (after update) and Windows version.
• Exact error text you see (copy/paste). If you previously attached an image I can’t view it - paste the exact message text.

Want me to walk you through checking your version now?

We slid a few updates into the last release, and since it wasn't a substantial update, we piggybacked on the last release notes. The update includes a fix for the sound board that you mentioned, including a few minor other updates: https://synthiam.com/Products/ARC/Releases/ARC-2026-03-23-00-Pro-Runtime-and-Free-23184

As a matter of fact, my brother had just finished installing an update. Which is why I figured it was a small glitch. I will try the link supplied with that latest patch. I won't get a chance to check it out probably till this weekend but hopefully this resolves it. Thanks for the prompt responses!