nipple.py

nipple.py is a small and easy to use soundboard. It was developed for Linux, but also works on other operation systems.

The name is a reference to the "Nippelboard" used by Stefan Raab in TV Total.

Setup

Install the necessary dependencies via pip:

For using playsound

sudo pip install -r requirements-playsound.txt

For using pygame mixer

sudo pip install -r requirements-pygame.txt

Differences between sound libraries

• playsound is not able to stop the currently playing sound. So trying to start a sound file, while one is already playing, will queue it and play it after the currently playing sound has stopped. That also means that pressing a shortcut multiple times will play the sound multiple times. Playsound on macOS does not support playing *.ogg files.
• pygame is a library for 2D game development. So you install much more stuff than you actually need just for playing a sound file. But it is able to pause the currently playing sound on starting a new one. Also initializing pygame needs a notable cpu load in idle when nipple.py is running and the start of the playing has a little delay.

So choose your weapon at your taste.

nipple.py will try to start pygame, if it's not installed, it will fallback to playsound. If both are not installed, it will quit with error. You can enforce using playsound when both playsound and pygame are installed, by starting it with --playsound.

Usage

Place your sound files in folder described in the variable AUDIO_FOLDER at the beginning of nipple.py, by default it's the folder where nipple.py is placed. Name them nipple_<fn_key>.<extension> or nipple_shift_<fn_key>.<extension>.

<fn_key> can be a function key from F1 to F12.

Currently supported file extensions are:

• .mp3
• .ogg (not on macOS, as playsound does not support it)
• wav

The folder may look like this:

├── LICENSE.md
├── nipple.py
├── nipple_f1.ogg
├── nipple_f2.ogg
├── nipple_f3.ogg
├── nipple_f4.ogg
├── nipple_f5.ogg
├── nipple_f6.wav
├── nipple_f7.ogg
├── nipple_f8.ogg
├── nipple_f9.ogg
├── nipple_f10.mp3
├── nipple_f11.ogg
├── nipple_f12.ogg
├── nipple_shift_f1.ogg
├── nipple_shift_f2.ogg
├── README.md
├── requirements-playsound.txt
└── requirements-pygame.txt

After starting just with python nipple.py, you can play a sound with ctrl+f1 to ctrl+f12 and ctrl+shift+f1 to ctrl+stift+f12

ctrl+f1 will play nipple_f1.<extension>, ctrl+f2 will play nipple_f2.<extension>, etc. ctrl+shift+f1 will play nipple_shift_f1.<extension>, ctrl+shift+f2 will play nipple_shift_f2.<extension>, etc.

BE AWARE:

• ** When placing multiple files with the same function key, os.listdir decides which of them is chosen. No error or warning will be placed in this case!**
• If you add new sound files, you have to restart nipple.py, as it only checks the sound files at the start.

Be aware that the keyboard event propagation is not stopped when a sound is played. So ctrl+f5 will reload your website, if your current window is a browser, because your browser will recognize that f5 was pressed!

macOS

(tested with 10.13.1 - High Sierra)

• MacOS restricts monitoring the keyboard for security reasons. Therefore you must run nipple as root. sudo nipple.py
• Playing *.ogg files is not supported for playsound in macOS. When using nipple.py use another file format.
• MacOS, as a default uses the F-Keys for special functions. Please note that you might need to change this default behavior or also press the fn-key.

License

This software is licensed under the GPL v3

TODOs

• Add support for other media types than just OGG Vorbis
• Test pygame / playsound on Windows