Error when importing mp3

Hi Kenny,

It's a little difficult to read the message in that screenshot, but it looks like Storyline is crashing. Is that right? 

Are your project files and the audio files all on your local hard drive? 

• Work on your local drive (your C: drive). Working on a network drive or a USB drive can cause erratic behavior, including file corruption, loss of audio, and other unexpected behavior. 
• You should also make sure the directory path to your project files and your published output is less than 260 characters (for example C:\Articulate).
• Avoid using special characters, accents or symbols in your file names.

Additional information regarding "Naming Files, Paths, and Namespaces" in Windows operating systems can be found in the following Microsoft article.

If you've confirmed the files are all local, can you try inserting the audio into a new, blank Storyline course and see if the same thing happens? 

Hello Benny, aby chance  to test your mp3 file?

it could be a mp3 format with some unsupported features ...

if you want I could give a look at it

@Christine: Sorry for the screenshot. All the files (including the project and the audio files) are all in local drive

@Stefano: Thank you very much for your offer. But I am afraid I can not share the audio file since it is a proprietary file. But what I can tell you is the detail of the audio file (I am using MediaInfo software). Is it possible to tell any unsupported features that you are thinking about? Thank you.

Hi Benny,

Although Storyline supports a wide range of audio file formats (AAC, AIF, AIFF, M4A, MP3, OGG, WAV, WMA), not all codecs and bitrates are supported.

It's recommended that you convert your audio files to 16 bit 44 KHZ PCM WAV for best results.

• Here’s a video tutorial on how to configure Soundbooth and Audacity to convert to 16 bit 44 KHZ PCM WAV.
• And here’s a video tutorial on how to convert audio files to 16 bit 44 KHZ PCM WAV in iTunes.

If you would like to send the audio file to us privately, we'd be happy to test it on on our end.

You'll be able to attach the .STORY file or audio file on the second page of the following form:

Articulate Support - Submit a Support Case

Please be sure to include a description of your issue. Please also include the URL for this thread in the form. Also, please share the case number with me. You're welcome to do so here, or in a private message. This way I can follow the progress of the case and update this thread.

@Christine: Thank you very much for your advice. We have an audio podcast that is approximately 30 minutes long. I don't think we will use the wav format due to the file size. Is there any recommended settings for MP3 format?

Anyway, I think I started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Here is my observation.

1. If the file size is less than 4.5 MB, Storyline has no problem importing the file.
2. If the file size is in between 4.5 - 5MB, there will be 50-50 chances Storyline will successfully import the audio file. 
3. If the file size is more than 5MB, Storyline will definitely errored out importing the audio file. 

I have been spending all day looking into this issue, and I have come to conclusion that it is not the file format, but it is the file size that Storyline can handle. It will be great if someone from Storyline dev team can confirm this. Thanks.

@Benny:

Benny I can assure you I have imported 17MB sound files with no issue at all. But they were wav files.

Christine is right: it is a question of codecs and bitrates.

I do understand you want your source file to be kind of compressed, but it depends on the MP3 standard.

I had the same trouble you're experiencing using Ms Stero MP3 Format produced by Cooledit !

Please convert your file using adobe Soundbooth / Audition or audacity, using a 96 Kbps rate and a 16 bit 44 KHZ standard format file.

It did work for me!

hope it helps!

@Stefano: Thank you. I will try your suggestion. Quickly, by any chances if you have ever imported 17MB MP3 file?

Benny, I have just imported a 23 MB MP3 file in a storyline slide, and both the importing and the preview was smooth. No problem at all.

It was a 44100 Hz Stereo 16-bit integer 180Kbps mp3 file.

Good luck with  your test. definitely, use appropriate software to reprocess your mp3 file before importing.

s.

Hmm.. I think I found out what's wrong. I have done all suggested steps, and keep getting error importing to Storyline. But today I have just received a new laptop, and all the problems now are gone. So I guess it is cpu and memory issue or it might be a OS issue. I was using Windows XP. With the new laptop, I am using Windows 7. But I think it is most likely the memory issue.

This may be a wacky solution, but it works for me:

1.  Insert audio

2. *If it is an audio file that Storyline just doesn't like there will be no audio waves

3. Right click the name on the timeline (i.e. audio1)

4. Click EDIT

5. From the Audio Editor, click IMPORT

6. Double check there is are audio waves now depicted in the Audio Editor

*NOTE:  I have no idea why Storyline just randomly refuses to insert certain audio files.  Please note these are basic compatible desktop located audio files (aka nothing fancy).