This directory provides usage examples for the ProcTap library.

This directory contains practical examples of per-process audio capture using ProcTap across different platforms. Each sample demonstrates platform-specific usage patterns.

• windows_basic.py: Windows per-process audio capture example
• linux_basic.py: Linux PulseAudio capture example (experimental)
• macos_basic.py: macOS Core Audio Process Tap example (experimental)

• OS: Windows 10 (20H1 or later) or Windows 11
• Python: 3.10 or higher
• Permissions: No administrator privileges required

• OS: Linux with PulseAudio or PipeWire
• Python: 3.10 or higher
• System Package: pulseaudio-utils (provides parec command)

• OS: macOS 14.4 (Sonoma) or later
• Python: 3.10 or higher
• Swift Helper: Built automatically during installation

# From PyPI (recommended)
pip install proc-tap

# From source (for development)
git clone https://github.com/m96-chan/ProcTap
cd ProcTap
pip install -e .

pip install psutil

This example captures audio from a specific process and saves it to a WAV file. You can specify either a process ID or process name to record the audio output from that process.

• Specify target process by process ID (--pid) or process name (--name)
• Save captured audio to a WAV file
• Stop recording with Enter key or Ctrl+C
• Records in 44.1kHz, stereo, 16-bit PCM format

python examples/windows_basic.py [--pid PID | --name PROCESS_NAME] [--output OUTPUT_FILE]

* Either --pid or --name is required.

# Record audio from VRChat
python examples/windows_basic.py --name "VRChat.exe" --output vrchat_audio.wav

# Record audio from Discord (works without .exe extension)
python examples/windows_basic.py --name "Discord" --output discord_audio.wav

# Use default output filename (output.wav)
python examples/windows_basic.py --name "spotify.exe"

# Record from process with PID 1234
python examples/windows_basic.py --pid 1234 --output audio.wav

1. Open Task Manager with Ctrl + Shift + Esc
2. Click the "Details" tab
3. Check the "PID" column for the target process

# Display all processes
tasklist

# Search for a specific process name
tasklist | findstr "VRChat"

Using the --name option eliminates the need to look up the PID.

Specifications of the recorded WAV file:

• Format: WAV (PCM)
• Sample Rate: 44,100 Hz (CD quality)
• Channels: 2 (stereo)
• Bit Depth: 16-bit
• Encoding: Linear PCM

To stop recording:

• Press Enter key, or
• Press Ctrl + C

The WAV file will be saved when recording stops.

Cause: ProcTap is not installed.

Solution:

cd /path/to/ProcTap
pip install -e .

Cause: psutil is not installed.

Solution:

pip install psutil

Cause: The specified process name is not running.

Solution:

1. Verify the process name is correct
2. Ensure the application is running
3. Use tasklist command to find the exact process name

Cause: C++ extension has not been built.

Solution:

# Rebuild the C++ extension
pip install -e . --force-reinstall --no-deps

Note: ProcTap requires the native C++ extension. Ensure Visual Studio Build Tools and Windows SDK are installed.

Things to Check:

1. Verify the target process is actually playing audio
2. Ensure Windows 10 is version 20H1 or later (check with winver command)
3. Verify the process ID or name is correct

• Games: VRChat, Discord, general gaming applications
• Media Players: Spotify, foobar2000, MusicBee
• Communication Apps: Discord, Zoom, Teams
• Browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge (per-tab processes)

• Capture audio from specific applications only, not the entire system
• Record only the desired audio even when multiple applications are playing sound
• No administrator privileges required

• Windows: Requires Windows 10 20H1 or later for per-process WASAPI capture
• Linux: Experimental - currently captures from sink monitor (may include other apps)
• macOS: Experimental - requires macOS 14.4+ for Core Audio Process Tap API

• Bug Reports: GitHub Issues
• Documentation: README.md in the project root
• API Details: CLAUDE.md