═══ 1. Help for String Test ═══

The String Test sample program allows the user to control any media device that 
is installed on the system.  String Test accepts Media Control Interface string 
commands from the user, and passes them on to the appropriate multimedia 
component for execution. There are three ways to pass string commands to MMPM/2 
using String Test. 

The first way is to type a string command in the the String command entry field 
on the String Test main window. The valid format for a string command is 
<COMMAND> <DEVICE> <PARAMETERS>. For example, the following three string 
commands will play a waveform file that resides in the current directory: 

o "open filename.wav alias xxx" 
o "play xxx notify" 
o "close xxx" 

Select the Send push button to send the string command to the appropriate 
multimedia component for execution.  In the example above, pressing the Send 
push button after each string command would send each command to the wave audio 
device. Selecting the Send push button will also add the string command to the 
list box below the String command entry field.  The user may scroll through 
this list box and select a command from it in order to complete the String 
command entry field. 

The second way to send string commands is to specify a batch file of string 
commands as a command line parameter when starting String Test from an OS/2 
command prompt. The batch file of string commands is simply a text file, with 
any valid filename, that has one string command on each line. 

For example, if the name of the batch file is test.dat, the correct way to 
start String Test and have it execute the string commands in test.dat would be 
to type "mcistrng test.dat" from an OS/2 command line. String Test will process 
each string command in the batch file as if it had been typed in the String 
command entry field on String Test's main window. 

The third way to send string commands using String Test also involves a batch 
file of string commands. In addition to executing a batch file of string 
commands by specifying a command line parameter to String Test, a batch file of 
string commands may also be executed by selecting the Batch file push button on 
String Test's main window. When this push button is selected, a dialog box will 
be displayed allowing a file to be selected.  The selected file can then be 
executed as a batch file of String Commands. 

For more information about string commands, please refer to the MMPM/2 
Programmer's Reference. 

Select the Send push button to send the string command that was just entered in 
the String command entry field to the appropriate multimedia component for 
execution. 

Select the Display messages push button to display a pop-up window containing 
notification messages that String Test is receiving from media devices. 

Select the Batch file push button to display a pop-up window that allows a 
batch file of string commands to be selected and executed. 

Select the Cancel push button to end the application. 

Select the Help push button to view this help panel. 


═══ 2. Help for Display Messages ═══

The Media Control Interface returns asynchronous response messages to 
applications to indicate such things as completion of a media device function 
or the passing of ownership of a media device from one process to another. 

Notification messages that are received by the String Test utility are shown in 
the Notification messages list.  This list is only for displaying information 
to the user.  It does not allow any selections to be made. 

Select the Include push button to display a pop-up window which allows the user 
to filter the notification messages that are displayed in this window. 

Select the Cancel push button to remove this pop-up window. 

Select the Help push button to view this help panel. 


═══ 3. Help for Include Messages ═══

Filter the incoming notification messages to be shown in the Display Messages 
pop-up window by checking the check boxes next to the corresponding messages to 
be shown. If none of these check boxes are selected then no messages will be 
shown in the Display Messages pop-up window. 

An MM_MCINOTIFY message is returned to an application when a device 
successfully completes the action indicated by the message, or when an error 
occurs. 

An MM_MCIPASSDEVICE message notifies an application that the use of a media 
device is being gained or lost. 

An MM_MCIPOSITIONCHANGE message notifies an application of the current media 
position of the media device.  This message is generated periodically when the 
MCI_SET_POSITION_ADVISE message is sent to the media device. 

An MM_MCICUEPOINT message notifies an application that the device has 
encountered a cuepoint. 

An MM_MCIPLAYLISTMESSAGE message notifies the application that the playlist 
processor has encountered a MESSAGE instruction. 

An MM_MCIEVENT message notifies an application of an event generated by a 
device. 

Select the Include  This action will set the appropriate filters for the 
Display Messages pop-up window and will remove this pop-up window. 

Select the Cancel remove this pop-up window without saving any of the checkbox 
selections made. 

Select the Help push button to view this help panel. 


═══ 4. Help for Open and execute batch file ═══

Choose the desired batch file of string commands from the pop-up window, and 
then select the Execute batch file push button to execute the selected batch 
file.