ALeX: Project Scene-Handler

Scene-Handler V1.0.0 (2000-02-21)

This program mounts a MovieShop Scene / Partition.

The latest Version can be found under:
http://www.baud.de/video/scenehandler.html
My HomePage: http://www.kazik.de/alx/

Table of contents

Table of contents
Requirements
Overview
Installation
Using MovieShop V4.8
About MacroSystems
Scene-Handler for MS V4.x / V5.2
The 4GB Problem
General Usage
General Options
GUI Usage
CLI Usage
Adding new sound
Tanks to
Restrictions
Disclaimer
Registration, Updates
Mailinglists
History

Requirements

68020+, MUI 3.x, AmigaOS 3.x (Tested: 3.5)
The GUI requires MUI 3.x (Tested: 3.8)

Overview

This program allows you to mount a MovieShop Scene / Partition.

Now you can access all the JPEGs and the sound directly!

The sound of a Scene can be replaced.

It's designed for MovieShop V4.2/V4.3/V4.8/V5.2.

Installation

Use the Installer or copy the whole Scene-Handler directory to any place. (e.g. via Drag&Drop on the WB)

Using MovieShop V4.8

Since V0.99.1 should the auto selecter do work. You'll get an message if there was an error, in this case the ToolType (GUI) or option M48 (CLI) must bu used to switch the Scene-Handler into the MovieShop V4.8 mode.

About MacroSystems

MacroSystems have not send ANY developer material to me - I've asked many times.
EVERYTHING I have figured out by myself!

Scene-Handler for MS V4.x / V5.2
There are some different versions:

Scene-HandlerA - for MovieShop V4.2/4.3/4.8/5.2
Scene-Handler4 - only for MovieShop V4.2/4.3/4.8
Scene-Handler5 - only for MovieShop V5.2
Scene-Handler (Demo) - for MovieShop V4.2/4.3/4.8/5.2

The usage of all the different versions are equal. The internal structures are more or less different. The demo is restricted.

The 4GB Problem

The version for V4.2-V4.8 don't support partitions above the 4GB border.
The version for V5.2 does it!

First, the Scene-Handler uses like many other programs (e.g. MovieShop on Amiga) the normal trackdisk.device. This device do not allow any access to data behind the 4BG boder. The problem is, the most programs do simply multiply and adds some parameters to get the address on disk. But there do not an check about overflow. So they do not know, that they are wrong. And with no check they think that they do access the data, but the address points always into the lowest 4GB, at example in the RDB!

So must the complete partition below the 4GB border or You'll run in touble.

When the partition is above 4GB, I'll show You that. If it's only a little bit above 4GB I do allow access to the data below the 4GB border, but be sure, other programs (like MovieShop) will destroy Your other partition / RDB when they're trying to access that data.

General Usage

The program (GUI&CLI) will mount a new device. If not other specified, the is the name "SCE:" (if already used: SCE0:, SCE1:...). The volume will have the name of the Scene-/Project-File.

In the new device you'll find all Scenes/Groups. The comment of a Dir/File shows the length, and other useful informations. A Scene can be many joines Parts. In a Scene directory you'll find PIC00, PIC01, PIC02,... which containes each one Part of the Scene - many JPEGs. And similar SNDxx.
And in each Scene and Group is a directory called PIC, wich contains all the Parts of a Scene / all Scenes and Groups of a Group. And similar SND.
If a Scene has only one Part or with the activated "Hide Parts" option, the Files/Dirs PICxx and SNDxx will be invisible.
All these Sound files, with the name SND and SNDxx are the RAW-Sound-Files - be careful when accessing.
The file SND.AIFF contains the same sound like SND, and a correct AIFF-Header.
Only 8 and 16 bit AIFFs are supported, aLaw/µLaw-AIFFs will look like 8bit AIFFs, and sould not be used.

To stop the Scene-Handler just send the packet ACTION_DIE to the handler (Programs like UnMount allow that, NEVER use "assign SCE: dismount") or send a CTRL-C to the program, or press the "Unmount"-Button (GUI Only).

You should not use the Project-File, MovieShop is using at a time.

Hey, please send me an Email, what you're thinking about it.

General Options

When the GUI is used, the ToolTypes must be used. When the CLI is used, the CLI-Options must be used.

DEV	With this option you can set the name of the device (e.g. "DF0"). The default is "SCE". ("SCE0", "SCE1", ... if the devices already exists)
VOL	With this option you can set the name of the volume (e.g. "WorkBench"). The default is the name of the Scene / Project-File.
M48	Switch this on, if you want to use MovieShop V4.8 Files. Using the CLI you must add this option to the options (see below).
16BIT	Enables the on-the-fly 8bit/A-/µLaw to 16bit conversion. Only the AIFF-Files are converted. It's not really fast, but it works! (Ignored on 16bit)
DEFDRAWER	Selects the default drawer in GUI. (ToolType only, GUI only)
ICONPATH	Selects the iconpath. (ToolType only, even CLI)

GUI Usage

To start the GUI, just lauch the program from WB, or use the parameter GUI.

Note: The CLI version is a little bit more powerful: You can load many Scenes at a time.

First, select the exported Scene (aka Scene-File) or a Project (aka Project-File) or a Backup-File to restore the data.

Then select the type you want:

View-Only	Just have a look to a Project-File, see what for Scenes are inside. No Partition access at all.
Read-Only	Read JPEGs and Sound.
Read-Write	Read JPEGs and Sound. It's possible to add new sound to a Project. (see below) Now, it's possible to overwrite the RAW-Sound. Important Note: Many Scenes do share a sound. By overwriting the sound, all scenes, which share the sound, will be changed!!
Backup	Make a backup from the Project. This option will generate some Files (of a specified size) with ALL data in it. The Project-File, Video- and Audio-Data (only used) will be stored.
Restore	You have to select one of the Backup-Files (DATA.XXX). Now you must enter the names of the Partitions to use (overwrite!). You can restore the data to another Partitions, than the original, they must be only big enough to keep the data. After that you must copy the backuped files (except the DATA.000) back to the device. After a correct restore there will be appear the Project-File on the device. you should use that Project-File, cause the references to the Video- and Audio-Partition are set in this file correctly.

CLI Usage

FILE

Just enter one Project-File or one or more Scene-Files (with the same parameters) an they will be mounted.

DEBUG

With DEBUG level greater than zero, you will see more or less debugging information of the file-system. (Only for internal use)

OPT=OPTS

With this parameter you can specify some options, which must be separated by comma's. Example: "OPTS=M48,WRITE" or "OPT WRITE,FORCE". The order is not important. Options:

M48	Read the General Options section and note about MS V4.8 above.
WRITE	Allows you to add/overwrite the sound files. Please read the approximate note in the gui section.
FORCE	If the Video-/Audio-Partition expect another file, you can FORCE the use.
16BIT	Read the General Options section above.

BACKUP

Make a backup, using Scene-Handler. You must provide the size of each part in MB. Example: parts of 640MB "BACKUP=640". Please read the approximate doc in the gui section.

RESTORE

Restore the data. You must provide the name of the Video- and Audio-Partition, separated by a comma. Example: Video-Partition VID:, Audio-Partiton AUD4: results in "RESTORE=VID,AUD4". Please read the approximate doc in the gui section.

Adding new sound

Now it's possible to add sounds to Project-Files. First you have to mount the Project in Read-Write. An then just copy a sound file to the "SCE:-AudioClips-" directory. The file must have the same parameters (frequency, channels, compression/bits) like the Project. If the file contains an valid AIFF/AIFC header it will just skipped, otherwise it will be handled like RAW sound.
While the unmount progress, the old Project-File will be copyied to "*.bak". After that the Project-File will be updated.

Tanks to

Alexander Fritsch - V4 beta testing
Thomas Wenzel (WEB) - ALaw, µLaw and AIFF help
Riccardo CARLETTI (WEB) - italian catalog
Andreas Laaser (WEB) - german catalog/documentation
Stefan Kost (WEB) - additional AIFF help
Terry Williams - V5 beta testing
Michael Burkhardt (WEB) - V5 beta testing
Christopher Lakatos - english catalog

Restrictions

The Demo-Version (unregistred) has the following restrictions:

No writing.
No Partition access at all -> Project-Files can be only viewed.
Only the 1st Picture of each Scene will be available.

Disclaimer

This software is subject to the "Standard Amiga FD-Software Copyright Note".
It is SHAREWARE as defined in paragraph 4s.
For more information please read "AFD-COPYRIGHT" (Version 1.4 or higher).

Registration, Updates

The registration details can also be found at http://www.baud.de/video/registrationTXT.html.

I think, that I will release all updates as patches against V1.0.0. So never loose the original version! The patches will be available at my HomePage and on AmiNet (gfx/conv/scene-handerPCH.lha).
(Maybe I do use later the key file / Reg.Nr.)

Mailinglists

There are three mailing lists: (The language on all lists is english)
scenehandler	Discussion about Scene-Handler, MovieShop and related.
sh-announce	Announcement of new Scene-Handler versions.
sh-binary	Binary distribution of Scene-Handler updates.

History

History:
1.0.0	2000-02-21	english, german and italian catalog first official release
0.99.6	2000-02-04	Improved Icons Created an Installer script Added mailinglists Changed doc: 4GB, Options
0.99.5	2000-02-02	Allowed to restore DATA.000
0.99.4	2000-01-31	Added Icons
0.99.3	2000-01-29	Added DirectSCSI for MSV5 Added an requester for restore Added the DEFDRAWER option
0.99.2	2000-01-21	Added the "Show all PART's" button / CLI: HIDE-Option
0.99.1	2000-01-17	Added automatic V4.2/4.3 vs. V4.8 detection Changed the whole addressing code to 64bit Fixed a AIFF/AIFC bug
0.98.5	2000-01-09	Improved the add sound function
0.98.4	2000-01-03	Fixed a GUI bug
0.98.3	1999-12-31	Fixed a newly created AIFF bug Added support for adding sounds
0.98.2	internal	Added support for MovieShop V5 (only in Demo)
0.98.1	1999-12-17	Fixed a small new bug with the comments Fixed a small new bug with the hidden parts
0.98	1999-12-16	Fixed THE MSV4.2 / 16bit bug (only in that version is intel format used) Speeded up the 8bit/A-/µLaw to 16bit conversion Added support for Video only Projects/Scenes Added support for AudioClips in Video&Audio Projects. Locale Support (catalog in progress) Fixed a AIFF problem with frequencies below 16384 Hz
0.97	1999-12-04	Added a on-the-fly 8bit/A-/µLaw to 16bit conversion Fixed a AIFC/Memory bug Fixed a 8bit bug
0.96	1999-11-30	Fixed a big problem in the partition access Reactivated the Command Line Interface Updated the manual
0.94	1999-11-20	Added support for ALaw/µLaw AIFC-Files Made the output for non readable projects more readable
0.93	1999-11-16	Fixed one of the 16bit problems with MS V4.2
0.92	1999-11-16	Rewritten the 4GB-Check (bug in utility.library)
0.91	1999-11-10	Added a DEBUG line
0.9	1999-11-06	Added MovieShop V4.8 Support Removed a "Error: Comment is too long" bug. Finished the Restore function
0.8	1999-10-16	First release