BGMUSIC                Background Music, by Guy T. Rice                BGMUSIC

Version 1.2 documentation

     This program lets you play music or some digitized sound in the background
while you are using an Apple IIgs program.  Since it is an NDA, it will only
work with programs that use the standard IIgs desktop interface.  It can play
any digitized sound file.  You can create these digitized files with an MDIdeas
SuperSonic Digitizer, or with a Future Sound digitizer, or whatever.

     Version 1.1 makes two significant modifications.  First of all, instead
of looking for your music file in your Desk.Accs folder, it lets you select
any sound file on any of your disks.  Secondly, the AUXSET program has been
modified to allow you to change several files before quitting.

     Version 1.2 fixes the "Cancel" button in the Standard File dialog.

How to set it up:

     First of all, there's a program called BGMUSIC.  This program must be
copied into your DESK.ACCS directory, which is inside your SYSTEM folder.
It doesn't matter what position it takes in the catalog.  Personally, I always
keep my desk accessories alphabetized.

     Secondly, you will need a digitized sound file.  This can be anywhere on
any of your disks.  (A standard file toolset dialog will ask you where it is.)
Digitize whatever music you like best.  You should probably digitize as slowly
as possible, as you don't want to use up too much memory.  (Memory used by
BGMUSIC cannot be used by your program.  However, if you run out of memory,
you can click the Close box for BGMUSIC.  This will release all the memory
BGMUSIC was using immediately.)

     Finally, there is a program called AUXSET.  You can put that program
anywhere you want, it doesn't matter.  You must use this to configure any
sound file you use with BGMUSIC.  It modifies the playback rate of the sound
file by changing it's "auxtype" field.  If a file is digitized at a different
rate, then it must be played back at a different rate.  This program can also
be used to configure STARTSOUND and SYSBEEP as well as BGMUSIC.

A note on digitizing for BGMUSIC:

     Since loading sound files takes time, I would suggest digitizing sounds
at the slowest possible rate, so that they take up the least amount of space
and can be loaded quickly.  The quality of the sound goes down, however, when
you digitize slowly.  Its a tradeoff, but I think it's best to speed up the
boot process by slowing down the digitizing rate.

     If you are using the MDIdeas SuperSonic Digitizer, and the new Sound Edit
program, go into the "Preferances" section before digitizing.  Set the
Playback rate to 40, and the Digitizing rate to 34.  Then click "Okay".  This
will result in the most compact sound files.

     Oh, also, don't pack the resulting sound file when saving it.  Leave it
unpacked.  And make sure the file's playback rate is set at 200.  (Note, the
playback rate used by BGMUSIC is on a different scale than that of Sound
Edit.  To be specific, the BGMUSIC playback rate is the parameter passed to
the Sound Manager toolset as playback rate.)  Run AUXSET to set this.

Macintosh and other sound files:

     When playing back files digitized on a Macintosh, a playback rate of 450
has worked best for me so far.  If that doesn't work, 200, 300, and 400 also
are good bets.

     Finally, if you figure out how to use sound files from any place I
haven't mentioned, let me know.  I don't know if any other computers use the
same kind of files as Apple IIgs and Macintosh, but I'd love to hear from
anyone who does.  My GEnie mail address is GUY.T.RICE, and my Post Office
address is given below.

Final notes:

     This software is completely public domain.  You are not OBLIGATED to send
any money at all.  However, you are NOT RESTRICTED from doing so, either.  If
you really liked this program, STARTPIC, STARTSOUND, SYSBEEP, or any other
public domain programs I have written, and feel you need to show your
appreciation to me somehow, my address is:

Guy T. Rice
P.O. Box 13036
Dinkytown Station
Minneapolis, MN 55414