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AudioWorks

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AudioCtrl

This application has two functions:

  • as an alternative to !AudioWrks for playing samples, and
  • to set up system parameters.

The Icon Bar Menu

Click Menu on the icon on the icon bar to display this menu:

Info

This gives you information about AudioCtrl.

Show play status

This tells you the name of the sample currently playing and play progress. (Described below.)

Show/Save preferences

See Setting system parameters (later in this section).

Playing samples

If you just want to play samples and not manipulate them, you can use !AudioCtrl. Its advantage is that it is smaller than !AudioWrks and so requires less memory when running.

You can play AudioWorks, DataVox and Armadeus samples by:

  • dropping them onto a AudioCtrl window
  • dropping them onto the AudioCtrl icon on the icon bar
  • for AudioWorks files, double-clicking on the sample's file icon

You can load several samples. AudioCtrl queues them and plays them in sequence.

Adjust-click on the AudioCtrl icon on the icon bar or choose Show play status to display play progress.

Click Menu on the display for a menu:

Flush one lets you stop the current sample. AudioCtrl then plays the next sample (if any) in the queue.

Flush all clears all samples from the queue.

Setting system parameters

Click on the AudioCtrl icon on the icon bar or choose Show preferences to display the preferences window.

General and Events always appear in the window. There may be other options to the right (such as Eagle ) depending on the hardware fitted in your computer. Refer to the documentation supplied with the hardware for information on these options.

To make the current settings the defaults, choose Save preferences.

General

Recording device

This is similar to Playback device in AudioWorks preferences except that this sets the default device for applications other than AudioWorks. Internal is the computer's internal speaker.

Sampling buffer size specifies the amount of memory used for playing samples. Some desktop operations (for example moving windows) can stop AudioWorks and AudioCtrl from writing data to the playback buffer. If the buffer empties, the sample stops playing until more data is written to the buffer. The default value gives about 1.5 seconds of playing time for 20kHz, 8 bit samples. Larger samples such as 44kHz, 12 or 16 bit may require a larger buffer.

Minimum active channels. The computer can have up to eight channels open. However, as you open more channels, the overall volume gets less. You would need to set this value to more than 1 for these reasons:

  • Some applications require a minimum number of channels to be available (usually two or four). If you have AudioWorks or AudioCtrl running, other sound sample applications may work better with more channels kept open. Check the documentation for the application to see if there is a minimum number of channels specified.
  • As described above, opening more channels reduces the volume of each channel. If you are playing multiple samples you may find the volume varies. Always having several channels open gives a more consistent volume.

This parameter only applies to the computer's internal sound hardware. It has no effect on external hardware.

Events

This lets you associate sounds with various actions on the computer such as selecting menu options and closing windows. You can also redefine the standard System beep.

To associate a sound sample with an event:

  1. Click on the event name field. This displays a menu of possible events. A tick appears against events that already have samples associated with them.

  2. Choose an event from the menu. The dialogue box shows its name and the name of any sample currently associated with it. Disabled means that no sample is associated with the event.
  3. Drop the file icon for the sample onto the dialogue box.
  4. If you want to hear the sample, click on Try.
  5. For common events such as system beep click on Cache in RAM. This stores the sample in memory. The computer can get the sample more quickly from memory than it can from disc.

If you do not have a sound event attached to system beep, you may find the system beep plays at the same time as some other events.

You can quit AudioCtrl at any time and all events remain active.

If you later want to remove the sound from an event:

  1. Load AudioCtrl if not already loaded.
  2. Choose the event name from the menu.
  3. Click on Disabled.

Your computer can start up using these sound samples if you:

  1. Save the current preferences.
  2. Include !AudioCtrl in the computer's boot sequence. Refer to the User Guide supplied with the computer for details.

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