SetSoundVolume
©1995 By Alex Rampell

Introduction

Introducing SetSoundVolume, the easiest and most powerful way to change your computer’s sound level—that is, how loud it beeps and plays sounds.  Now, using the Apple way, you either have to go to the Sound control panel, exiting whatever application you’re using, or use an AppleScript (w/ System 7.5), either way cumbersome.  But with SetSoundVolume, you can change the volume on the fly, with a single key or mouse click, even, for example, while playing a game!
Now there are a great deal of sound utilities out there, but SetSoundVolume is, by far, the easiest, most configurable, and most powerful.
Let’s Get Started

In order to install and start using SetSoundVolume (which is a control panel), drag it into your Control Panels folder, which is in your System Folder.  Now, restart.
SetSoundVolume “comes” with a set of built-in preferences.
Using these built in preferences, you can change the volume using the Control key and the number of the sound volume you wish to set.

So, with the preset preferences:
Control-0: Set the sound level to 0 (off).
Control-1: Set the sound level to 1.
....
Control-7: Set the sound level to 7.

Once you set the sound volume, you will hear a beep of the appropriate level.

Configuration

SetSoundVolume allows *many* different configurations, including using any combination of keys, turning off the alert beep, and using a pop up menu.  This section will show you how.
Below is shown the main control panel dialog.

Here’s a description of what each button does, but first, how the whole thing works.

Now, as shown above, there are buttons Command, Control, Option, and Shift, which are “modifiers” that you choose to change the sound volume
So, if Control and Shift are selected, then:

Control-Shift-1 will set the sound level to 1.
etc, etc.

Please note, though, that some modifier combination are “reserved.”  For example, Apple-Shift is reserved for FKeys (Apple-Shift-3 will take a picture!), and SetSoundVolume, if you pick a combination like Apple-Shift, will be the only program that will recognize it.
What you normally shouldn’t pick: (By themselves)
Shift
Option
Command
Apple-Shift
Option-Shift
Almost all other key combinations are OK.

There is another way to change the sound volume using SetSoundVolume.  If you select the Use Pop Up Menu button, then you will be able to see the current sound volume setting and change it from a pop-up menu.

If the Control and Shift buttons are checked, and the Use Pop Up Menu button is checked, then Control-Shift- Mouse Click will pop up a menu at the location of your mouse, allowing you to change the sound volume on the fly.

And, the last important button:
Beep when volume set.
Normally, when you change the sound level, you will hear a beep of the appropriate level.  However, some people don’t like this, so if “Beep when volume set” is selected, then after setting the sound level with SetSoundVolume, you will not hear the beep.

The About/Help button will get you here, and the Register button will tell you your registration status.

Registration

As soon as you installed SetSoundVolume, you got the annoying (sorry folks) reminder message.  This is reminding you to send in your shareware fee.  This software is not free!  Just as you have to pay to buy software in a store, you have to pay to use software known as shareware.  Shareware is a unique system of distribution that relies on honesty, and works by letting the user try before he/she buys.  Imagine if we could do that with Word® 6.0!  (Microsoft Word 6.0 is a registered trademark of Microsoft, Inc.)
What this means is that you have a reasonable amount of time, say 15 days, to fairly evaluate this software, and if you continue to use it, you are expected to pay a fee to license the software.  When your fee is received, you will receive a registration code to eliminate all messages.
Send $6 to:
Alex Rampell
1186 North Ocean Way
Palm Beach, FL 33480

Other Stuff...

That’s about all the info you need to know...one more thing, actually: holding down the Control key on startup will stop the loading of SetSoundVolume.  This software is a knocked-off part of the Volume/Depth Switcher program, only includes one more feature.  Volume/Depth Switcher is a $10 control panel that includes these four functions:
-A 1-2K, simple screensaver.
-A sound volume changer.
-A monitor depth changer.
-A disk ejector.

Volume/Depth Switcher combines all these functions into one easy control panel, and is available on America On-Line.

Each individual feature of Volume/Depth Switcher will all be available as separate, $6 control panels that add a few features.

SetSoundVolume, unlike almost every other (that I know of...) sound level changer, actually saves the sound level to disk, so that it is saved after restart and shut down!, just like the sound control panel does.  Perfect for PowerBooks (say that 10 times fast!), because you can turn the volume off before Shut Down or Restart, and when you turn it back on, you won't hear that annoying, distracting, and incriminating “Doing!”

Other Stuff...(con’d)

I’d like to thank Ken Worley, for his sample control panel program, and although this program doesn’t use it, his is what got me started.
I’d also like to thank my beta-testers, and everyone who has supported shareware.
And James W. Walker, for this excellent help system that you're using:)