µZak is a utility for playing the sound tracks of QuickTime™ Movies. Just drag the icon of some QuickTime movies, some folders containing QuickTime movies, or even the icon of your hard-disk on µZak, and enjoy the music. Version 1.4 of µZak can also play Finder sounds, AIFF files and raw Midi files (of type 'Midi'). If you have a QuickTime translator component for µLAW files installed (for instance EatAU by Quinn "The Eskimo!") µZak can also play SUN µLAW files (file type ULAW).
Preferences settings are pretty self-explanatory. One thing to look out for is the Cancel current button. It removes the currently playing file from the queue, even if Requeue files after playing is checked.
Preferences are saved automatically when the program is quit.
µZak Collection Starter is an AppleScript which can be used to start µZak with your favourite set of movie files. To configure it drop a set of files and/or folders on µZak Collection Starter. When µZak Collection Starter is later run (by double-clicking the AppleScript) it asks µZak to open these items. µZak Collection Starter can even be put in the Startup Items folder, thus providing you with an automatic jukebox. µZak Collection Starter requires AppleScript. If you want to store different sets of movies simply make as many copies of µZak Collection Starter as you need.
Disclaimer:
If it works, it works; if it doesn't, it doesn't. If it does what you think it does, you're happy; if it doesn't, don't blame me. It is free, and worth every penny.
What it needs:
Obviously, µZak needs QuickTime™. To play MIDI files, you need QuickTime™ 2.0 and the QuickTime Musical Instruments file. Also, µZak uses AppleEvents, so it needs System 7.
Known problems:
• µZak may hang your machine when processing certain raw MIDI files (part four of the Gutenberg project’s version of Beethoven’s fifth symphony is an example). This is a bug in QuickTime 2.0, which seems to be related to the size of this MIDI file, since I have had QuickTime hang my machine with other large MIDI files, too. You can confirm that a hang is caused by QuickTime, and not by µZak, by opening the MIDI file in any QuickTime capable program (e.g. SimpleText or MoviePlayer). If your Mac hangs during the conversion, it definitely is a QuickTime bug.
• µZak won't run when QuickTime is not installed, so you need QuickTime, even if you only want to play Finder sounds or AIFF files.
• Error handling is poor. This is especially true for the Midi conversion. I don't expect it to crash easily, but don't expect much feedback when conversion fails…
• NetScape can be configured to launch µZak to play raw MIDI files. However, one should be aware that NetScape does throw away downloaded files when it is quit. If you want to keep the files, you should copy them before quitting NetScape. I consider this a bug in NetScape; IMHO one should be able to tell NetScape what to do with the file at quit time.
How to get the source:
µZak is an example dropbox built with BoxMaker++, a C++ shell for the creation of System 7 compatible dropboxes. BoxMaker++ should be available on the net. The distribution of BoxMaker++ 1.4 contains the complete source code for µZak (Symantec C++ 8.0, with Universal Headers).
Reporting bug fixes or bugs:
If you find a bug, it would be really nice if you obtained the source, and sent me both a bug report and its fix. Reporting bugs without giving a fix is also allowed. Even if you do report a fix, however, I don't promise to distribute an improved version.
Playing other sound formats:
An experienced C++ programmer should not find it difficult to add the capability to play other file formats to µZak. If you do write such a thing (e.g. for playing Windows WAV files, or for playing MOD files), it would be nice if you sent me the source. I may incorporate the source in a future release.
Desktop troubles:
Users of a previous version must rebuild their desktop in order to be able to drop Finder sounds, AIFF files, SUN µLaw file, and raw MIDI files on µZak. This also gives you slightly altered icons.
Fat version:
Currently I don't own a PowerMac or a compiler which can produce PowerMac binaries. Therefore, if you want to have a PowerMac native version you have to compile it yourself, using the source code, as it is included in the BoxMaker++ 1.2 distribution. I would be grateful if you sent me a copy, so I can include it in the distribution (of course, you also can send me a PowerMac and a compiler; I would be willing to build a fat version for you then)
I do not expect a native version to be much faster, though, since the majority of the processor cycles are spent inside QuickTime.
Distribution policy:
µZak may be freely used and distributed, as long as it is not modified and this file is distributed with it in unmodified form.
Version history:
950731: 1.4 using BoxMaker++ 1.4, added playing of AIFF files, Finder sounds,
µLaw sounds, and raw MIDI files. Added “don’t Quit” check box.
New about box, and attempt to make prefs dialog look prettier.
950630: 1.3.1 sent out to be published on Apprentice 3
950614: 1.3 released with BoxMaker 1.3, also released separately
Allows selection of folders in ‘Open…’ Dialog box
950525: 1.2 released with BoxMaker++ 1.2, also released separately
Added ‘Shuffle’ and ‘Volume’ controls
950115: 1.1 released with BoxMaker++ 1.1, also released separately
