Amiga ISO Collection

home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search

/ Amiga ISO Collection / AmigaMiscModsCD3.iso / _PROGRAMME / PLAYER / MULTIFORMAT / SmartPlay.lha / SmartPlay / DOC / SmartPlay.DOC < prev

Wrap

Text File | 1993-06-22 | 23.0 KB | 530 lines

93/06/22 Documentation for SmartPlay v3.1 by Xtreme Intelligence ========================================================= General About SmartPlay: ======================== SmartPlay is a quite small, and really fast multiformat moduleplayer for OS2.0+. SmartPlay supports most moduleformats around, and will play all modules with the _right_ replayroutines. The CPU usage of this player is also really low, so it will run fine even on a 7MHz Amiga, while doing some highspeed serial transfers. SmartPlay features a smart way of loading the normal ST/NT/PT/PM modules into either CHIP or FAST memory, loading the samples one by one into memory. And as the fastplayer doesn't need the 260K CHIP buffer anymore, the new "Chip Save" mode should be quite useful even for daily use. Nowadays SmartPlay is really easy to use, featuring that improved CD- style userinterface, and the easy way of selecting the modules to play. All kinds of packed modules are also supported; both LhA, XPK and Power- Packed modules will automatically be decrunched & played. So, SmartPlay v3.1 should be the ultimate moduleplayer for people who like really small & fast 100% assembler coded programs. SmartPlay v3.1 is able to play most moduleformats, with _low_ memory usage, and fast replayroutines. Like it! SmartPlay v3.1 Main Features: ============================= => Supports most moduleformats around. (About 20 different formats) => Reliable & Fast FastMemory replayroutine for BIG modules => Full LhA, XPK, and PowerPacker support => FAST replayroutines. Very low CPU-Usage (Nice for modemtrading) => Simple CD-Style userinterface. (Optionally removeable) => Logarithmic realtime Volume & Balance controls => Nice fast-selection of modules to play, right from the mainwindow => Easy to use programlist editor (Featuring multipath programs etc.) => Unlimited amount of modules in one programlist => Possibility to Save/Load/Play/Link programlists => External shared replaylibraries used to reduce memory/disk usage => Still possible to use as a simple commandline program => SmartPlay is tested on A500-A3000 running OS2.0 and 3.0 Smart enough? Well, future versions of SmartPlay will include full ARexx and WBench support, an extended programlist editor and many new module- formats, to mention a few improvements. Send any ideas, suggestions, possible bugreports, or new/not currently supported moduleformats to the author. (Address below) Supported ModuleFormats: ======================== These ST/NT/PT/PM formats are replayed using the internal replayroutine in SmartPlay: SoundTracker 31ins., StarTrekker, NoiseTracker, ProTracker PowerMusic, and ST/NT/PT SONG files. The following formats are supported trough the different SPlay_xxxx replaylibraries: Format: Library Used: Ver: VBLPP -------------------------------------------------------- BPSoundMon SPlay_BPSM.library v2.0 ----* DeltaMusic v2.0 SPlay_DELT.library v1.0 ----* Digital Sound Studio SPlay_DSS!.library v1.1 *---* ST/NT/PT/PM FASTMEM SPlay_FAST.library v6.4 *-*** FutureComposer 1.0-3 SPlay_FC10.library v1.1 *---* FutureComposer 1.4 SPlay_FC14.library v1.1 *---* GMOD SPlay_GMOD.library v1.0 ----* Promizer v1.8 SPlay_PROM.library v1.0 ----* (Octa)MED(Pro) 4ch SPlay_OMED.library v1.0 *---- SoundFX v1.3 SPlay_SF13.library v1.0 ----* SIDMon v1.0 SPlay_SM10.library v1.0 ----* SIDMon II SPlay_SMII.library v1.0 ----* IFF-SMUS SPlay_SMUS.library v1.0 *---- SoundTracker 15inst. SPlay_ST15.library v1.0 ----* The VBLPP support-flags: Volume/Balance/Loop/PositionJump/Pause The SPlay_xxxx.libraries should be placed in the LIBS:SmartPlay/ drawer, to make them easy to update for future releases. It's also possible to place them in the LIBS: root, but if you don't like to have 13 extra libraries right in your LIBS: drawer, just create that LIBS:SmartPlay/ drawer, and copy all new SPlay_xxxx.libs into it. All kinds of XPK and PowerPacked modules are decrunched to a temporary directory using the xpkmaster.library v2.0+ and the powerpacker.library. Modules packed with LhA will be decrunched using an external LhA/LZ command (defined in the configuration). SmartPlay will unpack the first file in the archive to a temporary directory, and try to play it as a normal module. More moduleformats will be supported in future releases of SmartPlay. If you have any moduleformats that SmartPlay 3.1 doesn't support right now, please send some information on them to the author, so they can be implemented in coming releases. There is no LhA program included in the SmartPlay archive, as most LhA versions are (c) Copyrighted. Any LhA or LZ program should work just fine with SmartPlay. Using SmartPlay v3.1: ===================== System requirements: Any Amiga running OS2.0 v37+ (Required to run) ReqTools.library v38+ (Required to run) It's possible to run SmartPlay both from CLI and from Workbench. A CLI, or script startup is recommended if you want to have access to the different commandline arguments, as no WB ToolTypes are supported yet. SmartPlay will create a process of it's own, so there is no need to RUN the program. By default, the mainwindow will be opened on the current PublicScreen when run. (Check out the use of the PUBSCREEN and NOWINDOW arguments below in this file) All modules entered on the commandline, and/or selected in the file- requester, will be present in the programlist. You are able to edit this list anytime using the ProgramList Editor. The SmartPlay mainwindow contains the following buttons & displays: +-----------+-----------------------------------------------+-----+ | <1> | <2> | <3> | +-----------+-----------+-----------------------------------+-----+ | <4> | | +-----------------------+ | | <5> | <6> | +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | <7> | <8> | <9> | | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ | <A> | <B> | <C> | <D> | <E> | <F> | <G> | <H> | <I> | <J> | <K> | +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+ Explanations for the button functions: <1> - This cyclegadget will select what information the <2> area should show on the module. There are now four modes available in this version: MODULE, AUTHOR, PLAYED, and TYPE. <2> - This area contains some information on the current module. You are able to select what information to be shown here using the <1> button. NOTE!!: A click at this button will bring up the SampleInfo list- window, containing the samplenames in loaded ST/NT/PT/PM modules! <3> - This little I=INFO knob will give some information on SmartPlay. <4> - This is the volume gadget, where the replayvolume is selected. <5> - This is the balance gadget, where the balance between the LEFT, and RIGHT audiochannels is selected. Both the Volume and the Balance values are saved in the configurationfile. <6> - This is the listgadget, where you may select any of the 5 visible modules just by clicking on them. Also, you may scroll up/down in the whole programlist and select any module you want to play, right from the mainwindow. The current module playing will be highlighted, so it's easy to know the "current position" in the list. <7> - Loop Modules ON/OFF button. (Highlight = ON) <8> - Fader ON/OFF button. (Highlight = ON) <9> - Random play ON/OFF button. (Highlight = ON) <A> - Load & Play previous module in the programlist. <B> - Jump to previous position in module. <C> - Load & PLAY current module again if stopped. Can also be used to CONTINUE paused modules. If there are no modules, or just one module present in the program, SmartPlay will bring up a file- requester to select some modules to play and include in the programlist. If there already is a module playing, and the program contains two or more modules, you will be able to add more modules to the end of the current program using the file- requester. <D> - Jump to next position in module. <E> - Load & Play next module in the programlist. <F> - Pause playing. The interrupt will be removed, but the module will NOT be deallocated. Press PLAY or PAUSE to continue playing. <G> - Stop button. If there is a module playing, the interrupt will be removed and the music will stop, but the module wont be ejected, so it's possible to start the module again from the beginning by pressing PLAY, without loading it from disk again. The Audio- Channels will also be deallocated when the module is STOPPED or PAUSED. <H> - This is the EJECT button. If there is a module loaded, this knob will eject it from memory. If there is NO module playing, this EJECT button will clear the whole programlist! <I> - This button marked, "><" or "<>", will shrink or expand the main- window. This will save some chipmemory, and all the CD-Interface functionbuttons <A-K> will still be visible. <J> - This button, marked with a "?", will bring up the new config- window. Read the chapter "Configuration Window" for more info. <K> - The ED button will bring up the ProgramList Editor. Check out the chapter "ProgramList Editor" for more information on this. Configuration Window: ===================== These are the explanations for the ON/OFF flags on the left side of the configuration window: VBLNK Interrupt => If this is ON, SmartPlay will use the VerticalBlank interrupt instead of the CIA interrupt. The CIA mode will work on ALL machines, even if the vertical blank frequency is over/under 50Hz. ProTracker modules using the CIA speed-commands will get some problems in VBlank mode, but for normal mods the VBlank mode is slightly faster than the CIA mode. - CommandLine argument: VB=VBLNK - Default state: OFF Error Request. => Enables the various error-requesters. - CommandLine argument: NE=NOERROR - Default state: ON Strip MOD. text => This Strip routine will strip the mod. texts from the modulenames in the modulelists. - Default state: ON Alloc Channels => Enables the allocation of the AudioChannels. - CommandLine argument: NA=NOALLOC - Default state: ON L+R Mouse Stop => Enables the L+R MouseButton STOP function. - CommandLine argument: NM=NOMOUSE - Default state: ON DoubleBuffering => Enables the DoubleBuffer function. When DB is active, modules will be loaded while the previous module is playing. - Default state: ON Flush SPlay_Lib => Enables the FLUSH routine, removing all used SPlay replaylibraries on exit. - Default state: ON Explanations for the string-gadgets on the right side of the config- window, containing all the Default Paths, and LhA commandstrings etc. used by SmartPlay: Def. Path => The Default Path is used in the filerequesters when selecting modules to play. Def. Pattern => The Default Pattern is passed to the filerequesters to prevent modules with the specified extensions from being shown/loaded. LhA/XPK Temp => This string contains the name of the Temporary drawer to be used by SmartPlay while decrunching certain packed modules. SmartPlay will create a temporary directory of it's own inside the specified one, to prevent possible files already present in the specified drawer from being overwritten by LhA/XPK. LhA Command => The LhA Command string should contain the full path, and filename of the LhA/LZ command to be used by SmartPlay to decrunch LhA packed modules. LhA Arguments => The LhA argument contains all needed arguments, except the filenames, for the LhA commands extract function. Typical strings are: "-N e >NIL:" for LZ, and "-q e" for newer LhA versions. The "?" and disk-pictured gadgets on the right side of the string gadgets are associated with them. By pressing the "?" gadget, the default argument will appear into the string gadget in question. The disk-pictured knobs on the other hand, will let you define a drawer using a filerequester. The "Load To Fast" options on the right side of the window are used to choose when modules should be loaded into FastMemory instead of ChipMem. The Default setting is "When Needed", which will load the modules to chip as long as there is enough free chipmemory. The "Never" mode will prevent SmartPlay from loading the modules at all if there isn't enough chipmemory. "Chip Saver" can be used to keep down the chipmemory usage of the player, by loading the modules into fastmemory only when the size of the CHIP buffers doesn't exceed the total amount of chipmemory needed for all the samples in the module. The SAVE button will save the SmartPlay configurationfile both to the ENV:SmartPlay/SmartPlay.Config and the ENVARC:SmartPlay/SmartPlay.Config files. The USE button will only save the config to the ENV:SmartPlay/ drawer. The WindowClose button will exit the configuration without saving anything to disk. The SmartPlay directory in ENV: will be created automatically if not found at startup. ProgramList Editor: =================== The programlist editor is used to edit the current list of modules to be played, specified on the commandline, or in the filerequester. You are able to delete/add entries to the list, and to save/load the whole program. The programs can also be loaded from the commandline, as a "module" in the module argument, or selected in the filerequester using the PLAY button. The big box in the middle of the editorwindow is used to display the contents of the current programlist. When you click on an entry in the list, the entry will be moved to the small box below. From there you can insert it into any location in the list, or delete it using the DEL button on the editorwindow. Explanations for the button functions on the ProgramList Editor window: ADD - Add one or more modules to the current programlist, using a multiselect filerequester. The modules selected will be appended to the end of the list. DEL - Delete the current entry in the small box below the actual list. CLEAR - Clear the current programlist. SAVE - Save the current programlist to disk. The program files are saved with the .PRG extension, and may be loaded in this editor, from the commandline, or using the PLAY button. LOAD - Load a new programlist to SmartPlay. The previous list will be cleared before loading! USE - Quit the Editor, and accept the changes made to the current programlist. Well, if you don't understand how this editor really works just by reading these tiny DOC's, just go out and try it out for yourself! It's really quite easy to use when you get used to it. Hope you like it.. CommandLine Arguments: ====================== SmartPlay v3.1 also includes the possibility of using some commandline arguments. This template contains most of the options in the config, and will override all options set in the configurationfile. TEMPLATE: MODULE=PROGRAM/M,STOP/S,NEXT/S,LOOP/S,PS=PUBSCREEN/K, NA=NOALLOC/S,NM=NOMOUSE/S,NC=NOCONFIG/S,NW=NOWINDOW/S, NE=NOERRORS/S,NF=NOFAST/S,VB=VBLANK/S: MODULE: Name of module(s) or programfile to play. Multiselection fully supported. You can fill the commandline with modulename(s), or use the SHIFT key in the filerequester to select multiple modules! The names you write here will be included with any you possibly select in the filerequester. If the first entry in the MODULE argument is a programfile, SmartPlay will just load the program from that file, and skip all other entries in this argument. STOP: Works just as the STOP button on the mainwindow. This argument is mostly used when the NOWINDOW argument is active. Any new SmartPlay started will pop the screen containing the SmartPlay window to front, and make the SmartPlay Window the frontmost & active window on the screen. NEXT: Stops current module playing and loads next module according to the programlist. Equal to the <E> button on the mainwindow. LOOP: This will set the LOOP flag (toggled from the mainwindow) to ON if used. This will cause modules to loop at last pattern. PUBSCREEN: This is a keyword for the name of the publicscreen SmartPlay should open it's mainwindow on. If no name is specified, the current publicscreen will be used. NOALLOC: This flag will prevent the allocation of the AudioChannels. NOMOUSE: NoMouse or simply NM will set the L+R MOUSE STOP flag in the configuration menu to OFF. NOCONFIG: Prevents SmartPlay from loading the configuration file "ENV:SmartPlay/SmartPlay.Config" when run. This will cause SmartPlay to use default settings and place the SmartPlay window in the center of the screen. NOWINDOW: Prevents SmartPlay from opening the mainwindow containing the CD-Interface, and run just like those stoneage versions of SmartPlay. NOERRORS: Prevents SmartPlay from showing any errorrequesters. NOFAST: Set the "Load to fast: Never" mode in the configuration. VBLANK: The VBlank argument will force SmartPlay to use a Vertical- Blank interrupt instead of the CIA interrupt. This can also be toggled in the configuration. FastMemory Replayer Info: ========================= The SPlay_FAST.library makes it possible to play normal ST/NT/PT modules right from FAST memory. This routine is quite fast, and should not cause any harm to your multitasking system. A heavily loaded system may cause annoying pauses in the music on slow Amigas, but even under highspeed serial transfers there is no CPS loss while playing modules from FAST memory using this replayer. All functions, like the Balance knob, and the Fader are not currently supported when playing modules trough the fastlibrary. In this version of the library, CIA timing should be fully supported in PT modules, and !PM! modules should now work in fastmemory too. Known Bugs in v3.1: =================== There are no serious known bugs in this version of SmartPlay, but.. As usual I cannot be held responsible for possible damage caused by SmartPlay nor bugs caused by late-hour coding.. However, if you do find any Bugs, Enforcer hits, or other nasty creatures in SmartPlay, please contact me at the address below so that I can fix them in the next version of SmartPlay. Credits For BETA-Testing & Spell Checking: ========================================== Special thanks to the following people: Mikael Hjelt (Eagle) Faith Spock Janne Saarme Pasi Lahtinen Erno Tuomainen I don't dare to think of what SmartPlay would be like without all this BETA testing! Also, this documentation file would probably be a BIG mess full of spelling mistakes. Thanx. How to reach the Author: ======================== Send possible bug-reports, any new module formats etc. to the author (Xtreme Intelligence) by E-Mail at: Last Input Ignored (SysOp: Eagle) +358-0-5051123 1200-14400 HST DS /w v32bis & v42bis Open always except ZMH ..or NetMail addressed to Xtreme Intelligence on Last Input Ignored:s FidoNet Number 2:220/293. ..or by sending snail-mail to the author (Xtreme Intelligence) at the following address: Peter Hjelt Heikelv. 3 02700 Grankulla Finland The author is often available for chat on another node of Last Input Ignored. Don't hesitate to call if you have any problems with SmartPlay. The newest version of SmartPlay is always FileRequestable with the MAGIC name "SPLAY" from 2:220/293. If you want to become a SmartPlay BETA tester, or just check out some BETA versions, contact the author on the address above. Xtreme Intelligence productions Echo. ===================================== A non-backboned Xtreme Intelligence productions echo named "XI_PROD" is available to anyone who want it. In it, bugreports, suggestions or problems concerning any of XI's products can be discussed with the author directly. Information about oncoming versions will also be available. Unfortunately, as the echo isn't on the backbone, you/your SysOp will have to poll the echo directly from 2:220/293. If you are interested in doing so, please contact the author (Xtreme Intelligence) or the SysOp of Last Input Ignored (Eagle) in any of the ways described above. Any COPYRIGHTS on SmartPlay v3.1? ================================= Nobody is obliged to pay for a copy of SmartPlay - the basic idea is still to provide a good & fast moduleplayer for _free_ to the Amiga users. In other words, SmartPlay is still released as FreeWare, or GiftWare, and may be freely distributed as long as the original archive is kept intact. However, a "shareware" fee is of course appreciated, and by sending ANY amount of money to me, you can consider yourself as a "registered" SmartPlay user, and you will eg. be informed about new releases trough NetMail. - Signed: Xtreme Intelligence 1993