Komputer for Alle 1999 #3

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Text File | 1994-03-20 | 18.0 KB | 475 lines

TINY ELVIS FOR WINDOWS Freeware Version 1.01 - March 20, 1994 AUTHOR'S MESSAGE TO USERS ------------------------- To everyone who took the time to download, beg, borrow, or steal a copy of the original Tiny Elvis 1.00... my sincere thanks. I've been a bit overwhelmed by the number of messages you've sent over the past few weeks, and surprised at your enthusiasm for Tiny Elvis. My thanks in particular to those of you who took the extra time to send in suggestions for new features. This new release is my attempt to implement as many of them as possible. I'm grateful that Tiny Elvis has earned a place on your Windows desktop, and hope you enjoy the program as much as I did developing it. VERSION NOTES ------------- Version 1.01 is an interim release upgrade to the original Tiny Elvis for Windows program. All of the functionality of the original program is present in this update -- PLUS the following changes have been implemented: 1. All .WAV files included with the program have been converted to the more universal (Windows standard) sampling rate of 11.025 kHz. This will allow acceptable audio playback on systems that do not support the lower 7.333 kHz sampling rate of the .WAV files included with previous versions of Tiny Elvis. You may still use the old 7.333 kHz files if you wish, and may still substitute .WAV files of your own (as per the documented guidelines). 2. Correction to the system menu "Configuration..." hotkey (now "O"; formerly "C", which conflicted with "Close"). 3. Correction to the Configuration dialog caption (stupid oversight on my part -- sorry) 4. Implementation of a wider range of Elvis Interval settings (now from 1 to 20 minutes -- thanks, Microsoft). 5. Implementation of a new "Always On Top" option in the Configuration dialog; keeps Tiny Elvis atop any other active applications (thanks again, Microsoft). 6. Implementation of a new "Display Interval Countdown" option in the Configuration dialog; provides digital countdown of interval time (in minutes and seconds) remaining until the next Tiny E. "performance." Adds to the already excruciating suspense. 7. Improved support for systems using a PC speaker driver in lieu of dedicated audio hardware. This support is enabled via a command line switch (/S), which is documented both in the README.TXT text file and in the program's run-time help. If you are using a PC speaker driver, you MUST include the /S command line switch. 8. Slightly improved "About..." dialog box easter egg (it's still up to you to find it -- but you'll be rewarded if you read this text file). 9. Additional karmic energy employed during program compilation (fishermen refer to this as "holding your mouth right"). INTRODUCTION ------------ Tiny Elvis for Windows is inspired by the character "Tiny Elvis" who has appeared periodically in airings of NBC's Saturday Night Live. For those of you unfamiliar with the television incarnation of Tiny Elvis, he's a miniature (say, five or six inches tall?) Elvis who likes to ride around town in his car. His chums do the driving while he sits on the dashboard -- I'm not making this up -- admiring the passing scenery. Tiny Elvis kills time by commenting wittily on the objects around him, invariably describing them as "huge." Tiny Elvis' admiring entourage laughs along with his every comment. Inevitably, one of them lets slip with an ill-advised aside about Tiny Elvis' size, offending the "Tiny King" and drawing a sharp reprimand. The result: Humor! Now, Tiny Elvis comes to your PC! This Tiny Elvis will lounge around your Windows desktop as an iconized application, replete in white jump suit and blue suede shoes. Every now and then, he'll pop to his feet and offer some running commentary on your "huge" icons, windows, cursors, etc. He will accompany his comments with broad gestures, followed by some trademark heavy-hitting, Vegas-style posturing. Users may adjust the interval between Tiny Elvis' comments in a dialog box accessed via the system menu. The interval setting is saved in the TNYELVIS.INI file, which is stored in your default Windows directory (e.g., C:\WINDOWS). NOTE: Don't worry, Tiny Elvis doesn't meddle with your WIN.INI or SYSTEM.INI files, or place any other files in your Windows directory (or anywhere else, for that matter). The program might be silly, but it minds its own business. An extra command ("Make Tiny Elvis Talk Now") in the system menu allows users to force Tiny Elvis into action instantly, without waiting for the interval to expire. The program requires Microsoft Windows version 3.1 or later. The program's waveform audio features require a Windows-compatible sound card (AdLib, Roland, SoundBlaster, etc.) or other audio hardware, correctly installed and configured for use by Windows. All applicable waveform audio driver sets must be installed and correctly configured, as well. You can test your hardware/driver configuration by running the Windows "Media Player" accessory. If your hardware and device drivers are correctly installed and configured, you should be able to load and play the file .WAV file format supported by this application. Although Tiny Elvis can be run from a floppy disk, we strongly recommend its installation to a hard disk. As such, you should have enough free hard disk space for all of Tiny Elvis' program and support files. Best of all, Tiny Elvis is freeware! It is distributed free of charge to the public domain. As such, the program is not intended for sale, resale, purchase, or for-profit distribution in the shareware or retail marketplace. In other words, you can give it away, but you shouldn't sell it! If Tiny Elvis for Windows amuses you, drop me a line on CompuServe (my address is 70661,3235). If it fails to amuse you, well hey, at least the price was right... PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS -------------------- Tiny Elvis for Windows requires Microsoft Windows version 3.1 or later. For best results, run Tiny Elvis on a 386SX-16 or faster PC. Animation effects will be somewhat smoother when an Windows- accelerated video card/driver combination is used. The program's waveform audio features require a Windows-compatible sound card (AdLib, Roland, SoundBlaster, etc.) or other audio hardware, correctly installed and configured for use by Windows. All applicable waveform audio driver sets must be installed and correctly configured, as well. NOTE: There is limited support for users whose PCs are not equipped with dedicated audio hardware but are using a PC case speaker driver for waveform audio playback. If you are using a PC speaker driver, you MUST include the /S command line switch as follows: C:\WINFUN\TNYELVIS.EXE /S Be sure to leave a single space between the executable filename and the switch. The /S switch is case insensitive, meaning you may use an upper- or lower-case "S". NOTE: Tiny Elvis' current audio mode (normal or speaker driver) is always displayed in the "About..." dialog box. You can test your hardware/driver configuration by running the Windows "Media Player" accessory. If your hardware and device drivers are correctly installed and configured, you should be able to load and play the file .WAV file format supported by this application. Although Tiny Elvis can be run from a floppy disk, we strongly recommend its installation to a hard disk. As such, you should have enough free hard disk space for all of Tiny Elvis' program and support files. There are no (known) minimum memory requirements or video mode (resolution or color depth) requirements. PROGRAM FILES ------------- The Tiny Elvis package is comprised of the following files: TNYELVIS.EXE The executable program file TNYELVIS.HLP The help system file TWAV_A1.WAV, TWAV_A2.WAV, TWAV_A3.WAV, TWAV_A4.WAV, TWAV_A5.WAV, TWAV_A6.WAV, TWAV_B1.WAV, TWAV_B2.WAV, TWAV_B3.WAV The waveform audio files for Tiny Elvis' spoken comments. These files were recorded as 8-bit, mono, at a sampling rate of 11.025 kHz, and should play acceptably via any Windows-compatible audio driver set. QUICK AND DIRTY SETUP --------------------- 1. Simply create a directory anywhere on an available physical or logical hard drive on your system (e.g., C:\ELVIS). 2. Copy the Tiny Elvis program files to this directory (or move the original .ZIP file to this directory and "un-zip"). See the "Program Files" section above for a full list of the files. If you are a user of a previous version of Tiny Elvis, you may safely overwrite all of your older files with the new versions. 3. You may run Tiny Elvis directly from Windows File Manager or comparable alternative shell by "run"-ning the TNYELVIS.EXE file. 4. Of course, you can also assign one of the many icons in TNYELVIS.EXE to a Program Manager group and run it from there as well. 5. Tiny Elvis is pre-set with a default interval of 1 minute. If you're in a hurry to see him in action, select the system menu "Make Tiny Elvis Talk Now" command. 6. If you have any questions about program features, please turn your attention to the Tiny Elvis help file, which is accessed via the system menu "Help" command. USING TINY ELVIS ---------------- Strictly speaking, there's very little that goes into "using" Tiny Elvis. He just lays there at the bottom of your Windows desktop (yes, you can move him) and watches the world pass by. The interval between his animation sequences is pre-set to a default value of 1 minute. You can easily change this value by opening the Configuration dialog, which is accessed via the system menu "Configuration..." command. Several interval settings are available, ranging from 1 to 20 minutes. If the Configuration dialog is closed via the "OK" pushbutton control, any new selection is placed into effect. NOTE: If you're in a hurry to see Tiny Elvis swing into action, and don't feel like waiting until the interval has elapsed, select the system menu "Make Tiny Elvis Talk Now" command. Two sets of waveform audio files are called by the program in conjunction with Tiny Elvis' speech routines. The first set is comprised of the following files: TWAV_A1.WAV, TWAV_A2.WAV, TWAV_A3.WAV TWAV_A4.WAV, TWAV_A5.WAV, TWAV_A6.WAV These files are "initial" comments spoken by Tiny Elvis, drawing attention to a window, icon, cursor, etc. The second set is comprised of the following files: TWAV_B1.WAV, TWAV_B2.WAV, TWAV_B3.WAV These files are "follow-up" comments spoken by Tiny Elvis, who (unable to leave well enough alone) invariably describes the selected object as "huge." During the Tiny Elvis animation sequence, one file is selected at random from each of the two sets. The two selected files are then played in synchronization with Tiny Elvis' gestures. NOTE: All nine files must be present in the default Tiny Elvis directory. If any of the nine files are missing, the program's voice routines will not be executed. Waveform playback is handled completely "in the background" and should not cut into your computer's CPU cycles, unless you are using a PC case speaker driver and Tiny Elvis is being run with the /S command line switch. CONFIGURATION SETTINGS ---------------------- The Configuration dialog box provides users with a collection of controls for enabling and adjusting a number of program features: Elvis Interval -------------- This group box contains eight radiobutton controls used for selecting the length of time between Tiny Elvis performances. Display Interval Countdown -------------------------- This checkbox control enables/disables the optional display (in minutes and seconds) of the interval time remaining until the next Tiny Elvis performance. The time display is added to the Tiny Elvis caption. Always On Top ------------- This checkbox control enables/disables an optional feature for keeping the Tiny Elvis icon atop any other active applications on the Windows desktop. NOTE: Any changes to configuration settings are placed into effect when the Configuration dialog box is closed via the "OK" pushbutton. The interval timer is always paused while the Configuration dialog is open. The timer is reset to zero if the dialog is closed via the "OK" pushbutton; the timer is resumed from its previous position if the dialog is closed via the "CANCEL" pushbutton. DISPLAY INTERVAL COUNTDOWN CAUTIONARY NOTE ------------------------------------------ When the "Display Interval Countdown" feature is enabled, the caption text is updated approximately once every second. This updating will defeat most Windows screen savers (i.e., prevent them from blanking the screen). If you are using a Windows screen saver, we DO NOT recommend running Tiny Elvis for prolonged periods of time with this feature enabled. REPLACING THE WAVEFORM AUDIO FILES WITH SOME OF YOUR OWN -------------------------------------------------------- After using Tiny Elvis for a while, you may wish to replace one or more of the waveform audio files with some of your own (maybe you're a would-be Elvis impersonator, maybe not). Well, go right ahead. Tiny Elvis will handle any type of Windows-compatible waveform file you might choose to record (remember, this is more a function of your installed drivers than anything in the program itself). Tiny Elvis' initial hand gestures are hard-coded to sync to the successful completion of the "A" and "B" .WAV files. He will jump to his feet to "speak" the "A" file and will then wait until that file has completed playback before making his first hand gesture (intended to accompany the "B" file). He will then wait until the "B" file has finished before executing the remainder of his gesture-and-posturing sequence. What this means is, you don't have to worry about matching the playback duration (or format, or file size) of the original waveforms included with the program. Please bear in mind that waveform audio files recorded in stereo and/or at sampling rates of 11 kHz of higher can become very large -- and files recorded at rates below 11 kHz may not be compabible with all Windows audio drivers. Just MAKE SURE you end up with two sets of files (six files in set one; three in set two), and that the filenames are EXACTLY the same as my originals (see the filename listings in the "Getting Started" topic). Also, Tiny Elvis requires that the waveform files be located in the same directory as TNYELVIS.EXE. The program will not be able to find them if they are located anywhere else. RUN-TIME HELP ------------- Full run-time help via the Windows Help system is supplied with Tiny Elvis, and is accessed via the system menu "Help" command. LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES ------------------------ This program (Tiny Elvis for Windows) is hereby contributed "as is" to the public domain. The program, including its companion waveform audio and documentation files, is distributed as freeware. As such, it is not intended for sale, resale, purchase, or for-profit distribution in the shareware or retail marketplace. Users are free to install and run the program on any system or systems they wish (subject only to the program's hardware requirements). Users are also free to copy and re-distribute the original files in any manner of via any channel available to them (i.e., network, BBS, electronic information service, etc.). Users doing so must distribute only the original files (preferably in their original compressed format). When so distributed, it is the distributor's responsibility to ensure that the program files have been kept in their original state and format, and have not been altered, edited, disassembled, or recompiled in any way. That said, please do not disassemble the original executable or edit any of its embedded resources (well, okay, on second thought -- if you're really in DIRE need of a few Elvis icons, go ahead and extract a few, just leave everything else alone). Before release, this software was tested on a variety of hardware configurations, under the most rigorous test conditions possible. The author therefore warrants that the software will perform in substantial compliance with the specifications set forth in this text, provided that the software is used only on the computer hardware and operating system(s) for which it was designed. The author makes no other warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this software, including its quality or fitness for a particular purpose. In no event will the author, or Pegasus Development, be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the use of or the inability to use this software, even if the author has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Neither the author nor Pegasus Development is responsible for any costs including, but not limited to, those incurred as a result of lost profits or revenues, loss of time or use of the software, loss of data, the cost of recovering software or data, the cost of substitute software, claims by third parties, or similar costs. ________ Tiny Elvis for Windows Freeware for the Public Domain "Software that promises nothing -- And Delivers!" by Matthew T. Smith CIS 70661,3235 PEGASUS DEVELOPMENT 11900 Grant Place St. Louis, Missouri. 63131 Users interested in information about our line of "real" applications software are invited to contact us at the above address, or by telephone at (314) 965-5630. "Microsoft" and "Windows" are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other trademarks mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective corporations and are hereby acknowledged. EASTER EGG: If you've actually read the documentation through this far, you deserve a reward. The Tiny Elvis easter egg, such as it is, is displayed by "double-clicking" your mouse on the Tiny E. icon in the "About Tiny Elvis" dialog box. The easter egg text is drawn from a random collection, and will not be the same every time.