CD Explorer

(C) Copyright IBM Corp. 1992, 1995 CDEXPLOR PACKAGE - The Compact Disc Digital Audio Explorer for OS/2 3.0 by David C. Thomas --------------------------------------------------------- Requirements --------------------------------------------------------- This program requires: - OS/2 2.x installed with CD ROM support - MMPM/2 1.x installed with CD support - An MMPM/2 supported CD drive that allows digital audio disc playback - See MMPM/2 documentation for supported CD drives - Output through audio card requires an MMPM-supported audio card - Some supported audio and SCSI cards cannot handle CD data rates Installation --------------------------------------------------------- - Unpack the CDEXPL.ZIP file using "pkunzip cdexpl.zip" Note users upgrading from pre-2.4 release: ------------------------------------------ If you are upgrading from 2.3 or below - convert your old CDEXPLOR.INI file with CDEXCONV.EXE. Usage: change to cdexpl working dir. cdexconv <-t> where -t will convert any tab characters found to spaces (suggested). It creates the new CDEX_NEW.INI and copies the old to CDEXPINI.BAK You will have to copy CDEX_NEW.INI over CDEXPLOR.INI when done. Use --------------------------------------------------------- Provides a killer user interface to the CD drive attached to your system. Tests neighbor's patience with your loud music. Features --------------------------------------------------------- - Artist - Disc Title in window caption and minimize icon (if user entered track information in template-specified format) - See User Track Information below for more on adding user info. - "Output to" - "Front jack" - Front panel audio jack of CD Drive - "Audio card" - MMPM/2-supported audio card which can handle CD data (not 8 bit) connected to CD drive which support streaming DA data. Note just because MMPM supports a certain CD drive or audio card, that the combination of these two is not necessarily going to work. - "Playback options" - Repeating segments (looping) You can repeat sections of tracks. Start point must be before end point. The entire segment must be on same track. Repeat segment (loopy button) is only enabled once start and stop points are selected. - "Mark seg repeat in" marks the position on the disc where you want the repeated segment to start Control text changes to start point when selected. - "Mark seg repeat out" marks the position on the disc where you want the repeated segment to end Control text changes to stop point when selected. - Repeat segment (loopy button) starts or restarts a repeat loop. To stop a repeating segment do any of the following: - deselect either the "From" or "To" points, - push stop, fwd track, fast forward, or select any other track Segments are not saved with "Save Settings" - "Repeat Track" option allows the same song to continuously play. "Repeat Track" takes precedence over other ordering schemes Saved with "Save Settings". - "Repeat Disc" option allows uninterrupted play - wrap at end of disc Saved with "Save Settings". - "Shuffle Tracks" option allows tracks to be played in random order. - If media is stopped, it assumes you think it's okay to seek to the start of the first track in the shuffle order. - Shuffles differently every time. Very nifty. Saved with "Save Settings". - Mute - Allows you to mute the sound when your neighbor bashes on your door for blasting your "Pearl Jam" disc. Really, just ask my neighbors :) Takes precedence over volume settings. Saved with "Save Settings". - The text on this button represents the action taken when it is pressed. - If the button says "Mute", CD Explorer will mute when you press it; - If the button says "Sound", CD Explorer will turn sound on when you press it; - Volume - Allows you to relent to your neighbor's wishes and turn it down without having to grope for your speakers. Slider allows 10 increments. Saved with "Save Settings". - Disc transport function - Select these functions with the mouse or by tabbing and pressing spacebar. - Eject - Allows you to eject the disc. - Reverse to track start / reverse to previous track - From inside a track (past 0:00) this will reverse to track start - From track start (at 0:00) this will reverse to previous track start - Stop - Can manually set position in Position field while stopped (See "User Cue" below) - Play Neato feature - if you select "Resume at Restart", play will resume at the same point you left off on if the next time you run CD Explorer, the same disc is installed. - Fast Forward - well, maybe it's not FAST, but since everybody has asked for it, there you go... - This works in two ways: jump ahead, and scan ahead 1. Jump Ahead: A simple button click will push you forward 5 sec. 2. Scan Ahead: Press and hold FFwd and it will skip ahead 5 sec, play 1/2 sec, ... until you release the button. - Note: ffwd will not take you across track boundaries. If you ffwd at the end of a track, it will loop to the beginning of the track. - Forward to next track start - Disc status area: - Current track name (if user entered track information in template-format) This field only show up once you have edited it from the Track Information Window (the pencil button). - Change names in the entry field, pull down combo box to select new track. Text is saved automatically at disc change and program exit. Notes on changing text in this combo-box: - Text changes in the entry field are registered when you pull-down the combo box, not when they are typed in the entry field. If you change text in this field, pull down the list box to get it to "stick" - If you scroll through the list and don't select an item, the text of the active list item gets put into the entry field. This means the next time you pull down the list box, the current track name will get changed to whatever is in the entry field. The moral of the story: don't scroll through the list without selecting a track to seek to. - See Track Information below for more on adding user track info. - Changes are automatically saved on disc change and program exit in CDEXPLOR.INI. - Track Information (The Pencil Button) - User track information associated with disc can be edited. - Changes are automatically saved on program exit in CDEXPLOR.INI. The template of user info in the window is an advisable format. This template is VERY important if you want support for: - Artist - Disc Title in the window caption (titlebar and minimize icon) - Current track name in the status area Basically the first line of the user track info will end up in the window caption and subsequent lines will be associated with each track in sequence. I've allowed for about 64 chars for a disc title line plus 64 characters for every track. Hope this is sufficient. - Here's how you can enter and save your own track info: 1. Type it in the User Track Info window (and drive yourself nuts) OR (looks longer but is actually much more flexible...) 1. Go to your favorite editor and type in your track info. Here is an example of the format that works best: U2 - Achtung Baby Zoo station Even Better than the Real Thing One (etc., etc.) I keep a text file with all my stuff in it as a backup of CD Explorer's profile. You don't NEED a backup, but it is wise if you have lots of customized track info. Copy the text to the system clipboard (Many editors allow this: try to select the text and hit Ctrl-Insert) Delete the template of stuff I put in the User Info window (Select with mouse, then hit the Delete key) Paste the clipboard contents into the User Info window (With cursor in window, hit Shift-Insert) 2. Select OK, info is saved in CDEXPLOR.INI 7. From now on, CD Explorer will automagically recognize the disc - Disc track information displays total disc length and each track length and start time. - Allows random track selection from listbox (double-click or select/push seek button) Note that the times I get from querying the disc often don't match what the artist has published. Usually, this is no more that a second or so off, but often it can be a more dramatic difference. For example, Tool's "Undertow" disc is listed as only having 10 tracks, but actually has 59 tracks of 1 second silence between tracks 9 and 10. How cute that this final track actually turns out to be track number 69. Nevertheless, be warned that artists like to play games some times. - Track counter is user-modifyable on the fly via spin-button or direct edit You can "spin" up or down. You can enter the track you want to go to. - User Cue: position in track counter with random position setting capability - This allows you to cue to any location in the track (with second accuracy) While the disc is playing, this field is a simple position counter, but when you stop the disc, it becomes the awesome "User Cue" field Use of "User Cue": 1. Stop the disc (if playing) 2. Enter the desired destination time in track (in mm:ss format) in the "Position" entry field. 3. Select the cute little "User Cue" button next to the "Position" entry (I banged my head for a good and *small* button bitmap. I know, the button doesn't exactly scream out its "user cue" function. ) 4. When you resume play, it will resume from the new location Notice: the cute little "User Cue" button disappears when the disc is in playback. User Cue is only available when the disc is stopped. - Remaining in track countdown - Partial function option inhales less system resources (but not much) - disables button animation - disables status area and all other function dependent on position notify - Run Pulse.Exe, you'll see CD Explorer (while playing to front jack) consumes next to nothing. Any increase while playing to audio card is MMPM streaming digital data between CD stream handler and audio stream handler. - Mini window option requires less screen space to interact with CD - Full size resets to optimum full size - available from the Toggle Size button under the minimize button, or from the system menu. - Window is also sizeable, yet the only 2 sizes that are preset are mini and full size. (I banged my head here also for a good and *small* button bitmap) - Save Settings: saves your control settings, window size and position - Resume on Restart: saves track, position, and playback status on exit. Resumes only if the same disc is inserted the next time it is restarted, - Shares device with other programs that use the CD (open a bunch of CD Explorers at once -- another boffo CD Explorer feature) Known Problems: of course, none of them are MY problem! :) --------------------------------------------------------- 1. Problem: Some GUI settings default to incorrect settings (volume, output) Solution: Save settings (from system menu) and restart will fix problem 2. Problem: On some 486 systems output to audio card: apparent hang when you push play. Reason: CD Explorer exposes a race condition in MMPM that is not exposed by MciSendString-based CD players. CD Explorer uses MciSendCommand. Solution: Manually eject the CD to release the hang. Restart CD Explorer, and output to front jack until a fix is released (by OS/2). 3. Problem: Some audio cards which cannot support CD quality audio streams report they can, thereby causing CD Explorer to enable "Output to Audio Card". Upon selecting "Audio card", audio stops. For example, the Media Vision PAS 16 operating in 8 bit mode may expose this problem. Reason: Bug in either MMPM or, more likely, the audio device driver. The MCI_OPEN of MCI_DEVTYPE_AUDIO_AMPMIX in CD quality mode/rate/channels should fail, but does not in some cases. Solution: Once you notice your card may not support CD Audio, do not select "Audio card". Keep output only to "Front jack". Release History (most recent first) --------------------------------------------------------- 2.5 5/2/95 - Save INI info on system shutdown - AutoCD tweak (play button inactive until ready) - Fix Trap if disc ejected while in track info dialog, "OK" Thanks, M.K. - Added size borders to main info window - Recompiled for OS/2 3.0 - Fixed mini window disappearance on Warp 2.4 6/20/94 - Add "Resume on Restart" - saves track, position, and playback status on exit. Used only if same disc on restart. - Fixed the Front jack/Audio card digital transfer problem Now knows better how to sense proper config. Thanks G.L. - Add Repeat track segment: Mark start, stop, repeat button - Add Toggle Size button under minimize button. Toggles from full-size to mini window. - Replace current track static field with drop-down combo box - select/change track info from here or from dialog - change format of CDEXPLOR.INI - use CDEXCONV to convert - stopped parsing tabs into " - ". More WYTIWYG (what you type is what you get) now. - Volume slider (volume saved when you "Save Settings") - Replace "Track Info" button with cute pencil button - Add fast forward button - Add "Total Disc Length" in Track Info Window - Fixed track repeat and shuffle bug - no longer plays first chunk of next track. - fixed idiotic flickering of play button - improved performance by doing much less during pos notifies 2.3 8/9/93 - Add "Save Settings" - saves user selections, window pos - Fix funkiness with Mute/Sound button visibility - more legible mini icon 2.2 7/9/93 - Recompile for MMPM 1.1 (OS/2 2.1) - track info saving working now on OS/2 2.1 - fix bug if non digital audio disc (like CD ROM) inserted 2.1 4/22/93 - NOTE: for some bizarre reason, this version ONLY ran on OS/2 2.0 - Connect user disc information with the main window: - Disc name and artist in window caption - Current track title added to status area at window bottom **ASSUMES you follow the suggested template - Fix bug in track info 2.0 3/09/93 - Fix format of counter - Track counter in status area is now editable spin button - Position is user-modifyable (only when stopped) - "User Track Info" window replaces Table of contents allows user to add and save track names (or ANY information) - CD Explorer will recognize discs it has saved before and load any user info. - Add Disc shuffle - Add Mute - partial function option for better performance (overhaul for better performance) - Overhaul user interface for better use of screen space - full-size at screen yTop will stay on screen 1.0 7/31/92 - First EXTERNAL release - Shares CD with other CD apps (supports PASSDEVICE) - all global data now stored in window words - Multiples explorers at different places on same disc! - unlock drive on exit (and other fixes) - change forward trk and Rev Trk buttons to |<< and >>| to indicate going to track boundary. - hi res minimize icon for pretty 8514 display - save 4K on device-independent prod info box bitmap