Program Settings

Automatic strip (default : on)

When enabled, this option causes all open windows to be arranged in horizontal strips or - for a large number of files - in two or more columns. No matter how many windows are displayed, their size is adjusted so as to cover the entire desktop. When the automatic strip option is disabled, the standard Windows strip and tile utilities are provided.

Ignore bit settings in 'Find bits' (default : on)

DART XP Pro allows you to find sequences of set bits in detection files. If the Ignore bit settings option is enabled all binary signals in an active binary window will be searched when you use the Find bits command from the Edit menu. In order to inspect selected signals only mark the bits you would like to check and turn the Ignore bit settings option off.

Use CTRL to select blocks (default : on)

When enabled, this option allows you to select blocks of samples by means of dragging the mouse only when the CTRL key is pressed. Even though you can turn this option off, we do not recommend it. If dragging alone becomes equivalent to selecting a block, you have to be very careful when clicking - even a slight (unintentional) movement of the mouse during clicking will result in selecting a new block and erasing the previous one.

Enable DART screen saver (default : on)

If restoration of a soundfile lasts for longer than 1 minute, the DART XP Pro's screen saver is automatically switched on. If convenient you can block the time switch by disabling the saver.

Full path names (default : off)

Unless you work with the material distributed over different file directories, there is usually no need to show full path names of the files associated with the displayed windows. The full path names may be required to distinguish files bearing identical names stored in different directories, e.g., to differentiate between c:\music\mozart.wav and d:\recordings\mozart.wav.

Autosave (default : on)

If you enable this option the system will save - by means of creating the configuration file autogrp.dgr -the information about all files open at the time of quitting DART XP Pro. These files will be automatically loaded when you start the system again.

Enable turbo plotting (default : off)

Working with large time zoom factors may result in very long times needed to draw or redraw signal plots, especially if the corresponding windows are synchronized. When enabled, this option will speed up plotting at a price of reduced drawing accuracy.

Time scale in seconds (default : on)

If you enable this option the horizontal (time) axis will be calibrated in hours, minutes and seconds; otherwise it will be scaled in terms of samples.

Fast format conversion (default : on)

Working in the fast conversion mode DART XP Pro will change the format of RAW/WAV files very quickly. This may be useful for the users of some specialized audio cards that do not support the WAV format.

When performing the fast RAW to WAV conversion the system will simply change the extension of the selected RAW file to WAV and replace its first 44 bytes with an appropriate wave header. Similarly, if the WAV to RAW conversion is requested DART XP Pro will change the file extension to RAW and set the bytes comprising a header to zero (otherwise you would hear a loud click at the beginning of the soundfile when playing it back). The only consequence of accelerating format conversion is the loss of the first 44 bytes of your original RAW data.

NOTICE

The file autogrp.dgr is a configuration file only, i.e. it does not contain information about the contents of the files comprising a group. For this reason if you delete or modify any of these files 'outside' DART XP Pro you will not be able to retrieve a group in its original form.

Time sync (default : off)

This option allows you to time-align cursors in audio files recorded with different sampling rates. If you enable Time sync and if synchronization is switched on the cursors in all displayed windows will be automatically time-aligned. This means that if the Play local command is used the same portion of the audio material will be played back irrespective of the corresponding sampling rates. Similarly, when a block of samples is selected in an active window the appropriately scaled (contracted or extended) blocks will be marked in the remaining windows.

Prompt to register (default : on)

If you register the original archive soundfile as a root soundfile, the DART XP Pro librarian, called the Soundfile Manager, will help you to organize and keep track of all renovation experiments involving that file. When the Prompt to register option is enabled, DART XP Pro will remind you of registering any unregistered soundfile prior to its restoration.

On-line tuning (default : on)

Working in the on-line tuning mode DART XP Pro will allow you to listen to the renovation results while changing various restoration settings.If your computer is too slow to perform real-time tuning switch this option off and by default all tests will be performed off-line on a selected fragment of the recording.

Peak hold in ‘Record’ (default : off)

If you enable this option, the recording level indicators corresponding to the highest level observed during a recording session will burn continuously (they can be resetted by clicking anywhere on the bar graphs).

Clipping lock in ‘Record’ (default : off)

The clipping lock allows you to check whether any clipping problems occured during recording (which is useful if you can’t watch the bar graphs all the time during recording). To reset a clipping lock, click on the corresponding indicator.

Undo buffer size (default : unlimited)

Prior to performing an editing operation, DART XP Pro saves a copy of the section of the file that will be edited in the undo buffer. If you decide to undo the last edit, the system replaces the edited section of the file with the contents of the undo buffer - provided that the size of the buffer is sufficiently large.

If you accept the ‘unlimited’ buffer size setting, all changes introduced during the last editing operation will be reversible (provided there is enough free space on your computer).

Since working with very large buffers may slow down editing and create some memory problems, you may limit the size of the undo buffer. In cases like that we suggest you secure long audio files by using the Create undo file command from the File menu.

Default time zoom (default : View all)

When DART XP Pro screen is empty and you open a new soundfile (starting a new project, for example) the signal is shown in the View all mode, i.e. the time resolution is adjusted so as to show the entire signal plot. Whenever convenient you can define your own default time zoom.

NOTICE

When synchronization is switched on the default time zoom will be applied to the first of the newly opened soundfiles only. You can overcome this limitation by switching off synchronization among the displayed windows. This may be particularly useful should you prefer to work with the View all resolution applied to all signal plots shown on the screen.