Using Plug-ins

There are several plug-in formats to choose from รน before you continue, it's often helpful to understand some of the basic ideas:

About theLibrary/cache plug-in

QCD queries each of the plug-ins in the order listed to get information for the music it's currently playing. Once a plug-in returns with any information for the requested music, QCD doesn't query the remaining plug-ins. It's a good idea to put what you consider the most important library plug-in at the top of the list, and the lesser ones at the bottom. We recommend moving the CDDB Music Recognition Service plug-in to the top.

When QCD receives information from one of the Library plug-ins, it will most likely send that information to all the other library plug-ins so they will all stay up to date with each other.

What about querying and storing information about CDs and digital files?

Library and cache plug-ins allow QCD to query and store information about CD's and digital files from various sources. QCD comes with the CDDB plug-in to download and store locally information from the CDDB Music Recognition Service. It's not considered a library plug-in since you can't browse the information stored locally, it just caches it. Other plug-ins could allow for complete cataloging, searching and browsing of your albums.

About Sound Effects Plug-ins

Sound Effect Plug-ins make music sound a certain way, either enhancing or modifying the sound as it plays. If you want to make a song have lots of reverb or lots of bass, you would apply one of these effects to it. QCD is fully compatible with Winamp's DSP plug-ins, so head over there to download all the cool effects. When you're asked to identify an install folder, just specify QCD's plug-in folder (as opposed to Winamp's).

About Visual Effects Plug-ins

Visual plug-ins display animated graphics that move with the music. To make your own visual plug-in for QCD, go to quinnware.com, and download the SDK.

Here are some of the basics:

 

To:

Do This:

Set the order of the plug-ins in the list

  1. In the top left corner of the base skin , click the green Main Menu button, choose Preferences > Plug-ins, and then choose the plug-in format you want.

To find the exact location of the Main Menu button, go to the base skin and locate #2.

  1. In the Plug-ins window, select the plug-in you want to move, and then click the Move Up or Move Down button to re-set the order of the plug-ins in the list.

The order is only important when there are two or more plug-ins in the list that all support the same music format (eg: MP3 files). You can set the plug-in you want to use over another by placing it higher in the list of plug-ins.

Apply sound effects plug-ins

  • In the top left corner of the base skin, click the green Main Menu button, choose Preferences > Plug-ins> Sound Effects, and then choose the sound effect you want.

Prevent MP3s from skipping

There are a couple of ways:

  1. In the top left corner of the base skin, click the green Main Menu button, choose Preferences > Plug-ins->Input.  Select the MP3 Plug-in, and then click the Configure button.

  2. Increase the priority of the plug-in thread or increase the buffer size.

Use the Plug-in browser

From anywhere on the skin, Press Ctrl + B, and then choose the plug-in you want.