QuickMP3 1.1 Release Notes

Shareware

This program is provided as shareware. If you use it, you should register by sending cash equivalent to USD5 in your local (or favourite) currency to:

Tonio Loewald
Löwald Interactive
103/122 Saunders St.
Pyrmont 2009
Australia

Please note: this program has no expiration date, registration code, or whatever. It is not crippled in any way. If you use this program and you're honest, you'll pay.

If you have comments, criticism, or bug reports, please contact me via email:
tonio@zipworld.com.au

For the latest version: www.zipworld.com.au/~tonio/quickmp3.html

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System Requirements

QuickMP3 rquires a Power Macintosh computer with QuickTime 4 (although it is compatible with earlier versions of QuickTime).

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Quick Start

1. Launch QuickMP3. By default, QuickMP3 will open an empty play list.
2. Use the Add Folder… and Add Item… buttons to add MP3s (and QuickTime movies) to the play list. Or just drag and drop MP3s and QuickTime movies to the window.
3. Click on an item to start playing it.

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Features

• Check Continuous to play the tracks in your play list continuously.
• Check Loop to have your play list loop endlessly.
• Check Random to play the tracks in random order.
• Check Autoplay to have the play list start playing automatically when opened.
• Try dragging files to your play list from Finder.
• Add all sorts of audio files to your play list using Add File...
• Add a folder full of files at a time by clicking Add Folder...

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Creating an AutoStart MP3 CD-ROM

If you want to create a self-playing CD-ROM of your favourite MP3s, then:

1. Create an autoplay play list (check continuous if you want to play more than the first track, random if you like).
2. Put a copy of QuickAmp on the CD-ROM along with your play list, and finally
3. Make the play list the AutoStart file for the CD, and you're done!

That's about it.

QuickMP3 is intended principally as an MP3 play list manager for QuickTime 4, but it is compatible with earlier versions of QuickTime (and will play any sound-only movies -- it will play other movies too, but it won't show them, so it's kind of pointless).

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Change History

1.1

• Major user interface changes!
• Many subtle enhancements.
• Controls are now in a global floating window. (The program remembers the x-position of the control floater, but always places it near the bottom of the screen.)
• QuickMP3 now has a preferences file (stored in the Preferences folder).
• Preferences dialog allows you to set default font and font size for lists (also affects the displayed track name). I've allowed for font sizes up to 12 point, but I don't recommend using fonts larger than 10 point.
• A first cut of Custom Skins have been implemented. A skin is a picture that has a 14-pixel high strip at the top which will look good under white text, and three equally tall strips of eight buttons beneath it showing enabled, active, and disabled states.
  
  Two skins have been provided. These are not necessary for the correct functioning of QuickMP3.
• Eliminated QuickTime controller as this was causing all sorts of confusion and didn't work properly. I will eventually put in a seconds readout, etc.
• Corrected an error in 1.0.2 that resulted in toggling some checkboxes not registering a change to a play list file.
• QuickMP3 now saves loop property (another dumb mistake).
• Turning continuous on now starts play automatically.
• QuickMP3 nows remembers play list window size and position. It treats a window's size as part of its file information, so resizing a window counts as a change.
• By default new windows are opened at the size of the last window.

1.0.2 26/4/99

• QuickMP3 now only checks a file's suitability if you're holding down the command key. This means that dragging 100 files from a CD-ROM onto your playlist now takes no time at all -- but if there's a bad file, it may cause an error later.
• QuickMP3 now does not display filenames beyond the first ".". Thus, for files batched using MPecker which might be called "Bizarre Love Triangle.pcm.mp3" the file will be listed as "Bizarre Love Triangle". I've been asked to parse ID3 tags, but I don't know how yet...
• Added a "Loop" button (off by default).
• Dropped 68k support after getting performance complaints from a German user with a 200MHz 604e-based Mac. Figure there are no 68k users out there. If I'm wrong, tell me!
• After many complaints about lack of support for files with correct file type information but no .mp3 extension, I've added support for files with type "MPEG", "MPG ", "Mp3 ", "MPG3", "MPG2", "MooV", "sooV", "SwaT", and "PLAY". If you still have files that cause problems, please drop me a line.
• Fixed a bug whereby files typed "MPG3" might not be recognised. (I can't easily tell; all my MP3s have a ".mp3" file name extension, and my test files are on old CD-Rs. I'll assemble a decent set of test files some time. Please don't send me MP3s! I have enough problems with my email as it is...)
• QuickMP3 now provides a transcript of its activities (e.g. if you drag 50 files to it, it will tell you how many of them it liked, didn't like, etc.).
• You can play the movie selected in a play list by pressing space, enter, or return.
• I've put active URL links in the About box. I've also replaced the REALgurus link with the QuickMP3 home page (such as it is).

1.0.1 23/4/99

• Opening a QuickMP3 MP3 document (e.g. by double-clicking) adds it to the frontmost play list (QuickMP3 will create a new play list if none is open). Double-clicking QuickMP3 MP3 no longer causes it to crash.
• Changed user interface slightly. You now need to double-click a movie in the list to start playing it (allows you to select and delete entries without interrupting the song being played). Eventually, I'll support dragging movies around to re-order them, and dragging movies between playlists.
• Fixed crashing bug if you open a playlist file with an unsaved playlist window open.
• Fixed mysterious crashing bug when you let a playlist play (so much for my amazing QA!).