Contents

Tiny Elvis for Windows Help

General Topics

Introduction

Getting Started

Using Tiny Elvis

Configuration

Replacing the Default .WAV Files

Adding to the Default .WAV Files

Limited Warranty and Legal Issues

About Tiny Elvis

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting Index


Troubleshooting Index

This troubleshooting index is provided to aid in the isolation, identification, and correction of any possible problems that users may encounter during the use of this program.

You may browse forward through each troubleshooting topic, or jump to any specific topic by selecting one of the highlighted topic headers below with your pointing device.

Please review the appropriate topic if you encounter trouble...

...loading Tiny Elvis

...playing the .WAV files

...digesting fatty and/or spicy foods


Trouble Loading Tiny Elvis?

Problems related to loading and/or running Tiny Elvis can be easily traced to one of three sources:

1. Tiny Elvis' hardware requirements are not being met.

2. Tiny Elvis' operating environment requirements are not being met.

3. Tiny Elvis' program files are missing or corrupted.

Hardware Requirements

Tiny Elvis requires the following: A personal computer capable of running Microsoft Windows 3.1 or higher, a sound card or other audio hardware (or PC speaker driver) capable of waveform audio playback from Windows, sufficient hard disk space for installing the required program files, sufficient system resources (i.e., actual or virtual installed memory) to run the program.

There are no minimum video/display resolution requirements for running Tiny Elvis.  However, we recommend a minimum VGA (640x480) or higher video resolution.  Tiny Elvis will run acceptably on monochrome or color displays.

There are no minimum memory requirements per se, although the memory required by Tiny Elvis can be affected by the substitution and use of waveform audio files other than those that came with the original program (see notation below).

Note:  If you substitute your own waveform audio files for the original files included with the program, the memory required for playback will likely increase (this is a direct result of larger .WAV files and higher sampling rates during file recording).  For the most part, if you have enough memory to record and play your new files via Windows' Media Player, you have enough memory to play them via Tiny Elvis.

Operating Environment Requirements

Tiny Elvis requires: MS-DOS or comparable operating system (as required by the version of Windows being run) and Microsoft Windows version 3.1 or higher.  Please note that not all versions of Microsoft Windows require a stand-alone version of DOS.

Program Files

If all of the hardware and operating environment requirements as outlined above have been met, and Tiny Elvis still will not run on your system, you should try deleting the installed files and re-copying the program files from the program disk (or original archive file).  Make sure all program files are copied to the same directory.

See also...

Troubleshooting Index


Trouble Playing the .WAV files?

If you are having trouble playing the .WAV files earmarked for use with Tiny Elvis, particularly if you've recorded your own versions and substituted them for the originals, one of the following conditions is probably leading to the problem:

1. The files are not present in the Tiny Elvis default directory (i.e., the directory containing TNYELVIS.EXE).  .WAV files located anywhere else will not be recognized by the program.

2. The files have been accidentally given the incorrect names and/or extensions during copying or moving operations.  Check to make sure the .WAV files in your default Tiny Elvis directory correctly match those listed in the Getting Started section.

You can record your own versions of one or more of the original .WAV files, but any file(s) you supply must be renamed to exactly match the file(s) being replaced.  Please review the Replacing the Default .WAV Files section for more information.

You can also add to the original .WAV files with additional files, but any new files must be named to conform to the specific filename conventions.  Please review the Adding to the Default .WAV Files section for more information.

4. Your current waveform audio driver set does not support playback of .WAV files in the format in which the files were recorded.  The waveform audio files included with versions 1.01, 1.02, or higher were recorded at a standard sampling rate (8-bit, mono, 11.025 kHz).  The audio files included with version 1.00 were recorded at a lower sampling rate (7.333 kHz), and may not be compatible with all Windows waveform audio driver sets.

If you have a sound card and an attached microphone, you are free to record your own .WAV file versions at any sampling rate supported by your audio hardware and waveform audio drivers; however, not all Windows configurations will support very high or non-standard sampling rates or stereo-format waveform files.

Wherever possible, try to use 11.025 kHz .WAV files, as these will play acceptably across nearly all Windows audio setups.

See also...

Troubleshooting Index

Using Tiny Elvis

Configuration


Trouble Digesting Fatty and/or Spicy Foods?

If you are having trouble digesting fatty or spicy foods, you are not alone.  Many people experience an intolerance of high-fat or heavily-seasoned foods.

There are many over-the-counter medications available that can provide relief; your doctor or local pharmacist can recommend one that is right for you.  Please follow the directions on the product label, and do not exceed recommended dosages.

If symptoms persist longer than a few hours, or are accompanied by painful rash, insomnia, swelling of the feet, hyperactivity, disorientation, hallucinations, chills, and/or violent mood shifts, this may indicate a more serious medical problem -- perhaps even one that has little or nothing to do with your diet.  In cases such as these, prompt attention by a qualified medical professional is in order.

See also...

Troubleshooting Index

Using Tiny Elvis

Configuration


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 unfamiliar with the television incarnation of Tiny Elvis, he's a miniature Elvis who likes to ride around town in his car.  His chums do the driving while he sits on the dashboard, admiring the passing scenery.  Tiny Elvis kills time by commenting on the objects around him, invariably describing them as "huge."

The result:  Humor!

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 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.  This dialog box offers access to additional program features as well.  All configuration settings are 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.

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.

The program will also work with an installed PC speaker driver in lieu of dedicated audio hardware.  Speaker drivers for Windows are fairly commonplace, and are available for download on many information services and BBS systems.

All applicable waveform audio driver sets must be installed and correctly configured.

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 Tiny Elvis away, but you shouldn't sell it!

See also...

Getting Started

Using Tiny Elvis

Configuration

Replacing the Default .WAV Files

Adding to the Default .WAV Files

Limited Warranty and Legal Issues

____

If you have any questions or comments about Tiny Elvis for Windows, please drop me a line via CompuServe e-mail (my CIS address is 70661,3235).


Getting Started

Installing Tiny Elvis is simply a matter of copying the original program files to a destination directory on your hard drive:

1. Create a directory anywhere on an available physical or logical hard drive on your system.

2. Copy the Tiny Elvis program files to this directory (or move the original "zipped" archive file to this directory and "un-zip" it there).  If you are a user of a previous version of Tiny Elvis, you may safely overwrite all your old program 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.

Before running Tiny Elvis for the first time, you should make sure that the following files are all present in the same directory:

TNYELVIS.EXE

TNYELVIS.HLP

TWAV_A1.WAV, TWAV_A2.WAV, TWAV_A3.WAV,

TWAV_A4.WAV, TWAV_A5.WAV, and TWAV_A6.WAV

TWAV_B1.WAV, TWAV_B2.WAV, and TWAV_B3.WAV

TGOODBYE.WAV

An additional file, TNYELVIS.INI, will be created when the program is run for the first time.  This file is stored in the user's default Windows directory (e.g., C:\WINDOWS), and is used for storing program configuration settings.

The ASCII text file, README.TXT, is a handy source of program information, but is not necessary for running the program.


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 period of 1 minute.  You can easily change this value by opening the Configuration dialog, which is accessed via the system menu "Configuration..." command.  Sixteen interval settings are available, ranging from 1 to 60 minutes.

The Tiny Elvis icon can optionally display the interval time (in minutes and seconds) remaining until the next "performance," and can also be made to stay atop any other active applications on your Windows desktop.  Controls for enabling these features are provided in the Configuration dialog.

See also...

Configuration

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.

Waveform Files and Tiny Elvis

Two sets of waveform audio files are called by the program in conjunction with Tiny Elvis' speech routines.  Set "A" is comprised of the following files:

TWAV_A1.WAV, TWAV_A2.WAV, TWAV_A3.WAV, TWAV_A4.WAV, TWAV_A5.WAV, and TWAV_A6.WAV

These files are "initial" comments spoken by Tiny E, drawing attention to a window element.

Set "B" is comprised of the following files:

TWAV_B1.WAV, TWAV_B2.WAV, and TWAV_B3.WAV

These files are comprised of follow-up comments spoken by Tiny E, who 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 required .WAV files must be present in the default Tiny Elvis directory.  If any of the files are missing, the program's voice routines will not be correctly executed.

See also...

Replacing the Default .WAV Files

Adding to the Default .WAV Files


Configuration

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 sixteen radiobutton controls used for selecting the length of time between Tiny Elvis performances.  The interval can range from 1 minute to 60 minutes.

Icon Settings

This group box contains three radiobutton controls used for selecting the visibility and behavior of the program icon.

The "Normal" option configures the program icon to behave like any other minimized program, even when an animation sequence is in progress.  If the Tiny Elvis icon is covered by another application, it will remain covered.

The "Pop to Top" option configures the program icon to move atop any other active windows during its animation sequences.  If the Tiny Elvis icon is covered by another application, it will pop to the top for its animation sequence, and then return to its prior z-order position when finished.

The "Always on Top" option configures the program icon to remain atop any other active windows at all times.

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.

Caution:  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

Play Goodbye on Program Close

This checkbox control enables/disables an optional feature for playing the TGOODBYE.WAV file when Tiny Elvis is closed.  The file TGOODBYE.WAV must be present in the default Tiny Elvis directory.

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.


Replacing the Default .WAV Files

Overview

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.  The program is actually designed to make this as easy as possible.

You can replace one file, a few files, or all files.  Just to be on the safe side, though, it's always a good idea to keep the original files backed up on a floppy disk, in case you wish to replace your replacements (!) later on.

Tiny E will handle any type of Windows-compatible .WAV file you might choose to record.  Remember, this is more a function of your installed waveform audio drivers than anything in the program itself.

Playback Protocol

Tiny E's waveform playback routines are set to occur at two specific trigger points in the program's animation sequences.  Each of these two trigger points has its own corresponding set of .WAV files.  The .WAV files used in conjunction with the first trigger point are drawn from the "A" set; the files used in conjunction with the second point are drawn from the "B" set.

Each sequence begins with Tiny E jumping to his feet, at which point he will "speak" a randomly-selected .WAV file from the "A" set.  When playback of this file has completed, the figure will make his first broad hand gesture (arms stretching wide), which is accompanied by a randomly-selected file from the "B" set.  He will then wait until the "B" file has finished before executing the remainder of his posturing sequence and returning to his default reclining position.

For planning your own .WAV files, all "A" files should have something to do with an initial observation; all "B" files should be some sort of secondary or concluding comment.

File Sizes/Formats

Replacement .WAV files need not match the file size of the original files.  All things being equal, however, they should be kept as short as possible.

Replacement .WAV files need not match the bit format (8 or 16 bit), channel format (mono or stereo), or sampling rates of the original files.  However, users should bear two things in mind:

1. .WAV files recorded in stereo and/or at sampling rates of 11 kHz of higher can become very large.  If disk space is at a premium, you may wish to avoid recording and using higher-fidelity .WAV files.

2. .WAV files recorded at very low and very high sampling rates may not be compatible with all Windows audio drivers.  If you plan to use your recorded files on other machines, you may wish to record at "standard" sampling rates of 11.025 kHz or 22.050 kHz.

Filename Conventions

Tiny Elvis accesses its companion .WAV files via filename strings that are hard-coded into the program.  As a result, all .WAV files used by Tiny Elvis must follow a fairly strict filename convention:  All filenames in the "A" set must exactly match those of that set's original six files.  All filenames in the "B" set must exactly match those of that set's original three files.

For a full listing of default program and audio files, refer to the filename listings in the Getting Started topic.

Reminder:  All .WAV files from both sets must be present in the default Tiny Elvis directory (i.e., the directory containing the TNYELVIS.EXE file).


Adding to the Default .WAV Files

Overview

Users caught up in the excitement of recording their own .WAV files for use with previous versions of Tiny Elvis have bemoaned the limitations on accessible files.  For these users, the limit of six "A" set files and three "B" set files is too restrictive.

Okay, fine.  Starting with version 1.02, Tiny E can access up to 20 different .WAV files in each set (40 in all).

All you have to do is record the new files, make sure they are given filenames that Tiny Elvis will recognize (subject to the "Filename Conventions" notation below), and move them into the default Tiny Elvis directory.

If you have questions about Tiny Elvis' playback protocol or specific .WAV file formats supported by the program, please refer to the Replacing the Default .WAV Files topic.

Filename Conventions

Every time Tiny Elvis is run, the program scans its default directory for 40 specific .WAV files.  The number of files the program actually uses depends on the files that it can verify when first run.

You do not need to have all 40 .WAV files for Tiny Elvis to run.  Strictly speaking, you don't even have to have all nine of the default .WAV files; the program will work with as few as 2 .WAV files (TWAV_A1.WAV and TWAV_B1.WAV).  What is important is that the files be correctly named.

The program will scan for, and accept, set "A" files with the following filenames and in the order 1-20:

TWAV_A1.WAV, TWAV_A2.WAV, TWAV_A3.WAV, TWAV_A4.WAV, TWAV_A5.WAV, TWAV_A6.WAV, TWAV_A7.WAV, TWAV_A8.WAV, TWAV_A9.WAV, TWAV_A10.WAV, TWAV_A11.WAV, TWAV_A12.WAV, TWAV_A13.WAV, TWAV_A14.WAV, TWAV_A15.WAV, TWAV_A16.WAV, TWAV_A17.WAV, TWAV_A18.WAV, TWAV_A19.WAV, TWAV_A20.WAV.

The program will scan for, and accept, set "B" files with the following filenames and in the order 1-20:

TWAV_B1.WAV, TWAV_B2.WAV, TWAV_B3.WAV, TWAV_B4.WAV, TWAV_B5.WAV, TWAV_B6.WAV, TWAV_B7.WAV, TWAV_B8.WAV, TWAV_B9.WAV, TWAV_B10.WAV, TWAV_B11.WAV, TWAV_B12.WAV, TWAV_B13.WAV, TWAV_B14.WAV, TWAV_B15.WAV, TWAV_B16.WAV, TWAV_B17.WAV, TWAV_B18.WAV, TWAV_B19.WAV, TWAV_B20.WAV.

Important:  The program will only make use of consecutive .WAV files verified, starting with TWAV_A1.WAV and TWAV_B1.WAV.  The scanning process for each set stops as soon as it encounters a missing file; only those files verified up to that point are used.  For example, if you have prepared ten .WAV files for set "A", but the file TWAV_A7.WAV is not found when Tiny Elvis is run, only files TWAV_A1.WAV through TWAV_A6.WAV will be accessed during animation sequences.


Limited Warranty

Limited Warranty and Legal 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.


About Tiny Elvis

Tiny Elvis (1.02) was written for use in the Microsoft® Windows™ operating environment (versions 3.1 and higher).

This program is hereby contributed "as is" to the public domain.  The program (including its waveform audio and documentation files) is freeware.  As such, it is not intended for sale, resale, purchase, or for-profit distribution in the shareware or retail marketplace.  Users are welcome to copy and re-distribute the program files in any manner, provided that the files are kept in their original state and format, and have not been altered, edited, disassembled, or recompiled in any way.

If Tiny Elvis for Windows amuses you, drop me a line on CompuServe (my CIS address is 70661,3235).  If you have any questions or comments about the program, I'll be happy to help.

We at Pegasus Development have produced a number of fine applications software for Windows.  For further information about our full line of "real" products, please contact:

Pegasus Development

Product Information / ASG

11900 Grant Place

St. Louis, MO. 63131  U.S.A.

Phone:  (314) 965-5630

Tiny Elvis

Freeware Version 1.02

P  E  G  A  S  U  S    D  E  V  E  L  O  P  M  E  N  T

Matthew T. Smith

Pegasus Development, St. Louis, Missouri

Tiny Elvis for Windows is hereby contributed "as is" to the public domain.

None of the included files are intended for sale, purchase,

or for-profit distribution.

"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.