MidWavi Pro - Shareware for Windows 95/98/NT4/2000
What's new...
Version 2.73E
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Sound & Video Module...You can now run the Windows Media Player on any highlighted file in the File List Box...see the option on the Tools menu.
Also, the above option is offered if an error occurs whilst trying to play or display sound and video files.
Apart from the Tools menu option, you can call up this option with the keystrokes Ctrl+W (that's whilst holding down the Control key, hit the W or w key).
Please note that MidWavi Pro expects to find version 6.x of the Windows Media Player, if not, a suitable error message is posted.
The main reason for adding this functionality is because of the ever-increasing trend for file types not to be what they appear to be (e.g. MPEG video files masquerading as AVI files etc.).
MidWavi Pro does its best to play and display all types supported, but it does rely on the file name extension being accurate (e.g. an AVI is expected to end .AVI etc.) and by adding this new option, because the Windows Media Player is more tolerant in this respect, a greater degree of flexibility has been achieved.
So what this all means is that if MidWavi Pro refuses to play or display a file, you can immediately try to see if the Windows Media Player will work with the file.
Fixed some problems with the "Print" button in the Graphics Viewer module. Printing should not be permissible when in Random, Loop or Slide Show modes, but the "Print" button was being offered in spite of this.
Version 2.73D
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For versions 2.58 and on, please take the UNINSTALL option in the Windows Control Panel Add/Remove Programs option before running SETUP.
Yet again, this release is FREE to registered users (please send an email requesting your FREE updated Registration Keys).
In the "Search Results" box on both the Sound & Video and Graphics Viewer modules, you may now isolate the search to the filename only part of the full pathname by prefixing your search with the asterisk (*) character.
An example:
If you wished to locate only filenames containing the characters (say) "tiger" (without the speech marks of course), you would enter *tiger as your search pattern.
Of course, if you leave out the * character, the entire pathname is searched meaning that any directories (Folders) containing "tiger" would also be returned.
Bear in mind that, as ever, the search commences from the currently highlighted filename onwards.
Some problems with the "Control Click" method of selecting files have been cured.
*NEW* *NEW* *NEW*...
If you have access to a CD writer, you can now download a single file that will, when run, create a MidWavi Pro CDR or CDRW fully automatically! You can even run MidWavi Pro directly from the resulting CD!
Visit www.midwavi.com or www.midwavi.co.uk for full details.
Version 2.73C
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For versions 2.58 and on, please take the UNINSTALL option in the Windows Control Panel Add/Remove Programs option before running SETUP.
Now, when you take the Drive Search option in both the Sound & Video module and the Graphics Viewer module, the list of files found is presented sorted by filename.
Whilst MidWavi Pro is completeting this task you may see the top of the MidWavi Pro window (screen) flash to indicate to you that MidWavi Pro is still sorting.
Please note that if you have any Play or Display lists from earlier versions, you would be well advised to re-build them in the new sorted format (see "MidWavi Pro Play & Display Lists" in the on-line help system for full details).
The "abort" Drive Search routine has been improved and should now be more responsive. This means that if you wish to stop a search, as before, you merely hit the Esc key to end the search.
Also, if you have Tool Tips turned ON, in the Sound & Video module, the current full file name (no path, just the name) will now be displayed if you "hover" the mouse cursor over the usual filename display area (i.e. the area just under the Font change buttons).
You do of course still have the option to single right mouse click in the file listbox to get full details of the currently highlighted filename.
Code has been added to react to any "bad" sub directories found whilst conducting a Drive Search.
Please remember that you can single right mouse button click all over the place in MidWavi Pro to get options or information...
An example...
Did you realise that if you single right mouse button click the "Display" button in the "Graphics Viewer" or the "Play" button in the "Sound & Video" modules, you will achieve instant "Random" mode?
This is a toggle action (i.e. a further single right mouse button click on the (now) "Random" button will revert back to the original mode). There are MANY more...try and see.
You may find that some AVI videos do not play properly or at all.
Well, apart from files that are just plain corrupted, it has been found that many so-called AVI video clips are in fact MPEG clips. Some players can cope with this but MidWavi Pro needs to "see" the real filename extension.
What this means is that if you have (say) a video clip called train.avi that does not play, try renaming it to train.mpg and see if it now works (obviously, if the file is on a read only device e.g. a CD ROM, you will have to copy it to a hard drive before you rename it).
The original site, www.tsimpson.demon.co.uk is, for the time being, still running but please always check the new site(s) for the latest information and downloads.
This has been reflected in some of the "links" within MidWavi Pro.
You can now "buy on line" from all of the MidWavi Pro web sites (see the "Buy now" options at the bottom of the Home page).
For versions 2.58 and on, please take the UNINSTALL option in the Windows Control Panel Add/Remove Programs option before running SETUP.
Some of the latest Audio CD's do not report the fact that they are "Audio" (i.e. they are so called "CD Extra" discs containing audio as well as video and data tracks). This version should play the audio tracks correctly.
If MidWavi Pro senses this situation, a suitable warning is issued.
If you opt for "Load" when in fact the CD is a data CD (i.e. no sound tracks are present), the worst that will happen is that the reported track(s) will not (cannot of course) play.
Please remember that if you have Windows set to "Auto Play" CD's, Windows will "grab" and play the CD before MidWavi Pro can "see" it... see on-line help under "The Audio CD Player" - "Turning auto play off" for full details.
Version 2.73
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Please note that this version has been tested on Windows 2000 (RC2) without problems and indeed, in places, now has Windows 2000 specific code.
Yet again, this release is FREE to registered users (please send an email requesting your FREE updated Registration Keys).
Support for playing "AU" sound format.
Support for playing OctaMED "MED" sound format from RBF Software (visit www.octamed.co.uk for full details).
For further details on MED playing, please see online Help under "MED" or read "OctaMED MED sound files and MidWavi Pro.Txt" that came with MidWavi Pro.
Now identifies O/S platform (Windows 95, 98, NT 3.51, NT 4 & 2000)...see Tools/System Status.
Can now visit web site or fire up e-mail from the About box (double click to activate).
Remember that right mouse clicking abounds in MidWavi Pro.
For example, right mouse click the "Play" button in the Sound & Video Player to toggle "Random" play mode on/off (same goes for the "Display" button in the Graphics Viewer).
Right mouse click the "Auto Play" checkbox area to toggle "Loop Play" mode etc., etc. - see online Help.
From the all the "Tools" menus, you will see a new option "Run OctaMED" (and that's exactly what it does - if OctaMED is installed on your system).
If MidWAvi Pro is playing an Audio CD when a request to "Run OctaMED" occurs, the CD will be stopped first.
Version 2.72
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Special Price Reduction - this version now only $18.00 (ú12.00 pounds sterling) to fully register!!! See "Registration Details" in on-line help.
You can now run endless (and Random) graphic-sound-video shows (the ultimate screen saver!). See below for more detail.
For versions 2.58 and on, please take the UNINSTALL option in the Windows Control Panel Add/Remove Programs option before running SETUP.
Yet again, this release is FREE to registered users (please send an email requesting your FREE updated Registration Keys if need be).
In the Audio CD module, an indication of your chosen Intro time selection is now shown in red at the top left hand corner of the CD decrementing/incrementing time display box.
That is, if Intro is ON then the information is shown whereas if Intro is OFF it is not.
If the red time indication IS on display, you may left mouse click anywhere in the red timer numbers to bring up the "Set Introduction Time" screen (i.e. same as single right mouse clicking on the Intro ON/OFF option in the "Tools" menu).
You can now run an endless graphic-sound-video show as follows (the ultimate screen saver!):
Random Play and/or Display:
You can now elect for a random play (and) or display of sound, video and graphics.
Either single right mouse click "Play" in the sound/video module or "Display" in the graphics viewer module (you can also take "Random ON/OFF" options from the "Tools" menu.
Please be aware of the following limitations:
MidWavi Pro now supports up to 24,000 filenames when using the powerful "Disk Search" option in the "Sound & Video" and the "Graphics Viewer" modules.
In both the "Graphics Viewer" and "Sound & Video" modules, the maximum filenames for random display is 24,000 (which is the maximum allowed anyway).
Random mode will play/display "for ever" (well, click "Stop" to end it).
MidWavi Pro will always start up in "Random Play OFF" mode but any "toggles" (changes of mode) will remain on a per session basis unless MidWavi Pro senses bad logic (i.e. trying to play one file randomly!!!).
Endless Loop (in sequential order):
In the Graphics Viewer module, you may now run a continuous Slide Show (i.e. your chosen graphic files can be displayed repeatedly such that when the last graphic in a selection is displayed the cycle begins again at the first).
You get to this new feature from the Graphics Viewer "Tools" menu or by single right mouse clicking the "Slide Show" checkbox - this toggles between "Slide Show" and "Loop Show".
The "Tools" option "Loop Slide OFF" toggles to "Loop Slide Show ON (Esc or Stop to end)" and back each time you click on it.
Clearly, with "Loop Slide Show ON (Esc or Stop to end)" (or "Loop Show") set, you have your endless Slide Show.
Use the checkbox "Slide/Loop Show" as an indicator of the mode you are in.
MidWavi Pro will always start up in "Loop Slide OFF" mode but any "toggles" (changes of mode) will remain on a per session basis.
The Sound & Video Player module now also has exactly the same option as above the difference being:
In the Sound & Video Player module, you may now run a continuous sound and video show (i.e. your chosen sound and video files can be played/displayed repeatedly such that when the last one in a selection is played/displayed the cycle begins again at the first).
You get to this new feature from the Sound & Video Player "Tools" menu or by single right mouse clicking the "Auto Play" checkbox - this toggles between "Auto Play" and "Loop Play".
The "Tools" menu option "Loop Play OFF" toggles to "Loop Play ON (Esc or Stop to end)" and back each time you click on it.
Clearly, with "Loop Play ON (Esc or Stop to end)" set (or "Loop Play"), you have your endless sound and video show.
Use the checkbox "Auto/Loop Play" as an indicator of the mode you are in.
MidWavi Pro will always start up in "Loop Play OFF" mode but any "toggles" (changes of mode) will remain on a per session basis.
As may be apparent, if you combine the sound and graphics loops, you could have a screen saver playing your selected pictures (full screen) and sounds endlessly (and/or randomly).
MidWavi Pro now "learns" about bad graphics and sounds it cannot load, and self deletes the offending file(s). Note, this does not mean it actually deletes the file(s), it merely unchecks (unticks) them from the ListBox. This should mean that when running in Slide-Loop-Random, you will only see a message once saying "Problem loading xxxx filename" etc.
The Slide Show engine has been optimised for minimal CPU usage.
Thanks to eagle eyed long time Beta tester John Pettitt (John was in at version 1.0!!!), the Slide Show engine has been re-written. John spotted that up to 100% of CPU time was being consumed by the Slide Show code, and whilst most people would not even be aware that this was the case, much effort has been put into addressing this potential problem in 2.72. It can now be said that very little CPU time is taken by the new code! My sincere thanks to John and his efforts in discovering this.
Bug fixes..er service packs...
Small problem of the default CD Audio Player Intro time of 10 seconds actually playing for 11 seconds has been fixed.
The edit box to change the Slide Show display time in the Graphics Viewer was not available but now is. My thanks to registered user Les Stewart for reporting this bug.
See on-line help for further details.
Version 2.71
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Yet again, this release is free to registered users (please send an email requesting your FREE updated Registration Keys if need be).
An option has been added to the CD Audio Player allowing you to set the Intro Play time between 1 and 120 seconds. The default is 10 seconds (and this default is set each time you run MidWavi Pro).
To set an Intro Play time, either single right mouse click on the Intro ON/OFF button or take the new option "Set Intro Play Time" from the Tools Menu. You can hit the "Esc" (escape) key to exit this option.
The Full Screen Video Slider control now has "Pause" - "Stop" - "Next" and "Previous" added to it as well as file size and duration information. You can hit the "Esc" (escape) key to exit this option.
Also, whilst in Full Sceen Video mode, apart from the Popup Menu "Slider" option, you can now invoke the "Slider" by keying "Ctrl+S" - that's hold down the Control key whilst keying S or s.
But, there is one "gotcha"...Because of possible screen corruption, you cannot call up the Volume Control (see below) or the Slider Control whilst a video is Paused.
Assuming you have it installed on your system, you can now call up the Windows master volume control ("Play Control") from the "Tools" menu on the Audio CD, Sound & Video and Graphics Viewer modules (or by keying "Ctrl+V" - that's hold down the Control key whilst keying V or v).
Please note that in any module, if the "Tools" menu is unavailable, providing the source has the focus (e.g. in Graphic Display "TV Look", force the focus onto a graphic by clicking anywhere within the graphic), you can still invoke the volume control by using the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+V).
Version 2.70
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Yet again, this release is free to registered users (please send an email requesting your FREE updated Registration Keys).
If you currently have version 2.58 or later on your system, please uninstall it before installing this version.
A massive change means you no longer require the mpeg library (Mpegdll.Dll) so that's one file less on your system!
MPEG sound "dragging" (play positioning) and "Pause" are now much more responsive!
MOV video/sound files are now supported (inc full screen) but keep in mind that not all MOV files are created equal. If the Windows Media Player (version 6.x on) cannot display a MOV video, then chances are neither will MidWavi Pro.
You now have a "Pause" button on full screen video (see "Pause" option on the right mouse click menu).
You now have a "drag bar" for video positioning on full screen video (see "Slider" on right mouse click menu). "Slider" is disabled when "Pause" is active.
For very fine adjustment of video playback, you can use the cursor keys (up, down, left and right) to "move" the video forwards/backwards, and the "Home" and "End" keys to go to the beginning and end of the video.
You must make sure that the slider has the focus (by either tabbing to it or clicking on it) before you use the keyboard (and must respond quickly as the slider continually loses the focus - its meant too).
Please be sure to read the FAQ text file for full details on possible sound and video playback problems, and all users (Win 95-98-NT4) should note that for MPEG and MOV sound and video to work with MidWavi Pro 2.70 and on, you must have IE5 (Internet Explorer Version 5.x) installed on your system (i.e. Media Player Version 6.x or later). Should also work with IE4, but this has not been tested.
If you do not care to use IE5 (or IE4), you should stay with version 2.60 of MidWavi Pro BUT please be aware that there are now known problems with 2.60 (and earlier) regarding MPEG's that have a very low sample rate and besides, IE5 is very stable, and 2.70 and on will support many new formats (MOV sound and video in 2.70 for example), so why not give it a go anyway.
The "System Status" report (on the "Tools" menu) now shows the clock speed of your processor.
On most systems tested, the clock speed result can vary a tad (e.g. a 450 could be shown as running at 449 or on the next test ("Refresh" button,) 451 etc.) and maybe this explains why we get the "different each time" Benchmark results from Benchmark programs!
Improved "Eject" code on Audio CD Player (old code could cause a Blue & White screen!).
Now handles large JPG (JPEG) graphic files.
The "Sub Select" box is now automatically displayed after a disk search so that you can see what has been found.
Various bug fixes concerning full screen video mode and "Normal CD Player".
There were no releases between 2.60 and 2.70.
Version 2.60
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Yet again, this release is free to registered users (please send an email requesting your FREE updated Registration Keys).
Now offers to launch the Clipboard Viewer (see option coming off the "Edit" sub menu on the Graphics Viewer). If you do not have the Clipboard Viewer installed, a suitable message is given (you can add the viewer by way of the "Windows Setup" tab on the "Add/Remove Programs" area of the Control Panel).
CD Player now has an Intro(duction) scan option i.e. the first ten seconds of every SELECTED track will be played (in Random mode, for ever).
This button toggles ON/OFF and its caption will change to reflect its current state (i.e. when ON the button is called æIntro OnÆ and when off, æIntro OffÆ).
To use, select the desired tracks in the normal way then toggle the "Intro" button ON by clicking on it (or Alt+I) then click 'Play' ('Next & 'Previous' are also active).
You can toggle this button ON/OFF at will (even whilst playing tracks) so for example, if you hear the introduction to a track that you would like to listen to, toggle the button to OFF before ten seconds of the track has been played and the track will continue to play.
Cured problem whereby MidWavi Pro would not handle a very large bitmap (BMP etc.). It was not the size of the file, rather the size (width/height) of the graphic that caused the problem...will now crop a copy of the original graphic in order to display part of it!
Various other bug fixes some of which concerned the Registration screen.
Two new order options on the Registration screen including a voice Phone (or Fax) credit card line (Electronic Universe).
See on-line Help for further details.
Version 2.59
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Yet again, this release is free to registered users.
You can now send a graphic that is on display to the Clipboard by way of an "Edit" option on the Menu Bar (also supports the usual Ctrl+C)...will also ask at program exit whether you want to clear the Clipboard.
The Audio CD Player will now detect if you attempt to "Load" a non Audio (data) CD and offer to Eject any such CD.
If the Windows CD or Media Player are detected when you start up MidWavi Pro, it will now shut them down.
Attempting to run a 2nd copy of MidWavi Pro will now return you to the original (1st) copy of MidWavi Pro.
During a graphic print, you now have an option to "Centre" the printout on the page
(observe the effects of "Fit To Page" and "Centre" modes when combined).
Now allows (after a suitable warning) you to Print when a CD or sound file is playing.
Any key now aborts the "Print Preview" screen.
Bug fixes re Play/Display Lists.
Once again, a reminder that the single right mouse click can be used in many places within MidWavi Pro... e.g. when a graphic is on display in Full Screen or Original size mode, a single right mouse click will bring up a Menu of choices.
See on-line Help for further details.
Version 2.58
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Once again, this release is free to registered users (please send an email requesting your FREE Registration Keys if necessary).
Display Lists added to Graphic module...except in "Compact Mode". See on-line Help under "MidWavi Pro Play & Display Lists" for full details.
Menu Bar added to Graphic module (File - Tools - Help).
It's been the case for some time now, but not yet mentioned, that MidWavi Pro supports a "Wheel Mouse"... "as is" in Windows 98, with a driver in Windows 95.
So those of you with such a beast can use the wheel and centre button as normal in List Boxes etc.
MidWavi Pro now incorporates a "standard" Windows setup routine, by running the EXE file "SETUP"!
To be honest, it still doesn't need it, but certain commercial considerations have deemed it so.
For those of you out there (like myself) that like to know what is being put on your system, once you have run the "SETUP" routine, read the file called "Install.Txt" that will have been placed in your chosen MidWavi Pro directory.
This should tell you all you need to know.
Version 2.57
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This release is free to registered users (please send an email requesting your FREE Registration Keys which ALL Registered users prior to 2.57 will require).
MidWavi Pro now supports sound and video "Play Lists". Please see the text file "MidWivi Pro Play Lists.Txt" or on-line help under "MidWavi Pro Play Lists" for full details.
Un-registered versions will allow you to build and save Play Lists, but only Registered versions will actually play them.
Bug fixed that caused MPEG sound files to "Auto Play" even when this option was turned off!
Please be sure to read the "Install" file, the "FAQ" file, the "ReadMe" file and on-line help.
Version 2.56
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This release is free to registered users (please send an email requesting your FREE Reg Keys).
MidWavi Pro has been "re-built", and this process exposed some bugs that were hitherto unknown.
Therefore, 2.56 must in all honesty be regarded as a bug fix (er...Service Pack) release.
Amongst the things fixed added or changed are:
Now checks that the MPEG "engine" has been loaded.
Double-clicking to run a sound/video file was not working properly.
Dragging sound and video files to position them was not working properly.
The "Play" engine for sound and video has been partly re-written.
All the above issues have been addressed in release 2.56.
Please be sure to read the "Install" file, the "FAQ" file, the "ReadMe" file and on-line help.
Version 2.55 - MPEG Video Support (Windows 95/98)
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2.55 is a massive upgrade...lots of changes...please read on...
This release is free to registered users (please send an email requesting your FREE Reg Keys).
Support for MPEG Video...Win 98 & Win 95 if an MPEG layer is present...see the FAQ text file for more detail on this.
Select *.dat from drop-down box for VideoCD to bring in MPEG video etc. etc. (couldn't include *.dat in search because it's a common file extension...maybe will add checking in another version, but this will slow the search down!).
Auto Play (sound module) is now always ON when you first run (but you have to click "Play").
List Box File names (sound and graphics) now appear in sorted order (except in certain situations when "Ctrl" clicking for file selection). Previously, if you clicked the first filename in a directory then shift clicked the last one (i.e. selected all the files), the list would appear showing "the last first and the first last". This no longer happens.
Problem with the compiler that was causing problems highlighting files has been fixed.
Problem "dragging" (position the play point) large files on CD fixed (i.e. WAV's could skip to the next selection as you starting dragging them etc.).
Fixed "Normal CD" (wasn't working in multi-drive systems).
Full screen option now added to the "Video" (AVI & MPEG) section.
The three video options now are:
"Resize" - Allow original size playback (that you can also drag/resize).
"Resize to fit" - Contain the video within the MidWavi Pro screen (the default).
"Full Screen" - Guess what!
As far as settings are concerned, "Resize" & "Resize to fit" are "remembered" between sessions..."Full Screen" always defaults back to "Resize to fit".
In full screen video and non "TV" graphic modes, added "right mouse" single click to bring up a popup menu that offers Next-Prev-Stop-File Detail etc. Also, if in "Play & Display" mode in the graphic viewer, the current sound filename or CD track playing is also displayed.
When NOT in "TV Look" (in the graphic viewer), the above change now means that you no longer use Left/Right mouse buttons to display next/previous graphics. Use the single right mouse click SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE GRAPHIC ON DISPLAY to bring up the menu which offers "Next", "Previous" etc. etc. If you right click outside the graphic, you'll be on the Windows desktop (except in full screen mode) so take care!
Also when NOT in "TV Look", you now have an option to turn the "Slide Show" mode ON (if its already on, the option is disabled - greyed out). Again, you get to this option from the single right mouse popup menu.
File selections are now "remembered" if you exit the sound/video module. MidWavi Pro used to empty the file list box (unless you opted for Play & Display) and this was a throw-back to an original design concept that no longer seems relevant (i.e. to conserve RAM in the days when it was very expensive).
Improvements made to the "engine" that moves you between modules (MidWavi Pro 2.55 should be more responsive than before).
Some, dare I admit it, additional bug fixes!
If all else fails, read the Help file! ;-)
Version 2.54 - MPEG Sound Support
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This release is free to registered users (please send an email requesting your FREE Reg Keys).
Support added for Layer 2 (*.mp2) and Layer 3 (*.mp3) MPEG sound files.
Registered users now have all the power of MidWavi Pro's "search drive" capabilities for finding and playing MPEG sound files (non-registered users can manually select from a directory).
Credits due (and thanks go) to...
Fraunhofer and THOMSON multimedia.
MPEG Layer-3 audio compression technology is licensed by Fraunhofer and THOMSON multimedia.
Eugene Mayevski (www.ig.com.ua/wabbit) and others for their efforts and MPEG library so generously donated to the public domain.
TSoft Ltd are making no extra charge for MPEG capability (i.e. the registered price of MidWavi Pro remains unaltered see Registration details in on-line Help) thus retaining the spirit of freeware MPEG.
The MPEG "Pause" button can be "slow" to kick in, but it DOES work!
To view custom colour Font palette, now click on the LAST item in the drop down list of colours.
You are now informed if none/no more can be found during a "search list box".
Bug fix re search option in graphics viewer (could only search visible list in TV Look mode etc).
Hint:
In the Graphics Viewer module, if you want to switch to either "Allow Original Size" or "Resize To Fill Screen" mode, simply un-check the box marked "TV Look". This will then allow you access to these options.
Hint:
The quickest way to get to the top of a File List Box is to hit the "Home" key.
The quickest way to get to the bottom of a File List Box is to hit the "End" key.
See on-line Help for further details.
Keep in touch - visit the MidWavi Pro web site often (this will always have the latest version available) - www.midwavi.com.
Version 2.53
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This release is free to registered users (but see notes for 2.50)
This version is suitable for Windows 95/98 and NT 4.
MidWavi Pro now has its own web site at www.midwavi.com and you are urged to visit the site on a regular basis to check for new versions etc.
You can now purchase MidWavi Pro from the Internet using your credit card (see on-line Help under "Registration details" for full details).
New search feature for sound, graphic and video files.
A new button has been added to both the sound and graphics modules called "Search Result".
This option allows you to search through the list of files that you, or search drive, have selected.
The search will always commence at the currently highlighted filename.
Suppose you want to know if you have a sound file with (say) the word "tigre" in it, then your search pattern will be "tigre".
If you want to see if there are any more "tigre" files, take this option again, and the last item searched for will be offered as the default to search for again (you can of course overtype this for a new search).
If a match is found, the file will be automatically highlighted for you ready for play.
The search criterion is important in as much as the whole of the filename (including its path) are included in the search, so, the more specific your search pattern, the more accurate the result will be.
An example:
If you have a sub directory called \tigresses, and elsewhere on the drive, a file called tigre1.mid, the search pattern "tigre" will yield both of these, whereas a search for "tigre1" will only produce "tigre1.mid"
Be aware that the search will always commence from the currently highlighted filename forwards, so keep this in mind if you are near the end of a list.
Tip: The quickest way to go to the top of a file list is to click anyway in the list, then hit the 'Home' key.
Tip: The quickest way to go to the bottom of a file list is to click anyway in the list, then hit the 'End' key.
Full information is also in the on-line help system.
1. No full disk ("Search Drive" option) searching for FIF files (but you can select them from a directory)...all other types may be searched for using the powerful Search Drive option - see On-Line Help.
2. UNREGISTERED versions will only Print graphics at their original size (but you can do a screen preview).
No other restrictions (its virtually a full version).
Just another reminder that right mouse clicking is supported all over the place in MidWavi Pro!!!
For example, to see file details, single right mouse click over a high-lighted filename (or graphic on display)...
To see the list of random CD tracks selected by MidWavi Pro, single right click on the "Random" CheckBox... etc. etc.
All secrets are revealed in the on-line Help file (yep, I know it's a pain to read 'em).
You can now purchase MidWavi Pro from the Internet using your credit card (see on-line Help under "Registration deatails" for full details).
Version 2.52
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*** Version 2.52 is for Windows 95 ONLY - Version 2.51 for 95 and NT 4 ***
This release is free to registered users (but see notes for 2.50)
MidWavi Pro now has its own web site at www.midwavi.com and you are urged to visit the site on a regular basis to check for new versions etc.
New feature for the Audio CD Player:
You can now cue (position) a CD Track to within one second of the desired play time by use of two new controls (a Slide Bar and "Cont" - i.e. "Continue" - Button). See on-line help for full details of use with mouse and/or keyboard.
New feature for the Graphics Viewer:
Now, in TV Look mode only, when you right click on a DISPLAYED graphic, the details shown will include its height and width (in pixels). Note, the graphic MUST be on display for this to work, and if you click outside the graphic, the size details are not included.
New features on the Help Menu:
Two new methods are provided for paying by credit card and a new menu option "Register MidWavi Pro" will take you to them.
A direct link to the new MidWavi Pro Web Site as been set up on the Help Menu option ("Visit MidWavi Pro Web Site"). This will work in much the same way as other programs do in as much as if you are using a dial-up script, your Browser will be automatically invoked, and if need be, your ISP dialled.
If not, you will need to make sure that you are on-line first.
For your protection, as from version 2.52 (actually 2.51 when downloaded from the web site) the MidWavi Pro download ZIP file is protected with AV (Authenticity Verification) codes. Whilst there should never be a problem with a ZIP downloaded directly from the MidWavi Pro web site, if ever you get the ZIP from elsewhere and receive an error message when unzipping, do not use the file.
Also, when unzipping, any file names that do not have -AV at the end will not have come from TSoft Ltd.
Er, sorry 'bout this, but more bug fixes with "Play & Display" & Compact mode
*** Version 2.52 is for Windows 95 ONLY - Version 2.51 for 95 and NT 4 ***
Version 2.51
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This release is free to registered users (but see notes for 2.50)
Fixed bug in "Compact" mode of Graphics Viewer that allowed the Splash Screen to overwrite parts of the MidWavi Pro control panel.
Version 2.50 - MidWavi becomes MidWavi Pro
------------------------------------------
This release is free to registered MidWavi users (but registered users are asked to send email requesting your free Registration Keys that are required for this version).
You can now purchase MidWavi Pro from the Internet using your credit card (see on-line Help for full details).
This is the first release of MidWavi Pro - a new direction in order to offer more functionality.
The downside is that external libraries will now be required in order to offer planned upgrades (the first of which is the new support for Fractal Image Format - FIF - graphics , more below).
However, the original goal and criteria have been maintained in as much as you still only need to copy three files (MidWavi.Exe, MidWavi.Hlp and DECO_32.DLL) into the directory of your choosing.
In other words, you still have complete control over what goes where and know EXACTLY what is going onto your system.
The price to register MidWavi Pro remains unchanged - see "Registration Details" in on-line help for full details.
To clarify the position, version 2.22 was the last version of MidWavi standard.
The new features are:
MidWavi Pro now supports the excellent FIF (Fractal Image Format) graphic format from Iterated Systems Inc.
For those of you not yet familiar with this format, it is a way of compressing graphics down to (in some cases) an amazing degree whilst maintaining good quality.
It is strongly recommended that you visit the Iterated Systems Inc. web site at www.iterated.com where you will not only find full information, but can also download (for free!) their software (as of this writing its FRACTAL IMAGER PLUS Version 1.6) that allows you to convert/compress and view graphics in Fractal Image Format.
In order to offer this new functionality, MidWavi Pro requires an external library file called DECO_32.DLL which should be placed in the same directory as MidWavi.Exe and MidWavi.Hlp.
MidWavi Pro now offers a pre-print screen preview that "shadows" the current printer setting (i.e. Portrait or Landscape mode) and page size. You are offered the chance to setup your Printer with whatever options are available to you before you make the actual print.
MidWavi Pro now offers many more printer output options including "Fit To Page" (NB whilst all versions offer a screen preview, UNREGISTERED versions will only Print graphics at their original size).
MidWavi Pro now offers "dragging" of a WAV, MID or AVI play position. What this means is that you can "slide" a "thumb" left or right whilst a sound or video is playing to affect the current playing position and see the effect in real time as the minutes and seconds change to reflect the new position within the file.
With some practice, you can position to within a second or two of your desired playing position. This is definitely one of those options that you need to "play" with to see the benefits.
MidWavi Pro now offers a horizontal scroll bar on file list boxes (Sound Player and Graphics Viewer) that allow you to "slide" the path/filename details left and right.
Remember that you can still single right mouse click over a highlighted (or displayed) file to obtain file details.
There are a couple of new limitations for non Registered users detailed below.
In addition to the new features above, MidWavi Pro retains all previous features of MidWavi but with a couple of new limitations for non Registered versions...
1. No full disk ("Search Drive" option) searching for FIF files (but you can select them from a directory)...all other types may be searched for using the powerful Search Drive option - see On-Line Help.
2. UNREGISTERED versions will only Print graphics at their original size (but you can do a screen preview).
No other restrictions (its virtually a full version).
MidWavi now supports multiple CD drives for playing audio CD's.
If your system has more than one CD drive, you will be presented with a drop-down list box of all the available CD drive letters. Click on the one you require to select it (this selection is "remembered" the next time you run MidWavi).
Just a reminder that right mouse clicking is supported all over the place in MidWavi!!!
For example, to see file details, single right mouse click over a high-lighted filename (or graphic on display)...
To see the list of random CD tracks selected by MidWavi, single right click on the "Random" CheckBox... etc. etc.
All secrets are revealed in the on-line Help file (yep, I know it's a pain to read 'em).
You can now purchase MidWavi from the Internet using your credit card (see on-line Help for full details).
Version 2.21
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This release is free to registered users.
Additions to the MidWavi Graphic Viewer module.
MidWavi now allows you to send BMP, JPG and WMF graphic files to the Printer. A new button called "Print" has been provided for this purpose (and you can also DOUBLE LEFT CLICK WITHIN A DISPLAYED graphic to summon the print).
Please note the following:
1. You can only print graphics when in "TV Look".
2. The file must be currently on display.
3. Printing of Icons is not supported.
4. You cannot print whilst MidWavi is playing CD tracks or sound.
5. You cannot print if a Slide Show is running.
MidWavi will either prohibit use or issue suitable warnings if any of the above criteria are not met.
In view of the fact that printing is (in the main) handled by your printer driver, it is urged that you ensure you have the latest version of the driver (same goes for the video driver!).
MidWavi will offer you options re the size of the printout and whether or not you want filename details printing.
I leave you to experiment with these settings, but as rule of thumb, it is probably well advised not to go more than one up on MidWavi's suggested default. An example:
When you have selected your file for printing, there are five possible output sizes - zoom x2, x4, x8, x10 and "Original" - and MidWavi will "select" what is considered to be the most suitable. If (say) x4 was the default, x8 is probably as high as you should go.
A sign that the "zoom" factor is too high will be that the printer merely form feeds the paper with no output on it!
If your printer driver supports it, you can opt for Landscape or Portrait output, Best Mode, Normal Mode, EconoMode, type of paper, number of copies and so on.
Help is provided for this new option under the "Print" section of "Displaying Selected Graphic Files" in the MidWavi on-line help system.
Once again, it is stressed that much will depend on the quality (or not) of your printer driver and in this respect all bets are off regarding the output you will obtain...please "play" with this option and see how it goes.
Version 2.20
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This release is free to registered users.
Now, when you take the "Sub Select" option, the totals for each file type are shown... e.g. suppose you have searched a CD ROM for ALL graphic types (.BMP, .ICO, JPG and .WMF) and there were (say) 112 WMF's, 78 BMP's, 590 JPG's and no WMF's then beside each relevant checkbox you would see 112, 78, 590 and 0 etc..
Also, when you return from a "Sub Select" option, the very first file name in your listbox now has the highlight (saves you the bother of relocating the cursor).
Version 2.20 now has "self personalising" (or is that "self personalizing") so that you can now receive the necessary information "on line" (email) to register and personalise your copy of MidWavi.
It is hoped that by mid February 1998, you will be able to purchase MidWavi using your credit card (see on-line Help for full details).
As with 2.19, JPEG (.jpg) is now supported (please see notes below under "Version 2.19").
Version 2.19
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Registered users release only (free release).
Support now added for JPEG (.jpg) image files. In "search disk" mode, you may now include *.jpg as a search option and like the other supported graphics (BMP, WMF & ICO), any JPG found will be automatically added to the list of found items.
Also, JPG is now an option under the "Sub Select" option.
Please keep in mind that you must allow sufficient time for processing large graphic files with 16 million colours (i.e. if you have the "Slide Show" setting at (say) 2 seconds, this may not be enough time to allow the graphic(s) to be processed and displayed).
In this event, the graphic(s) will only appear momentarily on screen (looks like flicker).
Obviously, the solution is to allow more time between "slides" (e.g. a setting of (say) 10 seconds or use the "Next" - "Previous" options in non slide show mode.
Version 2.18
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To be honest...a bug fix release!!!
Fast CD drives could cause MidWavi to eject an Audio CD disk soon after it started to play!!!
NT 4 users will probably have had various error messages on starting/closing MidWavi.
Both fixed.
Sorry 'bout that.
Version 2.17
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MidWavi now supports Windows NT Version 4 (earlier versions not tested/supported).
You can now leave an audio CD playing your selections whilst viewing graphics when you click the "Graphics" button on the MidWavi Audio CD Player screen.
Providing you are playing your selections when you hit the "Graphics" button, you will be offered the chance to leave your audio CD selections playing (i.e. you can listen to your selected CD Tracks whilst viewing graphics).
NB you must be already playing your audio CD selection(s) in order for this option to be offered.
Please note however that MidWavi will prevent you from trying to play audio CD tracks simultaneously with MID or/and WAV files.
Also, if you take the option to leave MID and WAV files playing when viewing graphics (see more details below under Version 2.16), any AVI playing at the time of the request will now be stopped immediately.
Version 2.16
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Loadsa new goodies in 2.16...
Now, when you hit the "Graphics" button on the AVI-MID-WAV screen, providing you are playing your selections when you hit this button, you will be offered the chance to leave your selections playing (i.e. you can listen to your sound files whilst viewing graphics).
NB you must be already playing your sound files in order for this option to be offered.
Please note that all (any) AVI selection(s) will be automatically de-selected (there would be no point in displaying them as you would not be able to see them on the Graphics Viewer screen!!!).
If however an AVI is currently on display when you take this option, it will be played to its end (you will be able to hear but not see it though).
Also, "Auto Play" mode will be forced to ON if you choose to leave sound playing (this is to allow a sort of "Slide Show" of sound whilst you are viewing graphics).
Please bear in mind that some systems may not take too kindly to playing WAV and MID files whilst trying to display graphics or search drives etc. (you will just have to try it on your system and see how it goes).
Now on exit, if you take the option to leave an audio CD playing, the whole CD will be played from the current track until the end of the CD (prior to this, the CD would only be played until the end of the current track).
Please note that, at present, MidWavi will only "see" one Audio CD Drive in your system, so if you have more than one CD Drive just ensure that Audio CD's are placed in the first available CD Drive letter or set a default CD Music Drive in the MultMedia control tab (contained in the Control Panel).
Version 2.15
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If an audio CD is playing when you exit MidWavi, you are now given the option to leave it playing (or not).
When you choose a drive to search, the chosen drive is now "remembered" so as to keep in sync (e.g. if you choose to search drive D: for sound files, drive D: will be the default offered to search for graphic files etc. etc.).
Version 2.14
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The 'All' checkbox has been replaced with a button called 'Sub Select'.
This button will yield a small box offering the chance to filter your original selections even
further.
Let us say that you are in the AVI/MID/WAV player module, and that you have taken the
'Search Drive' for 'ALL' option (which will build a list of all files found and automatically select them for playing) but you only wish to play (say) AVI and MID files.
If you take the 'Sub Select' option and then click the checkboxes marked AVI and MID, your selections will automatically be made for you from the original list meaning that only these file types will be selected for playing from the list.
This new option is also available in the Graphics Viewer module.
Play and Auto Play (Display and Slide Show in Graphic Viewer mode) will now commence playing from the highlighted file onwards (not the top of the list as was).
This means that, for intance, if you have a graphic on screen and click the 'Slide Show' option, the slide show will commence from the current graphic on display, forwards.
Actually, the original version of MidWavi used to behave like this, but it seems to have got lost somewhere along the way!
Depending on the setting (Elapsed Time or Remaining Time), progress bars now decrement or increment (formally only ever incremented).
MidWavi will no longer run if it detects it is running with 'Large Fonts' set.
See on-line Help for further details on all of the above.
Version 2.12
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A feature called sub selection (a kind of secondary file selection
option) has been added.
In both sound/video and graphics view modes, once you have made your
initial selection (i.e. the File List Box has been populated), you will
notice that every single file name now has its own CheckBox beside it (they
will all be ticked when first selected).
This means that by clicking IN THE CHECKBOX AREA of the file name, you
can toggle that individual selection ON/OFF (i.e. ticked/checked - not
ticked/unchecked).
Let us say that your initial selection produced ten file names. If you
were to then uncheck file names that appeared in the order 2, 4, 8 and 10
and then opted for a slide show, file names 1,3,5,6,7 and 9 only will be
displayed/played.
As an aid, a new CheckBox called 'All' has been provided the purpose of
which is to toggle ALL selections ON/OFF (ticked/not ticked). When 'All'
is ticked (checked) all selections will be ticked and of course when
'All' is not ticked (by clicking on the Check Box), no selections are
