Sound, Music & MIDI Collection 2

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Text File | 1995-02-02 | 14.3 KB | 320 lines

****************************************************************************** ** SMART! CD Audio Player -- ver 2.0 ** ** "Programmable Even While Playing" ** ** by Henrique Avila Vianna - Aug/93 ** ****************************************************************************** Featuring: * Know what you are listening to: informs you disc and track titles! * Programming up to 32 tracks. * Add and remove tracks from the program, even during playback! * Shuffle function: random programming, with no track repetition. * 2-level Repeat function: repeat one track or the whole disc/program. * Beautiful VGA semi-graphical display. * TSR routine: plays the CD while you work! Contents -------- 1. Introduction 2. Hardware and software requirements 3. How to use SMART! CD 4. Known problems 5. Disclaimer 6. Distribution policy 7. SMART! CD history 8. Other programs by the author 9. Contacting the author 1. Introduction --------------- I wonder if the guys that created the CD never thought of storing the disc and tracks titles on the disc, so we could see on the player's display what we are listening to (what is specially useful when you own a 6-disc player like I do!) That was my main objective when I began to write this program. SMART! CD is a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program that simulates a regular CD player equipment, with some extended features. The program lets you type in the disc and tracks titles and then saves this information to your hard (or floppy) disk, so it can be restored the next time you use that CD. SMART! CD supports track programming up to 32 tracks, and has also a Shuffle function that will play all the tracks (up to the limit of 32) in a random order, without repetition. Tracks can be added and deleted from the program even when the CD is already playing! The Repeat function has two levels: repeat the current track, or the entire disc/program. The program uses redefined VGA characters to create a LED-like display and the TSR routine lets you activate the program while you are working in another application. 2. Hardware and software requirements ------------------------------------- These are the minimum requirements in order to use SMART! CD: * IBM PC-XT or better * CD-ROM drive (no kidding!) * VGA graphic card (a video monitor with a good dot pitch is also recommended -- I use really small letters there!) * MSCDEX 2.1 or later * MS-DOS 3.1 or later * 35 Kbytes of free memory (amount used by the program while resident) 3. How to use SMART! CD ----------------------- The first thing to do is install your CD-ROM device driver (what must be done somewhere in your CONFIG.SYS file) and run the MSCDEX program (Microsoft CD Extensions). To install SMART! CD simply type SMARTCD in the DOS prompt. The program will stay resident in the memory; to remove it you must run it again with the /R (remove) option. SMART! CD uses about 35 Kbytes of memory and it can be loaded in the Upper Memory Area. After the program is installed, you should press CTRL and ENTER keys to activate and use it. Please note that the program will only be activated in the 80x25 text mode. When you call the program it will be displayed in a window over your foreground application; when you exit it the foreground screen is restored. Below is a representation of the program's window: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX This is the disc title XXXX XXXX XXXX <--- Main XXXX 01 00:00 >> 05:32 14 64:08 XXXX display XXXX Here comes the song title XXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX >|| [] >| |< PRG DEL RPT SHF DSC SNG XXXX <--- Control panel XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX <--- Programmed XXXX XXXX tracks display XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX The first line shows the disc title; under it there is the track and disc information, from left: the current track number, the current track playing time, the current track total time, the total number of tracks on the disc and the disc total playing time. In this line, there are also light indicators (that couldn't be drawn in this text screen) that show the repeat and program status. The last line of the main display is used to show the current track title. Under the control panel there is a smaller display that is used to show the programmed tracks (up to 32). Keys used to control SMART! CD: Key Function Action -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ESC EXIT Return to the DOS prompt or foreground application F1 PLAY/PAUSE Start playing the current track or the program; pause and resume the playback F2 STOP/CLEAR Stop the playback (pressed twice clears the program) F3 PREVIOUS Skip to the previous track in the disc or the program Shf+F3 PREVIOUS Select the previous track when the program is playing F4 NEXT Skip to the next track in the disc or the program Shf+F4 NEXT Select the next track when the program is playing F5 PROGRAM Add the current displayed track to the program F6 DELETE Delete the last track of the program F7 REPEAT Change the repeat function status (track/all/off) F8 SHUFFLE Start playing a random program F9 DISC TITLE Edit the disc title F10 SONG TITLE Edit the song title I think you'll have no problems using the most common functions, so let's take a look at the enhanced features: PROGRAMMING TRACKS ------------------ To create a program or to include new tracks in the current program select the track using the F3 (previous) and F4 (next) keys. When the desired track is displayed, press F5 (program). To delete tracks from the program use the F6 (delete) key; each time you press it, the last programmed track is removed. Press F1 (play) to start playing the programmed tracks. If want to include new tracks in the program after you started playing it, you should use SHIFT+F3 (previous) and SHIFT+F4 (next) to select the desired track. As you use these keys, the current selected track is shown ("lit off") at the next position of the program display; pressing F6 the track is added to the program. When the program is active (the "PROG" indicator is lit), "# of trks" and "disc time" will be showing the number of tracks and the total playing time of the program. To stop playing the program, press F2 (stop/clear); if you press it again the program is cleared. THE REPEAT FUNCTION ------------------- You can use the Repeat function to repeat either the track that is currently being played or the entire disc or program. Press the F7 key once and you'll notice a circular arrow indicator lights on at the main display; this indicates that the current track will be repeated. If you press F7 again the "ALL" indicator lights on and the entire disc or program will be repeated when it finishes. Pressing F7 once more, both indicators will light off and the Repeat function will be deactivated. While the Repeat function is active you are still able to use the Previous and Next track commands; if the repeat is at track level, the current track will be repeated indefinitely, until you skip to another track or disable the Repeat function. THE SHUFFLE FUNCTION -------------------- The Shuffle function creates a random program with all the tracks and automatically starts playing it. You can add and delete tracks from this program normally. The Shuffle function can only be activated when the CD is stopped. EDITING DISC AND SONG TITLES ---------------------------- The disc title appears on the first line of the player's display in red letters. To enter the of the CD, or to edit the current one, press F9. The cursor will appear at the leftmost position of the display and you can type in the desired text (up to a limit of 47 characters). The song (track) title appears on the last line of the main display and shows the title of the currently displayed track. So, in order to enter all the tracks names, you should edit the current track title, skip to the next track and so on. Press the F10 key to edit the track title. You can enter a disc or track title while the CD is playing (though the time display will be freezed while editing) so I personally suggest you to type the names as the disc plays (it's less boring). You can use the arrow keys, Home, End, Insert, Delete and Backspace keys when editing. The disc info is saved in the same directory where SMARTCD.EXE is, in files named CD999999 (where 999999 represents any number of six digits). The info is saved only when you change the disc, or when you remove the program from memory (running SMARTCD /R), so if you entered new data don't forget to remove the program before powering off the computer, or they will be lost. 4. Known problems ----------------- As you know, MS-DOS isn't a multi-task environment, so it doesn't have a good support for concurrent applications. TSR programs run in background, using hardware interrupts to have the processor's attention periodically. These programs are somewhat "intruders" in the system, and may not run properly all the time. Actually, it's very difficult making a real good TSR program (just think of how many of them you know) and it took me some time to reach a reasonably good version (the first attempts were just a disaster!). I have tested this version intensively and it worked well, but there's no completely bug-free software, so I would suggest YOU do some testing before using this program. Try installing SMART! CD and running the applications you use more often; if your system doesn't hang up you probably won't have any other problems. Also, two or more TSR programs may be incompatible with each other, so if you have problems remove all unnecessary TSRs while using SMART! CD. While in background, SMART! CD is periodically been activated by the clock interrupt to control the CD and track programming status. This will result on a slight decrease of the machine's performance, which is normal and should not be felt by the user. 5. Disclaimer ------------- ****************************************************************************** ** ALL WARRANTIES ARE DISCLAIMED, INCLUDING DAMAGE TO HARDWARE AND/OR ** ** SOFTWARE FROM USE OF THIS PRODUCT. THE AUTHOR WILL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU ** ** FOR ANY INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF YOUR USE OR ** ** INABILITY TO USE THE PROGRAM, OR ANY OTHER CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY. ** ****************************************************************************** 6. Distribution policy ---------------------- SMART! CD is been distributed as SHAREWARE. Take your time to test the program, and if you decide to keep it then please pay the small registering fee, it's only $6 (yes, just six bucks!). To send your registration, print the file SMARTCD.REG. You can (and are encouraged to) copy the program and distribute it to anyone you want, since you take no money from it and the files SMARTCD.EXE, SMARTCD.DOC and SMARTCD.REG are distributed together, unmodified, in their uncompressed form or compressed by any popular file compressor in one single file named SMARTCD.??? (the file extension will be given by the compressor). If you intend to include this program in a Shareware package, you should obtain a written authorization from me (I will usually grant permission if I get a free copy of the package). Please see how to contact me at the very end of this file. 7. SMART! CD history -------------------- Version 1.0 - 18/Apr/93 First version. CD player basic routines and programming even while playing implemented. Version 2.0 - 28/Aug/93 First public release. TSR routine implemented. New VGA semi-graphical display. Enhanced track programming, now also deletes tracks from the program. 2-level repeat function implemented. 8. Other programs by the author ------------------------------- These are other programs by the author of SMART! CD that are worth you taking a look: Capture It! - Graphic screen grabber for Hercules, CGA, EGA, VGA and (DOS) MCGA video cards. Captures screens that other grabbers can't, using an exclusive timer system that saves the screen automatically, without user intervention via keyboard. Available by anonymous FTP from OAK.OAKLAND.EDU and its mirrors at SimTel/msdos/screen/captur22.zip. Cuckoo - Cuckoo clock for Windows. Another Windows clock variation, (WIN) with digital sound of a real cuckoo clock! Available by anonymous FTP from OAK.OAKLAND.EDU and its mirrors at SimTel/win3/clock/cuckoo11.zip. 9. Contacting the author ------------------------ Remember: SMART! CD is ShareWare, not "CrippleWare". The version you get from the Net is the fully-featured version. You're not obliged to pay the registration fee, but doing it you are motivating the author to keep writing quality programs like this one. Your comments, suggestions and bug reports are also welcome. Found anything strange? (this includes errors in the doc file) Please let me know! Write to: or e-mail to: HENRIQUE AVILA VIANNA | RUA ARMANDO SICA 55 | BITNet : HVIANNA@BRUFPEL.BITNET 96020-140 PELOTAS, RS | InterNet: HVIANNA@VORTEX.UFRGS.BR BRASIL | -------------------------------> End of File <-------------------------------