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Text File | 1995-09-03 | 23.0 KB | 672 lines

░░░░░░░┐ ▒▒┐ ▒▒┐ ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓┐ ███████┐ ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓┐ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒┐ ░░░░░░┐ ░░┌────┘ ▒▒▒▒──▒▒▒▒│ ▓▓┌──▓▓│ ██┌──██│ └──▓▓┌──┘ ▒▒┌────┘ ░░┌──░░┐ ░░░░░░░┐ ▒▒┌─▒▒┌─▒▒│ ▓▓▓▓▓▓▓│ ███████│ ▓▓│ ▒▒│ ░░│ ░░│ └────░░│ ▒▒│ └─┘ ▒▒│ ▓▓┌──▓▓│ ██┌─██┌┘ ▓▓│ ▒▒│ ░░│ ░░│ ░░░░░░░│ ▒▒│ ▒▒│ ▓▓│ ▓▓│ ██│ ███┐ ▓▓│ ▒▒▒▒▒▒▒┐ ░░░░░░┌┘ └──────┘ └─┘ └─┘ └─┘ └─┘ └─┘ └──┘ └─┘ └──────┘ └─────┘ Multi-featured CD Player v3.0 (c)1993,95 by Henrique Avila Vianna ************************************************************************** U S E R ' S G U I D E ************************************************************************** SUMMARY ------- 1. Introduction and overview......................................... 2 1.1. Program features............................................... 2 1.2. Hardware and software requirements............................. 3 2. How to use SMART CD............................................... 3 2.1. Installation................................................... 3 2.2. Program window................................................. 3 2.3. Player commands................................................ 4 2.4. Data files..................................................... 5 2.5. Notes on track programming..................................... 6 2.6. Changing the hotkey............................................ 6 2.7. Compatibility issues........................................... 6 2.8. Disclaimer..................................................... 7 3. Distribution policy............................................... 7 3.1. Component files................................................ 8 4. Registering....................................................... 8 5. Technical stuff................................................... 9 5.1. Programming notes.............................................. 9 5.2. Error codes.................................................... 9 5.3. SMART CD history............................................... 9 6. Acknowledgements..................................................10 6.1. Thanks.........................................................10 6.2. Bibliography...................................................10 7. Other programs by the author......................................11 8. Contacting the author.............................................11 SMART CD v3.0 User's Guide Page 1 1. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW ---------------------------- I wonder if the guys that created the CD never thought of storing the disc's and tracks' names on the CD, so we could see on the player's display what we are listening to. This was my main objective when I began to write this program, but since then, SMART CD has been very improved with a lot of other new features which make of it the most complete DOS-based CD player. SMART CD is a TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident) program that simulates a regular CD player equipment, but with many extended features. Basically, the program lets you type in the disc's 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. Once you have typed the disc info in, the List function will show you all the tracks titles and you can even search for a track by its name with the Find function! 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 on another application. 1.1. PROGRAM FEATURES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * "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, without track repetition. * 2-level Repeat function: repeat one track or the whole disc/program. * TSR routine: plays the CD while you work! * Cool VGA semi-graphical display. NEW IN THIS VERSION: * "SMART Tracks"(tm): saves the last active track program for each CD. * Automatically detects data tracks. * Fast-forward and rewind. * Jump directly to a track by typing its number. * Auto-start and auto-popup: instant playback when you insert a CD. * List all tracks names. * Find a track by its name. * Show remaining time of the track and the disc. * Open/close drive tray. * Customizable hotkey. SMART CD v3.0 User's Guide Page 2 1.2. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ These are the minimum requirements in order to use SMART CD: * IBM PC-AT 286 compatible or better * CD-ROM drive (no kidding!) * VGA graphics card * MSCDEX 2.1 or later * MS-DOS 3.1 or later * 35K bytes of free memory (amount used by the program while resident) 2. HOW TO USE SMART CD ---------------------- 2.1. INSTALLATION ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To run the program, type: SMARTCD [/S] [/P] | [/R] ([] denote optional parameters, and | denotes an exclusive parameter) Command-line switches: /S - Enable AUTO-START. As soon as a CD is inserted into the drive it will start playing. /P - Enable AUTO-POPUP. When a disc is inserted into the drive, the SMART CD window will appear at the screen. /R - Remove a previously installed copy of SMART CD from memory. NOTE: you can, of course, use both /S and /P switches for instant pop up and playback start (nice effect!) While resident, SMART CD uses about 35KB of base memory, but it can also be loaded in the Upper Memory Area, using the DOS command LH. 2.2. PROGRAM WINDOW ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Press the hotkey (CTRL+ENTER is the default one, but you can change it - see section 2.6) to access the program's window. Or, if you have used the /P switch, just insert a CD into the drive and the window will pop up (neat, eh?!). Note that the window will only pop up in the 80x25 text mode. SMART CD v3.0 User's Guide Page 3 The SMART CD window attempts to resemble, as close as possible, a regular CD-player's panel. It consists of basically three parts: 1. the main display: here you see the disc and tracks info (time, title, etc.) and the status of the player's functions (program, repeat, etc.); 2. the control panel: here you have the player commands - any command in the bottom line is executed by pressing the correspondent F-key; to execute the commands listed in the upper line, press SHIFT along with the F-key; 3. the auxiliary display: used to show the programmed tracks and for output of the FIND, LIST and JUMP commands. 2.3. PLAYER COMMANDS: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [ESC] EXIT Returns to DOS prompt or foreground application. The program stays resident. [01] .. [32] JUMP Use the numeric keys to specify a track number to jump to. Not available when a track program is playing. [F1] PLAY/PAUSE Starts playback of the currently selected track, or from the beginning of track program. While playing, press to pause and resume playback. [F2] STOP/CLEAR Stops playback. When already stopped (pressed twice) clears the current track program. [F3] SKIP BACK Skips to the previous track in the disc or program. [SHIFT+F3] REWIND Rewinds quickly within a track. [F4] SKIP FORWARD Skips to the next track in the disc or program. [SHIFT+F4] FAST FORWARD Advances quickly within a track. [F5] PROGRAM Adds the current track to the program. Use the SKIP keys (F3 and F4) to change the current track. After you start playing a program, you can still select tracks to be added to it, using the SELECT keys (SHIFT+F5 and SHIFT+F6 - see below). [SHIFT+F5] SELECT PREVIOUS When playing a program, selects previous track to add to the program. SMART CD v3.0 User's Guide Page 4 [F6] DELETE Removes the last programmed track from the program. It works even while playing the program, but then you can delete only up to the track that is being played, exclusively. [SHIFT+F6] SELECT NEXT When playing a program, selects next track to add to the program. [F7] REPEAT Changes the status of the Repeat function. [SHIFT+F7] SHUFFLE Creates a random track program and starts playing it. [F8] TIME Toggles between displaying the elapsed time or the left time. It affects the values shown on the "time", "# of trks" and "full time" fields. [SHIFT+F8] FIND Locates a track by any part of its name. Not available when a track program is playing. [F9] LIST Lists in the auxiliary display the names of all tracks in the disc. [SHIFT+F9] SONG TITLE Lets you edit the current track's title. [F10] EJECT Opens or closes the CD-ROM drive tray. Of course, only for drives that support software eject. [SHIFT+F10] DISC TITLE Lets you edit the CD title. 2.4. DATA FILES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One data file will be created for each CD you use with SMART CD. These files are used to store the disc's and its tracks' titles and they are saved in the same directory where SMARTCD.EXE is located. The CD data file is created or updated only when you eject the disc or remove SMART CD from memory. So if you have entered new data for a disc, don't forget to remove the program before powering off your computer. The file format has been slightly changed from that used on version 2.0 of SMART CD, but older files will be recognized and automatically converted by the program. SMART CD v3.0 User's Guide Page 5 2.5. NOTES ON TRACK PROGRAMMING ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The last active track program is also saved in the CD info file, and it is restored the next time you use that CD. This is the so-called "SMART tracks" function and works just like this: suppose you don't agree to the order some tracks are placed in the CD, or you definetely don't like some of the songs at all - just make a program exactly as you want and then eject the disc to force SMART CD saving the data file. Now insert the disc again and you will see that the player automatically enters in program mode with your "perfect" program loaded! If you clear the program with F2 (STOP/CLEAR), the saved program won't be erased. This is a safety feature to allow you play the disc in normal mode or shuffle mode, or even trying a different track programming without losing the "good" program. To effectively erase the program from the data file, you must erase the programmed tracks one by one using F6 (DEL). When there is a track program active, the "# of trks" and "full time" fields show the number of tracks and the total playing time of the program, not of the entire disc. 2.6. CHANGING THE HOTKEY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The default hotkey to access SMART CD's window is CTRL+ENTER. May you have another TSR program which uses the same hotkey, a hotkey definition utility has been included to let you choose a new key combination to activate SMART CD. Simply run the program HOTKEY and then press the desired key combo. Note that you must use one or more of the modification keys (CTRL, ALT, SHIFT) AND one regular key. Some keys like CAPS LOCK, F11, F12 and combinations like CTRL+TAB, CTRL+NUM5 are not recognized by the program. After you choose and confirm the new hotkey, the program will rewrite the SMARTCD.EXE file, so the changes will take effect only in the next time you run SMART CD. 2.7. COMPATIBILITY ISSUES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 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. SMART CD v3.0 User's Guide Page 6 This version has been intensively alfa and beta-tested, but there's no completely bug-free software and its behavior may differ from one machine to another, so I would suggest YOU do some testing before using the 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 try removing all unnecessary TSRs while using SMART CD. 2.8. 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. * *************************************************************************** 3. DISTRIBUTION POLICY ---------------------- SMART CD is been distributed as SHAREWARE. Take your time to try the program, and if you decide to keep it then please pay the small registering fee, it's only $10 (yes, just ten bucks!). Please refer to section 4 of this manual for further information on registering. You can (and are encouraged to) copy the program and distribute it to anyone you want (friends or enemies!), since you take no money from it and all the component files (see below) are distributed together, unmodified, in their uncompressed form or compressed by any popular file compressor in one single archive named SMRTCD30.??? (the file extension will be given by the compressor). If you intend to include this program in a Shareware package or in any comercial 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. SMART CD v3.0 User's Guide Page 7 3.1. COMPONENT FILES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The complete SMART CD 3.0 package consists of the following files: Filename Size Description ------------------------------------------------------------------ SMARTCD EXE 24,784 The program itself SMARTCD DOC 23,581 English documentation file SMARTCDP DOC 25,012 Portuguese documentation file SMARTCD REG 1,997 English registration form SMARTCDP REG 2,015 Portuguese registration form HOTKEY EXE 8,048 Hotkey definition utility REGISTER EXE 7,680 Shareware registration utility LED COM 4,195 Bonus utility: a VGA text font changer LED TXT 308 Short description of LED.COM Please make sure all these files are distributed together. 4. REGISTERING -------------- If you like SMART CD you should consider registering it to support the author's efforts and to motivate him keep developing quality software like this one. If you register, you'll receive your own SMART CD Registration ID which will allow you personalize your copy of SMART CD with your name instead of the "UNREGISTERED COPY" message (your friends will die of envy!). Note that the shareware version freely distributed is the fully working version, there are no disabled features. The "Crippleware" concept doesn't make my style and I understand that you cannot pay for a feature you were not able to test. This is the Shareware idea - try before you buy. Registering SMART CD is easy: simply print the file SMARTCD.REG, fill in the blanks, enclose your registration fee (just $10) and mail it. As soon as I receive it, I will send your Registration ID to you via regular or electronic mail. SMART CD v3.0 User's Guide Page 8 5. TECHNICAL STUFF ------------------ 5.1. PROGRAMMING NOTES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SMART CD was originally written in Borland's Turbo Pascal 5.5. Version 3.0 has been written in TP 7.0, using 16-bit (80286) code generation. Besides the main program, libraries for I/O (keyboard and screen) custom functions, CD Audio functions and TSR control have also been developed. The whole thing consists of more than 3,000 lines of source code. Version 3.0 has been six months into development and testing until it was released to general public. 5.2. ERROR CODES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ SMART CD return the following error codes: ERRORLEVEL Problem ---------------------------------------------------------- 0 Installed or removed without problems. 1 MSCDEX not installed. 2 Attempt to install when already resident. 4 Attempt to remove when not resident. 8 Unknown command-line option specified. 5.3. 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. 2-level repeat function implemented. SMART CD v3.0 User's Guide Page 9 Version 3.0 - 03/Aug/95 Fixed bug on CD change. Saves the last active track program for each CD. Automatically detects data tracks. Auto-start and auto-popup options. New functions: ffwd, rew, jump, time, list, find and eject. New data file format to reduce filename repetition chances. New look! New utilities: hotkey definition and shareware registration. Bonus program LED.COM added to package. Intensive beta-testing. Lots of code optimizations. Compiled with Turbo Pascal 7.0 using 286 code. Documentation completely revised and rewritten. 6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ------------------- This section is dedicated to acknowledge people who have contributed directly or indirectly in the making of SMART CD. Without these people SMART CD wouldn't be the same, or wouldn't even be real. 6.1. THANKS ~~~~~~~~~~~ Thanks go to the SMART CD beta-testers: Antonio Vianna (my dad) and Todd Aiken (from Quebec, Canada) for the support during the (long) developing time of SMART CD v3.0 and for providing me valuable suggestions, ideas and information on the program's behavior. I would also like to thank Michael J. Mefford for his great utility FONTEDIT, which I have used to create the fonts for SMART CD. 6.2. BIBLIOGRAPHY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MICROSOFT MS-DOS CD-ROM Extensions - Hardware-Dependent Device Driver Specification (Document Number: 000080010-100-O00-1186). Microsoft Corp., 1990. YALLOUZ, Carlos. Programas residentes no IBM PC. Rio de Janeiro: Livros Tecnicos e Cientificos, 1991. QUADROS, Daniel G.A. PC Assembler; usando o BIOS. Rio de Janeiro: Campus, 1989. NORTON, Peter & WILTON, Richard. Novo guia Peter Norton para programadores do IBM PC e PS/2. Rio de Janeiro: Campus, 1991. SMART CD v3.0 User's Guide Page 10 7. 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 - An authentic cuckoo clock on your desktop! Cuckoo for (WIN) Windows features digitized sounds of a real mechanical cuckoo clock! Watch the time and hear the little bird sing at the full and half hours. Give a classic touch to your desktop with Cuckoo for Windows! Available by anonymous FTP from OAK.OAKLAND.EDU and its mirrors at SimTel/win3/clock/cuckoo21.zip. 8. CONTACTING THE AUTHOR ------------------------ Remember: SMART CD is Shareware. I wish to keep working on it, adding new features and improving it, but I will only do it if I receive enough feedback from this release. If you like this program, please send your registration form in! Your comments, suggestions and bug reports are also welcome. They may be used in a next version. Write to: HENRIQUE AVILA VIANNA RUA ARMANDO SICA 55 96020-140 PELOTAS, RS BRAZIL Or e-mail to: snoopy@ufpel.tche.br If you have problems with the address above, try one of these alternate addresses: hvianna@brufpel.bitnet (until Jan '96 only) hvianna@vortex.ufrgs.br SMART CD v3.0 User's Guide Page 11