Copyright: (c) 1992 Graphical Bytes, Inc. (Version 2.0)


Main Index

CD Player for Windows - Main Index

Contents:

Introduction

Menus

Player Controls

Player Overview

Playing a CD

Position Locater

Random Track Selection Window

Saving CD Titles

Scan Lock Interval Window

Track Range Selection Window

Trouble Shooting

What Happened? - Commonly Asked Questions


Application Overview
 The Player Face and its Controls

Click anywhere on the picture below where the cursor is a "hand" for more info on that item, or go to the MAIN INDEX!


The Random Selection Window

Click anywhere on the picture below where the cursor is a "hand" for more info on that item, or go to the CD Player 2.0 Main Screen Picture!


The Range Selection Window

Click anywhere on the picture below where the cursor is a "hand" for more info on that item, or go to the CD Player 2.0 Main Screen Picture!


Introduction

CD Player for Windows 2.0 - Introduction

CD Player for Windows 2.0, by Graphical Bytes, Inc., allows a Windows 3.1 user who has a CD-ROM drive installed in his/her computer to play standard audio CD's easily from within Windows.  It allows you to either play all tracks on the CD, or various ranges and selections of musical tracks.

Multimedia support must be present for this program to work.  If your machine is not properly setup to work with the CD player, CD Player for Windows will not work either!  If you cannot get the program to work please check the Troubleshooting section of this help file.  If you are unsure of the proper operation of your CD-ROM drive, please contact your drive's manufacturer.

Some of CD Player's features are:

CDPFW 2.0 looks and acts like a Stereo System Audio CD Player, and is very easy to use.

CDPFW 2.0 catalogs CD's and the tracks you like, so that you don't have to fumble for your favorite tracks.

CDPFW 2.0 allows you to switch to an EXACT position on each track, by clicking in the Position Locator.

CDPFW 2.0 keeps track of CD Track Time and Overall CD Time in both Elapsed and Remaining modes.

CDPFW 2.0 allows you to either play your whole CD, selected tracks, a range of tracks, or various types of random tracks!

CDPFW 2.0 saves up to 30 tracks, with track titles.


GBI

Graphical Bytes, Inc.

CD Player for Windows 2.0 was created and designed Graphical Bytes, Inc.  Here is our contact information:

Graphical Bytes, Inc.

P.O. Box 2

Southampton, NY 11969-0002

Tel:	(516) 283-4473

CIS ID#:  	71167,2117

Please feel free to call or write in with suggestions and problem reports.


Player Controls

Player Controls (Main Cluster)

The CD Player for Windows has many controls.  The main operational controls are clustered together into an operational panel  The Main Cluster looks like the following:

Each button performs a separate function, depending upon the action that is being performed.  Click on the button for which you need Help!


Reverse
 Reverse Button

When the player is stopped, this button will make the player seek backwards one track.  When you are simply playing a CD from the beginning on, this button will retreat the player to the beginning of the track that is playing.  A second click will retreat the player to the prior track, unless you are playing track 1 already.

If you are playing Specific Selections, this button will bring you to the previous track on your selected list, unless you are currently playing the first selection on your list.


Forward
 Forward Button

When the player is stopped, this button advances the player to the next track on the CD.  If you are currently on the last track of the CD, this button will be disabled.

When playing a CD normally, this button will interrupt the current track, and advance to as well as begin playing the next CD track.

If you are playing Specific Selections, this button will skip to the next selected track on your list, unless you are playing the last selected track on your list.


Play
 Play Button

This button plays a CD.  Use this button when you want to begin or resume playing a CD in the player.  If the player is playing, this button is disabled.


Pause
 Pause Button

This button pauses the player.  You then can move ahead or back through the CD tracks, or resume playing from where you were when you paused by clicking the Play Button.  You can also click on the Position Locator to go to an exact position on a track.


Stop
 Stop Button

The Stop button stops the player, and resets the position of the play heads to track 1, position 0:00.  It is always enabled.  This button will halt ANY playing operation.


Eject
 Eject Button

This button will Eject a CD from the player.  It is always enabled, unless there is no CD in the player.  Pressing this button halts the play process, and ejects the CD from the physical player.


Time Display

  Elapsed Time Overall Indicator/Button

When this indicator/button is pointing up, the time display will show the amount of time that has elapsed on the CD OVERALL.  This indicator changes when clicked, rotating clockwise 90 degrees to the next setting.

  Elapsed Track Time Indicator/Button

When this indicator/button is pointing to the right, the time display will read out advancing time for the specific track playing.  This indicator changes when clicked, rotating clockwise 90 degrees to the next setting.

  Remaining Time Overall Indicator/Button

When this indicator/button is pointing down, the time display will read out remaining time for the OVERALL CD.  This indicator changes when clicked, rotating clockwise 90 degrees to the next setting.

  Remaining Track Time Indicator/Button

When this indicator/button is pointing to the left, the time display will show out the remaining time on the CD track currently playing.  This indicator changes when clicked, rotating clockwise 90 degrees to the first setting.


Volume

  Volume Bar

This control is actually an "activator" region on which you can click.  Many sound cards such as the Microsoft Windows Sound System and Creative Lab's Sound Blaster Pro come equipped with a software "controller" from which you can adjust the volume output levels of your sound card.

To utilize this control, save the name of the controller program from the CD Controller Setup... menu choice under the File menu.  Once this application has been saved, a click on the volume bar will execute, or bring the application to the front of your screen, even if it's running or minimized.


Artist

CD Artist in the Catalog Window

When cataloging a CD, you have to enter the CD's title and Artist's Name.  These will be displayed in the CD Drive Door when the CD you are cataloging is inserted into the CD-ROM drive.


Delete

The Delete Button in the Catalog Window

When you want to delete a listed CD, click on the Delete Button.  You will be asked to confirm the deletion.


Available Tracks

The Available Tracks Listbox in the Catalog Window

In the Catalog Window, the Available Tracks listbox shows all of the tracks on the CD, in order, with their track times and titles.  If you want to change the song title for an available track, double click on that track in this listbox.  The Track Title Window will appear, and you can then enter the track title.


INI File

CDPLAYER.INI

The CDPLAYER.INI file is located in your Windows directory.  Do not make any changes to this file.  All items in this file  are updated automatically as you use the program.


Position Locator

Click on the area about which you need information!

The Position Locator is accessed from the gray rectangle at the bottom middle of the player.  When this "button" is pressed, the Position Locator will drop down.  This control reflects the length of the CD track playing at the time.  The needle will move across the time indicator, showing your present position in the track.  At any time, you can click with the mouse on a position on the indicator, and the player will move to that spot on the track.

In PLAYING, PLAYING SPECIFIC, PLAYING RANGE, or PLAYING RANDOM mode, a click on the blue position bar will skip the player to the position on the track where you clicked, and continue playing from there.

In PAUSED mode, a click on the blue position bar will move the CD Player to that position on the track, play a quick burst of sound for verification, and wait there for you to either hit the Play Button to continue playing from that spot, or select another position or track to play from.

To close the Position Locator, click on the Up Button on the right side of the Position Locator.


Menus

Menus:

File Menu

Window Actions Menu

Player Actions Menu

Settings Menu

Help Menu


File Menu

Load This CD's Programmed Tracks - Loads the CD's selected tracks, if not done already.  This action can also be accomplished from the selection window, by clicking on the CD Button.

Catalog This CD - Invokes the Save CD dialog box, so the CD can be cataloged for automatic reference later.  When cataloguing a CD, ONLY catalog the CD that is in the player at the time.  CD Player for Windows saves information about the first three tracks of each CD, so that it can identify it later.  The same as clicking the Catalog Button in the Selection Window.

CD Controller Setup - This menu choice invokes the CD Controller Setup window where you select and save the application to run when you click on the Volume Control bar.

Execute CD Controller - Invokes the CD Controller you saved in the CD Controller Setup window.  It is easier, however, to click on the Volume Control bar on the front panel of the player to accomplish the same task.

Exit - Closes CD Player for Windows.


Window Actions Menu

Open Selection Window - Drops down the second half of the CD Player's main screen, the  Track Selection Window, from where you can select specific tracks, random tracks, or a range of CD tracks to play.

Hide Selection Window - Closes the Selection Window, which is the second half of CD Player's main window.

Drop/Hide Position Locator - Allows the dropping and hiding of the Position Locator, which drops down below the player.

Auto-Close Selection Window on Play - When checked, the Track Selection Window will close when either the Play Specific Tracks, Play Track Range, or Play Random Tracks buttons in the Track Selection Window are pressed.  This setting is saved in CDPLAYER.INI, and gets restored when the program initializes.

Suppress Messages on Cat/Flush/Standby - When checked, warning messages and queries before cataloging a disk and flushing the player.  This setting is saved in CDPLAYER.INI, and gets restored when the program initializes.  We suggest that you leave this unchecked until you are familiar with the application's usage.


Player Actions Menu

Play Specific Tracks - Plays the queued selected tracks for the CD in the player.  This action can also be accomplished by clicking on the Play Specific Tracks button from the Track Selection Window.

Play Random Tracks - Plays the queued random tracks for the CD in the player.  This action can also be accomplished by clicking on the Play Random Tracks button in the Track Selection Window.

Go to a Track... - Initializes the Go to a Track dialog box, from where you can go to a single track, and start playing from there if the player is in PLAYING mode, or simply move to that track position if the player is PAUSED.

Show CD and Player Stats - This menu choice shows the Stats Window, which provides various pieces of information on both the CD in the player, and actual Player settings.

Put the Player in Standby Mode - Puts the player into Standby Mode.  This menu choice accomplishes the same action as clicking on the Standby Light in the upper left hand corner of the player face.

Main Cluster - The Main Cluster menu choice brings up a secondary menu from which you can activate all the Main Cluster controls on the player's face.


Settings Menu

Track/Time Display Under Icon - This menu choice toggles the icon display.  When checked, the current track playing, as well as the Elapsed Time (E) or Remaining Time (R) on the track playing.  When not checked, no icon readout will be displayed.  When enabled, the icon display will be refreshed approximately every 1-2 seconds.  Elapsed and remaining time, both for tracks and the overall CD, are toggled with the Elapsed/Remaining Time Buttons.

Italic Readout Displays - Determines whether or not the readout displays on the main screen are in italics.  When checked, italics are enabled, when not checked, regular text characters are displayed.

Black Display Boxes - Toggles the readout display backgrounds.  When checked, the readouts have black backgrounds, when not checked, the backgrounds are gray.

Show Frames Around Readouts - Enables or disables the colored frames around the readout displays.  Checked, the frames are displayed, and unchecked, no frames are shown.  If frames are not to be shown, the next menu item, Frame Colors, will be disabled.

Frame Colors - This menu choice invokes another menu of colors from which you can choose a suitable frame color for your player.  This item is disabled if the previous menu item, Show Frames Around Readouts, is checked.

Numeric Font - This menu choice brings up another menu from where you can choose to display the Total Tracks, the Current Track, and the Time Display in either "Arial" or "Digital" type.

Auto-Start After Standby Mode - This menu item, if checked, enables the Auto-Start feature of CD Player for Windows.  When the player is put into Standby Mode, it pauses all actions of the player.  If you were playing Specific or Random tracks when you went to Standby Mode, the player becomes paused.  If this menu choice is checked, when you come OUT of Standby Mode, the player will initialize all on-screen controls, and immediately begin playing where you left off, and in the mode you were in before you went to Standby.

Scan Lock Interval... - This menu choice activates the Scan Lock Interval dialog box, where you determine the interval of time which will be skipped when either the Fast Scan Back or Fast Scan Ahead buttons are pressed.

Seek Burst... -  Some CD-ROM drives respond differently to certain commands.  This module allows the user to set or deactivate Seek Burst, which corrects for many inconsistencies between CD-ROM Drive drivers. See also Seek Burst Module.

Player Sensitivity... - This activates a dialog box where you can set the application's sensitivity level.  In some cases, you may want to give less system priority to CD Player for Windows, and more to other apps, or visa versa.  Make you setting choices from this menu choice.  See also Player Sensitivity.


Help Menu

Contents - Invokes this help file.

Help on Help - Executes Help on using the Windows help file system.

About CD Player - Brings up CD Player's about box. (There's a "Spiff!")

Turn Standby Mode Off - This menu choice is only visible when the player is in STANDBY MODE.  It accomplishes the same task as clicking on the Standby Light in the upper left hand corner of the player face when the player is in STANDBY MODE.


Playing a CD

Playing a Compact Disc with the CD Player for Windows is easy!  There are several ways to initiate playing...

The first is to hit the Play Button on the Main Cluster.  This action will begin playing the CD in the CD-ROM drive where it is positioned at the time you click the button. (you can also choose the "Play" menu item from the Main Cluster menu choice in the "Settings" menu

The next is to Play Specific Tracks.  Either click on the Play Specific Tracks button in the Track Selection Window, or choose the Play Specific Tracks menu choice under the Player Actions Menu.  (The Specific Selections radiobutton must be on for the Play Specific Tracks button and the selected tracks listbox to be visible.)

You can also play random tracks that you have compiled by clicking on the Play Random Tracks button in the Track Selection Window.  (The Random radiobutton must be on for this button and the Random Tracks List to be visible.)

The last way is to play a Range of Tracks from the CD in the player.  This is accomplished by setting the range in the Track Selection Window, then clicking on the Play Track Range button.  (This button, as well as the To: and From: entry boxes are only visible when the Range radiobutton is on.)


Track Selection Window

Track Selection Window - see also Random Track Selection WIndow, the Range Selection Window, and the Main Screen.

The Track Selection Window is accessed by clicking on the small button in the lower right hand corner of the player , or you can choose the "Open Selection Window" menu selection from the Settings Menu, or you can hit the F-5 key.

In the expanded track selection window, you can select from several types of CD track ranges by clicking on the appropriate radiobutton:

Radio Buttons and Their Associated Controls:

Select All - When you choose the Select All radiobutton, you will be asked if you want to replace all of your selected tracks with all of the tracks on the CD, in order.

Range - Clicking the "Track Range" radio button enables the track range section (when the window opens, CD Player for Windows defaults to "Program Selections").  Once this section is active, simply set the starting track ("From Track"), and the ending track ("To Track"), then click on the "Play Track Range" button.

Specific Selections: -  Here, you can select specific tracks to play, load saved tracks for the current CD, save selected tracks, and Catalog a CD.

The Available Track List is a list of all of the available tracks on the current CD.  By double clicking on any of the tracks in the Available Track List, the selected track will be placed in the Specific Selected Tracks listbox.  You can click on several tracks, or only one.  You can repeat a track over and over by adding it several times to the Selected list.

Random - The Random radiobutton changes the track selection window controls to those associated with choosing random tracks.  Several controls appear when this radiobutton is clicked:

Five new controls appear while those associated with other radio buttons disappear. These controls are the Jumble Selected button, the Completely Random button, the Reverse Selected button, the Reverse Track Order button, and the Random Tracks listbox.

Other Controls in the Track Selection Window:

The CD button, located at the bottom right hand corner of this area, loads the saved tracks for the current CD.  When you click on this button, all tracks listed in the Selected Tracks listbox are removed, and replaced with the saved tracks.  You can remove a track from the Selected list by double clicking on it, and then confirming the removal by clicking on "Yes."

The Catalog Button allows you to save the selected tracks, CD title, and CD artist name, FOR THE CD IN THE PLAYER AT THE TIME!  CD Player for Windows saves information about the first few tracks of the CD for later identification purposes, so you MUST identify this CD properly when you save.  You can save up to 30 selected tracks for each CD, and these will be cataloged when you save the CD itself.  However, they MUST be selected BEFORE you cataloG the CD.

The Flush Button clears all selected tracks, and resets the player back to Track 1, position 0.

When you click the Play Specific Tracks button, the selections you have made will be played.  You can skip back and forth through these selections with the Forward Button and the Reverse Button.


Cataloguing a CD

Cataloging and Saving a CD

Once you have selected "favorite" tracks for the CD in the player, and have clicked on the Catalog Button, you will be presented with the above dialog box.  If the CD has been previously cataloged, the CD title and artist name will already be selected for you.  If not, enter the appropriate information.  The CD Title, Artist name will be saved, along with the tracks, track names, and tracks that were selected when you chose the Catalog Button, as well as internal information about the CD itself.

Auto-Scroll - The Auto-Scroll checkbox, located to the left of the Available Tracks listbox, is checked when the Catalog dialog box is initialized.  This function allows you to move from one track to the next, automatically, when adding titles to each track in the Available Tracks listbox.  The Auto-Scroll will begin from the first track you double click on, and continue on until all of the tracks have been scrolled through, or you press the Cancel button in the Track Title window.  You can, of course, disable this feature by clicking in the checkbox, and turning it off.  Track titles are limited to 40 characters.

Categories - There are 10 categories in the Category dropdown listbox.  Nine of these categories are fixed, but one, the 10th, is user defined.  To define this category, type in the category name in the User Defined Category editbox, and click on the "Apply User Category" button.  You will be asked if you want to replace the 10th category with your user defined category.  Answer "OK."  You can delete a saved CD by clicking the Delete button. If you want to end this action, click on the Cancel Button.

CD Player for Windows 2.0 remembers where this window was last, so once you position it to your likeing, it will always reinitialize in the last position where it was located.


Selected Tracks Listbox in the Catalog Window

In the catalog window, the Selected Tracks Listbox reflects all the choices you made when you were selecting tracks in the Main Screen, either through Specific Selections, or Random selection.


The Catalog Window

Click on the picture at the left for help on each control or click here for a full description of All Catalog Functions.


The Record Label Editbox

In the Catalog Window, you can enter the CD Record Label name (i.e. Atlantic, Capitol/EMI, Apple, etc.).


Time

CD Player's Clock Display

CD Player for Windows displays time in two ways.  The first is Elapsed Time, where the time increments upwards as the track plays.  The other is Remaining Time, which counts from the length of the track down..

These two states can be toggled by clicking on the Elapsed/Remaining indicator.


Status

Present Status

The present status of the CD player hardware is shown above the main control cluster.  It can have the following notations:

EJECTING - The player is ejecting the current CD.

FAST SCAN BACK - The player is seeking backward the time interval specified in the Scan Lock Interval setting.

FAST SCAN AHEAD - The player is seeking ahead the time interval specified in the Scan Lock Interval setting.

INSERT CD - The player has no CD inside.  Insert a CD into the player.

PLAYING - The player is playing the CD straight through, and not following any other pattern other than the layout of the disk.

PAUSED - The player is in a paused state.

PLAYING RANDOM - The player is playing your randomly selected tracks.

PLAYING RANGE - The player is playing your "range" of tracks.

PLAYING SPECIFIC - The player is playing your selected tracks for the current CD.

SCAN AHEAD - The player is seeking forward to the next track, or if you are playing selected tracks, to the next selected track.

SCAN BACK - The player is seeking backward to the beginning of the current track, the previous track, or if you are playing selected tracks, to the previous selected track.

SEEK POSITION - The player is responding to your click in the position locator, and jumping to that spot on the track.

STOPPED - The player is stopped, and positioned at track 1, ready to play.

STANDBY MODE - The player is in Standby Mode.  All controls and and drop down controls are closed and disabled.  The player is paused, and minimal system resources are being used.


Tracks

Tracks Display

The Tracks display area shows how many tracks are on the current CD to play, and is located between the Main Cluster and the Volume Control.


Artist Name

When a CD that has been cataloged is inserted into the player, and when it is playing, the Artist's name appears on the second line of the CD Drive Door.


Reverse Track Order Button

This button is only visible when the Random radiobutton is on.  When clicked, CD Player will replace all the selections in the Random Tracks listbox with all of the tracks on the CD, but in reverse order.  These selections are temporary, lasting only until you either reset the selections in the Random Track list, or save them by clicking the Catalog button.


Select All

Select All Radio Button

When you click the Select All radiobutton, CD Player asks you if you want to replace your Selected Tracks with all of the tracks on the CD.  If you confirm this, all selected tracks will be removed, and replace by all tracks on the CD, in order.  These new selected tracks are not saved until you choose to do so by clicking on the Catalog button.


Playing Random Tracks

Play Random Tracks Button

When this button, located in the Random Track Selection Window, is pressed, CD Player for Windows begins playing your randomly generated tracks.


Random Track Radio Button

Random Radio Button

When clicked, this radiobutton, located in the Track Selection Window, resets all of the controls in the Track Selection Window to those used in choosing Random Tracks.


CD Titles

CD Title

After a CD has been cataloged, it's title appears as the first line on the CD Drive Door every time the CD is inserted into the ROM drive, or when it is playing.


Total Track Time

Total CD Play Time

This indicator shows the overall CD play time.


Fast Scan Backwards Button

 Fast Scan Back Button

This button activates a search BACKWARDS when pressed, by the increment of time set in the Scan Lock Interval module.  Unless the Scan Lock Button's caption reads "Scan Lock Is On," this button causes a single search backwards.


 Fast Scan Ahead Button

This button activates a search AHEAD when pressed, by the increment of time set in the Scan Lock Interval module.  Unless the Scan Lock Button's caption reads "Scan Lock Is On," this button causes a single search ahead.


Scan Lock Interval (Setting)

Scan Lock Interval Window

It is in the above window, accessed from the Scan Lock Interval menu choice from the Settings menu, that you set the time frame or interval that the player skips when either the Fast Scan Back or Fast Scan Ahead buttons are pressed.  The blue user defined interval editbox is only visible when the "Other Interval" radio button is on.  Once you are satisfied with your choice, choose OK.  If you don't want to make any changes, or want to cancel changes you've made, click on the Cancel Button.


Seek Burst Setting

Seek Burst (and why you'd set it!)

Seek Burst is set from the Seek Burst Dialog Box.

CD-ROM drive drivers (sounds confusing doesn't it) are all "in charge" of passing certain commands on to the drive itself.  If CD Player issues an instruction to the ROM drive, it expects that command to be carried out.  However, because some drivers interpret these commands differently, CD player allows the user to correct this inconsistency.  By default, CD Player comes with this setting off.  If, when the player is PAUSED, you click on the Position Locator to move the position of the player, the indicator needle does not move, you need to have seek burst set on.  Choose the Set Burst On button, and this choice will be reflected in the settings menu by a check mark next to this menu choice on the Settings Menu.


Seek Burst Dialog Box


Default Low Sensitivity Button

Located in the Player Sensitivity Dialog Box, this button sets the scroll bars and their corresponding value to Low Sensitivity.  When the player is playing, this setting will use less system resources than higher settings.  However, some items, such as an accurate time display (timer may skip a second or two only visually) may be a bit impaired, but your system, in general, will be more responsive.


Default Medium Sensitivity Button

Located in the Player Sensitivity Dialog Box, this button sets the scroll bars and their corresponding value to Medium Sensitivity.  When the player is playing, this setting will use average system resources All CD Player for Windows functions will operate correctly, but there may be occasional system hesitation, although barely noticeable.


Default High Sensitivity Button

Located in the Player Sensitivity Dialog Box, this button sets the scroll bars and their corresponding value to High Sensitivity.  When the player is playing, this setting will use average system resources All CD Player for Windows functions will operate correctly, but there may be occasional system hesitation, although barely noticeable.


Player Timing Setting

The Timing Setting in the Sensitivity Settings Dialog Box

Located in the Player Sensitivity Dialog Box, this setting controls the rapidity with which the Player runs through its timing cycle, in milleseconds.  When set high, the timer will cycle very often, allowing for the most accurate timing procedures.  A low setting makes the player check less often, allowing other applications more of a "slice" of processor time.


Player Update Interval

The Updating Setting in the Sensitivity Settings Dialog Box

Located in the Player Sensitivity Dialog Box, this setting controls the frequency with which the Player polls the physical player, for it's present status and condition, in milleseconds.  When set high, the status update will cycle very often, allowing for the most accurate status updating for CD player, but this setting, of all in CD Player for Windows, has the greatest impact on system resource sharing.  If set very high, CD Player will constantly poll the physical player, an event which takes quite a bit of system time. A medium-low setting here is preferable.


Sensitivity Settings

Player Sensitivity Settings Dialog Box


Trouble Shooting

If you run into trouble, there are a few quick things to check.  CD player will not operate in CD Audio services are not present in your Windows 3.1 system.  To check this, bring up the Control Panel, and choose the Drivers section.  If CD Audio services are installed, a driver called "[MCI] CD AUDIO" will show up on your driver list.  If it's not there, choose the Add button, find [MCI] CD Audio on the list, and install it as directed.  THIS IS THE MOST FREQUENT PROBLEM WE ENCOUNTER IN PRODUCT SUPPORT!

If you get an "Improper Property Value message after agreeing to the shareware screen, there is something wrong with your "Arial" font.  In this case, delete that font from the drive by using the "Fonts" section of the Control Panel.  Choose Arial, delete it, then reinstall it from your Window 3.1 disks.


Song Title

After a CD has been cataloged, each song title appears on the third line on the CD Drive Door every time the CD is inserted into the ROM drive, or when it is playing.  To change or enter the Song Titles, double click on that track in the Available Tracks list in the Catalog Window.


Length Button

When clicked, CD Player will bring up the Tape Length Window, in which you can choose the length of tape you plan to use.  Whatever size you choose is reflected in the Fit to Tape button caption when you return to the main screen.  This item is also saved in the ini file, and reinitializes when you start CD Player up again.


Fit to Tape

Fit to Tape Button

The Fit to Tape button always shows the length of the default tape as part of it's caption.  When you click on this button, CD Player calculates the amount of time used by your Specific Tracks or Random Tracks, and determines if your selections will fit on that size tape.  If your selections are under the tape size,  CD Player tells you how much you can add.  If your selections total more than the tape size can accommodate, CD Player tells you how much time you have to remove from your selections.


Scan Lock

Scan Lock Is Off Button

The Scan Lock Button sits in the middle bottom of the player face.  When you click this button, the caption changes to "Scan Lock Is On", and if you then scan forward or backwards, the player will skip the increment of time you specified in the Scan Lock Interval Window either forwards or backwards, until you either reach the end or beginning of the CD, or you stop the Auto-Scan process by clicking on this button again.  (If you stop the player, this button's caption gets reset to "Scan Lock Is Off.")


Completely Random

Completely Random Button

This button is only visible when the Random radiobutton is on.  When clicked, you will be presented with the Random Criteria window, from where you can choose the number of tracks to scramble.


Jumble Selected Tracks

Jumble Selected Button

This button is only visible when the Random radiobutton is on.  When clicked, you are presented with the Random Selection Count window, and after you have set your criteria, CD Player for Windows will scramble your Selected Tracks.


Reverse Selected Tracks Button

Reverse All Selected Button

This button is only visible when the Random radiobutton is on.  When clicked, CD Player will reverse the order of your Selected Tracks.  If you want to save the new order as your Selected Tracks, click on the Catalog button, agree to the message box which asks if you want to use the random tracks as your selected tracks, and in the catalog window, choose "OK."


CD Door

CD Drive Door

The CD Drive Door is where the current CD title and artist name is displayed.  If the player hardware has no CD inserted, the title will read "THERE'S NO CD IN THE PLAYER!"


Current Track

The Current track box shows which track is presently being played by the player, or where the player is currently positioned if stopped or paused.


Track Selection Drop Down Button

Track Selection Window Drop Down/Hide Button

This button, located just under the lower edge of the player front, toggles the showing of the Track Selection Window.


Flush Button

The Flush Button clears all selected tracks, stops the player, re-enables the Play Selected Tracks button and resets the player back to Track 1, position 0:00.


Play Selected Tracks

Play Specific Tracks Button

The Play Selected Tracks button is located in the Track Selection Window.  When clicked, it begins playing the tracks you have selected (tracks listed in the Selected Listbox).  This action cancels any other operation other than ejection.

Once the player has begun to play your selected tracks, this button becomes disabled, and does not become enabled again until either all selected tracks have been played, or the Stop button is pressed.


Closing the Position Locator

Close Locator Button

The locator may be closed in two ways.  The first is by choosing "Close Position Locator" from the Window Actions menu, and the second is by clicking on the Close Position Locator button.

This button is located on the far right side of the Position Locator window.


Track Ranges

Play Track Range Button

The Play Track Range button is located in the lower left corner of the Expanded Track Selection Window.  This button only becomes enabled when the Track Range RadioButton is clicked or "on".  When enabled, a click on this button starts the player playing the range of tracks you selected in the From and To editboxes.

The range will begin playing and continue until either the Pause, Stop or Play Track Range buttons are pressed.


From and To for Ranges

From and To Editboxes (for Track Ranges)

The From and To editboxes are located in the Track Selection Window, on the left hand side.  They are used to set the starting and ending tracks for a "range play" respectively.

Both editboxes are enabled ONLY when the Track Range RadioButton is selected.  Otherwise, they are disabled.

Enter the starting track in the From Track box, and the ending track in the To Track box.


Track List

Available Track List

The Track List is located in the Track Selection Window.  It lists all of the available tracks on the CD in the player, with their times to the right.

To select one of these tracks, double click on the preferred track, and it will be added to the Selected list.  You can repeat this operation as many times as you like.  You can even select a specific track several times.


Selected List

The Selected listbox is located in the Track Selection Window, and has the caption "Specific Selected Tracks:" next to it.

This is the list of tracks which have either been selected during this session, or have been previously saved for the CD in the player.  To add items to this list, double click on any track listed in the Track List to the left.  This action will add the double clicked item to the selected list.

To remove a selected item, double click on its entry in the Selected listbox, and confirm that you want to remove this track from the list.


Track Ranges

Range Radio Button

The Range Radio Button is located in the Track Selection Window.  When selected, it enables all of the controls associated with track range selection, while hiding disabling all other unassociated controls.

Choosing this radiobutton allows you to also choose a range of tracks to play, as well as actually play that range of tracks.


Program Selections RadioButton

Specific Selections Radio Button

The Specific Selections Radio Button is located in the Track Selection Window.  When clicked or selected, this radiobutton choice enables all of the controls pertaining to Program Selections, and at the same time, disables and hides all those unassociated with selecting specific tracks.

This choice MUST be selected for you to be able to select specific tracks.


Minimize Button

As in most other Windows applications, the minimize button, located in the uppermost right hand corner of the CD Player Application Window.  Clicking on this button reduces CD Player for Windows to an icon which appears on your Windows Desktop.

If the "Track/Time Display Under Icon" in the Settings Menu is checked, when the application is iconized, the icon title will show the track and time of the CD playing in the player.


Position Locator Click Region

This is the blue middle region of the Position Locator.  It is here that the Indicator needle moves in sync with elapsed time, and where you can click to change the position of the indicator needle and the player heads.


System Menu

As other windows programs, CD Player for Windows has a System Menu in the upper left hand corner of the application.  A click on this box and you are presented with a menu from which you can close the application, minimize the application, and move the application.


Position Indicator Needle

The Position Indicator Needle is the red indicator in the Position Locator.  When the player is playing, it moves in sync with the elapsed time counter.   When the player is paused or playing and the Position Locator is visible, this needle will move to the place on the bar where you click.


Time Scale

Position Locator Time Scale

The Position Locator Time Scale reflects the length of the current CD track.  It changes its spacing, depending upon the length of the current track.

All marks represent 6 seconds, and correspond to the marks in the Position Locator Click Region.

When the track length is under 10 minutes, the main minute markers are denoted by 0:00, 1:00, 2:00 and so forth.  When the track time is over 10 minutes, the minute markers will be displayed as 1, 2, 3, 4 and so on.  Of course, if you put "Alice's Restaurant" by Arlo Guthrie in the player, the time scale will be a little crammed, since the song is 23 or 24 minutes long!


Common Questions

Not all tracks I selected played!

I cannot get the needle in the Position Locator to move when I click!


Not All Tracks Played

I chose my selected tracks, but not all of them played!

Selected tracks will play as selected as long as CD Player for Windows is running, and provided that no other application has exclusive control of the CPU.  If you start the Play Selected Sequence, and then close CD Player for Windows, CD Player can no longer control the physical disc player.  There is, however, an exception to this!

If you simply Play the CD from one point on without playing specific selected tracks, or by initiating a play sequence of a range of tracks, once the process is initiated, and CD Player is closed, the play command initiated while the program was open will continue and finish, even after CD Player for Windows is closed.


Position Needle Doesn't Move!

I'm clicking in the Position Locator Click Region, but the needle won't move!

The click region in the Position Locator only moves when CD Player is in the following modes:  PLAYING, PLAYING SPECIFIC, PLAYING RANDOM, or  PAUSED.

When CD Player for Windows is STOPPED, it is stopped at the "Home" position on the CD.  Either move to the next track and back with the forward and reverse buttons respectively which will put the Player into PAUSED mode, or begin PLAYING, and then Pause the Player, and move to your selected position with the Click Region.


  Load Selected Tracks Button

A click on this button, located in the Track Selection Window, clears the Selected listbox, and retrieves all selected tracks saved for the CD presently in the player.


CD Controller Setup...

Almost every sound card for a PC comes with a software package to adjust volume levels.  Since these apps are specific to each piece of hardware, CD Player for Windows allows you to set which application to run when you desire to adjust volume levels.

Choose CD Controller Setup... from the File menu.  You will be presented with the following dialog box:

If you need help on a specific control, click on that item in the picture to the left!

Using the Drive List, the Directory List, and File List, choose the application you wish to run when you press the Volume Controlvolume on the main window.

You can load the selected application by clicking on the Load App button.  Using this method, you can utilize this dialog box to load any Windows app on your system.

You can save the app in the ini file by clicking on the Save button.  If you desire to save the app as part of the setup, that app CAN NOT BE RUNNING when you click on the Save button!  If you don' have a volume controller for you sound card, you can launch any Windows program from the volume control on the main screen, by saving it here in the CD Controller Setup dialog box!


CD Controller Name

Controller Name (CD Controller Setup)

The Controller Name is the complete drive path and file name of the sound controller you are going to use (or other program if you have no volume controller.  It is located at the top left corner of the CD Controller Setup dialog box.


Load App Button

Load App Button (CD Controller Setup)

This button, located on the right hand side of the CD Controller Setup dialog box, runs or loads the application named in the Controller Name editbox.


Save Button in Controller Setup

Save Button (CD Controller Setup)

The Save button in the CD Controller Setup dialog box SAVES the selected file (Controller Name) to CD Player's ini file.  The saved application can then be run by clicking the Volume Control button on the front face of the player.

It is important to note that when you want to initialize and save an application in the CD Controller Setup dialog, the application you wish to save CANNOT BE RUNNING WHEN YOU CLICK THE SAVE BUTTON!  If the app is running, even if it's iconized, close it, then choose it from this dialog box.


Cancel CD Controller Setup

Cancel Button (CD Controller Setup)

If you decide to cancel the changes you have made in the CD Controller Setup dialog box, click on the Cancel button.  This action will close the CD Controller Setup dialog, and return you to the main screen.


Directory List in CD Controller Setup

Directory List (CD Controller Setup)

When choosing an application to Load or Save in the CD Controller Setup dialog box, this listbox shows all available sub directories located on the selected Drive.

A double-click in this listbox will change the current default directory to the directory on which you clicked.


Drive List in CD Controller Setup

Drive List (CD Controller Setup)

When choosing an application to Load or Save in the CD Controller Setup dialog box, this listbox shows all available drives on your system!


File List in CD Controller Setup

File List (CD Controller Setup)

After you have chosen a Drive and Directory, you can select the file to Load or Save in the  CD Controller Setup dialog box by double-clicking in the File listbox.  This will change the Controller Name to reflect the chosen drive, directory and file name.


The Random Tracks Listbox

When the Random Tracks radiobutton is selected, all selections will appear in this editbox.  For a picture of the location of this box in the Track Selection Window, see the Random Track Window.


[MCI] CD Audio Driver

This driver, supplied with Microsoft Windows version 3.1, is required for CD Player for Windows 2.0 to operate.  To check if this driver is loaded in your Windows system, go to the Control Panel, and double click on the "Drivers" icon.  If [MCI] CD Audio is installed on your system, it will be on the list.  If not you must add it by choosing add, locating and highlighting [MCI] CD Audio, and installing that driver.


Standby Light Switch

  Standby Light/Mode Switch

The Standby Light, which is also a click switch, is located on the upper left hand corner of the player face.  When the player is in normal operations mode, this light is red with a light blue border as in the picture on the left above. When the player is in normal modes, this action can also be accomplished by choosing the "Put Player in Standby Mode" menu choice from the Player Actions menu.

When you click on this light, you will be asked if you want to put the player into Standby Mode.  If you are playing a CD when you click this switch, you will also be asked (only if "Suppress Messages on Cat/Flush/Standby" menu item in the Window Actions menu is NOT checked) to pause the player (In Standby Mode, the Player is ALWAYS paused).

After you have confirmed the move to standby mode, the track selection window and the Position Locator will close if either is open, all controls on the player become disabled, and the player Status "STANDBY MODE,"   At the same time, the Standby Light which is red with a light blue ring in normal mode, starts to flash on and off.  All ROM update functions are suspended when in Standby Mode, and timer operations are slowed to 2 seconds.

To return to normal mode, either click on the Standby Switch again, or choose the "Turn Standby Mode Off" menu item from the only enabled menu, the Help menu.


Go To Track...

Go to... Button

When you press this button on the Main Screen or choose the "Go to a Track..." menu choice from the Player Actions menu, the Change Track dialog box appears.

In this window, you can enter a single track to move to.  Enter the track to go to in the light blue edit box, and either hit the Enter key or click on "OK" to move the player to that track on the CD.  PLEASE NOTE:  If you are playing Selected tracks or Random tracks, this mode will be cancelled automatically when you click on "OK" or hit the Enter key, and the player will resume in normal "PLAYING" mode.  If the player was paused, it will remain paused but at the new position.


The Random Criteria Window


STATS Window

Below is the Stats Window, which is accessed by either clicking on the Compact Disc Logo (the mouse cursor will change to an "Up" arrow), or choosing the "Show Stats" menu choice on the Player Actions menu.   This statistic window gives you overall information about the compact disc in the player (much of which comes from your catalog file), and CD Player's main settings as they presently stand.