
                        The Pulse Player history file
                            Written by PseudoGrafx
                      (c) 1997,98 Unreal, Czech Republic

*Note* the build number is set to zero only when a tenth in the version number
       increases (e.g. 0.5x to 0.60)

+ Major changes
 Minor changes
- Removed
! Bugfixes

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May 12 1998, version 0.59 build 1890/2172, release size: 957,297
<versions 0.56-0.58 skipped because of many improvements made to this release>
We're sorry about a big delay caused by many random circumstances (Ray's HDD
problems, boot virus on Ray's and PG's disk 8-) (check out the latest Jack the
Ripper virus! 8-), funny problems with PG's Windows - three reinstalls in 2
days!, rewriting into Visual C++, hundreds of major improvements, bugfixes,
making a version of Pulse for a commercial CD title, etc. )
(This build brings some new features, so we're awaiting many new bugs now ;)

Player
+ IT 2.14 compressed support!!! Thanx to Jeffrey Lim (16 bits samples are
  unpacked incorrectly - will be fixed soon)
+ New NNA engine! Faster and better :)
+ Reverb editor - just check it out!
+ Whole player was rewritten into Visual C++ (previously Watcom)
 Many sound settings are now described in the documentation
 The Pulse now disappears faster when closing the player
 IT compatible Gxx added
 Added IT instrument global volume (was ignored formerly)
 Tested in Windows 98 build 1633 - and it works there!
- All diskwriters were temporarily removed - will be added again in next
  version
! After pressing FFwd/Rewind 1st row of the pattern was ignored (often a place
  where music speed is defined, so sometimes playing speed was changed)
! When Pulse was installed in a directory with spaces in it (e.g. "Program
  Files\Pulse"), it couldn't find designs (except when run from command line)
! Pulse didn't run from read-only devices (e.g. CD-ROM) because it was opening
  design files for read/write operations
! Empty patterns in S3M caused player to count wrong time on some circumstances
  (something like 180 minutes for song that was actually about 5 mins). Also
  the load time was affected by this error (module loaded about 15 seconds)
! IT Instrument default panning was always on (although the flag was not set)
! IT slides accepted NNAs by mistake
! XM slides also fixed
! XM envelope loop fixed (when loopStart=loopEnd, envelope is switched off)
! S3M / old IT volume slides weren't correct (usually slided faster)
! Pattern loop sometimes ignored commands in other channels than loop command
  was placed
! Note delay command didn't free the channel when delay didn't end sooner than
  some other note begun playing
! Notes without instrument and instruments without notes weren't interpreted
  correctly in many formats
! Unexisting instrument will be NEVER played now (again bugfixed bugfix from
  previous release ;)
! When instrument was changed together with slide command, Pulse changed it,
  but didn't restart the sample (XM)
! When changed design, new Pulse menu appeared in system menu (right click on
  taskbar item) - so you could see three or more identical menus there :)
! Now works better under NT

Resources
+ Again new setup dialog, this one should last longer ;)
+ 'Apply' button in setup now works - you don't need restart tune while
  changing some settings
 'Cancel' button in setup implemented (or is it a bugfix? ;)
 New 32x32 and 40x40 desktop icon, really nice one :)
 Displaying in taskbar switches much faster when selecting this option
! Systray icons displaying wasn't dependant to Setup settings :)

Designs and design compiler
+ Added schemes (more designs in one file, e.g. for normal/minimized window)
+ Now supports 4 bit BMP and RLE compressed 4/8 bit BMP's - smaller designs!
+ Designs are now fully object oriented (see docs for description)
+ Panasonic walkman design - really cool, the first of the walkman series
+ Smallest designs in Pulse history (converted to RLE)!
 Taskbar-like designs now show on screen by default when changing design and
  close after a while (they were immediately closed before)
! Volume sliders had an ugly bug - sometimes didn't want to shift :)

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Feb 23 1998, version 0.55 build 939/1399, release size: 934,620
(0.54 was an internal debugging version - not released)

         Hey! Get the player from the olympic hockey winners! ;)

Player
+ Pause button implemented (finally! ;)
 Reverb time unit is now 10x smaller (10000 ticks per second) than before
! Reverbs finally shouldn't hang up your computer and have much less power
  consumption :) - wasn't fixed 100% in previous release
! Fixed bug presented in 0.52 in IT player's NNA implementation
! Fadeout in XM volume envelope (BM_GREEN.XM)
! Pattern break command fixed (Dxx in Fast Tracker)
! Pattern loop fixed (BOSSALIT.MDL)
! Note delay fixed
! When the note used unexisting instrument, it was sometimes replaced with last
  used instrument

Resources
 New Desktop and SysTray icons
 Setup dialog slightly improved again
! A small bug in About dialog - build versions were wrong

Designs and design compiler
+ New example design 'Sweets' simple, smaller and funny ;)
 Filesize of some designs was slightly optimized
 Better logic for drawing buttons
 All objects now strictly use UC_NORESET except PC_MOVING to ensure backwards
  compatibility (sux like i8086 ;) Anyway UC_NORESET is recommended to use with
  PC_MOVING too, because we can remove the compatibility in next releases
 BT_STEREO, BT_MINUS, BT_INTERPOL and BT_SURROND now can be mouse sensitive
  and do some UC_ command - such as clicking 'minus' on display to toggle
  elapsed/remaining time to be displayed - for future enhancements
 UC_MOVESENSITIVE replaced for UC_MOUSESENSITIVE
 SNF replaced for SAF (UC_SNF01SEC etc.) - 'Switch to Next Frame' is not as
  exact as 'Switch to Active Frame'
- 'Example' design removed from release, but can be downloaded from our page
! Forgot to implement prev/next function in Compact 1024 :)

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Feb 13 1998, version 0.53 build 845/1212, release size: 1,377,448

Player
! More power consuming reverbs shouldn't hang up slower computers

Resources
 Quick design selector in popup menu
 Reverb values are now visible in the editor - but still not changeable - wait
  for next versions!

Designs and design compiler
+ Now you don't have to restart the player while changing the design!
! 'Example' design shouldn't hang up slower computers as it did - but there is
  still some bug :( - we'll fix it soon
! When mouse sensitive Play button was blinking it was trying to switch to
  'mouse-on-frame' - now it ignores mouse while playing

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Feb 11 1998, version 0.52 build 785/1210

Player
+ WAV support - only internal, but wait for the next releases for the loader
! 6 and 8 channel MOD panning positions were wrong - now fixed
! S3M command S8x (set panning position) fixed - changed only panning of the
  following note, then returned to default
! RAW writer caused player to crash - now fixed
! Time was wrongly counted in RAW writer, so the tune was cut at the end
! Error while counting master volume - wasn't linear, small values were ignored
! MDL Pattern loop command fixed (didn't play last notes)

Resources
+ New Setup dialog
! MDL extension wasn't included in 'All known modules' group - this bugfix had
  to be done in the previous version, but wasn't :)
! Some minor bugs in resources

Designs and design compiler
 'Compact 800' now has mouse sensitive buttons - and a bit bigger file size

(again BIG thanx to Fencer - the betatesting leader - see the About dialog ;)

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Jan 25 1998, version 0.51 build 731/1141, release size: 1,347,278

               *** The Pulse now should be much more stable ***
Player
 The Pulse is now completely rewritten to objects (so adding new formats is
  much easier)
 Designs are now sorted in ABC order
 The default buffer size was increased to provide better continuous playback
 THEPULSE.DOC was slightly reorganized
 Added Pattern loop command into MDL
! Some MDL commands (such as EFx) caused 'random' effects ;)
! Pulse returned wrong error messages than they really were
! MDL loading sometimes crashed the player
! Module panning position was LRLR - now fixed to LRRL
! FFWD and REW sometimes hanged up the player (wrong synchronization)

Resources
! fixed some resource bugs and typos

Designs and design compiler
 Designs 'Task_800' and 'Cmp_800' are now much smaller (optimized bitmaps).
  The archive is now about 40k smaller and the installed files now occupy
  about 230k less space
 More design descriptions
 Compact 800 now can be moved by dragging any non-active place of the window
 minutes now begin with 0 (0x:xx) - looks better
! timer displaying was sometimes wrong
! fixed bug while moving with whole window (Windows error - the window moves
  1 frame after the cursor)

(thanx to Fencer for discovering many of the bugs)

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Jan 17 1998, version 0.50 build 699/1092 - first public version!

Player
+ Added MDL loader (8/16 bit samples,some instrument structures ignored, very
  preliminary support)
 Message 'Unknown MOD' appears while trying to load IT 2.14 compressed module
! MMCompressed ITs are no more crashing PP (but not loaded)
! IT fadeout with volume envelope now works correctly
! IT volume envelope fixed
! fixed problems with S3M mapping channels
! fixed several problems with unused paterns in IT at LAST positions

Designs and design compiler
+ Improved design 'Compact for 800x600' (texture added + minor fixes)
+ Improved design 'Taskbar-like 800x600' (texture added + minor fixes)
 UC_CONTINUESEARCH replaced UC_STOPSEARCH
 added UC_TIMERREPEAT, UC_SNFLONG, PC_BALUP, PC_BALDN, PC_VOLUP, PC_VOLDN,
  PC_SETVOL??? and PC_SETBAL???
 in UC_SNF* was logic chaos. New is logic optimal
 support for BT_SOUNDSLIDER finished
! when opening window, all sliders had default position (ignored settings)
! when specified UC_SNFNOWAIT button didn't switch back after command executed
! sometimes BT_TRACKBAR button fuck up system (totally)
! fixed some text problems (Ray's english is not terrible. It's worse...)
! taskbar displaying fixed

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Unfortunately - versions between 0.4 and 0.5 are undocumented because i've lost
the 'history.txt' file :( - i only found old one with 0.1 - 0.4, so this file
has started again since 0.50

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Sep 06 1997, version 0.4 - non public release, testing only version

+ FNK support
+ Volume control, Balance control
+ Surround
 The new user interface becomes functional
 Setup windows divided from player

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Aug 31 1997,version 0.3 - holidays end version ;)

+ Started implementing new user interface (Designed by me!:)

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Aug 27 1997, version 0.2 - non public release, testing only version

+ MTM loader
+ ULT loader
+ STM loader
+ Ffwd/rewind buttons
 Some MOD modifications
! Checkbox functionality fixed (stereo, 16 bit, interpolation were always on)
! Slides and high frequencies were played wrongly
! Volume table

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Aug 20 1997, version 0.1 - non public release, testing only version

+ S3M loader
+ XM loader
+ MOD loader

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To do:
Archive support (ACE, ARJ, PKZIP, RAR) - soon
Pulse will be able to play WAV + MOD + MP3 + FM tune at ONCE - with mixer !!!
MDL format bugs (many commands not supported)
OctaMED new formats (MMD3 and more) and format bugs
Module Info page (samples, instruments, comments etc.) - soon
PP will be able to replay some AdLib FM tunes (RAD, AdLib S3M) - soon
AMF, AMS, RTM, DMF, WAV, MPx loader (need docs for some of them)
Resonant filters in IT - soon
Zirconia's MMCMP support - soon