Contents
Tiny Elvis Help

General Topics

Introduction

Getting Started

Using Tiny Elvis

Configuration

Replacing the Default WAV Files

Adding to the Default WAV Files

Limited Warranty and Legal Issues

About Tiny Elvis

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting Index


Troubleshooting Index

This troubleshooting index is provided to aid in the isolation, identification, and correction of possible problems that users may encounter during the use of this program.

You may browse forward through each troubleshooting topic, or jump to any specific topic by selecting one of the highlighted topic headers below with your pointing device.

Please review the appropriate topic if you encounter trouble...

...loading Tiny Elvis

...playing the WAV files


Trouble Loading Tiny Elvis?

Problems related to loading and/or running Tiny Elvis can be easily traced to one of four sources:

1. Tiny Elvis' hardware requirements are not being met.

2. Tiny Elvis' operating environment requirements are not being met.

3. Tiny Elvis' program files are missing or corrupted.

4. You have forgotten to plug in or turn on your personal computer.

Hardware Requirements

Tiny Elvis requires the following: A personal computer capable of running Microsoft Windows 3.1 or higher, a sound card or other audio hardware (or PC speaker driver) capable of waveform audio playback from Windows, sufficient hard disk space for installing the required program files, sufficient system resources (i.e., actual or virtual installed memory) to run the program.

There are no minimum video/display resolution requirements for running Tiny Elvis.  However, we recommend a minimum VGA (640x480) or higher video resolution.  Tiny Elvis will run acceptably on monochrome or color displays.

There are no minimum memory requirements per se, although the memory required by Tiny Elvis can be affected by the substitution and use of waveform audio files other than those that came with the original program (see notation below).

Note:  If you substitute your own waveform audio files for the original files included with the program, the memory required for playback will likely increase (this is a direct result of larger WAV files and higher sampling rates during file recording).  For the most part, if you have enough memory to record and play your new files via Windows' Media Player, you have enough memory to play them via Tiny Elvis.

Operating Environment Requirements

Tiny Elvis requires: Microsoft Windows version 3.1 or higher, Microsoft Windows for Workgroups 3.1 or higher, Microsoft Windows NT, or Microsoft Windows 95.

Note: Tiny Elvis is a 16-bit Windows application.  A 32-bit version is on the drawing boards.

Program Files

If all of the hardware and operating environment requirements as outlined above have been met, and Tiny Elvis still will not run on your system, you should try deleting the installed files and re-copying the program files from the program disk (or original archive file).  Make sure all program files are copied to the same directory.

See also...

Troubleshooting Index


Trouble Playing the WAV files?

If you are having trouble playing the WAV files earmarked for use with Tiny Elvis, particularly if you've recorded your own versions and substituted them for the originals, one of the following conditions is probably leading to the problem:

1. The WAV files are not where the program can find them.

2. The WAV files have been accidentally renamed or corrupted.

3. Your system is not equipped or configured to play waveform audio (WAV) files.

4. Your waveform audio (WAV) drivers do not support playback of WAV files in the format in which the files were recorded.

5. You aren't holding your mouth right.

File Locations

All WAV files intended for use with Tiny Elvis must be located in the program's default directory (i.e., the directory containing TNYELVIS.EXE).  WAV files located anywhere else will not be recognized by the program, and will not be played at run-time.  You can check the files in the default Tiny Elvis directory against the file list in the Getting Started section.  The README.TXT file also contains a full listing of program files.

File Names

The files have been accidentally given the incorrect names and/or extensions during copying or moving operations.  Check to make sure the WAV files in your default Tiny Elvis directory correctly match those listed in the Getting Started section.

Note: You can record your own versions of one or more of the original WAV files, but any file(s) you supply must be renamed to exactly match the file(s) being replaced.  Please review the Replacing the Default WAV Files section for more information.  You can also add to the original WAV files with additional files, but any new files must be named to conform to the specific filename conventions.  Please review the Adding to the Default WAV Files section for more information.

Missing or Incorrectly-Installed Hardware and/or Waveform Drivers

It is possible that your system is not equipped with a sound card or other audio hardware, or that the installed hardware is not correctly installed and/or configured for use with Windows.  If you are sure that your sound card is installed correctly, test its configuration by running Windows Media Player or Windows Sound Recorder and attempting to play one or more WAV files.  If this does not work, darn it, you should consult the sound card user's manual and the Windows Control Panel hypertext help file; both sources should contain information for correctly configuring your Waveform Audio (WAV) drivers for use with Windows.

Don't forget to check the connections to your external speakers and/or earphones; if your speakers are powered by batteries, check to make sure the batteries are fresh, too.

Waveform Driver Problems

The waveform audio files included with this version were recorded at a standard sampling rate (8-bit, mono, 11.025 kHz).  This is a "universal" WAV file format, compatible with the largest number of Windows audio setups.  By and large, you should not have a problem playing the default WAV files.

If you have a sound card and an attached microphone, you are free to record your own WAV file versions at any sampling rate supported by your audio hardware and waveform audio drivers; however, not all Windows configurations will support very high or non-standard sampling rates or stereo-format waveform files.

Wherever possible, try to use 11.025 kHz WAV files, as these will play acceptably across the widest range of Windows audio setups.

See also...

Troubleshooting Index

Using Tiny Elvis

Configuration


GRACELAND OATMEAL MEATLOAF
"GRACELAND" OATMEAL MEATLOAF

Okay, here's the deal...  A Tiny E user sent me this meatloaf recipe (they never specified whether it was intended as a reward or as punishment).

I am presenting the recipe here with no claim as to its quality, ease of preparation, or nutritive value.  I am not a professional chef; nor do I play one on television.  (Yes, I have cooked the meatloaf and eaten it... and, yes, I did survive!)

Anyway, as the story goes, the "real" Elvis used to insist on serving this at formal dinners.  A quick glance at the recipe gives a clue as to why Elvis eventually became... well, not so Tiny.

Abandon all diets, ye who enter here.

Ingredients

2 bell peppers, diced

2 medium onions, diced

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 lbs. ground chuck

1 lb. bulk sausage meat, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1 cup rolled oats

1 1/2 cups ketchup, divided

Instructions

In large mixing bowl, combine bell peppers, onions, beaten eggs, ground chuck, sausage (oof!), salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powders, oats and 1 cup ketchup.  Mix well and shape into... A LOAF!

Place loaf in a shallow baking dish and top with remaining 1/2 cup ketchup.  Bake in preheated 375-degree oven 90 minutes or until well done.

Yield:  8 to 10 servings.

Goes particularly well with RC Cola and Moon Pies!

Antidote:  Bicarbonate of Soda or any popular commercial, over-the-counter, or prescription antacid.


Introduction

Tiny Elvis for Windows is inspired by the character "Tiny Elvis" who appeared in airings of NBC's Saturday Night Live some time back.

For those unfamiliar with the television incarnation of Tiny Elvis, he was a miniature Elvis who likes to ride around town in his car.  His chums do the driving while he sits on the dashboard, admiring the passing scenery.  Tiny Elvis kills time by commenting on the objects around him, invariably describing them as "huge."  The result:  Humor!

This Tiny Elvis will lounge around your Windows desktop as an iconic application, replete in white jump suit and blue suede shoes.  Every now and then, he'll pop to his feet and offer running commentary on your "huge" icons, windows, cursors, etc.  He will accompany his comments with broad gestures, followed by trademark heavy-hitting, Vegas-style posturing.

More Interesting Facts of Questionable Value

The program requires Microsoft Windows version 3.1 or later.  The program's waveform audio features require a Windows-compatible sound card (AdLib, SoundBlaster, etc.) or other audio hardware, correctly installed and configured for use by Windows.

The program will also work with an installed PC speaker driver in lieu of dedicated audio hardware.  Speaker drivers for Windows are fairly commonplace, and are available for download on many information services and BBS systems.

You can test your hardware/driver configuration by running the Windows "Media Player" or "Sound Recorder" accessories.  If your hardware and device drivers are correctly installed and configured, you should be able to load and play all the WAV files included with Tiny Elvis.

All This... And the Price is Right, too!

Tiny Elvis is freeware, contributed free of charge to the public domain.  As such, the program is not intended for sale, resale, purchase, or for-profit distribution in the shareware or retail marketplace.

In other words, you can give Tiny E away, but you shouldn't sell it!

See also...

Getting Started

Using Tiny Elvis

Configuration

Replacing the Default WAV Files

Adding to the Default WAV Files

Limited Warranty and Legal Issues


Getting Started

Installing Tiny Elvis is simply a matter of copying the original program files to a destination directory on your hard drive.  On the other hand, if you happen to be a highly-advanced space alien with a brain the size of a piano, you can probably install Tiny Elvis with your mental powers alone!

1. Create a directory anywhere on an available physical or logical hard drive on your system.

2. Copy the Tiny Elvis program files to this directory (or move the original "zipped" archive file to this directory and "un-zip" it there).  If you are a user of a previous version of Tiny Elvis, you may safely overwrite all your old program files with the new versions.

3. You may run Tiny Elvis directly from Windows File Manager, Windows 95 Explorer, or comparable alternative shell by running the TNYELVIS.EXE file.

4. Of course, you can also assign one of the many icons in TNYELVIS.EXE to a Program Manager group or a Windows 95 shortcut and run it from there as well.

Before running Tiny Elvis for the first time, you should make sure that the following files are all present in the same directory:

TNYELVIS.EXE

TNYELVIS.HLP

TWAV_A1.WAV, TWAV_A2.WAV, TWAV_A3.WAV,

TWAV_A4.WAV, TWAV_A5.WAV, and TWAV_A6.WAV

TWAV_B1.WAV, TWAV_B2.WAV, and TWAV_B3.WAV

TGOODBYE.WAV

An additional file, TNYELVIS.INI, will be created when the program is run for the first time.  This file is stored in the user's default Windows directory (e.g., C:\WINDOWS), and is used for storing program configuration settings.

The ASCII text file, README.TXT, is a handy source of program information, but is not necessary for running the program.  Yet another ASCII text file, FILE_ID.DIZ, is provided for the benefit of software vendors, distributors, sysops, and other godlike beings; the file is not necessary for running Tiny E.


Using Tiny Elvis

Strictly speaking, there's very little that goes into "using" the program.  For the most part, Tiny E just lays there at the bottom of your Windows desktop and watches the world pass by.  Every now and then, he pops up and does his thing.  Enough said.

Happily, though, there are plenty of things you can do to adjust how Tiny E behaves.  This is covered in painstaking detail in the Configuration topic.

New Feature: Starting with version 1.5, Tiny Elvis can now be configured to perform in a popup window!  In fact, this is the default mode of operation.  Previous releases limited Tiny E's performances to the application's minimized window (icon).  Under Windows 95, the poor guy was squeezed into a REALLY tiny Taskbar button -- at 16x16 pixels, this made it awfully hard to enjoy the show!

Note:  If you're desperate to see Tiny E swing into action, and don't feel like waiting until his next "scheduled" performance, you can always select the system menu "Make Tiny Elvis Talk Now" command.


Configuration

The Configuration dialog box provides users with a collection of controls for enabling and adjusting a number of program features.

Elvis Interval Settings

This group box contains sixteen radiobutton controls used for selecting the length of time between Tiny E's performances.  The interval can range from 1 minute to 60 minutes.

Window/Icon Settings

This group box contains three radiobutton controls used for selecting the visibility and behavior of the application.  These settings apply both to the Tiny E icon and, optionally, to the popup window in which Tiny E performances are displayed.

The "Normal" option configures the window/icon to behave like any other application, even when a performance sequence is in progress.  If Tiny Elvis is covered by another application, it will remain covered.

The "Pop to Top" option configures the program to move atop any other active windows during its performance sequences.  If Tiny Elvis is covered by another application, it will pop to the top for its performance sequence, and then return to its prior (z-order) position when finished.

The "Always on Top" option configures the program to remain atop all other active windows at all times.

Performance Settings

This group box contains three checkbox controls used for enabling/disabling different Tiny Elvis performance options.

The "Perform in Popup Window" option displays Tiny E's performances in a popup window.  This is the default setting.  When this option is disabled, Tiny E performances are displayed in the application's icon.

The "Display Interval Countdown" option displays (in minutes and seconds) the time remaining until the next Tiny E performance.  The time display is added to the Tiny Elvis icon caption.

The "Play Goodbye on Program Close" option configures the program to play a special "Elvis has left the desktop" WAV file when closed.  The required file, TGOODBYE.WAV, must be present in the default Tiny Elvis directory.

Caution:  When the "Display Interval Countdown" feature is enabled, the caption text is updated approximately once every second.  Under Windows 3.1 and 3.11, this updating will defeat most Windows screen savers (i.e., prevent them from blanking the screen).  If you are using a Windows screen saver, we do not recommend running Tiny Elvis for prolonged periods of time with this feature enabled

Note:  Any changes to configuration settings are placed into effect when the Configuration dialog box is closed via the "OK" pushbutton.  The interval timer is always paused while the Configuration dialog is open.  The timer is reset to zero if the dialog is closed via the "OK" pushbutton; the timer is resumed from its previous position if the dialog is closed via the "CANCEL" pushbutton.


Replacing the Default WAV Files

Overview

After using Tiny Elvis for a while, you may wish to replace one or more of the waveform audio files with some of your own.  The program is actually designed to make this as easy as possible.

You can replace one WAV file, a few files, or all files.  Just to be on the safe side, though, it's always a good idea to keep the original files backed up on a floppy disk, in case you wish to replace your replacements (!) later on.

Tiny E will handle any type of Windows-compatible WAV file you might choose to record.  Remember, WAV playback is more a function of your installed waveform audio drivers than anything in the program itself.

Playback Protocol

Tiny E's waveform playback routines are set to occur at two specific trigger points in the program's animation sequences.  Each of these two trigger points has its own corresponding set of WAV files.  The WAV files used in conjunction with the first trigger point are drawn from the "A" set; the files used in conjunction with the second point are drawn from the "B" set.

Are you paying attention?

Each sequence begins with Tiny E jumping to his feet, at which point he will "speak" a randomly-selected WAV file from the "A" set.  When playback of this file has completed, the figure will make his first broad hand gesture (arms stretching wide), which is accompanied by a randomly-selected file from the "B" set.  He will then wait until the "B" file has finished before executing the remainder of his posturing sequence and returning to his default reclining position.

For planning your own WAV files, all "A" files should have something to do with an initial observation; all "B" files should be some sort of secondary or concluding comment.

File Sizes/Formats

Replacement WAV files need not match the file size of the original files.  All things being equal, however, they should be kept as short as possible.

Replacement WAV files need not match the bit format (8 or 16 bit), channel format (mono or stereo), or sampling rates of the original files.  However, users should bear two things in mind:

1. WAV files recorded in stereo and/or at sampling rates of 11 kHz or higher can become very large.  If disk space is at a premium, you may wish to avoid recording high-fidelity WAV files.

2. WAV files recorded at very low or very high sampling rates may not be compatible with all Windows audio drivers.  If you plan to use your recorded files on other machines, you may wish to record at "standard" sampling rates of 11.025 kHz or 22.050 kHz.

Filename Conventions

Tiny Elvis accesses its companion WAV files via filename strings that are hard-coded into the program.  As a result, all WAV files used by Tiny Elvis must follow a strict filename convention:  All filenames in the "A" set must exactly match those of that set's original six files.  All filenames in the "B" set must exactly match those of that set's original three files.

For a full listing of the default WAV files, refer to the filename listings in the Getting Started topic.

Reminder:  All WAV files from both sets must be present in the default Tiny Elvis directory (i.e., the directory containing the TNYELVIS.EXE file).


Adding to the Default WAV Files

Overview

Many users enjoy recording their own WAV files for use with Tiny Elvis.  With this in mind, the program was designed to accommodate more than the original nine WAV files.  In fact, version 1.5 of Tiny E can access up to 40 different WAV files (in two "sets" of 20 files each).

When recording new WAV files, just make sure they are given filenames that Tiny Elvis will recognize (subject to the "Filename Conventions" notation below).  Also, remember that these files must be located in the default Tiny Elvis directory, or else the program will not be able to find them.

If you have questions about Tiny Elvis' playback protocol or specific WAV file formats supported by the program, please refer to the Replacing the Default WAV Files topic.

Filename Conventions

Every time Tiny Elvis is run, the program scans its default directory for 40 specific WAV files.  The number of WAV files the program actually uses depends on the files verified when this scanning takes place.

You do not need to have all 40 WAV files for Tiny Elvis to run.  Strictly speaking, you don't even have to have all nine of the default WAV files; the program will work with as few as 2 WAV files (TWAV_A1.WAV and TWAV_B1.WAV).  What is important is that the files be correctly named.

The program will scan for, and accept, set "A" files with the following filenames and in the order 1-20:

TWAV_A1.WAV, TWAV_A2.WAV, TWAV_A3.WAV, TWAV_A4.WAV, TWAV_A5.WAV, TWAV_A6.WAV, TWAV_A7.WAV, TWAV_A8.WAV, TWAV_A9.WAV, TWAV_A10.WAV, TWAV_A11.WAV, TWAV_A12.WAV, TWAV_A13.WAV, TWAV_A14.WAV, TWAV_A15.WAV, TWAV_A16.WAV, TWAV_A17.WAV, TWAV_A18.WAV, TWAV_A19.WAV, TWAV_A20.WAV.

The program will scan for, and accept, set "B" files with the following filenames and in the order 1-20:

TWAV_B1.WAV, TWAV_B2.WAV, TWAV_B3.WAV, TWAV_B4.WAV, TWAV_B5.WAV, TWAV_B6.WAV, TWAV_B7.WAV, TWAV_B8.WAV, TWAV_B9.WAV, TWAV_B10.WAV, TWAV_B11.WAV, TWAV_B12.WAV, TWAV_B13.WAV, TWAV_B14.WAV, TWAV_B15.WAV, TWAV_B16.WAV, TWAV_B17.WAV, TWAV_B18.WAV, TWAV_B19.WAV, TWAV_B20.WAV.

Important:  The program will only make use of numerically consecutive WAV files, starting with TWAV_A1.WAV and TWAV_B1.WAV.  The scanning process for each set stops as soon as it encounters a missing file; only those files verified up to that point are used.  For example, if you have prepared ten WAV files for set "A", but the file TWAV_A7.WAV is not found when Tiny Elvis is run, only files TWAV_A1.WAV through TWAV_A6.WAV will be accessed during animation sequences.


Limited Warranty and Legal Issues

This program (Tiny Elvis) is hereby contributed "as is" to the public domain.  The program, including its companion waveform audio and documentation files, is distributed entirely and exclusively as freeware.  As such, it is not intended for sale, resale, purchase, or for-profit distribution in the shareware or retail marketplace.

Users are free to install and run the program on any system or systems they wish (subject only to the program's hardware requirements).  Users are also free to copy and distribute the original files in any manner and via any means available to them (i.e., disk, catalog, network, BBS, electronic information service, etc.).

Users are asked to distribute only the original files (preferably in their original compressed format).  When so distributed, it is the distributor's responsibility to ensure that the program files have been kept in their original state and format, and have not been altered, edited, disassembled, or recompiled in any way.  That said, please do not disassemble the original executable or edit any of its embedded resources.

Before release, this software was tested on a variety of hardware configurations, under the most rigorous test conditions possible.  The author therefore warrants that the software will perform in substantial compliance with the specifications set forth in this text, provided that the software is used only on the computer hardware and operating system(s) for which it was designed.

The author makes no other warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this software, including its quality or fitness for a particular purpose.

In no event will the author, or Pegasus Development, be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising from the use of or the inability to use this software, even if the author has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Neither the author nor Pegasus Development is responsible for any costs including, but not limited to, those incurred as a result of lost profits or revenues, loss of time or use of the software, loss of data, the cost of recovering software or data, the cost of substitute software, claims by third parties, or similar costs.

However, the author does want you to drive carefully and to always follow the written instructions printed on the labels of all health and hygiene products, food additives, pesticides, kitchen cleansers, and prescription medications.  Please be polite to strangers, kind to animals, and patient with young children.  If, for any reason, you are unable or unwilling to live up to the terms of this agreement, the First Runner-Up will assume the title of Miss America(TM).

So there.


About Tiny Elvis

Tiny Elvis (1.5) was written for use in the Microsoft® Windows™ operating environment (versions 3.1 and higher).

This program is hereby contributed "as is" to the public domain.  The program (including its waveform audio and documentation files) is freeware.  As such, it is not intended for sale, resale, purchase, or for-profit distribution in the shareware or retail marketplace.  Users are welcome to copy and re-distribute the program files in any manner, provided that the files are kept in their original state and format, and have not been altered, edited, disassembled, or recompiled in any way.

If Tiny Elvis for Windows amuses you, please feel free to contact me...

via CompuServe:  70661,3235

via the Internet:  70661.3235@compuserve.com

If you have any questions or comments about the program, I'll be happy to help.

The author of Tiny Elvis has cobbled together a number of really swell applications for Windows.  While this is not intended as shameless self-promotion on my part, I would be remiss if I did not mention the name and address of my distributor...

Advanced Support Group, Inc.

11900 Grant Place

St. Louis, MO. 63131  U.S.A.

Phone:  (314) 965-5630

Tiny Elvis

Freeware Version 1.5

P  E  G  A  S  U  S    D  E  V  E  L  O  P  M  E  N  T

Concept, Design, and Programming: Matthew T. Smith

Pegasus Development, St. Louis, Missouri

Tiny Elvis for Windows is hereby contributed "as is" to the public domain.  None of the included files are intended for sale, purchase, or for-profit distribution.  There!  I've said it and said it and said it until I'm blue in the face!

"Microsoft" and "Windows" are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.  All other trademarks mentioned herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective corporations, and are hereby acknowledged.

And I didn't say any bad words at all the whole time I worked on this project.