=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-==-=-=-WinDisc 3.20-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Release Notes: Version 3.20 Features and Fixes: - New parameter: running Windisc W will cause WinDisc to wait for 10 seconds before trying to identify a disc after it has been inserted. This will give the cd-rom drive time to finish whatever it is that they do when you insert a new disc (i.e. when you put the disc in and the light goes on for a few seconds) before WinDisc goes trying to get information from it. This should help resolve problems in two areas: 1) Mis-identification - sometimes, WinDisc wouldn't "realize" that a cd had been inserted, as the drive was going through its reinitialization while WinDisc was trying to get information, so what it got back was a bunch of zeros - indicating no disc. 2) Crrrashhh! - Apparently, some systems would crash when WinDisc tried to access the drive while it was still initializing. The "W" parameter should solve this too. If anyone still has problems, please get in touch with me (see the readme.txt file for information on how to reach me) As I only have two systems at home to try this on, its difficult to tell whether or not it'll work on others. The only way for me to find out what does and doesn't work is to hear from users! - New option in setup dialog: Now in the setup dialog is a checkbox for "Expanded SysMenu". Checking this option will add the Disc Information, Jump To Track, and Volume (if applicable) options to the system menu. This way, you can click on the system menu, and be able to access these dialogs without double clicking on the WinDisc status screen. (Good when running WinDisc minimized) - Timer Killed: In version 1.0 of WinDisc, is used timer number 123, and in later versions number 5. Anyway, I was initializing with timer 5, and trying to kill timer 123 when the program shut down. Oops. Now, however, I'm using timer #1. As I understand it, if you use timer 1 in the init, it will automatically detect the next available one and use it. If this causes problems, I'll fix it in the next version. (Maybe make the timer number an option) * * * New registration algorithm: Registered users may notice that their registration code is rather short. I will be implementing a new registration code algorithm in the _next_ version of WinDisc. Prior to its release, I'll be sending registered users their new codes, so they don't miss out. Version 3.13a Fixes - Oops, just before compiling version 3.13, I reinstalled Borland Pascal, and forgot to adjust the memory options. It seems as though some users were getting an error 202 (stack overflow, if I remember correctly) I have fixed this by increasing the memory sizes...the problem should be fixed now. Version 3.13 Fixes - Some users are still experiencing lockups. I think this is cause by WinDisc checking to see if the device supports software volume control. To test this theory, I've added the "v" parameter, which skips volume control checking. (And turns of volume control) This _should_ alleviate the problem, if, in fact, thats what the problem was. Also, I'm now documenting the "d" parameter, for debug mode. This parameter will cause WinDisc to display several dialog boxes before the main window appears. They will give information, as well as tell what taks are being performed in order to get WinDisc going. If you are having troubles getting the program to run, please run it with the "d" parameter, have a paper and pencil in hand, and write down what the message boxes say . Version 3.12 Fixes - I (finally) figured out why the volume control didn't work on some machines. It seems as though besides the wDeviceID ID of the drive, there's also a separate mci device ID, which you need to use for setting the volume. I was using the wrong one! The mci device id on *my* system is 3, and the wDeviceID id is 2. I just assumed that you added 1 to the wDeviceID, and it would work. Apparently not, as I heard from several users. I happened to stumble across another bit of code in the program where I was using the mci id, and it hit me - duh! Everything works now. Go ahead and try it now. If the volume control works, good. If not, come back and read this next paragraph. --- It doesn't apply to those who WinDisc functions properly | for. | | |- - There's also a new feature... | | Some people have their cd audio input coming from | | a line-in jack, as opposed to the little cd-connector |-| thingy. (The little plug with 4 wires, going from the | cd rom drive to the sound card) Anyway, for those using | the line-in jack, if you start WinDisc as follows: | | WinDisc L | |-It will use the line-in jack for volume control. Version 3.11 Fixes - Version 3.11 adds the MCI_WAIT flag to the operation that initializes the CD-ROM drive. Before adding this, WinDisc crashed when running under NDW 3.0. (And maybe some other programs) Version 3.10 Fixes - 3.10 Changes the way animated icons are handled. The result if this change is that the system won't slow down very much when using the animated icons. A "Jump to Track" dialog has been added, allowing you to...jump to a selected track. This dialog can be brough up by double clicking the Left mouse button. The CD Info dialog is now accessed by double clicking the middle mouse button (if present). Version 3.02 Fixes - Just added another animated icon. Version 3.01 Fixes: - 3.01 is basically a bug fix for 3.0. I seem to have made a mistake somewhere that caused WinDisc to lock up on some systems. I (think) it has been corrected. There is also a new feature: A setup dialog that lets you choose a few options, including: The icon you'd like displayed on your Windows desktop, whether or not you'd like to "animate" the icon, and finally, whether to keep WinDisc as the topmost window at all times. These settings are kept in a WDISC.INI file, so they will remain the same each time you start WinDisc. Version 3.0 Fixes: - Internally, most everything is the same as version 2.0. However, a few new features have been added. On systems capable of adjusting CD-ROM volume through software, a volume control can be brought up by double clicking the right mouse button on the display area of the WinDisc window. Note: on systems where WinDisc cannot detect the ability to control volume, double clicking the right mouse button will do nothing. Generally, only systems where the cd-audio output is being fed through a sound card will allow this type of control. For more information, check your CD-ROM and/or soundcard manuals. Information on the current CD can be obtained by double clicking the left button on the display area of the WinDisc window. This information dialog shows the order in which tracks will be played (for programmed/shuffle modes), the length of the entire CD, as well as titles for all tracks on the disc. Version 2.0 fixes: - First of all, a special note - Previous updates have mostly been re-structuring and fixing of existing code. Version 2.0, however, is a complete re-write. While I was able to remove some of the "gunk" in the code in order to get the speed increase in version 1.10, the basic structure of the program prohibitted me from optimizing it to my liking. Therefore, I decided to go ahead and start (mostly) from scratch. While trying not to get too technical, I'd like to explain what I've done differently in version 2.0 of WinDisc. Many users complained about WinDisc running slowly in the background. I tracked this problem down to the fact that in versions 1.xx, the CD-ROM drive had to be polled roughly 8 times per second to get all of the information necessary to keep things going. While this didn't slow down systems using newer, high speed drives, users with older drives couldn't take it. This is where the main difference between versions 1.xx and 2.0 are most visible. Due to some discoveries I made. (ahem - reading the Borland Pascal manuals) I was able to reduce the number of times the drive needed to be polled from somewhere between 5 and 8 to only 1 time per second. In theory, some users could experience up to an 800% increase in speed, although it is highly unlikely. Most everyone should notice a major increase, at least 400-500%. Beta testers have reported it to be faster than most other CD players they have used, and only slightly slower than Microsoft's Media Player. [ But hey - My name isn't Bill Gates, and I didn't put a billions of dollars into the development of WinDisc :) ] Speed increase - Please see above note. CD Index File - The old file format for CDINDEX.IDX, the file holding names of CDs and tracks, was, for lack of a better word, pathetic. I have come up with a kinder, gentler, smaller format which works much better, making the file about 1/20th the size of ones created by WinDisc 1.xx. There is a utility included (convert.exe) that will convert your old 1.xx files to the 2.0 format. Pointer disposal - It seems as though the 1.xx versions didn't properly dispose of memory on program shutdown, thus not giving back some of the system resources (as can be checked with the help|about dialog in the program manager) This has been fixed in version 2.0 Registration - It is now even easier to register! In the About dialog, there is now a line where you can enter your registration number, thus eliminating the need to wait for your key file in the mail. (Registration numbers will be provided by telephone, e-mail, fax, and snail-mail!) Version 1.10a fixes: Trial period - Due to the release time of version 1.10 (late October) I have decided to move the date at which the program becomes "crippled" to August 1st 1994, rather than January 1st. Version 1.10 fixes: Speed Improvement - Users of older, single speed CD-ROM drives complained of WinDisc slowing down the system. I have traced this problem to some extra API calls made during the update procedure that is called once every second. I have reduced the number of calls made by 60%, so in theory, things should speed up quite a bit now! No disc problems - Problems occurred when no disc was in the drive. It seems at this time, that this has been corrected. Error Messages - I have traced several of the error codes returned by the Windows Multimedia System, and replaced the generic "Could not initialize CD-ROM drive" message with more messages more descriptive of the problem. Also, if the above message is received, it is accompanied by the error number returned to WinDisc. This should help in pinpointing any problems you have. (just tell me the error, and I'll try to locate it!) Version 1.02 fixes: CD-Recognition - Some CDs were mis-identified. Shuffle Button - Some users were experiencing problems with shuffle mode. Large/Small Fonts - WinDisc now automatically resizes itself so it can display all information, whether you are using large or small fonts. Screen Updates - I have added a little code, so the display only updates if information has changed. This will help speed things up when WinDisc is running in the background. Icon - Besides a new icon, Version 1.02 also allows you to keep WinDisc as the topmost window, so you never lose it! Version 1.01 fixes: Crashes - Some users, particulary those with CD-ROM drives using caddies got errors when pressing the eject button while no caddy was inserted. This problem has been taken care of with a MCI_GETDEVCAPS_CAN_EJECT call at program startup.