| > !Help
|   Information about the !PlayerMod application, Ver 1.24

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!PlayerMod was initially written by 'The Mad Dog' as a 
(very!) simple Desktop player of  Sound Tracker modules. 
When the Arc version of the 'Tracker' recording system 
FINALLY arrived at the AU Show '90, we (Nick Smith & Matt 
Durys) felt that a few improvements were in order.

!PlayerMod is Public Domain software, and may be freely 
copied and distributed by any person as long as they a) 
copy the application ** IN ITS ENTIRETY **, b) make no 
modifications to any file INSIDE the application directory 
and c) make no profit from distributing the software to 
others.

NB : Norwich Computer Services are allowed to distribute 
the !PlayerMod application for profit as part of their 
"Careware" system, by special permission of the authors.

Nick Smith & Matt Durys, 08-Dec-90

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Thanks go from the authors to :

Hugo Fiennes for his excellent Module player.
'The Mad Dog' for the initial !PlayerMod program shell.
W.Hepping for his fantastic !Spectre sound analyser.
James Proctor for his Fade & Script file BASIC code.
M.Farrow for the highly efficient Tracker ->STracker
convertor ARM code from his !GetSTMod app.

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Version 1.10 (22-Oct-90) -
  added ST ModulePlayer 1.03 (29 Mar 1990) by ALT_Man can 
  handle 15 & 31 instrument format modules

Version 1.11 (23-Oct-90) -
  added Song position, instrument sample (per channel) & 
  stereo position icons (per channel)

Version 1.12 (24-Oct-90) -
  added 'Samples' window. No editing facilities as yet, 
  but useful for reading those silly messages in Amiga 
  modules !

Version 1.13 (23-Nov-90) -
  added ST ModulePlayer 1.04 (30 Aug 1990) by ALT_Man 
  thankfully the workspace bugs seem to be fixed in this 
  version - well done Hugo !

Version 1.14 (24-Nov-90) -
  can now change the volume of each sample by clicking 
  either SELECT (down) or ADJUST (up) over the sample 
  volume numbers 'Bits' dir now contains !Spectre which is 
  a WICKED desktop spectrum analyser - this app was 
  written by Warner Hepping (see his !Help file) please 
  load this AFTER playermod from the 'Open' submenu, or 
  else things screw up ! drag a directory icon to the 
  module player, and any ST modules inside will be played 
  in order, just like a CD! you can see which file is 
  playing with the icons at the bottom of the status 
  window. Also added TrackerI & TrackerIV VU analysers to 
  the 'Bits' directory, thanks to the Mad Dog for the code 
  optimisation

Version 1.15 (08-Dec-90) - {First Public Release}
  this version  has  masses  of  changes  to  the  
  templates, sprites  and  code. Now  that  these  changes  
  are  finally complete, I think that we can call the app  
  'finished', and I will post it to PD libraries, BBS's, 
  etc.

Version 1.16 (14-Dec-90) -
  Matt  complained that  I failed to  implement  the  
  control panel as per HIS specs ! there are now 3 track 
  modes -  REP for repeat  single track,  RND for random 
  track  play,  and neither (and default) is sequential 
  track  play - hope  you like it.

Version 1.17 (31-Dec-90) -
  Lots of feedback since 1.15.  New features  include  
  editing Sample lengths, repeat  positions & lengths and 
  the ability to save a sample to disc in  !Tracker 
  format.  I would like to see a STracker<=>Tracker format 
  converter added next. Also  !Spectre  has been  turned 
  into a  module so that you don't need to leave the disc 
  in the  drive -  it loads from the RMA like Twin now ! 
  Added the silly Keyboard program in the 'Bits' 
  directory.

Version 1.18 (01-Jan-91) -
  First application  of  1991 !  Keyboard   program  has 
  been upgraded to  a full ARM code graphically redrawn 
  window and been made an integral part of  PlayerMod.  
  Even  plays  the correct notes on a 3 octave keyboard !

Version 1.19 (07-Jan-91) - {Second Public Release}
  Bug fixes. Code optimisation on redraw,  and removal of 
  ARM source code (now loads in as a piece of Absolute 
  code). Also  recognises  'Tracker'  format songs prior 
  to loading, and gives an error message rather than  
  letting the  module try and load it, which would give a 
  Data Abort error.

Version 1.20 (09-Jan-91) -
  No major changes, just some little bugs fixes, a new
  version of TrackerIV (Bits directory accessed by ADJUST
  on the icon bar). TrackerIV initialises quicker, doesn't
  crash and now implements volume scaling.
  New errors feature - if more than 3 errors occur within
  a few seconds (ie, an infinite loop error), then the
  program traps this and exits the application cleanly -
  I just wish that certain pieces of commercial software
  did this !

Version 1.21 (14-Feb-91) -
  Several bugs fixed to do with clicking MENU in the
  Samples window, DataOpen messages and !Tracker format
  tunes. You also now have a choice of whether to load
  an alien filetype or not when it is dragged to the icon
  bar.

Version 1.22 (15-Feb-91) - {Integration of James' code}
  Added autofade at end of song when playing a directory.
  Made the autofade intelligent, fading off only when the
  last event contained any notes.
  Added playlist facilities. At the moment playlists must
  be produced by hand. See playlist file in 'Bits' dir.

Version 1.23 (16-Feb-91) -
  As expected - lots of bug fixes. Primarily to do with
  the 'repeat' option that wasn't implemented in v1.15.
  You can now double click on STScript (playlist) files
  and these will be *Type'd.

Version 1.24 (24-Feb-91) - {1st Release to Arcade BBS}
  Now preserves stereo positions over new module loads.
  Major addition is the ability to convert Tracker
  format tunes into Sound Tracker (but only if they use
  4 channels !). Thanks to M.Farrow for the ARM to do
  this from his !GetSTMod app !!
  Some 'useful' changes made like clicking ADJUST instead
  of SELECT in the 'Open' submenu will close windows, and
  clicking on the 'Open' menu item will open all the
  windows in one go.

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If you want to contact the authors for whatever reason,
then write to :

Nick Smith            OR mbox Nick Smith (#659)
124 Westbury Lane             Arcade BBS
Newport Pagnell               081 654 2212
Bucks                         24hrs, V21/22/22bis
MK16 8PN

I welcome all enquires - especially donations !! (a couple
of pounds would certainly guarantee you a copy of the
latest version of the software !)

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