@DATABASE "SuperPlay-Library.guide" @WIDTH 80 ## $VER: SuperPlay-Library.guide V4.4 (26.8.95) ## ## For reading this file you may use : ## ## Program-Name available at ## ## - ShowHyp (e.g. coming with GadToolsBox V2.0c) ## - Hyper (AmigaLibDisks) ## - AmigaGuide (various Packages) ## - MultiView (Workbench) ## @NODE MAIN "SuperPlay Library Documentation" superplay.library V4.4 - FREEWARE - © 1994-95 by Andreas R. Kleinert. All rights reserved. This program was written under OS V3.1 and is therefore fully compatible. It needs OS V2.04+. Release Date : 26.08.1995 @{"Copyrights" LINK COPYRIGHT } @{"Disclaimer" LINK DISCLAIMER } @{"Distribution" LINK DISTRIBUTION } @{"Requirements" LINK REQUIREMENTS } @{"How to install and configure it" LINK INSTALLATION } @{"Short: Purpose and Abilities" LINK ABILITIES } @{"Supporting Software" LINK SUPPORT } @{"SPObject Descriptions/History" LINK SPOBJECTS } @{"Possible future enhancements ..." LINK FUTURE } @{"History" LINK HISTORY } @{"Thanks and Greetings" LINK THANKS } @{"Credits" LINK CREDITS } @{"How to contact the author" LINK CORRESPONDENCE } _ _ // Only \\X/ Amiga makes it possible! Die CHAOS-Theorie: "Dabei geht es zum Beispiel darum, den verdammten Schmetterling zu finden, dessen Flügelschläge die vielen Stürme in letzter Zeit verursacht haben." (Terry Pratchett in "Total verhext") Dedicated to all people, who actually READ docfiles ;-) @ENDNODE @NODE COPYRIGHT "Copyright" The program superplay.library V4.4 and its documentation files are (C)opyright 1994-95 by Andreas R. Kleinert. All rights reserved. Usage of the "superplay.library" for non-commercial programs (Freeware, Shareware), is allowed without any restrictions. With commercial programs an explicite license is required. Some of the mentioned names or products above may be copyrighted by companies or trademarks of companies. Remark: Drawericons have been taken from Fred Fish's AmigaLibDisks. @ENDNODE @NODE DISCLAIMER "Disclaimer" The author takes no responsibility for any results of the use of this program. This software is provided "AS IS" and there is no warranty of any kind, so that you use this software at your own risk. @ENDNODE @NODE DISTRIBUTION "Distribution" The program superplay.library V4.4 is freely distributable (FREEWARE). You may copy it, if the copyright notice is left intact and all of its parts are included in the distribution. This program must not be included in commercial packages or commercial program collections without my written permission. This program must not be sold in any way, but it is allowed to take a nominal fee including the costs for copying. This program may be put on public domain disks or included in public domain disk libraries. Special permission hereby goes to Fred Fish's AmigaLib-Disks and the german series (in alphabetical order) : AmigaSzene, BerndsPD, FRANZ, GPD, SaarAG, TAIFUN and TIME. Also CD-ROMs by Fred Fish, AmiNet and ADX (Amiga Demos and Tools). This program may also be distributed via electronic mail and may be put into mailboxes as long as the redistribution conditions are respected in all points. By using or distributing this program you automatically agree to all of the above conditions and terms. @ENDNODE @NODE ABILITIES "Abilities, Purposes and much more" The "superplay.library" is used in many of my programs and it consists of many functions, which make playing, saving and converting of various sound formats (SoundTracker, MED, IFF-8SVX, VOC, ...) much easier. External Player-Libraries (SPObjects) allow highest possible flexibility and easy to do expansions. Just send me your own SPObjects if you want to have them added to the main distribution archive or onto the developer disk. @ENDNODE @NODE INSTALLATION "Installation and Configuration" Just copy the "superplay.library" into your "LIBS:"-directory. Copy all the SPObjects to "LIBS:spobjects/". @ENDNODE @NODE SPOBJECTS "Overview of currently available SPObjects" Available SPObjects (as far as included) : SPObject Formats Type Write @{"8SVX" LINK SPOBJECT_8SVX } IFF-8SVX (unencoded) Sample Sample @{"JAM" LINK SPOBJECT_JAM } JamCracker V1.00+ Module - @{"MED" LINK SPOBJECT_MED } MMD0 Module - @{"SPO" LINK SPOBJECT_SPO } SPO V1.00 Sample Sample @{"ST" LINK SPOBJECT_ST } Sound/ProTracker Module - @{"VOC" LINK SPOBJECT_VOC } PC VOC V1.10 Sample Sample @{"WAV" LINK SPOBJECT_WAV } RIFF-WAVE (Windows) Sample Sample @{"SoundDT" LINK SPOBJECT_SOUNDDT } OS3 Sound Datatypes Sample - @ENDNODE @NODE SUPPORT "Software supporting SuperPlay.library" The following programs are currently supporting "superplay.library": - SuperPlay by Andreas R. Kleinert - SimplePlay by Andreas R. Kleinert - DosXS by Frank Dittmar @ENDNODE @NODE THANKS "Thanks, greetings, credits and the rest" in alphabetical order :) Alex Carbin (TuC / PowerBrei Red.), Fred Fish (AmigaLibDisks), Gerd Frank (BerndsPD), Stefan Grad (GPD), Stefan Kremer (TuC / PowerBrei Red.), Alex Lange (Time PD-Serie), H.P. Lattka (Franz PD-Serie), Andreas Manewaldt (Taifun PD-Serie), Michael Petrikowski (Amiga Szene), and all I forgot ! @ENDNODE @NODE CORRESPONDENCE "How to contact the author" You may reach me the following way. Send bug-reports, money or whatever to: Andreas R. Kleinert, Grube Hohe Grethe 23, D-57074 Siegen, Germany. Will change in late 1995, but snail mail will be routed. Phone: +49-271-331859 (weekdays after 18.00h) +49-271-332147 (weekdays after 18.00h) When calling via phone you may leave a message, if I'm not available. - Andy EMail: Fido Andreas Kleinert 2:2457/435.10 Usenet/InterNet Andreas_Kleinert@SuperPlay.ftn.sub.org Andreaskleinert@n2usx.sauerland.de If nothing else works, try one of these Fido-InterNet gateways: Andreas_Kleinert@p10.f435.n2457.z2.fido.sub.org (in Germany) Andreas_Kleinert@p10.f435.n2457.z2.fidonet.org (USA or other) When reporting any bugs, please don't forget to include a detailed description of the bug and tell me, if it is reproduceable or not. Also mention the version number of SuperPlay.library (and e.g. SuperPlay) which caused the bug and describe your system configuration (Amiga model CDTV/CD-32/600(HD)/500(+)/1000/1500/1200(HD)/1300/2000/ 2500(UX)/3000(+/T)/4000(/030/040/060)(T)/DraCo, Kickstart/OS Version, RAM, HardDisk, GfxCard, any special Hardware/Software). Since their recently have been some problems: please don't forget to mention, whether your machine is accelerated in any way, or not (68020/.../060, 68881/882, PMMU). @ENDNODE @NODE FUTURE "The future of the SuperPlay.library" The Future (or: The Undiscovered Zone ;-) ========================================= Well, ideas cannot be planned and creativity is not able to be calculated ;-) So I can only express, what I'm thinking about the future of the library: There are many things, which I want to implement, on the other hand there are things, which are just necessary to be implemented sooner or later. So much work has to be done (still). I'll try to do this, but I hope that there's enough support from the Amiga programmers all over the world (via Inter/AmiNet, Fido, etc.) to help me to continue doing so. This does not only mean fincancial support, but also additional programming efforts like third-party improvements on the library (why not also write your own SPObjects ?) - Andy @ENDNODE @NODE HISTORY "History" V4.4 (26.08.1994) : ------------------- - recompiled main library with SAS/C V6.55 - recomplied all supplied SPObjects with SAS/C V6.55 - all modules now do save A1 within assembler routines - completely rewrote documentation: - moved english docs to a new guide files, which also includes docs for the single SPObjects - removed german docs - replaced with "LiesMich.doc" - removed redundant information - added note about distribution and commercial licensing - added not about Frank Dittmar's DosXS, which is allowed to use superplay.library since a long time already - overall reworked documentation - updated SuperPlay to V4.4 - completely replaced Installer-Script - and so on V4.3 (13.12.1994) : ------------------- - added JamCracker support (JAM.spobject) - added OS3 Sound DataTypes support (SoundDT.spobject). Needs at least superplay.library V4.3, since some additional work has to be done. - fixed bug in ST sample extraction routine (was only possible with XPK packed modules) - fixed internal bug inside all SPObjects. V4.1/4.2 (02/09.12.1994) : -------------------------- - file recognition did not work with V4.1 (UNUSEABLE) - adjusted some version descriptions in the Reference-Docs - added new SPL_GetFileType() function, like in superview.library - SPObject-Docfiles had been included twice in different directories (old and new docs). Removed. (-> Gerd Frank) V3.1 (21.07.1994) : ------------------- - This is not really a bug-fix, but more an additional feature : increased Version to 3, because it was not save in V2.1 to pass a NULL value for SuperWrite()'s "source_handle" parameter, although this is supported by the V2 SPObjects (now). If you plan to add this feature to your software, request at least V3+ ! V2.1 (20.07.1994) : ------------------- - introduced "SampleLists" and added two new functions to superplay- Library and Version 2 SPObjects for getting and setting of the Lists. Added two Example-Programs which demonstrate usage of SampleLists. - re-arranged directory structure of most sub-dirs - all NON-DISK loading and saving, e.g. from/into ClipBoard DID NOT WORK. Specifications had to be changed slightly - in a compatible way - to re-arrange READING to work (see Reference-Docs, SPL_InitHandleAsClip-Function). For WRITING only superplay-Library had to be changed. (This bug-fix has not yet been tested, since SuperPlay does not support ClipBoard-Access, but it has been done the same way as in superview.library, so it should work ...) - ST.spobject and MED.spobject now allow extraction of Samples of Modules (see example-programs "SampleListDemo" and "SampleListPlay") - fixed bad bug in ST.spobject's file-recognition (see there) V1.6 (02.07.1994) : ------------------- - new version of SuperPlay (GUI improved) - changes to ST.spobject and WAV.spobject - added ".fd"-files to "Programmers/fd", which might be useful for Basic programmers (".bmap" generation) or for generating Link-Libraries - last not least : I'm now reachable via EMail (Fido : 2:2457/245.10) V1.5 (17.05.1994) : ------------------- - use of SAS/C V6.51 - strongly improved ST.spobject V1.4 (30.04.1994) : ------------------- - now WAV.spobject is really DEBUGGED and WORKS, which it actually was not and did not before ;< - also improved the other SPObjects a lot V1.3 (30.3.1994) : ------------------ - added WAV.spobject to the distribution - the new ST.spobject is now freely available as one of the supplied Example-SPObjects - improved Example-Programs : e.g. removed dependeny on ak_gen0.library - removed some garbage from the header-files - replaced SAS/C's sprintf()-routine with own, RawDoFmt()-based one. This increases codesize a little bit, because sprintf() wasn't actually used yet. This might come in the future. - now using Utility-Library for integer operations (activated SAS/C's UTILLIB option) : this increases 68000-codesize a little bit, but increases speed on 68020+ systems (should also decrease codesize, but does not ...) V1.2 (27.2.1994) : ------------------ - recompilation : use of SAS/C V6.5. - Parameter-BugFix in SPO_SetWriteSubType() : pragmas put it into D1 instead of A2 - fixed small bug in the memory management routines V1.1 : ------ - First Version. FREEWARE. ************************************************************************* * Revision history entries below V11.8 have been deleted * * to save diskspace ! * ************************************************************************* @ENDNODE @NODE CREDITS "Credits" ST.spobject, JAM.spobject, SPO.spobject --------------------------------------- The "powerpacker.library" V33+ is (C)opyright by Nico François. The Library is FREEWARE and is needed by ST.spobject, to be able to read and play also PP20-packed Modules. The "xpkmaster.library" V2+ is (C)opyright by its authors (c/o Urban Dominik Müller). The Library is freely distributable and is needed several SPObjects to be able to read and play XPK-(also PP-)packed Modules. ST.spobject ----------- Upto V1.2 the main Player Source-Code in Assembler had been taken from the Public Domain Library "STReplay" by Oliver Wagner, which can be found on AmigaLib-Disk #258. Oliver said in the Docs to STReplay, that he did not obtain any rights to the Source, so I used it for my own purposes. Nevertheless I did not just "include" the Source, but made many - more or less useful and important - changes to it. Since V1.3 the new ProTracker V2.2a Player Routine is used. I got it from Gerd Frank (thanks Gerd !) and modified it for my own purposes : Some changes had to be made to assemble it with the SAS/C ASM V6.55 and to make it living in the multitasking better than before. Finally, I had to change and add some more code to create an interface to the C-SourceCode of the SPObject's main routines. Here's an excerpt from the SourceCode as far as concerning the original authors (no special copyright notice was found, so it is perhaps Public Domain) : * ProTracker2.2a replay routine by Crayon/Noxious. Improved and modified * by Teeme of Fist! Unlimited in 1992. Share and enjoy! :) * Rewritten for Devpac (slightly..) by CJ. JAM.spobject ------------ The main Player Source-Code in Assembler was taken from a Public Domain Assembler Source-Code, which has originally been written by M. Gemmel and re-written by "Arcade of CADCAM". Some changes had to be made to assemble it with the SAS/C ASM V6.55 and to make it living in the multitasking better than before. Finally, I had to change and add some more code to create an interface to the C-SourceCode of the SPObject's main routines. Here's an excerpt from the SourceCode as far as concerning the original authors (no special copyright notice was found, so it is perhaps Public Domain) : * * JamCracker V1.0 Replay routine, written by M. Gemmel * [...] * * This is not a demonstration source, showing how to write * a song-play routine. This source is merely ment for * inclusion in other sources, or as assembly module for * linkage with other programs. * * This source was modified for the MasterSeka V1.53 assembler * and can be easily modified for other assemblers. (Not true, it's a lot of work - Arcade) * The song should be inserted at 'mysong' near the bottom of * this source, in chip memory. * * Modified for MasterSeka 1.53 by Arcade of CADCAM * * Note from Arcade: I saved all of you who want to use the replayer * with MasterSeka a lot of work. So leave this text here, I want the credits. @ENDNODE @NODE REQUIREMENTS "Requirements for the SuperPlay.library Package" Generally, you need at least an 68000 Amiga, running with OS 2.04+. Better performance results require better Software/Hardware. ° For usage of the IFF-based SPObjects, like 8SVX, you should take care to have iffparse.library V37+ on your bootdisk. ° For DataType support with OS 3.x+ you need datatypes.library V39+ to be present. If it is not present, datatype-support is disabled, but you might not need it, anyway. ° SPObjects with Packer support - like ST, JAM and SPO - usually do require the following: Packer needed Libraries ---------------------------- XPK xpkmaster.library V2+, speficic xpk-compressor libraries PP20 a) xpkmaster.library V2+, powerpacker.library V33+ b) _only_ powerpacker.library V33+ No special libraries are needed, but they will simply pass through unpacked data modules. ° MED.spobject does require med.library V1+ (see Credits) Additionally there are some more requirements, which do not necessarily depend on the OS or the Hardware: ° Some SPObjects additionally require different Hardware/Software configurations, but usually this is stated within their own documentation. Turbo versions would be installed by the Installer-Script automatically, if it makes sense (CPU auto-detection). @ENDNODE @NODE SPOBJECT_ST "ST.spobject" © 1994-95 by Andreas R. Kleinert. FREEWARE. All rights reserved. Version : 2.3 Release Date : 26.08.1995 Description ~~~~~~~~~~~ ST.spobject is an external Library-Module for the superplay.library V1+. It supports reading of ST Modules (SoundTracker V2.4+, ProTracker V2.2a, NoiseTracker and compatible Modules). Remarks ~~~~~~~ - As with other Players, the filename of the Module has to begin or end with the prefix/entension "MOD" ("MOD.module" or "module.MOD") - ST.spobject at first tries to use xpkmaster.library. If this one is not available, it tries powerpacker.library. If none of them is available, it simply uses dos.library : So, if you read a packed module, although you did not install any decompression libraries, please note the following : After loading the data is checked, so that modules which could not be decompressed are rejected without any further notice. History ~~~~~~~ V2.3 (26.8.1995) : - completely recompiled with SAS/C V6.55 - now saves A1 within assembler routines V2.2 (11.12.1994) : - extraction of samples only worked with modules, which had been XPK-packed. Now also PP20 or unpacked modules can be handled. - fixed internal bug *************************************************************************** * Older revison history entries have been deleted for space reasons * *************************************************************************** @ENDNODE @NODE SPOBJECT_MED "MED.spobject" © 1994-95 by Andreas R. Kleinert. FREEWARE. All rights reserved. Version : 2.3 Release Date : 26.08.1995 Description ~~~~~~~~~~~ MED.spobject is an external Library-Module for the superplay.library V1+. It supports reading of MED Files. History : ~~~~~~~~~ V2.3 (26.8.1995) : - completely recompiled with SAS/C V6.55 - now saves A1 within assembler routines V2.2 (11.12.1994) : - fixed internal bug *************************************************************************** * Older revison history entries have been deleted for space reasons * *************************************************************************** @ENDNODE @NODE SPOBJECT_JAM "JAM.spobject" © 1994-95 by Andreas R. Kleinert. FREEWARE. All rights reserved. Version : 2.2 Release Date : 26.08.1995 Description ~~~~~~~~~~~ JAM.spobject is an external Library-Module for the superplay.library V1+. It supports reading of JAM Modules (JamCracker 1.00+). Remarks ~~~~~~~ - As with other Players, the filename of the Module has to begin or end with the prefix/entension "JAM" ("JAM.module" or "module.JAM") - JAM.spobject at first tries to use xpkmaster.library. If this one is not available, it tries powerpacker.library. If none of them is available, it simply uses dos.library : So, if you read a packed module, although you did not install any decompression libraries, please note the following : After loading the data is checked, so that modules which could not be decompressed are rejected without any further notice. History ~~~~~~~ V2.2 (26.8.1995) : - completely recompiled with SAS/C V6.55 - now saves A1 within assembler routines V2.1 (11.12.1994) : - first version @ENDNODE @NODE SPOBJECT_8SVX "8SVX.spobject" © 1994-95 by Andreas R. Kleinert. FREEWARE. All rights reserved. Version : 2.4 Release Date : 26.08.1995 Description ~~~~~~~~~~~ 8SVX.spobject is an external Library-Module for the superplay.library V1+. It supports reading and writing of unencoded IFF-8SVX Sample-Files. Features / Handicaps ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - once a sample has been loaded, it will be repeated until an explicite stop command arrives - an arriving stop command waits (asynchroneous) until the current repeat loop ends - there's no possibility to continue a once stopped Sample History : ~~~~~~~~~ V2.4 (26.8.1995) : - completely recompiled with SAS/C V6.55 - now saves A1 within assembler routines V2.3 (11.12.1994) : - fixed internal bug. *************************************************************************** * Older revison history entries have been deleted for space reasons * *************************************************************************** @ENDNODE @NODE SPOBJECT_SPO "SPO.spobject" © 1994-95 by Andreas R. Kleinert. FREEWARE. All rights reserved. Version : 2.3 Release Date : 26.08.1995 Description ~~~~~~~~~~~ SPO.spobject is an external Library-Module for the superplay.library V1+. It supports reading and writing of SPO Sample-Files. File Format Information ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sound Samples in the "SPO Sample File Format" consist of two Files : The Header-File (.spo) and the Data-File (). The Header-File contains information about the Raw-Data in the Data-File. For loading and saving the Sample it makes no difference, which FileName - Header-File or Data-File - is given. This is managed by the SPObject. Because recognition of the Types of packed Files is only possible by reading the whole File into a buffer and then check it, we use two different Files for both : Sample Information and Sample- The Data-File CAN be packed, the Header-File MUST NOT be packed. The SPO.object does NOT save packed data, but it is possible, to pack the Data File with ANY XPK-Packer you like, because the SPO.spobject uses the xpk.library for decoding. This allows efficient packing and unpacking with PowerPacker and all other XPK-Packers. Remember, that the original Data written by the SPO.spobject is NOT packed and therefore needs a lot of Diskspace. So pack it immediately after it has been written. The Data saved into the File is written almost in the same way like in an IFF-8SVX. The only difference is : Future versions might contain 12- or 16-Bit Sample Data. Features / Handicaps ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - once a sample has been loaded, it will be repeated until an explicite stop command arrives - an arriving stop command waits (asynchroneous) until the current repeat loop ends - there's no possibility to continue a once stopped Sample History : ~~~~~~~~~ V2.3 (26.8.1995) : - completely recompiled with SAS/C V6.55 - now saves A1 within assembler routines V2.2 (21.07.1994) : - added possibility to save all Samples from all multiple-SampleList and to accept NULL parameters for the Source-SPObject with SPO_Write(), so that custom applications may save their self- created SampleLists by simply setting them via SPO_SetSampleList(). The old way behaviour is still supported (as also handling of V1 SPObjects). - will correctly write Samples with more Bits than 8, if it is confronted with them *************************************************************************** * Older revison history entries have been deleted for space reasons * *************************************************************************** @ENDNODE @NODE SPOBJECT_VOC "VOC.spobject" © 1994-95 by Andreas R. Kleinert. FREEWARE. All rights reserved. Version : 2.4 Release Date : 26.08.1995 Description ~~~~~~~~~~~ VOC.spobject is an external Library-Module for the superplay.library V1+. It supports reading and writing of PC VOC-Sample-Files (V1.10). Features / Handicaps ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - Currently only VOC-Version V1.10 is supported. - All Blocks except Block 1 and the Header are ignored, e.g. Stereo-Sample-Data. History : ~~~~~~~~~ V2.4 (26.8.1995) : - completely recompiled with SAS/C V6.55 - now saves A1 within assembler routines V2.3 (11.12.1994) : - fixed internal bug *************************************************************************** * Older revison history entries have been deleted for space reasons * *************************************************************************** @ENDNODE @NODE SPOBJECT_WAV "WAV.spobject" © 1994-95 by Andreas R. Kleinert. FREEWARE. All rights reserved. Version : 2.4 Release Date : 26.08.1995 Description ~~~~~~~~~~~ WAV.spobject is an external Library-Module for the superplay.library V1+. It supports reading and writing of PC RIFF-WAVE (WAV) Sample-Files, playing is supported as far as the Amiga is able to (8 Bit only). History : ~~~~~~~~~ V2.4 (26.8.1995) : - completely recompiled with SAS/C V6.55 - now saves A1 within assembler routines V2.3 (11.12.1994) : - fixed internal bug *************************************************************************** * Older revison history entries have been deleted for space reasons * *************************************************************************** @ENDNODE @NODE SPOBJECT_SOUNDDT "SoundDT.spobject" © 1994-95 by Andreas R. Kleinert. FREEWARE. All rights reserved. Version : 2.2 Release Date : 26.08.1995 Description ~~~~~~~~~~~ SoundDT.spobject is an external Library-Module for the superplay.library V1+. It supports reading and writing of Sound Datatypes. Features / Handicaps ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - SoundDT.spobject will cause the system crashing, if datatype.library is not already present in the system-lists (ramlib error: WILL guru). If you're using superplay.library V4.3+ this will be ensured by the library, otherwise you've to do this by yourself. - once a sample has been loaded, it will be repeated until an explicite stop command arrives - an arriving stop command waits (asynchroneous) until the current repeat loop ends - there's no possibility to continue a once stopped Sample History : ~~~~~~~~~ V2.2 (26.8.1995) : - completely recompiled with SAS/C V6.55 - now saves A1 within assembler routines V2.1 (11.12.1994) : - first version @ENDNODE