*==========================================================================*
||                                                                        ||
||                      NewBeep © 1992 by Brian G. Neal                   ||
||                     NewBeepOff © 1992 by Brian G. Neal                 ||
||                                                                        ||
||            THESE PROGRAMS ARE COPYRIGHT 1992 BY BRIAN G. NEAL.         ||
||                   PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING LEGAL MUSH                 ||
||                                                                        ||
|| Permission is hereby granted to distribute this archive's              ||
|| executables and documentation for non-commercial purposes, so long as  ||
|| the executables and documentation are not modified in any way.         ||
|| These programs may not be distributed for a profit without the express ||
|| written consent of the author Brian G. Neal.                           ||
||                                                                        ||
|| These programs are not in the public domain.                           ||
||                                                                        ||
|| Fred Fish is expressly granted permission to distribute this archive's ||
|| executables and documentation as part of the "Fred Fish freely         ||
|| redistributable Amiga software library."                               ||
||                                                                        ||
*==========================================================================*
 
NewBeep Documentation - April 21, 1992

WHAT IS IT?
===========

   NewBeep is a program that plays a user specified IFF 8SVX sound file
whenever another program flashes a screen.  For example, most terminal
programs and the shell flash the screen when you type CTRL-G.
In technical terms, NewBeep SetFunction()s intuition.library's
DisplayBeep() function.  For example, every time ProWrite finds a misspelled
word, you now can hear an explosion, a scream, or whatever sound file you
want!

REQUIREMENTS
============

   You need an Amiga and some of your favorite sound files.  If you
have 2.0 then NewBeep can take advantage of the new system file requester.
NewBeep should run under both 1.3 and 2.0.

HOW TO USE
==========

   From the shell you would type the following to get started:

      run NewBeep soundfile

   If you have 2.0 and leave out the soundfile, NewBeep will open the
system file requester for you.

   To kill NewBeep, you would then type:

      NewBeep off

or use the NewBeepOff program (see below).

   If you are going to put NewBeep in your S:User-Startup remember to

      run >NIL: NewBeep soundfile       (if you have 2.0)
      runbackground NewBeep soundfile   (if you have 1.3 and RunBackGround)

   From the Workbench, click on its icon.  The following tooltypes are
supported:

      SOUND=soundfile   - the name of the sound file
      OFF               - to kill an existing NewBeep (for 2.0 users)
      OFF=              - to kill an existing NewBeep (for 1.3 users)
      DONOTWAIT         - if you have 2.0 & put NewBeep in your WbStartup
                          drawer you need this

   Note that it doesn't make much sense to specify both a sound file and
the off switch.  In this case, NewBeep will try to terminate.

   Alternatively, you can click on the icon for NewBeepOff (see below).

NEWBEEPOFF
==========

   This program was provided to make using NewBeep easier for Workbench
users.  It is equivalent to typing 'NewBeep OFF' in the shell.  In this
way you don't have to keep changing the tooltypes to turn it on/off or
make a copy of the entire program with different tooltypes.

LIMITATIONS
===========

   This version has some limitations on the types of IFF 8SVX sound files
it will play.  Currently, stereo is not supported.  Compressed files are
not supported either.  Please let me know if these features are critical,
and I'll work on getting them in there.  Also, if you come across a sound
file that NewBeep chokes on or acts weird on, let me know.  Either
send me the sound file or let me know how to get it.  Thanks!  In any
event I think it can handle the vast majority of simple one shot sound
files that exist, even large ones (double buffering!).

A CAUTIONARY NOTE ON MULTITASKING
=================================

   The Amiga has 4 audio channels.  Thus in a multitasking environment
these can become scarce resources.  Programs must be written to share these
channels to make the user happy.  Sharing is a 2 way street.  I think that
NewBeep will live up to its side of the bargain.  It only allocates a
channel when it needs to play the sound, plays it, then releases the
channel.  If your system crashes or NewBeep doesn't play the sound,
chances are you are also running an audio hog program.  Such programs
typically write directly to the hardware or lock all 4 channels.  I do know
that Marc Espie followed the rules, and his wonderful module player
Experiment IV will coexist peacefully with NewBeep.  I haven't tried it
with any other module players.
   Hint for JR-Comm 1.02 users: make sure that the 'Audio Beep' option
in the Options/General requester is turned OFF.

EPILOGUE
========

   Thanks for using NewBeep.  Please send me any comments, flames,
bug reports, suggestions, misplaying sound files, etc.  This program
was written for fun, but donations will not be turned away :^).  They
will also encourage me to implement your suggestions!  I hope you enjoy
this program!

Enjoy these other fine products written by Brian Neal:

   StarBlank
   AlarmingClock


Brian Neal
620 S. Riverside Dr. #1
Iowa City, IA 52246
USA

Internet:      bneal@umaxc.weeg.uiowa.edu
GEnie:         B.NEAL2     (don't count on a quick reply)

All the above addresses, except possibly GEnie, may change in the next
few months. (Today is April 21, 1992)