Update: 2006.09.17 DOS SHELL - DIR command. The DOS shell is an important tool for me. Most XP users do not even know they have
one. It is called "Command Prompt" and located in START/programs/accessories or you
can just go to START/RUN and type CMD . The most important use of dos for me is
the creation of lists. Of course there are many programs to do this sort of thing but DOS
gives the user the power to do so according to their needs and then alter the process as
their needs change. The dos DIR command is the primary tool for doing this.
Some simple DOS DIR commands:
Example File structure D:\jazz\docs
DIR - show a directory listing of all files at present Location
DIR /b - use brief format
DIR /b /s - include subdirectories in listing
DIR /b /s \jazz\docs - display all the files in the docs folder
DIR /b /s *.mp3\jazz - display all MP3's in \JAZZ
These commands can be followed by the > "redirection" and "redirection append" >>
commands. Redirection of the console printout is instead done to a file. Lets say
TEST.TXT. Our last command redirected to a file would look like this.
DIR /b /s *.mp3\jazz > D:\TEST.TXT
DIR /b /s \jazz\docs >> D:\TEST.TXT
And then the second listing of contents of \jazz\docs is appended. Otherwise the file
TEST.TXT would be overwritten by the second "redirection".
It is also possible to PIPE the output of a program to another program. The symbol for
the pipe is a single vertical line '|' , usually capital "\". One important application of the
PIPE is to send the output of the DIR command to the dos SORT program.
To send a list of all MP3's in our jazz collection to TEST.TXT in chronological order
Since the date starts the filename this is quite easy.
DIR /b /s *.mp3\jazz | SORT > D:\TEST.TXT
If you go to the root of your D: drive there should be a file there that can be read with
Notepad.exe because it is an ASCII file.
Okey lets say we want to sort according to the last name of the artist which in our filing
system is the fourteenth character in the filename for all files in the folder D:\jazz\. If the
path is not a single directory of four characters this changes.
DIR /b /s *.mp3\jazz | SORT / 14 > TEST.TXT
For examples of all of this and more see MF#\MAKEm3u.BAT don't execute it drag it
onto Notepad and read it with Notepad.
Update 2006.09.10 Goldwave
I haven’t tried any of the newer versions of Goldwave. I am using version 4.26 and I would not want an improved version. Software seems to always get worse as the version numbers climb. I have read a lot of complaints about the newer versions. I keep up to date with Multi Media stuff at.
http://www.afterdawn.com/
As a programmer I have noticed this is true of my own work. The original work has a clear-cut intention and as features are added it becomes a ball of string with no ends. Adding new functions has unintended consequences and decreases reliability of the original code. A good example of this is MF# which was a real mess of patches and added functions. This is why I have rewritten from scratch, this code, in the program MFm3u.
I understand they changed the mouse interface in Goldwave, which is what I really like about the original program. Left click selects beginning of clip. Right click selects end of clip. Select play and you hear the clip. I sometimes I do this process thousands of times in one day. After installation you must go options tool bar and add some functions to the main tool bar.
On a backup disk I sent to many people there is a folder \System\goldwave. Or let me know and I will burn a disk with the \System folder. It contains a lot of software. TMPGenc, DVD2AVI, DVD Shrink, TMPG DVD, and much more.
Update: 2006.09.09 – Media Player Classic”
I have suggested trying “Media Player Classic” before but I now have a month of extensive use and I can only say I am overwhelmed. Just put it on a new installation and XP played MPEG2 using MPC something that usually requires installation of a codec.
DVD’s - play very well.
AVI’s - perfect
MP3’s - I have only used this a little but, all junk in the audio heard when using Media Player 9, is not present. I use MF# as my primary player.
The full screen mode is excellent with adjustments for aspect and pop up controls when you move the mouse to the bottom of the window.
Options Options Options – Yes there are options galore – Command line arguments – Key Controls – Menu Options – Editable .ini file – I still havn’t seen it all. The important thing is it has retained the simplicity of Media Player 6.4 which is most peoples favorite.
If you are doing advanced video work you often need information about the file being viewed. Such things as FORMAT, BITRATE, RESOLUTION, FRAMERATE, FILE SIZE, CLIP LENGTH , etc are often need to know pieces of information for doing video work.
I have not identified a single media display task that MPC cannot do better than other software. I have now integrated it into MF# by renaming it Mfvideo.exe and MF# now uses it for MPG and AVI files.
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/guliverkli/mpc2kxp6490.zip?use_mirror=umn
G.
Update 2006.08.20
I find that many people are operating their machines with little understanding of the IDE. I seem to get a lot of questions about this that make it obvious people are confused by what is really quite simple. After all there are only four IDE devices.
Some basic info.
There are two IDE ports on a standard mother board IDE0 and IDE1 these are commonly referred to as primary and secondary.
Each IDE port is capable of supporting two devices. Most IDE cables therefore have three plugs. One for the mother board and two for devices such as Hard drives and Optical drives. These devices are called master and slave. A device is either master or slave determined by jumper setting on the device. There is usually a chart of jumper settings on most devices.
Many stock machines have only two devices a C: drive which must always be Primary – Master and an optical drive which is most often put on the same cable as C: and is the Primary – Slave. Although this is not the most effective way to work as both drives are on a single BUS. This configuration acts like a single lane highway. Data can only travel in one direction at a time.
For this reason I always remove the optical drive from IDE0 and install an additional IDE1 cable. I change the jumpers on the optical drive to Master and attach it to IDE1
So it becomes “secondary master”. This allows me to burn CD’s from my C: or D: drive faster as the optical drive is on a different bus.
This leaves two ports available for Hard drives or removable hard drives which will always be slaves regardless of which port they are attached to.
So the multi media machines that I set up look like this:
IDE0 Primary Master – C: operating system hard drive
IDE0 Primary Slave – D: an additional hard drive or Dataport
IDE1 Secondary Master – An optical drive and burner
IDE1 Secondary Slave – A hard drive or Dataport
Because all hard drives other than the primary master are slaves they can easily be moved or switched without changing the jumpers. When burning CD’s I always try to burn from IDE0 to IDE1.
George
Update 2006.08.18 - Subject MG# and associated programs
I have finally gotten some time to work on MG# code. I have integrated the "Gabbest" media player classic by "Gabbest". I thank you and I am sending you a donation.
Windows Media Plaver 6.4 is with out a doubt the best player MS ever wrote it is unfortunate that it had several shortcomings that precluded its use as a call from another program. It was obvious that all the program needed was some command line options. Like /fullscreen /play and, the all important /close, so you are returned to the parent program. When I got the source code for Media Player 6.4 I thought my problems were easily solvable. I even had a player up and running with the extra options available on screen but the player was buggy and rather than all the fancy buttons making a call to a reliable Video Player with command line options would be easier. “Gabest” has done this with “Media Player Classic” as he calls it. I have renamed it Mfvideo.exe in my MF# folder just so I don’t have to rewrite a lot of code in MF#. At present it simply plays the AVI or MPG in the full screen mode. It plays to the end and closes. The ESC key escapes from full screen to a window.
So far “Media Player Classic” has proven to just as stable as 6.4 with a lot of options added. I played a variety of AVI and MPG files directly from MFm3u.exe without a hitch.
I have tested the DVD functions and am equally impressed. I am now using GABEST as my default DVD viewer. Its the GABEST. Also Plays MPG2 and VOB files.
Presently MS media players 9. are over bloated pieces trash. If you listen your MP3’s with it you must be deaf.
For download
http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/guliverkli/mpc2kxp6490.7z?use_mirror=superb-west
So we now have Display of Video in MG#!