UltiMOD v1.4á UltiMOD is a freeware DART modplayer for OS/2 2.x or OS/2 Warp with MMPM/2 installed.(+ the dart dlls) ================================================================================ 0 Contents ================================================================================ 1 Features 2 Installation 3 UltiMOD 4 Ultitext (textmode version of UltiMOD) 5 A few tips to make life easier 6 General Information 7 Questions & Answers 8 Bug Reports 9 How to help improve UltiMOD 10 Standard disclaimer ================================================================================ 1 Features ================================================================================ - support for: - 4 channel, 31 and 15 instrument Protracker/Noisetracker modules - 4 and 8 channel Startracker modules - 1 - 32 channel Fasttracker 1 modules - MTM - S3M - XM - ability to play samples inside a modfile at any note. - support for songlists. (up to 512 files in one songlist) - Graphical user interface. (graphical push & volume buttons, slidebar etc) - Textmode version included with new user interface (and realtime display of channel data) - Multithreaded. One thread for playing modfiles and 1 for the user interface. This means that you can create your own songlist and save it while UltiMOD is playing one of your modfiles. ================================================================================ 2 Installation ================================================================================ Unzip ultimod.zip and run 'install.cmd' to put UltiMOD on your desktop. If you like to run ultimod from any directory on your hard disk(s) add the directory, in which you copied ultimod, to the 'SET HELP =' and 'SET PATH = ' lines in your config.sys. Load your favourite modfile and fully exploit OS/2's multitasking capabilities by running it alongside other applications. ================================================================================ 3 UltiMOD ================================================================================ This document won't explain how UltiMOD works. It's interface is self explaining by providing you with graphical pushbuttons and simple menu's. If something isn't clear just press F1 for online help. UltiMOD accepts one songlist or one or more modfiles as a parameter on the command line. They can contain wildcards. ================================================================================ 4 Ultitext (textmode version of UltiMOD) ================================================================================ The textmode verison of UltiMOD also accepts one songlist or one or more modfiles as a parameter on the command line. They can also contain wildcards. Keys: Esc - Quit -/+ - decrease/increase song speed PgUp/PgDn - scroll 9 channels up/down cursor up/down - scroll one channel up/down (red arrow points to the channel position) Enter - disable or enable channel cursor left/right - one position back/forward n - skip to next song in the songlist Usage: ULTITEXT /vXXX /pYY /noj /16 /b:xxxxx filename /vXXX - volume (0-100) /pXX - panning (right = XX, left = 15 - XX) /noj - disable backward position jumps in songlist /16 - 16 bits playback (default is 8 bits) /b:xxxxxx - buffer size (default 8192; 16kb for 16 bits playback) filename - songlist or modfile WARNING: If you run ultitext in an OS/2 window, CPU usage will go way up. OS/2 textmode API is still 16 bits, which is probably responsible for a great part of the extra overhead. (way to go IBM) It's best to use PM UltiMOD when playing modules in the background. ******************************************************************************** ******************************************************************************** From now on UltiMOD stands for both the PM and textmode version. Only when the two version don't behave identically, a distinction is made between them. ******************************************************************************** ******************************************************************************** ================================================================================ 5 A few tips to make life easier ================================================================================ - To quickly construct songlists you can run UltiMOD as follows: ultimod d:\mods\*.s3m d:\mods\*.mtm d:\mods\*.mod By default ultimod saves all these filenames in '########.lst' in the directory where ultimod is located. To save this songlist, select file->save songlist. (PM UltiMOD) Ultitext offers no help, so you must copy the songlist manually. - When UltiMOD is running, you can launch a second copy of ultimod to pass (a) new modfile(s) or a songlist to the first one. - Next.exe is for command line freaks (like me) who don't like switching to the desktop every time a boring modfile is playing, just to press the next button. When executed, next.exe orders UltiMOD so skip to the next song in the songlist. ================================================================================ 6 General Information ================================================================================ Unlike UltiMOD for the GUS, UltiMOD for MMPM/2 is freeware. This means that the previously registered feature (settings saved in .ini file) works in this version. Although the GUS version has a higher priority for me, the shared codebase (over 80% of the code) allows me to fix bugs in most parts at the same time for both players. Known problems: - clicks - problems with some modules (i.e. inside.s3m) - Messed up user interface (PM UltiMOD) when you run at 1024x768 using S3 video cards (other cards too?). (driver or MMPM/2 bug) - uses too much CPU time Future plans for UltiMOD: - finishing support XM music files - adding usefull suggestions from users to the program - more WPS integration - probably lots more. Finally I want to thank the beta testers for their extensive testing: Anssi Saari Olli Mannisto Mark Ruys John Rohland Samuel Audet Vince Rathbun Juha Kauppinen Kari Sorsimo Harry Pulley Only when there's enough interest in the MMPM/2 version, I'll continue to enhance it. If you like UltiMOD, send me a postcard or something. (if you insist on sending me money, don't let me stop you) One word of advice: if you think DART modplayers don't sound too good and suck up too much CPU time, buy a GUS and download the GUS version of UltiMOD. It sounds much better and is up to 10 times more efficient. I hope you will enjoy UltiMOD, Sander van Leeuwen Meikoninginlaan 4 2645 NT Delfgauw the Netherlands email: s509475@dutiwy.twi.tudelft.nl For the latest updates of UltiMOD visit my webpage: http://www.polsci.wvu.edu/Henry/Sander Greets go to: - Culus of Ethos (thanks for your help with UltiMOD for MMPM/2) - Robert J. Manley for his Gravis UltraSound MMPM/2 driver - Timo Maier for the Pascal version of the GUS toolkit - Henry Rieke for providing me with a web page - Osdorp Posse, Beastie Boys & Jimi Hendrix for making the countless hours behind my computer more bearable - Ajax, the one and only ================================================================================ 7 Questions & Answers ================================================================================ Q: When I start UltiMOD an error dialog pops up saying it couldn't load the help manager. What's up? A: Be sure to have ultimod.exe and ultimod.hlp in one directory. If you want to run ultimod from other directories, add the directory, in which ultimod.hlp is located, to the line 'SET HELP =' in your config.sys. Q: What's wrong when UltiMOD reports it can't open the MMPM/2 driver? A: You shouldn't have Dos/WinOS2 sessions running that use your soundcard or Close them and try again. ================================================================================ 8 Bug Reports ================================================================================ If you experience crashes or bugs when you use UltiMOD, please send me mail (email or snail mail) explaining the problem along with the following filled in form and your config.sys. OS/2 version : ______ Soundcard brand & model : ___ ================================================================================ 9 How to help improving UltiMOD ================================================================================ I and the beta testers try to locate any effect problems with UltiMOD. Unfortunately we don't have unlimited amounts of time, so it's possible you have a modfile that UltiMOD doesn't play completely right. I'd appreciate it when you report these problems to me. Please provide as much information as possible: - file (send uuencoded by email or an address of an ftp site) - pattern and song position where the problem occurs - if possible position inside pattern, channel and effect - description of problem Thanks in advance. ================================================================================ 10 Standard disclaimer ================================================================================ This software is provided AS IS. No warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, is granted including any warranties of quality or fitness for a particular purpose. Under no circumstances will Sander van Leeuwen be held responsible for any damage that results directly or indirectly from the use of this product.