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/                    EasyCD, Version 2.20                   \
\  (C) Copyright 1996, Greg Leichner, All rights reserved.  /
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                      September 19, 1996

User's Guide Contents
---------------------

	1 - Introduction

	2 - The EasyCD2 Tray Icon
	2.1 - Left Mouse Button
	2.2 - Right Mouse Button

	3 - The EasyCD2 Controls Dialog
        3.1 - Status Display Area
	3.2 - Play Button
	3.3 - Pause Button
	3.4 - Stop Button
	3.5 - Next Track Button
	3.6 - Previous Track Button
	3.7 - Eject Button

	4 - The EasyCD2 Main Popup Menu
	4.1 - Play
	4.2 - Pause
	4.3 - Stop
	4.4 - Eject
	4.5 - Next Track
	4.6 - Previous Track
	4.7 - Select Track
	4.8 - Random Order
	4.9 - Introduction Play
	4.10 - Repeat All
	4.11 - Repeat Current
	4.12 - Show Controls
	4.13 - Properties
	4.14 - About EasyCD2
	4.15 - Exit EasyCD2

	5 - The EasyCD2 Properties Dialog
	5.1 - CD Information
	5.1.1 - General
	5.1.2 - Tracks
	5.1.3 - Clear All Button
	5.2 - Programming
	5.3 - cddb Query
	5.3.1 - Local Database
	5.3.2 - Internet Database Server
	5.3.2.1 - Firewall Proxy Host Configuration
	5.3.2.2 - cddb Server List
        5.3.2.3 - "Fuzzy" Search Results
	5.4 - cddb Submit
	5.4.1 - cddb Submission Guidelines
	5.5 - Options
	5.5.1 - CD Control Panel
	5.5.2 - Play
	5.5.3 - Introduction Play
	5.5.4 - Time Display
	5.5.5 - Eject And Exit

	6 - How to Contact GHL Software

	7 - Disclaimer



1 - Introduction
    ------------

    This file contains the instructions for using EasyCD2,
    how to configure EasyCD2 to use the cddb local database
    and Internet Servers, and procedures on submitting new
    entries to the cddb database.

    EasyCD2 can get CD information from a number of sources.
    When you enter a CD in the CD drive, EasyCD2 is automatically
    started and looks for the information about the current
    CD.  The order of search is as follows:  First, it checks
    the registry for the CD information.  This is where EasyCD2
    stores information when it exits.  Second, it looks in the
    Windows 'cdplayer' applications 'ini' file.  This file
    should be found in the Windows directory and is named
    'cdplayer.ini'.  Third, EasyCD2 tries to check for the CD in
    a local copy of the cddb database if configured to do so.
    Lastly, if the current CD is not found in any of the previous
    sources on your computer, it will query the cddb server over
    the Internet.  You must already be connected to the Internet
    for EasyCD2 to query the servers.

    Once EasyCD2 has information about the current CD, it stores
    it in the registry.  This means after you have either entered
    the information about a CD or the CD information was found
    on a cddb server, it will be saved on your computer for future
    display and you do not have to be connected to the Internet
    to be able to display the entered or found CD information.



2 - The EasyCD2 Tray Icon
    ---------------------

    The tray icon shows the current state of the CD player.
    It also has a 'tip' if the cursor is held over the icon
    that displays more detailed information.


2.1 - Left Mouse Button

        When the CD is playing:
	  single-click: Pause
          double-click: Go to next track
          triple-click: Go to previous track

        When the CD is paused:
          single-click: Resumes play

        When the CD is stopped:
          single-click: Starts play on first track


2.2 - Right Mouse Button

	Displays the EasyCD main popup menu.  The menu
	options are described in a section below.



3 - The EasyCD2 Controls Dialog
    ---------------------------

    The controls dialog provides a cd-player like control
    panel for all basic control functions.  In addition,
    a right mouse button popup menu is available to
    get to all other options, including track selection
    and access to the EasyCD2 properties dialog.

3.1 - Status Display Area

    The status display area at the top of the controls
    dialog show the current state of the CD player, the
    current track playing and the time of play for that
    track.

    If the right mouse button is used in the status display
    area, a menu is displayed that allows track selection
    and the ability to display the properties dialog.

3.2 - Play Button

    Always plays the CD from the start of the first
    track.


3.3- Pause Button

    Pauses the CD at the current position or continues
    play from a previously paused position.


3.4 - Stop Button

    Stops the CD.  Resets the 'played' status for all
    tracks.


3.5 - Next Track Button

    Starts play at the next sequential track.  If in
    'Random Order' mode, play is started at a randomly
    selected track from the tracks that have not yet
    been played.  If the Next track button is held down,
    the CD is then fast forwarded until the button is
    released.


3.6 - Previous Track Button

    Starts play at the previous sequential track.  If
    the previous track button is held down, the CD is
    then fast rewound until the button is released.


3.7 - Eject Button

    Ejects the CD from the CD player.  This also exits
    EasyCD2.


3.8 - Volume Up Button

    If a volume mixer was found on your system, this button
    increases the volume.


3.9 - Volume Down Button

    If a volume mixer was found on your system, this button
    decreases the volume.


3.10 - Volume Display

    The volume display shows the current volume in the form
    of a small bar graph.  If you click the left mouse button
    on the volume display, it is a "Mute" button.



4 - The EasyCD2 Main Popup Menu
    ---------------------------

4.1 - Play

    Always plays the CD from the start of the first
    track.


4.2 - Pause

    Pauses the CD at the current position or continues
    play from a previously paused position.


4.3 - Stop

    Stops the CD.  Resets the 'played' status for all
    tracks.


4.4 - Eject

    Ejects the CD from the CD player.  This also exits
    EasyCD2.


4.5 - Next Track

    Starts play at the next sequential track.  If in
    'Random Order' mode, play is started at a randomly
    selected track from the tracks that have not yet
    been played.


4.6 - Previous Track

    Starts play at the previous sequential track.


4.7 - Select Track

    Allows the user to select which track to play from
    a menu.  Tracks that have already been played have a
    check mark next to them and the track currently
    playing is dimmed out (not selectable).


4.8 - Random Order

    Toggles EasyCD2 between playing the tracks in a
    sequential order and a random order.


4.9 - Introduction Play

    EasyCD2 can play a user selected amount of time
    of each track, starting at a selected time offset.
    Please see the 'Options' section for more information
    on 'Introduction Play' mode.


4.10 - Repeat All

    Repeat All mode will repeat the play of all tracks
    when the end of play is reached.  If not in repeat
    all mode, EasyCD2 will either stop play or exit.


4.11 - Repeat Current

    Toggles between repeating the current track
    continuously or normal play mode.


4.12 - Show Controls

    Toggles the display of the CD player control panel
    that allows you to control almost all functions
    of EasyCD2 in very small window.  The control panel
    is described in a previous section.


4.13 - Properties

    Displays the EasyCD2 properties dialog.  All EasyCD2
    options are selectable from this dialog.  This dialog
    is described in detail in a section below.


4.14 - About EasyCD

    Displays registration and GHL Software information
    for EasyCD.


4.15 - Exit EasyCD2

    Exits EasyCD2 (really, that's unbelievable).



5 - The EasyCD2 Properties Dialog
    -----------------------------

    The properties dialog is the central window for all
    EasyCD2 options and CD information.  It is composed of
    five tabbed sheets:

	'CD Information' - Used to enter information about
                           the CD currently playing.  This
                           includes, artist, title and track
                           names.

        'Programming' -    Used to generate a custom track play
                           order.

	'cddb Query' -     Contains all configuration options
                           for querying the cddb database.

        'cddb Submit' -    Allows you to submit a new entry to
                           the cddb database by e-mail using
                           an SMTP server.

        'Options' -        All general EasyCD2 configuration
			   options including play modes, eject
			   modes, etc.
 
    Detailed instructions for each sheet are listed below.


5.1 - CD Information
      --------------

    This information is stored by EasyCD2 for each CD.
    When you play a CD, EasyCD2 searches for the information
    for that particular CD and will display it if it is
    found.


5.1.1 - General

    You can enter the CD artist name and the title of the
    CD in this section.


5.1.2 - Tracks

    To enter the title of a track, select the desired track
    from the list and type the title in the text box below the
    list.  The list contents will update as you type the title.

    To go to the next track, just press the 'Enter' key when
    done typing the information for the current track.  The
    next track will automatically be selected.


5.1.3 - Clear All Button

    Select the 'Clear All' button and confirm the clear
    operation in the popup message to clear all CD
    information.


5.2 - Programming
      -----------

    To specify a custom play order, select a track in
    the 'Disk Order' list and then press the 'Add' button.
    The track is then added to the 'Programmed Order'
    list.  Repeat this process for each track to be
    included in the custom play order.  You may also
    double click the mouse on a track in the 'Disk
    Order' list to add it to the 'Programmed Order'
    list.  A track may be included in the custom play
    order as many times as you would like.

    To remove a track from the custom play order, select
    the track in the 'Programmed Order' list and press
    the 'Remove' button.  To clear the entire custom
    play order list, press the 'Clear' button and then
    confirm the clear operation in the popup message.
    A track may be removed from the custom play order
    by double clicking it in the 'Programmed Order' list.

    You may change the order of play in the 'Programmed
    Order' list by selecting the track to move and then
    using the 'Up' and 'Down' arrows to the right of the
    list.


5.3 - cddb Query
      ----------

    EasyCD2 is fully integrated with the CD Information
    database, cddb.  You can lookup CD information from a
    local copy of the database or you can query a cddb server
    over the Internet.

    The CD Information database, cddb, and the application,
    xmcd are copyrighted by Ti Kan and are licensed under the
    GNU General Public License for free software.  The use of
    and integration with cddb by EasyCD2 has been expressly
    granted to GHL Software by Ti Kan.  Both cddb and xmcd
    are freely downloadable from the Internet.  For more
    information please see:

               http://sunsite.unc.edu/~cddb/xmcd/


5.3.1 - Local Database

    To download a copy of the Windows compatible database, you
    can FTP it from:

        ftp://ftp.netcom.com/pub/tk/tkan/xmcd-cddb/xmcd-cddb.zip

    	Space for the Windows compatible database file has
	been generously provided by Ti Kan.

	The database uses about 10Mbytes when unzipped, the zip
	file is about 3Mbytes.

    Unzip the file to a new directory (you can name it anything
    you want, but I suggest "cddb").  Please use the "preserve
    directory" option with whatever unzip tool you use.  cddb
    is composed of category sub-directories.

    Select the 'Query Local Database' option to configure
    EasyCD2 to look in the local database each time you play a
    CD.  Enter the full path to the directory where you
    un-zipped the database file in the 'Database Root
    Directory', for example: "c:\cddb".

    Test the local database configuration by pressing the
    'Query cddb Now' button.


5.3.2 - Internet Database Server

    EasyCD2 can use the Internet to query a cddb server for
    the information about each CD you play.  You must already
    be connected to the Internet to query a cddb server.

    Select the 'Query Server' option to configure EasyCD2 to
    query a cddb Internet server for each time you play a CD.

    If you are behind a firewall, EasyCD2 supports the use of
    a proxy host to get to a cddb server.  To use a proxy host,
    select the 'Use Proxy Host' option.  Enter the name of your
    proxy host and the port that will be used to connect to it.
    The default port is, 888, and is the same port that the
    cddb servers use for communication.

    If you are not behind a firewall, select the server name
    from the provided list.  Please select the server that is
    closest to you for fastest response.

    Test the cddb Internet server configuration by pressing
    the 'Query cddb Now' button.  NOTE: If you have
    configured EasyCD2 to query the local cddb database, it
    will search there first and if not found then EasyCD2
    will query the specified Internet cddb server.


5.3.2.1 - Firewall Proxy Host Configuration

	You will have to ask your network administrator to
	create a proxy to one of the cddb servers using TCP/IP
	port 888.  The port that EasyCD2 uses to get to the
	proxy host is configurable.


5.3.2.2 - cddb Server List

	cddb.celestial.com - Mercer Island, WA, USA
	cddb.sonic.net - Santa Rosa, CA, USA
        smurfy.tcimet.net - East Lansing, MI, USA
	cddb.schoneal.com - Austin, TX, USA
        cddb.dartmouth.edu - Hanover, NH, USA
	sunsite.unc.edu - Chapel Hill, NC, USA
	cddb.shu.ac.uk - United Kingdom
	cddb.ton.tut.fi - Finland
        cddb.westel.hu - Hungary
	cddb.sai.msu.su - Moscow, Russia
	cddb.ieo.nctu.edu.tw - Taiwan
	cddb.dentistry.adelaide.edu.au - Australia


5.3.2.2 - "Fuzzy" Search Results

    The remote cddb server will return a "fuzzy" search result
    for some CD's.  This can result when your particular CD's
    pressing is not found on the remote cddb server, but one
    or more other pressings of the same title are.  In this
    case EasyCD2 will display the Fuzzy Search Results dialog.
    If the CD you are currently playing is displayed in the
    list of possible matches, select it and press the 'Get
    Information For Selected Title' button.  EasyCD2 will retrieve
    the rest of the CD information.  If the CD you are currently
    playing is not in the list of possible matches, it is
    not present on the remote cddb server and you should select
    the 'Current CD Not In List' button.


5.4 - cddb Submit
      -----------

    EasyCD2 can submit entries to add to the cddb database.  If
    the CD in question is not found on one of the servers, you
    can enter the information on the 'CD Information' sheet and
    then submit it for inclusion in the cddb database.  This will
    help the database grow and hopefully, over time, more and
    more of the CD's you play will be found automatically.

    To submit an entry, enter your e-mail address in the
    'Return Address' text box.  You must also specify the
    address of the SMTP server you use to send e-mail.  If you
    do not know the name of the server, ask your network
    administrator.


5.4.1 - cddb Submission Guidelines

    Please use the following guidelines for any entries you
    wish to submit to the cddb database:

	Submit entries only after you verify they are not already
	in the database.

	Do not submit entries that are not completely filled-out
	(i.e., empty track titles, etc.).

	Capitalize the first letter of each word only.  Do not
        use upper case for whole words unless it's absolutely
        necessary.

	Verify that all spelling is correct.

	Submit the entry using the appropriate category.


5.5 - Options
      -------

5.5.1 - CD Control Panel

    To automatically display the CD control panel, select the
    'Show at Startup' option.  To have the control panel always
    be on top of all other windows, select the 'Always Visible'
    option.


5.5.2 - Play

    To play tracks in random order (sometimes called 'shuffle
    mode') select the 'Random Track Order' option.  To repeat
    play of all tracks once they have already been played, select
    the 'Repeat All Tracks' option.


5.5.3 - Introduction Play

    EasyCD2 allows you to configure which section of a track
    will be played during 'Introduction Play' mode.  Instead
    of always playing the first 10 to 15 seconds of the track,
    you can select a starting point from 0 to 60 seconds and
    a length of play from 0 to 60 seconds.  In addition you
    can use the 'at middle of track' option to have EasyCD2
    automatically find the middle of the track and play the
    specified amount of time such that it will play the exact
    middle of the track.


5.5.4 - Time Display

    You can choose between four different options for
    the time display on the CD Control Panel and the tray
    icon tip.  These are: Track time elapsed, Track time
    remaining, Disc time elapsed, and Disc time remaining.


5.5.5 - Eject And Exit

    If you would like EasyCD2 to automatically eject the
    current CD when it is done playing all tracks, select the
    'Eject at End of Play' option.  This has no effect if the
    'Repeat All' option is also selected.

    To eject the CD when you exit EasyCD2 from the main popup
    menu, select the 'Eject When Exiting EasyCD' option.

    To have EasyCD2 stop the CD player when it exits, select
    the 'Stop CD Player When Exiting EasyCD' option.  This
    is the default behavior.



6 - How to Contact GHL Software
    ---------------------------

    E-Mail
	leichner@ix.netcom.com

    WWW
	http://www.transdyn.com/~gleichner/ghlsoft.html

    Snail-Mail
	Greg Leichner, GHL Software
	1205A Vicente Dr.
	Sunnyvale, CA 94086
	USA



7 - Disclaimer
    ----------

    THE INFORMATION, CODE AND EXECUTABLES PROVIDED ARE PROVIDED
    AS IS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
    INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF
    MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO
    EVENT SHALL GREGORY HOWARD LEICHNER AND OR GHL SOFTWARE BE
    LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT,
    INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS, OR
    SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF GREGORY HOWARD LEICHNER AND OR GHL
    SOFTWARE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
