Messer v-0.98 (October 2000) See copyright at the end of the document! Thank you for using Messer (Memo Session Sound Recorder) - application for scheduled sound recording using your PC. 0. Installation 1. General usage and program overview - Manual recording - Scheduled recording - Advanced stop tool - Previewing recorded files - dropping wav files from Explorer on Messer's window 2. Using session manager (scheduler) 3. Scheduler context menu 4. Recording monitor and options during the recording 5. Options and configuration 6. Runtime errors 7. What's planned ? 8. Authors, copyrights, etc. 9. What's new ? Any comment and questions should be sent to: Darek Sieradzki ; http://www.dago.pmp.com.pl/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 0. Installation. (Optionally) Uninstall previously installed version (run uninst???.exe form Messer's directory), then run messer-v098-setup.exe. Optionally[*] download lame_enc.dll and bladeenc.dll (see links at http://www.dago.pmp.com.pl/messer/) and put them into windows/system directory or into directory in which messer.exe is installed. [*] you'll need at least one to use built in mp3 compression support and on-the-fly encoding (for on-the-fly encoding lame_enc.dll is recommended, since it is much faster). ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. General usage. Program combines simple sound recorder with scheduler, thus allows you to start and end your recording at specified time. A few extensions were added to allow process recorded file with external application and/or shut down computer after recording (and processing) is done. Program can run in two modes (described below in details): - manual, when scheduler isn't running, and application works as normal, simple sound recording software - automatic, with scheduler enabled, when application looks forward for scheduled jobs ("sessions") and automatically starts/stops recording. A new tool ("advanced stop") allows to change manual session to kind of scheduled session (this can be done even if manual session is already running). It also has possibilities to alter output files and stop recording according to silence detection. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.1. Manual recording When one disables scheduler (by clicking clock icon on application bar - it becomes grayed when mouse pointer isn't over it) button "Record" on "Recording monitor" folder (and in menu available by right-clicking on application recording indicator) becomes enabled. Simply press this button to record sound. When "Default wave files location" in option is left blank you'll be prompted for location and name, otherwise recording starts immediately (for description how filename and sound properties are chosen when recording manually see point 4.). Recording can be paused (then resumed) and stopped at any moment. No further processing is done on wave file. Sound properties (channels, sampling rate and size and compression) for manual sessions is set under "Configuration" folder) Note: mp3 encoding is really cpu-eating operation, so your computer must be fast to be able to do this and produce mp3 file on-the-fly without gaps. Try using lame_enc.dll rather than bladeenc.dll, since Lame is much faster. You may also try disable recording monitor during on-the-fly encoding. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.2. Scheduled recording. When scheduler is enabled it waits for nearest session start and then recording automatically begins. If program fails to open file in given location it tries to open file in "default wave files location" (see options and configuration). Scheduled recording can be paused or stopped as manual recording, by pressing proper buttons. Otherwise it is stopped automatically at planned moment. After recording is done Messer can do the following actions (if enabled and planned in scheduler): - normalize recorded wave file (e.g. maximize peak level value) - process just recorded wave/mp3 file with external application (or just in fact run any program user tell him to run) and then keep or delete wave/mp3 file. This can be used for example to automatically compress sound with mp3 codec or other method to save your disk space. - encode recorded wave into mp3 format using freeware BladeEnc.dll or Lame_Enc.dll encoding library. - Shut down the computer. NOTES: - normalizing, post-recording command and shutdown are NOT performed if you stop scheduled session manually. - If "delete wave file after session" is checked it IS performed even if your post-command fails (so, be careful - you may loose your recording) If no shutdown is planned application simply waits for next scheduled session. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.3. Advanced stop tool This is an extension for manual recording sessions, which can be reached from options menu at "recording monitor" folder. One can choose : - disable advanced stop, which means that recording can be stopped only when user presses "stop" button. - stop recording automatically after XX minutes, which allows to automatically stop recording after specified amount of time. Time to stop can be measured from recording start, or from the moment the new advanced stop settings were applied - stop when detecting XX seconds of silence, which allows Messer to automatically detect that recording should be stopped when no usefull data is received by soundcard. In this option user can adjust maximal "silence" level (any sound below this level is treated as silence, or, in other words, useless noise) and minimal length of silence which makes recording to stop. This option allows also to split recording into pieces - when option "restat recording in new file instead of stopping it" is selected Messer stops recording and automatically restarts it in new file. This cycle can go on forever (or util user manually stops recording), or can be automatically stopped when Messer detects longer piece of silence (option "finally stop recording..."). In addition there is "shutdown computer after recording" option. Almost all the settings are active after user presses "OK" or "Apply". Only silence level setting is activated automatically while user id changing it. "OK" applies new settings and closes the window. "Apply" applies new settings leaving "Advanced stop" window visible "Cancel" returns to last applied settings and closes the window. Note: all these settings can be changed and applied even if recording session is already running. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.4. Previewing recorded files Double-click chosen session in scheduler list to start playing wave file if available, or right click chosen session and select "play" from context menu. Double click again (or unselect "play") to stop. [Note: previewing works only with PCM wave files, for other files (mp3 etc.) program tries to open them using associated application] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1.5. dropping wav files from Explorer on Messer's window Messer can be used as a simple file processing tool. Simply define commands that should process file (either external programs or built in compressors) in configuration box, then drag and drop selected wave files on Messer. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Using session manager (scheduler) To add session: - Click "Session manager" folder (available when Messer is not recording) - Enter session parameters (day and time session starts, day and time session end, filename where recorded sound should be stored) - Check option "shutdown computer after session" if you want your computer to be shutdown when recording is done. - Click "more" to set other options (if you need to) - if file should be normalized after recording check option "Normalize" and enter level of your choice (from -90 to 0 dB) [this option is available only if destination is a PCM wave file] - If file should be processed after recording enter "post-command". NOTE: Every % (percent) in your command will be replaced with name of the recorded file, without extension. - File can be also processed with supported free bladeenc.dll or lame_enc.dll mp3 encoding library (simply click [mp3] button near post-command entry and choose needed bitrate) [this option is available only if destination is a PCM wave file] - Check option "delete destination file after command" (if needed) - Choose properties (number of channels, sample size and rate) of sound - If destination is an mp3 file (has "mp3" extension) - choose compression - If you want to go back to main options click "back" - Click "Add" - your parameters will be checked and (if no errors occurs) added to scheduler. If any error occurs a popup window with description will show up and session won't be added. To update session: - Click session you want to update in scheduler window - Edit session parameters (as described in "add session") - Click "update" To delete session: - Click session you want to delete in scheduler window - Click "delete" (or press delete key) and confirm deletion in popup window that shows up. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. Scheduler context menu (Note: most of the Messer's controls has its own context menus - so try right-click on various places to discover them) Right click selected session in scheduler list to pop up context menu with following options: - delete session allowing you to delete session from scheduler - start this session now allowing to adjust session start time that recording immediately begins. This option is enabled only for nearest available session, and last unfinished session. - toggle shutdown allowing to change (yes <-> no) shutdown option for session - toggle delete as above for delete option The following options are available only if session's destination file exists: - play plays the wave file (for other formats - opens file in external player configured in system) - maximize peak normalizes wave file peak level to 0 dB - mp3 encode encodes wave file to mp3 compressed format, using BladeEnc.dll or Lame_enc.dll library - run command runs any command on recorded wave file (this submenu consists of all commands used previously in post-recording option) - delete file removes file from disk (note: file IS NOT moved to Trash, but immediately removed) ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Recording monitor and options during the recording A few controls allows you to monitor recording level (during and before recording), recorded file length and time left to session end. Recording level monitor can be disabled/enabled by (un)checking checkbox on "Recording monitor" folder. In "Options" menu you can disable post-commands(*), computer shutdown or even tell application to ignore session end. If so, such events won't be executed even if they were planned in scheduler. A thin indicator (over "total recorded" caption) shows current CPU in percent (this can be useful while compressing sound on-the-fly; if CPU is 100% most of the time, and is not consumed by other applications then your PC is probably too slow for selected compression) Simple mixer can be used to adjust playing/recording level. Right-click mixer slider and choose the mixer control you'd like to adjust (e.g. the source you're recording from), then drag slider's handle to change level. (*) note that this also disables normalizing and deleting ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Options and configuration Choose "Options and configuration" folder and follow detailed instructions there. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 6. Runtime errors Application tries to catch all of the errors during recording. If an error occurs the error icon shows up on Messer's status bar - move mouse over it to see error description, double click to hide it. If log file is enabled (see point 4) errors are also stored there. Runtime errors (exceptions) are also displayed that way, but not stored in logfile. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. What's planned - support for MPEG2 compression possibilities of LameEnc and BladeEnc - support for GoGo mp3 encoder - support for Monkey's Audio looseless audio compressor - support for FAAC (MPEG4) encoder (as soon as authors release dll library and frontend) - support for ACM Windows system codecs (e.g. wma format) - tool for automatical adjusting recording level - disk space detection allowing safely stop recording before HDD is filled, leaving specified amount of free space - "pre-recording" command, allowing to run specified program before scheduled recording begins (e.g. run RealPlayer, or radio card software...) - new scheduler allowing more advanced planning (everyday sessions, sessions on specified day of week etc.) - allowing to pause recording on silence detection, then restart on nonsilent signal. - "just in time recording" tool, allowing to "remember" sound that has happened a few minutes ago, so when you hear you've just missed beggining of long awaited song, you can still press "record" and have ALL the song recorded! - improve built in mixer ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 8. Authors, copyrights, etc. Messer - application for scheduled sound recording on PC © 2000 by Dariusz Sieradzki The software (Messer) is provided "as is". In no event shall the author, be liable for any consequential, special, incidental or indirect damages of any kind arising out of the delivery, performance or use of this software. Program was written by Darek Sieradzki . All elements (program and documentation) are owned by program's author. Messer is a freeware. You can download and use it, without any fee. If you'd like to include it in your shareware cd-rom or as add-on to some commercial product - contact me first at . BladeEnc.dll is copyrighted to Tord Jansson . For more information (and latest updates) check www page at http://bladeenc.mp3.no/ Lame_Enc.dll is provided under LGPL licence. For source code, latest updates and more information see http://www.sulaco.org/mp3/ ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. What's new ? v 0.98 (October 2000) * bug fixed: on screens with font resolution different than default 96 dpi Messer's main window is not cropped anymore * bug fixed: after changing drive in disk info and closing it, free storage indicator on main window's status bar was reverting back to default C: drive instead of keep watching user set drive. This wasn't my intention and is now corrected. * bug fixed: Windows older than Windows 95 OSR2 were complaining about missing function in KERNEL32.DLL (GetDiskFreeSpaceExA) and failing to run Messer. V 0.98 detects OS version and uses this function only if it is avialable. Note: pre-OSR2 users cannot correctly display capacity of disks larger than 2 GB, but at least now they can run Messer ;-) * configuration box now expands to full height of Messer window which makes it easier to use, I hope... * user can choose wether sessions should be saved in registry or in messer.ini file * Messer's window can be enlarged - try small "dot" on lower right side, or Alt+E (for all those who can't read those small letters - sometimes I can't read them myself ;-)). Warning: because of roundoff-errors components of messer window can be a bit misplaced and misshaped after repeated shrinking/enlarging. * user can specify output directory for dropped files processed with built in encoders * sound level meter rewritten from scratch (old one was a real mess...) * Messer again has a simple volume control built in * "faster" built-in mp3 encoding (Messer was wasting lots of time on displaying operation progress - shame....) * bug fixed (default sample size wasn't correctly restored at startup, but always set to 16 bit) * new tool: "Advanced stop" (under Recording Monitor->Options menu), allowing (even for already started manual recording) to stop manual session after specified time or when silence is detected. Also allows to automatically split recording to multiple files, basing on silence detection. v 0.97 (August 2000) : * support for recording with two more sample rates: 48000 Hz ("natural" sample rate for popular SBLive family soundcards) and 32000 Hz * all available samplerates can be compressed using Lame_Enc.dll * all available samplerates but the lowest (22050 Hz) can be compressed using BladeEnc.dll * some sample rate - bit rate combinations don't work with Lame_Enc.dll (although are supposed to do so, like 22050Hz with 320kBit/s) - Messer's code is now fixed not to hang in such cases. But I'm sure LameEnc team will fix that soon :-) * DiskInfo tool totally redesigned (there's too many variants to display them all in one list...) * DiskInfo tool bug fixed - free/total space larger than about 2GB were truncated to maximal integer value. Now disk space has 64 bits representation so it should be enough for a long time... * decided to remove internal mixer support (it wasn't very useful, and caused some errors while level-meter was running) * Gradient-filled peak level meters (slowly turns red at about -4 : -2 dB); gradient can be turned off (see level-meters context menu) * Messer can start minimized in systray * most of frequently refreshing labels are non-flickering now * bug fixed: when updating session with mp3 destination, compression properties were reset to default instead of keeping previously set * interface and internal improvements as usual :-) v 0.96 (June/July 2000) : * serious bug fixed: sometimes messages just after stopping the recording were not processed properly causing next session not to start if sessions was planned immediately one after another. The same thing was a reason for level monitor not "waking up" after stopping the recording - all those are fixed now. * bug removed: sometimes registry wasn't updated after session deletion * from now on every version uses its own registry key, allowing to run any other version without configuration conflicts * popup menu allowing to change level meter range * popup menu allowing to easily jump from one option to another in configuration * little changes in interface (status bar added, more functionality in shaded state) v 0.95 (June 2000) : * full LameEnc options support (including VBR encoding) (memset(&beConfig,0,sizeof(BE_CONFIG)) before setting parameters seems to fix the problem :-)) * sound level meter working more "smoothly" * fixed bug in on-the-fly mp3 compression using BladeEnc * total time estimation added to progress popup * id3 tag added for built in mp3 compression * external files dropped from explorer on Messer's window can be processed using supported mp3 compression libraries, or by any other "post-command" style command * tiny interface fixes/improovements as usual v 0.94 (May 2000): * support for Lame_Enc.dll mp3 compression (limited for now, because of some software problems) * on-the-fly mp3 compression, allowing user to store recorded sound directly into mp3 file (without any temporary wav files) * CPU load meter (allows to watch cpu usage while recording, useful especially during cpu-consuming on-the-fly mp3 encoding. * switching Messer from normal to high priority when recording * nasty bug in scheduler fixed (were causing some memory faults which may cause running session never stop) * other tiny changes/improovements v 0.93 (April/May 2000): first version available on-line. -----------------------------------------------------------------------