UltiMOD v1.2 UltiMOD is a native Gravis Ultrasound modplayer for OS/2 2.x or OS/2 Warp with MMPM/2 installed. ================================================================================ 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 Registration 9 Bug Reports 10 How to help improving UltiMOD 11 Standard disclaimer ================================================================================ 1 Features ================================================================================ - support for: - 4 channel, 31 and 15 instrument Protracker/Noisetracker files - 4 and 8 channel Startracker files - 6 and 8 channel Fasttracker files - MTM files - S3M files - XM files (beta) - ability to play samples inside a modfile at any note. - low overhead (measured on my 486 SX 25 Mhz computer using pulse and cpu tach) - 11 % (4 channels) - 12 % (6 channels) - 15 % (8 channels) - 19 % (16 channels) - support for songlists. (up to 512 files in one songlist) - Graphical user interface. (graphical push & volume buttons, slidebar etc) - Multithreaded. Two threads 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. - textmode version included - source code & info for device driver communication interface ================================================================================ 2 Installation ================================================================================ Install Robert Manley's MMPM/2 drivers. 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. To exit from Ultitext press Esc. Skipping a song while playing a songlist can be done by pressing 'n'. Usage: ULTITEXT /vXXX /pYY filename /vXXX - volume (0-100) /pXX - panning (chn 1: XX, chn 2 : 15 -XX etc) /noj - disable backward position jumps in songlist filename - songlist or modfile If you're a registered user, Ultitext can also read the settings stored inside 'ultimod.ini'. Just copy the ini-file used by UltiMOD to the directory with Ultitext. ******************************************************************************** ******************************************************************************** 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 tells UltiMOD so skip to the next song in the songlist. ================================================================================ 6 General Information ================================================================================ UltiMOD is shareware and needs to be registered after 30 days of use. Please see the registration section below for more details. Known problems: - ultraclicks with some s3m files (probably those with lots of balance slides) - some mtms don't play right at all (didn't have time to correct this; will do so in the next release) - XM support is in beta, so don't expect every module to play like it should. (bug reports are welcome) Future plans for UltiMOD: - finishing support XM music files - implementing faster device communication method (as described in EDMI/2 issue 3-7) to decrease CPU usage even more - 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 - John Rohland - Juha Kauppinen - Mark Ruys - Kari Sorsimo I hope you will enjoy UltiMOD, Sander van Leeuwen Meikoninginlaan 4 2645 NT Delfgauw the Netherlands email: s509475@dutiws.twi.tudelft.nl ================================================================================ 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: When I try to play a modfile nothing happens or OS/2 crashes. A: Did you install the MMPM/2 drivers and specify the correct irq/dma/address? If nothing helps, send me a bug report and we'll try to work it out. Q: What's wrong when UltiMOD reports it can't open the GUS MMPM/2 driver? A: You shouldn't have Dos/WinOS2 sessions running that use the GUS or initialize the GUS in autoexec.bat. Close them and try again. MMPM/2 applications should also be closed before running UltiMOD. Q: When I try to load a modfile, UltiMOD reports it can't load this file. A: There are two possibilities: - you don't have enough memory on your GUS to load all the instruments - the file you selected isn't a valid modfile ================================================================================ 8 REGISTRATION ================================================================================ You can use UltiMOD up to 30 days for free. If you continue to use it after this period, you should register. The unregistered version doesn't save its settings (options, balance settings, volume, window position etc) in an .ini file. This limitation is removed in the registered version. Registered users will receive a keycode that unlocks the registered features. (will work too in future versions) One registration and free updates for the rest your life. Users that send their registration form to Robert Manley should email him to receive the keycode. Reg.exe must be used to patch the device driver with the keycode. Usage: REG path\ultradd.sys Once the driver is registered, it won't display the shareware line at bootup. And UltiMOD won't say it's unregistered. European and African users should send their registration forms to me. Robert Manley handles registration for people in North- and South America. The rest of the world can pick whomever they want. To register UltiMOD please fill in the registration form and send it, along with a (euro)cheque for $25 US (cash is fine too, but please include bills only) to: Sander van Leeuwen Meikoninginlaan 4 2645 NT Delfgauw the Netherlands Name: __________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ Email : __________________________________________________ ================================================================================ 9 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 : ______ GUS hardware revision: ___ Codec Daughtercard? : _ (yes, no) Onboard GUS memory : ____ K ================================================================================ 10 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. ================================================================================ 11 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.