README.TXT for CodAxe V1.30 (released 8/5/98)




                    CodAxe V1.30
                    ------------

          (Copyright 1998 by Mathias Doenitz)




     Table of content:   1. What is CodAxe ?
                         2. Features
                         3. Installation
                         4. Directory Modes
                         5. Tips
                         6. Version history
                         7. Copyright stuff
                         8. Feedback and contact



1. What is CodAxe ?
-------------------

   CodAxe is a Graphical User Interface (GUI) to the
   Windows 95/NT Audio Codec Manager (ACM).
   It was designed to provide a convenient and efficient
   way of using the functionality of the audio compression
   (and decompression) drivers available for windows.
   It is NOT a Codec itself, and no Codecs are delivered
   with CodAxe.


2. Features
-----------

   - converting (recoding) of audio files to any compression
     codec that is available in the Windows ACM

   - capable "batch" processing:
     At this point I want to explain the basic idea behind
     CodAxe. The way CodAxe works isn't really batch
     processing like the one used in several other programs.
     CodAxe was designed to be a kind of "consumer" in
     a "producer-consumer" surrounding.
     Imagine the following scenario:
     You have got two computer connected together in a LAN.
     One acts as a kind of server and the other one is
     your workstation. Now you want to use the computing
     power of the server for certain tasks you dont want to
     stress you workstation with, e.g. recoding audio files.
     The thing you want to do is to move some files over to
     the server and get them recoded automatically (i.e.
     without the need of invoking any further process on the
     server). You simply move a file in a shared directory
     of the server and some minutes (or seconds) after you
     pick up the recoded one in another (or the same) place.
     CodAxe is able to provide exactly this functionality.

     It continuously looks for files in one (or several)
     directory(-ies) and activates a recoding job if a file
     shows up.

   - automatic spreading of recoded files over several
     disk volumes:
     You can specify a list of target directories CodAxe
     will create the recoded files in. The way these
     directories are filled depends on the selected
     operating mode (see section 4).

   - full priority control:
     You can easily change the priority of the recoding job
     to your needs (and for example still work normally on
     your machine if you set it to very low).

   - a suspend/resume function:
     You can easily suspend and resume the recoding job if
     you temporarily need full CPU performance for other
     tasks.

   - drag & drop support:
     You can directly drag directories from the any explorer
     windows into CodAxe's directory lists.

   - fully automatic background operation:
     If you put Codaxe in your Autostart folder it can run
     on startup minimized to the taskbar or the system tray.
     Codaxe can even power down your system after completion
     of all jobs ! (if your system supports soft power off)


3. Installation
---------------

   As CodAxe is a very "light-weight" program, no further
   setup is necessary.
   All you have to do is to unzip the archive to a
   directoy of you choice and start the EXE-file.

   Your registry won't get affected in any way !

   If you don't like CodAxe or decide to abandon usage
   simply delete all files and CodAxe is gone.



4. Directory Modes
------------------

   Since version 1.20 CodAxe offers several directory modes:

   - classical:
     Up to version 1.20 there was only one way the specified
     target directories were filled: one after the other as
     free space on the different drives was dropping below
     the specified MB limit.
     This mode is still available as the "classical" mode.

   - direct link:
     In this mode the files of a source directory go
     directly to its corresponding target directory, i.e.
     the first source dir gets recoded the the first target
     dir, the second to the second and so on. So you can
     assign each source directory its own target directory.
     If there are less target dirs than source dirs the last
     target dir takes all the rest.
     If the free space in the corresponding target dir sinks
     below the free space limit then recoding goes on to the
     next target dir (if this fills up to the next and so on).

   - rebound:
     This mode is the simpliest (but one of the most wanted
     features ... :-). It simply writes every file back to
     its source directory. The target dirs have no function.

   Additionally you can specify a root directory of a whole
   directory branch and let CodAxe create the same directory
   structure in the target dir(s).



5. Tips
-------

   Most of the interface elements will be self
   explaining, but here are some useful hints:

   - Copy buffer:

        The preferences dialog allows you to specify a
        copy buffer size (let's call it X):
        CodAxe internally reads X KBytes from the source
        file and writes them through the target codec
        to the destination file. Then a screen update is
        performed. If you set this value too high the update
        of the progress bar and the time info will be too
        slow, if you set it too low you will waste CPU
        time with dispensable screen updates.
        Try to find a value that updates the screen once or
        twice a second and you will be fine.

    - Changing settings while a job is running:

        You will notice that you can change all settings
        while a recoding job is running or while it is
        suspended.
        It's no problem if you do so, if you know when
        the changes will be applied.
        If you change source or target directories, the
        target format, recoding mode (speed/quality),copy
        buffer size,... while a job is running the changes
        will apply when the next job is started (not when
        the current job is resumed).
        If you change the way source files are treated after
        successful recoding your changes will already apply
        to the current job.

    - Shared network directories

        You can specify directories directly by their
        network name like '\\ray\wavs2encode\' if you want
        to but if you do so CodAxe is unable to determine
        the amount of free space in that directory.
        Additionally CodAxe would block for several
        seconds if a former network resource isn't
        accessible any more (You may know this effect
        from your daily work on shared resources ...).
        That's why CodAxe doesn't remember such
        directories from the last session.
        The best way to handle shared network
        directories is to map them to an explicit drive
        letter (like "P:\"). This also enables CodAxe to
        see how much space is left on that drive.

    - Selection of "What to do if target file exists":

        If you specify "Treat source files like already
        processed" and selected "Delete" on the left side
        be aware of the fact that source files will be
        deleted without any further comment if there is a
        file with the same name as the target file in the
        destination directory, even if it's just empty or
        invalid in any other way !

    - Selection of high speed / high quality:

        This selection only tells the codec what encoding
        mode you'd like to use. Whether this selection
        has any effect depends on the abilities of the
        specific codec.
        Not all codecs support different modes.

    - Running more than one CodAxe on the same source dirs

        Although CodAxe does not explicitly prevent you
        from doing so, it is not reasonable to run more
        than one incarnation of CodAxe at the same time on
        a single-CPU machine because the task-switching
        between the two or more CodAxes will waste time.
        But you may want to run CodAxe more than once at
        a time on a multi processor machine (if you are the
        lucky owner of such a computer).
        Probably the most common reason for running more
        than one job at a time on the same set of source
        file directories is the wish to use the computing
        power of several computers connected together by
        a LAN.
        If more than one CodAxe run on the same source
        files there is the problem of preventing CodAxe
        from starting jobs other computers are already
        dealing with. Currently CodAxe simply checks
        whether a source file is already opened by other
        programs. In that case the file is ignored.
        Most of the time this will allow multiple recoding.
        There is only one small chance for misoperation:
        For deleting (or moving) the source file it's
        necessary for the file to be closed. That means
        that in the short time between closing and deleting
        a source file is unprotected from being opened
        by other recoding jobs. In this case the job trying
        to delete (or move) the file will stop with an
        error message and the other job will overwrite
        the already generated target file (if you
        configured CodAxe for Overwriting).
        But as I already mentioned the probability for this
        to happen is rather small.
        Comments on multiple recoding with CodAxe are
        (like all others) greatly appreciated.


6. Version history
------------------


    Version 1.00 (28/4/98)

        first public release

    Version 1.01 (29/4/98)

        - fix of a time info problem with jobs running over
          midnight
        - The time a job is suspended is not counted any
          more.

    Version 1.05 (5/6/98)

        - included selection of high speed / high quality
          recoding
          (all prior versions _always_ used high quality !)
        - added "Delete/Move source file" option in case of
          selection of "Stop after finishing this file"
        - first release on the homepage

    Version 1.06 (5/23/98)

        - Bugfix:
          The target format selection and saving sometimes
          didn't work properly (wrong formats were written)
        - Bugfix:
          The size of the main window didn't adapt correctly
          if the system wide font size was set to "large".
        - Bugfix:
          CodAxe hang if you entered more than one source
          format and pressed the "select-source-folder-button".
        - The currently set target format is preselected
          properly now when opening the target format
          selection dialog

    Version 1.10 (6/2/98)

        - Bugfix:
          The target files were slightly bigger than
          necessary (in almost every case, depending on
          the copy buffer setting).
        - Bugfix:
          Files with more than one "." like "R.E.M.wav"
          were not processed correctly.
        - Bugfix:
          CodAxe hang if you selected a certain combination
          of "Stop after this file", "Delete source file"
          and "Treat source files as already processed".
        - Bugfix:
          If you tried to generate a stereo file out of a
          mono file (which is not allowed) the error was
          not reported properly.
        - Added target drive free space info
        - Simplified directory handling
        - Added drag & drop support:
          You can now drag directories directly from the
          explorer into the lists.
        - Added playback of a WAV-file option for the
          notification of job completion

    Version 1.11 (6/20/98)

        - Bugfix:
          On startup a messagebox showing an error poped up
          for every directory which has been deleted or
          renamed since the last run.
        - Bugfix:
          Sometimes CodAxe blocked for some seconds if a
          former network resource was not accessible any more.
        - Added percentage and file information of the current
          job the application title so that you can see what's
          going on even with the CodAxe window minimized.

    Version 1.20 (7/1/98)

        - GUI heavily revised (main window is smaller now)
        - Added two new directory modes (see section 4)
        - Added "Recurse subdirectories" and
          "Copy relative directory structures" options
        - Changed a lot "under the hood"
       (-> Added new bugs ? ;-)

    Version 1.20a (7/7/98)

        - Bugfix: Sometimes files or directories weren't found
                  correctly
        - Bugfix: Sometimes the "Try-Again time" could not
                  properly specified.

    Version 1.30 (8/5/98)

        - Added system tray option
        - Added new "Anti Overwrite Mode"
        - Added instant go and instant minimize on startup
        - Added power down option (Does it work under NT ?)
        - from now on all error messages should pop up in front
        - minor bugfixes and changes


7. Copyright stuff
------------------

    This software is FREEWARE, you are free to use it at no
    charge. It may be distributed freely, as long as it is
    not sold commercially without permission from me
    <Mathias.Doenitz@gmx.net>.
    Spreading this software and its documentation by
    electronic networks or including it on CD ROMs
    containing other free software is explicitly permitted
    even when a modest distribution fee is charged for the
    CD, as long as this software is not a primary selling
    argument for the CD.
    However, the program and its documentation must stay
    unchanged and complete, including copyright notice
    and disclaimer in all parts.


    THIS PRODUCT IS SUPPLIED AS IS. The author disclaims all
    warranties, expressed or implied, including, without
    limitation, the warranties of merchantability and of
    fitness for any purpose. The author assumes no liability
    for damages, direct or consequential, which may result
    from the use of this product.


    CodAxe uses parts of a freeware ACM-Toolkit not written
    by me but a person called Armin Sander.
    These parts are (c) 1997 by Armin Sander and Digital
    SimpleX GmbH.
    Thanks to them for making CodAxe possible.



8. Feedback and contact information
-----------------------------------


    The main part of this software was written within only 6
    days and probably isn't bugfree. I wrote it primarily
    for myself and thought it may be of use for others too.
    All comments, critics, opinions, bugreports or anything
    else related to this program are greatly appreciated if
    sent to the following address:

               Mathias.Doenitz@gmx.net


    Look on the CodAxe homepage "http://codaxe.home.pages.de/"
    for updated versions !

