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diff --git a/dumb/dumb-kode54/docs/faq.txt b/dumb/dumb-kode54/docs/faq.txt new file mode 100644 index 00000000..63913f76 --- /dev/null +++ b/dumb/dumb-kode54/docs/faq.txt @@ -0,0 +1,264 @@ +TO DO: add question regarding set_close_button_callback vs set_window_close_hook
+TO DO: add question regarding mixing of DJGPP and MinGW object files
+
+/* _______ ____ __ ___ ___
+ * \ _ \ \ / \ / \ \ / / ' ' '
+ * | | \ \ | | || | \/ | . .
+ * | | | | | | || ||\ /| |
+ * | | | | | | || || \/ | | ' ' '
+ * | | | | | | || || | | . .
+ * | |_/ / \ \__// || | |
+ * /_______/ynamic \____/niversal /__\ /____\usic /| . . ibliotheque
+ * / \
+ * / . \
+ * faq.txt - Frequently Asked Questions. / / \ \
+ * | < / \_
+ * This file covers some of the common problems | \/ /\ /
+ * and misconceptions people have with DUMB. If \_ / > /
+ * your problem is not covered here, please | \ / /
+ * contact me. I'll do my best to help - but | ' /
+ * don't be offended if I just direct you to the \__/
+ * manual!
+ */
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* I get a lot of strange warnings and errors when I compile my projects *
+* with this release of DUMB. They work with older versions! What happened? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ Some parts of DUMB's API have been deprecated. See docs/deprec.txt for
+ full details, including an explanation as to why your compiler warnings
+ and errors are so unfriendly, and information on how to fix each warning
+ or error.
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* When I try to compile DUMB with Allegro, it complains that it cannot find *
+* 'internal/alconfig.h'! What's wrong? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ In Allegro 4.0.1, and quite likely some other versions of Allegro, the
+ msvcmake batch file does not install Allegro properly. I believe this was
+ fixed in Allegro 4.0.2, but don't take my word for it. Some include files
+ are neglected, including alconfig.h. The fix is quite easy; you need to
+ copy all of Allegro's include files to your compiler's directory. The
+ following should do this for you (alter it accordingly depending on where
+ MSVC and Allegro are installed):
+
+ cd\progra~1\msvc\include
+ xcopy/s \allegro\include\*.*
+
+ You can safely tell it to overwrite all files.
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* When I build a project that uses DUMB, I get an error that it doesn't *
+* find -laldmbd! What's wrong? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ See the notes for DUMB v0.8 in release.txt; the existence of libaldmbd.a
+ in DUMB v0.7 was due to a mistake in the makefiles. It should be
+ libaldmd.a, in order to maintain DOS compatibility. All subsequent
+ releases get it right, but you will have to change your project files to
+ allow for the change. If this is someone else's project, please let them
+ know that it needs changing.
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* When I build a project that uses DUMB, I get some linker errors about *
+* _free, _malloc, etc. already being defined in LIBC.lib! What's wrong? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ MSVC offers three different implementations of the standard libraries.
+ When you link statically with a library, you have to use the same
+ implementation that the library uses. You need the multithreaded DLL
+ implementation, which you can select by passing /MD when you compile (not
+ when you link). See howto.txt for details.
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* I created an IT file with Impulse Tracker, but DUMB won't play it! Why? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ You probably created some patterns but didn't give any information on the
+ order in which they should be played. Impulse Tracker will also fail to
+ play your music if you press F5. Press F11 and you will have an
+ opportunity to create an order list, required for playback.
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* I created an IT file with ModPlug Tracker and I have it fading out at the *
+* end. Why won't it loop when I play it with DUMB? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ It loops at zero volume. This is what Impulse Tracker itself does. Fix the
+ IT file by setting the global volume explicitly (Vxx in the effects
+ column), either at the start, or right at the end before looping. Also see
+ the next two questions.
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* My module plays too loud and distorts badly with DUMB! What can I do? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ This problem is most often caused by ModPlug Tracker, which has a complete
+ lack of regard for the playback volume of the original tracker. See the
+ next question for DUMB's official position with regard to ModPlug Tracker.
+ If you wrote your module with ModPlug Tracker, please try loading it with
+ the original tracker and see if it distorts there too. If it does, reduce
+ the volume. If not, then it's a problem with DUMB; please let me know.
+
+ If for whatever reason you cannot modify the module file itself, you can
+ make it sound better by reducing the volume passed to al_start_duh().
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* I created a music module with ModPlug Tracker, and DUMB doesn't play it *
+* right! *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ DUMB cannot and will not support ModPlug Tracker. Please see
+ docs/modplug.txt for details. The original trackers, which DUMB is
+ designed to mimic as closely as possible, are listed in readme.txt.
+ If you find DUMB plays your module differently from the original tracker,
+ then please contact me.
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* My program crashes as soon as I try to load anything with DUMB! *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ Please take my advice and use the debugging build of DUMB, not the
+ optimised build. Then you'll probably find it aborts instead of crashing.
+ In this case you probably forgot to register a DUMBFILE system; this is
+ necessary for loading stand-alone files, though not for loading Allegro
+ datafiles with embedded music. Follow the instructions in docs/howto.txt
+ carefully and you shouldn't have this problem.
+
+ If DUMB crashes with a specific music module, please let me know.
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* I want to use the stdio file access functions to load stand-alone music *
+* files, but I also want to load datafiles containing music files. The docs *
+* say I shouldn't call both dumb_register_stdfiles() and *
+* dumb_register_packfiles(). What shall I do? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ When you register a DUMBFILE system, it only applies to files opened with
+ dumbfile_open(), i.e. separate files. When a file is embedded in a
+ datafile, dumbfile_open_ex() is used to read it, enabling it to use
+ PACKFILEs regardless of which DUMBFILE system is registered. In short, you
+ do not need to call dumb_register_packfiles() in order to load datafiles
+ with embedded music. See the section on "Sequential File Input" in
+ docs/dumb.txt if you're interested in how all this works.
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* I want to read a specific object in a datafile using Allegro's *
+* "demo.dat#MY_MUSIC" syntax. Why won't it work? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ Did you call dumb_register_packfiles(), or did you call
+ dumb_register_stdfiles()? It will only work if you use the former.
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* My program runs, but no music plays! What am I doing wrong? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ There are a number of possible causes for this. The most likely reason is
+ that you aren't calling al_poll_duh(); see docs/howto.txt for further
+ information.
+
+ Other possible causes are as follows:
+
+ - The speakers are turned down (duh)
+ - The volume of some system mixer is turned down
+ - Another program is using the sound card (not a problem for most modern
+ systems)
+ - You didn't initialise Allegro's sound system; see install_sound() in
+ Allegro's docs
+ - Allegro's drivers don't work on your system and chosen platform
+
+ In order to narrow down the cause, consider the following:
+
+ - Do you get any other sound from your program?
+ - Do other Allegro+DUMB programs generate sound?
+ - Do other Allegro programs generate sound?
+ - Do other non-Allegro programs generate sound?
+ - Does your program fail only on a specific platform (e.g. DOS but not
+ Windows)?
+
+ This problem is highly system-specific; please try hard to solve it by
+ yourself before contacting me. However, if you think this problem could
+ affect other people, please let me know what the problem is and how you
+ fixed it, if you did. Be as specific as possible.
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* The music stutters! What can I do? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ If you have an older computer, it may not be able to cope with the load.
+ Try reducing quality options; look up dumb_resampling_quality and
+ dumb_it_max_to_mix in docs/dumb.txt, and consider changing the frequency
+ you pass to al_start_duh().
+
+ Stuttering may not be caused by excessive load. To find out, try
+ increasing the buffer size passed to al_start_duh(). Beware of making it
+ too big though; older systems will freeze periodically if it's too big,
+ because they render larger chunks less frequently. The timing of callbacks
+ will also be less accurate, if you are using those.
+
+ If you're using the 'dumbplay' example, you can control these parameters
+ by editing dumb.ini.
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* Why does DUMB use so much processor time compared with other players? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ This should be less so in this release than in previous releases; the
+ resampling and filtering algorithms have been optimised.
+
+ By default, DUMB uses the most expensive resampling quality option. I've
+ found on an AthlonXP 1800+ and on a Pentium 233 that it typically uses
+ about twice as much processor time as the least expensive option.
+
+ Try setting dumb_resampling_quality to DUMB_RQ_ALIASING or DUMB_RQ_LINEAR.
+ See dumb.txt for more information. If you're using the example programs,
+ you can control this variable by editing dumb.ini.
+
+ DUMB uses 32-bit ints for mixing. Some players use 16-bit ints, and are
+ therefore marginally faster (not much!) and lower quality. So you can't
+ expect DUMB to beat these players. Furthermore, DUMB is currently written
+ entirely in C. GCC does an impressive job on the C code, but that's not to
+ say some custom-written assembly language couldn't beat it ...
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* Why does DUMB generate so much background noise? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ You're probably using the DOS build on a system with bad Sound Blaster
+ compatibility (most Windows XP systems fall in this category). This would
+ mean DUMB could only access an 8-bit driver. The Windows build will almost
+ certainly give better results. Your DOS binary will still give good
+ results on systems with better compatibility (like my Windows 98 system).
+
+
+*****************************************************************************
+* I e-mailed you and you replied with "RTFM"! What does that mean? *
+*****************************************************************************
+
+ Read The Manual. If it's a specific problem, I'll probably be kind and
+ tell you where to look in the manual. However, if I get the impression you
+ haven't even looked for a solution in the manual, expect no mercy ...
+
+
+Ben Davis
+entheh@users.sf.net
+IRC EFnet #dumb
+See readme.txt for details on using IRC.
|