MacFormat 1995 March/macformat-022.iso/Shareware City/Sound/cd-coyote-20/CD Coyote 2.0 Readme

Text File | 1994-11-23 | 11.8 KB | 298 lines | [TEXT/R*ch]

CD Coyote 2.0 Readme

<There is a HTML version of this Readme at
http://www.uta.fi/~eesau/macintosh.html>

CD Coyote is a program for CD-ROM drive users who listen to audio CD's and
have written disc information to CD Remote DA or AppleCD Audio Player.  With
CD Coyote You can edit the information saved with the CD player without
inserting the CD to the CD-ROM drive.  You can also merge many 'CD Remote
Prefs' files to just one so You can share 'CD Remote Prefs' files with your
friends.  The only feature in the 1.0.1 version is still there, only made
better.  It means that You can save the informatin to a TEXT file with more
options.  And hey! CD Coyote is still FREE!

System Requirements

CD Coyote needs System 7 or later to run.  When launched it checks if System
7 is present and if not it displays an error message and quits.
You also need to have CD Remote or AppleCD Audio Player (or to be precise the
CD Remote Programs file) to get the information from.

How to use?

CD Coyote has full Balloon Help.  To learn how to use it just turn on Balloon
Help and start using it.  However here is a description of the program.

When You launch CD Coyote it tries to find CD Remote Programs file from
the Preferences folder and from the System folder.  If it finds it You are
ready to use CD Coyote.  If it doesn't find the CD Remote Programs file You
have to set that by hand by pressing the Set... button in the CD Coyote
window and locate the file from the open dialog that appears.  You may also
drag-and-drop any CD Remote Programs file to the CD Coyote icon and CD Coyote
will use that file.  Current CD Remote Programs file is displayed in the top
of window and if none is set it displays text 'File not found in the
Preferences or System folder'.

NOTE!  CD Coyote saves all the changes You make to the 'CD Remote Prefs'
database IMMEDIATELY after you have done them.  This is NOT undoable!  The
only way to get back what You had in a text field is to write it again.
Saving is done every time You change text editing field in the window; that
means that You can undo writing (or Cutting, Pasteing etc.) as long as You
edit the same field.  Remember to make an backup copy of your original 'CD
Remote Programs' file before editing it.  CD Coyote may corrupt the file,
especially when merging files and there is not enough memory to do it.

CD Coyote window

The window is divided into three areas:
On the top of the window there is two rows of text.  First says 'Current 'CD
Remote Programs' file:' and the second is the path to that file.  If no file
is found the second line says 'File not found in the Preferences or System
folder'.  To the right of these rows there is button Set… which is used to
set the CD Remote Programs file CD Coyote uses.

In the middle is the Disc list.  Over the list is displayed the total number
of discs in the database. If the database is empty but readable then text
'current 'CD Remote Programs' file is empty' is displayed.  If this is the
case You can still merge another file into this but obviously You can't save
the list as TEXT.  In the list is four discs visible and on the right of the
list is scrollbar that you can scroll other discs to sight.  Currently
selected disc has its number boldfaced.

On the bottom is the track list.  Over the list is displayed how many tracks
is on the currently selected disc and also the total number of tracks on all
discs.  In the list is ten tracks visible and on the right there is again a
scrollbar to scroll other tracks to sight.

The window is not resizeable nor are the the two lists.  You can move the
window anywhere on screen and CD Coyote remembers that position next time
You use it.  Also there is a closebox which when clicked quits CD Coyote.

Editing the info in the database

To edit disc or track name just click on it and a black frame is drawn around
it and the text is selected and editable.  When editing the normal text edit
functions in the Edit menu are usable.  If You press tab or return keys when
disc is currently selected then the first track in the tracklist is selected.
Always when a track is selected and tab or return is pressed the next track
is selected.  If the last track is selected and tab or return is pressed the
disc title is selected.  And remember: all changes are saved right after You
have done them.

When editing the text in field You are able to type only 62 characters.  This
limitation is there because this is how AppleCD Audio Player works.  I have
no idea why.  Also when Pasteing text to a field if it will be more than 62
characters the text will not be pasted.  If the text to be pasted includes
returns they are converted to spaces.

Menus and what they do

Apple menu
    About CD Coyote…        Displays an about dialog.

File menu
    Save As TEXT…        Saves disc info to the disk as a TEXT file.  All
                        options from 'Saving List…' dialog are used.

    Merge File…            Merges another 'CD Remote Prefs' file to currently
                        open file.  Options from 'Merging Files…' dialog
                        are used.

    Close                Quits CD Coyote.  Same as clicking the windows
                        close box.

    Quit                Quits CD Coyote.  Same as clicking the windows
                        close box.

Edit menu
    Undo                Undoes the last action if it is undoable. Undoable
                        actions are text editing within one field.

    Cut                    Normal text editing functions.
    Copy
    Paste
    Clear

    Select All            Selects the text in the currently active text
                        editing field.

    Preferences            Has two submenus: Saving List… and Merging Files…
                        which both open an preferences dialog.

Saving List preferences dialog

CD Coyote allows You to set various options that affect the information and
layout of the output file when Save As TEXT is selected in the File menu.
Options are set by clicking appropriate buttons. Options and their meanings
are:

Option                Meaning

Get CD Titles        If this option is checked CD Coyote will get the CD
                    titles.  If not checked, the titles are omitted.

Number Titles        If this option is checked CD Coyote will number the CD
                    titles.  If not checked, the titles are not numbered.  If
                    You didn't check the Get CD Titles this has no effect.

Get Track Names        If this option is checked CD Coyote will get the track
                    names.  If not checked, the tracks are omitted.

Number Titles        If this option is checked CD Coyote will number the
                    track names.  If not checked, the tracks are not
                    numbered.  If You didn't check the Get Track Names this
                    has no effect.

Delimiter:

Between Each Disc    This option lets You choose whether to put a tab,
                    return or some other mark between each discs' info.
                    See more about this at chapter 'Special note about the
                    Other Delimiter field'.

Before Track List    Same as Disc Delimiter only now between disc title and
                    the tracks.  See more about this at chapter 'Importing
                    disc list to a database or a spreadsheet program'.

Between Each Track     Same as Disc Delimiter only now between tracks.

Empty Line Between Discs    If this option is checked CD Coyote will add
                            an empty line after each disc.

Empty Line After Disc Title    If this option is checked CD Coyote will add
                            an empty line after disc title.  Note that if
                            You are only saving the disc titles and have
                            both Empty Line Between Discs and Empty Line
                            After Disc Title checked You will get two
                            empty lines between the titles.

TEXT File Creator    Allows You to specify creator for the output file.
                    You can either select one from the popup menu or
                    write one by yourself to the field.  If You write
                    one it will be added to the popup menu.  Note that
                    only the first four characters of the field are used
                    as a creator.  If You write less than four characters
                    ?'s are added to the creator to get four characters.
                    Predefined creators in the popup menu are:
                    R*ch - BBEdit
                    ttxt - TeachText
                    WORD - MacWrite
                    MWII - MacWrite II
                    MSWD - MicroSoft Word

Special note about the Other Delimiter field

If Other is selected CD Coyote will parse the field as follows:
If the first character in the field is ^ then any numbers after it are read
as decimal numbers and used as a ASCII value.  For example: ^65 means ASCII
65 which is A.
If the first character in the field is $ then any hexadecimal numbers after
it are read as hexadecimal numbers and used as a ASCII value.  For example:
$4A means ASCII 74 which is J.

Merging Files preferences dialog

This dialog has only three radio buttons that affect the way CD Coyote
behaves when a disc found in the file to be merged is allready in the
database.

If 'Never replace' is choosed CD Coyote ignores the disc in the new file
and leaves the original in the database.
If 'Confirm before replacing' is choosed CD Coyote asks if the disc should
be replaced or not.
If 'Replace without confirming' is choosed CD Coyote will replace the disc
without asking if it shoud replace it.

It is always a good idea to make a backup copy of Your original 'CD Remote
Programs' file before merging files.

Importing disc list to a database or a spreadsheet program

If You are using CD Coyote to save list of the discs and want to import
that list to a database or a sreadsheet program there are a couple of
things You should know.  Use return as delimiter between each disc and tab
before track list and between aech track.  Both empty line between discs and
titles should be unchecked.  When these options are in effect and You save
the output file You can import it to most database or sreadsheet programs as
tabulated text.  When You import the file set the record delimiter to return
and field delimiter to tab.

FileMaker Pro users can use the Other field to make tracks an repeating
field.  Use return as delimiter between each disc and tab before track list.
Between each track choose Other and write to the other field '^29' or '$1D'
(without quotes).  This is the value that FileMaker Pro as a delimiter
between its repeating fields.  When You import the saved list to FM Pro
first make a repeating field and when importing put the tracks go to that
field.

Why the name CD Coyote?

Someone asks this anyway so here it is  :-)
I happen to be a great fan of Wile E. Coyote and this is a tribute to him.

Thanks to

Kätsä Lähteenaho for the Icons and the Wile picture in the About box.
Matthew Xavier Mora for the PathNameFromFSSpec function.
My kids Tytti and Aleksanteri who love to watch cartoons with me.
Wile E. Coyote - The Greatest Genius In History.
Heini for being there.
[e-mail] & Michael Whitney <[e-mail]> for
telling me about FileMaker Pro's repeating fields.

DISCLAIMER

Use at Your own risk.  I don't take any responsibility of the damages
CD Coyote may cause.  It hasn't caused any as far as I know.

Redistribution

CD Coyote copyright © 1993-1994 by Esa Ristilä.
CD Coyote is distributed FREE of all charges.  Distribute unmodified
copies freely as long as this Readme file is included in the package and
no money is charged.
If You wish to include CD Coyote on a commercial CD-ROM, BBS or other package
ask for a written permission.  You are very likely to get it.

Contacting the author
Bugreports, donations and postcards most welcome  :-)

Postcards:    Esa Ristilä
            Ratakatu 11 as. 11
            33250 TAMPERE
            FINLAND

Email:        [e-mail]

WWW:        http://www.uta.fi/~eesau/

IRC:        eesau

Version history

CD Coyote 2.0 - 25th of October 1994

    Ability to edit all disc titles and track names without inserting the CD
    to the CD-ROM drive.

    Ability to merge many 'CD Remote Prefs' files to one.

    New user interface.

    Saving list to a TEXT file has new option.  It is now possible to use any
    character as delimiter between the fields.

CD Coyote 1.0.1 - 12th of October 1993

    Added to look for CD Remote Programs file from System folder too.   The
    assumption that the file is always in the Preferences folder occurred to
    be fairly stupid.

    Removed the automatic save when CD Remote Programs file was
    drag-and-dropped to CD Coyote.

CD Coyote 1.0 - 7th of October 1993

    First release