SoundExtractor is shareware and copyright by Alberto Ricci. If you use it or keep it, please send me $5 (checks or cash). If you think that╒s too much, send me whatever you think it╒s worth, or a postcard, but please do send me something. If you don╒t like it (I can╒t believe it╒s possible!), pass it along to your friends or trash it.
Please always include this document with the SoundExtractor application when you distribute it.
My address is:
Alberto Ricci
Corso De Gasperi, 45
10129 Torino, Italy
I╒d also be very glad to receive suggestions, bug reports, etc.. You can reach me on Internet as FRicci@polito.it or on CompuServe as 100010,3275 (on CompuServe probably only until August, 1992).
When you register, please send me your mail address and an e-mail one, if you have it (Internet, CompuServe, AppleLink, etc.), so that I can notify you of new versions.
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ÑÑÑ Distribution
You can (and are encouraged to) distribute SoundExtractor to anybody through electronic services or on disks, but SHAREWARE AUTHORS, INC owns the exclusive rights to the sale and distribution of SoundExtractor versions 1.31 and higher on CD-ROM and all other high capacity (over 2Mb) media. All other such distribution is strictly prohibited.
Contact me by mail or internet for more information.
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ÑÑÑ About Shareware Authors and the MacExclusives¬ CD-ROM
Shareware Authors Inc. is an organization dedicated to the advancement of the shareware philosophy in the Macintosh¿ world. The organization promotes the common good of Mac enthusiasts by sponsoring the upgrading of the best Macintosh shareware and freeware programs so that they remain compatible with new Macintosh models and System Software releases. It also sponsors the creation of new shareware and freeware programs. Most of the programs which are sponsored by SA Inc. can be distributed through BBSs, online services, as well as by user groups on 800K or 1.44Mb disks. However, only SA Inc. is licensed to distribute the programs on CD-ROM discs, since it publishes the programs in this format so as to compensate the authors. A central registration hot-line is planned so that users of these programs can register the programs by phone with a credit card and inquire about upgrades.
What is most important is how SA Inc. supports Mac shareware authors worldwide. The majority of the profits from sales of SA Inc. CD-ROM discs are distributed to the authors themselves. No other publisher of shareware compilations on diskette or CD-ROM does this. SA Inc. also works closely with the National Home & School Macintosh User Group, a nonprofit corporation which distributes the programs of over 200 authors worldwide through information services and networks, as well as by US mail to over 50 Apple¿ user groups. SA Inc. also provides quality control testing and feedback (bug reports/suggestions) for its participating authors.
The first disc to be published by Shareware Authors Inc. is the MacExclusives¬ ╥Most Useful & Fun Mac Programs╙ CD. It is a compilation of over 150 of the most useful and fun Macintosh shareware and freeware programs ╤ checkbook manager to arcade game. Most of the programs are upgrades and new programs which can be included on no other CD-ROM disc. Also included on the CD is a large library of the latest demo versions of commercial Macintosh programs of all types. The CD also contains thousands of pages of Macintosh articles, reviews, and information via a collection of over 100 issues of publications such as Home & School Mac, RevUser, and TidBITS. The user interface is a modified and upgraded version of Digital Diversion Software Inc.╒s acclaimed ╥Librarian╙ which provides descriptions, compatibility reports, and registration information about the programs, as well as the convenience to start most of the programs right from the ╥Librarian╙. Available: June 1992.
Suggested Retail Price: $49.00.
Price Direct From SA Inc.: $34.00 + $3.00 shipping/handling.
Orders from outside the US & Canada add $4.00 for Air Mail postage.
US and Canada: Checks & Money Orders in US$
Other Countries: Checks & Money Orders drawn on US bank in US$
Substantial discounts available for user groups. Special subscription rates are also available.
For more information about Shareware Authors Inc. CD-ROM discs, a complete listing of programs on the current version of the disc(s), and user group/subscription discount information, contact Bob Nordling: Shareware Authors Inc. ╨ P. O. Box 640876 ╨ Kenner, LA 70064 USA ╨ 504/465-0685 (or America Online: AFC MacFun ╨ AppleLink: Home.School ╨ CompuServe: 70521,1327 ╨ Internet: 70521.1327@CompuServe.com ╨ Genie: R.Nordling1).
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ÑÑÑ What is SoundExtractor?
Do you remember those sound suitcases created with utilities like SoundMover or SoundEdit? Each of them contained one or more sound resources. They were (and still are) a very popular way of storing sounds.
When System 7.0 was released, we saw that one of the new Finder╒s features was to play a sound by clicking on its icon. So, for example, to hear a sound in the System file you just have to double-click on the System file, and you can see the sounds installed in it. To play one, you just need to double-click on it.
The problem is that this can╒t be done with sound suitcases. Here is where SoundExtractor comes in.
Just open one of these sound suitcases with the ╥Open╙ choice in the File menu of SoundExtractor or drag its icon on top of SoundExtractor╒s, and a new folder will be created. This folder will have a custom icon of a folder with a little speaker on it, and it will contain all the sounds that were in the sound suitcase. But now, double-clicking on the sounds will play them!
If you check the option ╥Prompt for Destination╙ in the Preferences menu, SoundExtractor will ask you where you want to create this sound folder. Otherwise it will create it next to the sound suitcase.
You aren╒t restricted to sound suitcases, though. You can also extract sounds from applications, stacks or other files. You can choose whether to look for standard sounds of type ╘snd ╒ or other custom types, or sound data files.
If an error occurs while you are extracting sounds from a sound suitcase, SoundExtractor won╒t stop. Instead, it will skip that sound and ask you if you want to go on extracting the other sounds. You can choose whether to interrupt the extraction (by clicking on ╥Stop╙), to continue (clicking on ╥Continue╙), or to continue without bothering you if other errors occur (clicking on ╥OK, No More Alerts╙).
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ÑÑÑ Version History
Ñ Version 1.0, October 25, 1991
First release.
Ñ Version 1.1b1, November 3, 1991
Version 1.1b1 was distributed locally, and it shouldn╒t have gone too far. It still had some bugs that have been fixed in 1.1b2.
Ñ Version 1.1b2, November 23, 1991
More options added: a Progress Window, and the option to delete sounds as they╒re converted.
Balloon help added.
You can now drag a file on top of SoundExtractor, and it╒ll be processed.
Preferences are now stored in a separate file in the Preferences folder in the System folder, so you should be able to run SoundExtractor from a locked disk or a read-only shared volume.
Ñ Version 1.1, November 28, 1991
The Delete after Extracting option now works properly.
Custom Sound Resource Types option added.
Memory watch window by Alessandro Levi Montalcini was added.
Ñ Version 1.2, January 12, 1992
You can now extract sounds from the data fork of a file.
SoundExtractor now handles Apple Events.
You can interrupt the extraction progress by typing Command-Period.
Cosmetic changes.
Ñ Version 1.21, January 17, 1992
A bug that required twice the RAM while extracting sounds from the data fork was fixed.
A bug in creating the Preferences file introduced in version 1.2 was fixed.
Cosmetic changes.
Ñ Version 1.3, March 5, 1992
SoundExtractor now automatically recognizes the sampling rate of data sounds.
SoundExtractor recognizes stereo data sounds and extracts them properly.
It renames sounds with the same name.
It doesn╒t interrupt the extraction any more when an error occurs.
A progress bar was added to the Progress Window.
More preferences for stereo sounds were added.
Some memory bugs were fixed.
Ñ Version 1.31, April 22, 1992
SoundExtractor won╒t create a sound folder for a file containing just one sound resource.
More preferences added: you can now have an audio feedback of what SoundExtractor is doing. It can play the sounds it is extracting, and/or beep when it has finished.
You can stop the playing sound by clicking the mouse button at any time, otherwise you╒ll have to wait until it has finished playing. If you check the option ╥Stop Playing After .5 Seconds╙, only the first half second of each sound will be played.
When you are asked to choose a sampling rate, either because there was insufficient sound information in the file or because you selected ╥Prompt for Sampling Rate╙, you can specify a custom rate. Just type the rate in hertz (i.e. 22 KHz = 22000 Hz; however, most Mac sounds are sampled at 22.254 or 11.127 KHz, so type 22254 or 11127 in the appropriate field). The Sound Manager in current Macs can play sounds at any rate up to 64 KHz.
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ÑÑÑ Plans for Next Version:
Extract compressed data sounds correctly╔ I hope I╒ll find out how to do it!
Downsampling, i.e. converting a sound from 22KHz to 11KHz or, in general, halving the sampling rate and the size of the sound.
Under certain conditions, for example when the destination disk becomes full, and the ╥Delete after Extracting╙ preference is active, SoundExtractor will delete the sound from the original even if it can╒t extract it. I╒ll try to fix this.
Option to always add a sound header to custom resource sounds. This may be useful for non-standard sound resource types which do not include a sound header (some ╘ASND╒s, I think).
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ÑÑÑ Thanks to:
Alessandro Levi Montalcini and Fabrizio Oddone for their invaluable help and for beta testing.
Craig O╒Donnell for information and help with stereo sounds.
╔ and to all registered users for supporting SoundExtractor and giving suggestions for future versions!
