ReadMe for MIDI Genie 0.92 copyright (c) 1997 Jonathan Hsiao-Liang Yen


Purpose of MIDI Genie 0.92
--------------------------
MIDI Genie 0.92 is a MIDI file playback programs for Windows 95 (Windows NT?
It's possible, but I'm not sure.)

Features including:
* CD player like control buttons
* Sequential playing of multiple MIDI files
* File box to select the MIDI file on your harddisk and add them to play list
* Arrange and sort the order of songs in the play list box easily
* Save the path and name of songs in the play list box to paly list files
  (*.mpl) and retrieve them later to paly
* Four playing modes supports: Auto, Repeat, Loop and Random
* Convenient interface including pop up menus and speed buttons
* Flexible display: can showing fully or partly, can also stay on top of 
  windows of other applications
* Save options to store your prefer options of playing modes and display, your
  favorite list could be auto loaded when the program starts

System Requirement
------------------
Windows 95
A Pentium equivalent or better CPU 
A soundcard (Wavetable is much better than FM)
Installed MIDI driver (shoud have shipped with every soundcard)


Installation
------------
Simply unzip MIDIG092.zip and run setupex.exe. 
The user of ver. 0.9.0 need to uninstall it before install ver. 0.92.


Differences between ver. 0.9.0 and ver. 0.92
--------------------------------------------
Not many differences...
I have:
* Fixed a bug happened when showing the about box (It was covered by the main
  window and couldn't be seen), no stay-on-top when it's full size now
* Fixed a too obvious bug in codes of 'display control only' button
* Added a menu check item 'Menu' under 'Display', you can hide the main menu
  by unchecking it.
* Added a pop up menu on control buttons, you may restore the hiding main
  menu by checking 'Menu' under 'display'. (So many menus!) 

Cost
----
This version of MIDI Genie is a freeware. It means you may use it with no
charge, not even one cent!

Beware: This program is not, and will never be a Public Domain. The author
plans to release a version 1.0 shareware with fully bug fix and more features.

However, if you feel happy in using this program, you're welcome to help the
author in any following ways:

Distribute it to your friends, FTP sites, WEB sites, BBS, the more the better
Submit a bug report
Suggest for improvements and new features
Teach me a few tricks in programming (DOS, Windows, C++ Builder, Visual Basic)
Correct my spelling and grammar mistakes
Help me to get a job (It's really sad to be unemployed!)
Any small amount of donation...one cent? :-)
etc, etc...


How to Contact Me?
------------------
You may contact me at

my E-Mail Address (soon expired!): hljyen@socs.uts.edu.au

my postal address  

PO Box 230 Kensington
NSW 2033
Australia


Help
----
No help file is available at the moment.

* You may keep the mouse pointer over the same button for a while, then you'll
  see some hint text.

* You may click right mouse button on the file box, list box or control
  buttons, you'll find three different pop up menus.

* You may double click at the label of play modes besides the counter to toggle
  their status.

* Want to autoload a play list you like when the program starts? Easy. Just
  choose 'save options' in options menu or click the 'save options and
  layout' button when that list is playing.  This will also save the names of
  current file box directory and the last directory where you have saved or
  opened a MIDI play list file.


Problems
--------
The digit counter is not accurate any more after the user pressing the 'forward'
button.
Other bugs? I hate them, but they like me. So please submit bug report to me.


Thanks List
-----------
Thanks to people in Borland C++ Builder Newsgroups:
Kent Reisdorph, Michael McDonough and many more...
Thanks to Ylian Saint-Hilaire for his free sharing of Digitbox component.
Thanks to Alan GARNY for his free sharing of Threaded Timer component.


Disclaimer
----------
I've tested this program for many times on my Cyrix 686-166 with 32 MB RAM and
MAUI Soundcard. It never caused any problem to my software and hardware. It
shoud be preety safe because the MIDI Play List file (*.mpl) including only
normal file and path name in plain text. But I still have to insist here:
I will not be responsible for any damages caused by this program, no matter to
whom, your computer, your wife or your dog. It's your business. You run your
own risk in using this freeware program.


