Readme file for Winamp TIP Plug-in v1.605
21-Apr-2003


0. List of Contents:



1.

Description

2.

System requirements

3.

Installation

4.

Version history

5.

Hotkey list

6.

Options list

7.

Reassigning controls

8.

Supported ID3v2 frames

9.

Known problems

10.

Copyright

11.

Contacts

12.

Credits



1. Description.            Back to top


            This general purpose plug-in (gen_tip.dll) is designed to give you access to various Winamp functions such as "Play track", "View ID3 tag" etc. even if Winamp is inactive, minimized or hidden (for the full list of supported functions see the "Hotkey List" section below). I do not claim on the idea posess (control Winamp via hotkeys), I only developed it and improved.



2. System Requirements:            Back to top


  • Microsoft Windows 95/98/ME/XP/NT4/2000/2003
  • Nullsoft Winamp v2.x (v2.05+ as Winamp SDK says) for full compatibility (Tested on v2.90)
  • Microsoft natural keyboard or compatible (containing ÿ keys also known as WIN-keys)
  • About 100Kb of free disk space on your HDD
  • RAM used by a plug-in: 150Kb approx.



3. Installation.            Back to top


         There are no special installation requirements: launch installer, then check out that a specified Winamp plug-in directory (< Winamp_Dir >\Plugins) is correct and press "Install".



4. What's New Since...            Back to top


v1.605 | v1.6 | v1.5 | v1.495 | v1.491 | v1.49 | v1.485 | v1.483 | v1.482 | v1.48
v1.47 | v1.45 | v1.41 | v1.4 | v1.275 | v1.26 | v1.25 | v1.2 | v1.12 | v1.1 | v1.0

v1.605      (21-Apr-2003)        Size: 100.0Kb

  • A huge "empty playlist" bug fixed
  • Some more fixes in "File Rename" function
  • Slight cosmetic changes


v1.6 (Private build)      (20-Apr-2003)        Size: 100.0Kb

  • Ability to reassign controls appeared. See Reassigning controls section for details
  • Now Win+F3 function supports ID3v2 tag version
  • Win+F2 issues fixed
  • Strange Winamp systray icon popup menu bug fixed
  • Terrible MPEG info bug born in v1.5 fixed
  • LOTS of little improvements (now plug-in runs much smoother)
  • Setup folder bug fixed


v1.5      (04-Jan-2003)        Size: 90.0Kb

  • 2 new hotkeys
    • WIN+F2 - Rename track according to ID3 tag (maximum available tag version is used)
    • WIN+F3 - Make ID3v1 tag from filename (a char sequence of a space, dash and space in a filename is used as a divider between a Track Title and Artist tag fields, i.e. ' - '; if not present - all filename is assumed to be a track title)

  • Improved Win+3 and Win+J windows appearance behaviour
  • A lot of other fix and optimization work done


v1.495 (Private build)      (14-Dec-2002)        Size: 83.0Kb

  • New hotkey
    • WIN+J - Open jump to file dialog

  • Some changes in this document. Now it is readable in Opera ;o) as well as in IE
  • Some little changes & fixes


v1.491      (30-Nov-2002)        Size: 83.0Kb

  • Destination folder crash bug fix


v1.49      (29-Nov-2002)        Size: 83.0Kb

  • 2 new hotkeys
    • WIN+F5 - Copy file to a specified folder
    • WIN+F6 - Move file to a specified folder

  • Some little fixes and improvements (in installer as well)


v1.485      (11-Aug-2002)        Size: 79.5Kb

  • Fixed an old Win+Del issue (when pressed and "Also remove folder" option is turned off caused Winamp to deadlock)


v1.483      (11-May-2002)        Size: 82.5Kb

  • New hotkey
    • WIN+Ctrl+N - Equalizer on/off toggle


v1.482      (12-Mar-2002)        Size: 82.5Kb

  • Now Winamp tray icon is a maximize/minimize Winamp window toggle button
  • Contacts changed


v1.48      (11-Feb-2002)        Size: 82.5Kb

  • Installer v1.1
  • Long (>127 bytes) ID3v2 frames fix (For some reason an ID3v2 mechanism in Winamp doesn't fully match those one described in ID3v2.org)


v1.47      (18-Dec-2001)        Size: 82.5Kb

  • Windowsxp tested (due to this some changes & fixes)
  • Win+X is now a "Play/Pause" toggle button (like in mplayer)
  • Win+C is now a "Stop track" button
  • Win+V is now a "Next track" button
  • Win+Alt+V is now a "Next track w/o Shuffle" button
  • Win+Ctrl+C is now a "Stop after current track" button
  • Win+Shift+C is now a "Stop track w/ fadeout" button
  • Win+B, Win+Alt+B, Win+Ctrl+V & Win+Shift+V 're gone (Win+B is a Winxp reserved hotkey)

  • 2 new options:
    • Also remove containing folder (and even all tree) if it became empty after file deletion on WIN+Delete
    • "Next/previous" button in systray (for description see "Options List" section)

  • Some little fixes (including blank setup buttons fix) & optimization


v1.45      (27-Oct-2001)        Size: 78Kb

  • 2 new hotkeys:
    • WIN+Ctrl+V - Stop after current track
    • WIN+Delete - Physically delete current file

  • A new option:
    • Prompt on file deletion (WIN+Delete)

  • Tons of ID3 tag fixes (How such a great number of bugs could remain unexposed before?)
  • Installer fixes & enhancements
  • Now plug-in is really disabled if this option is checked
  • Changed a format (more sufficient) and content (less sufficient) of this document
  • Non-rectangular config window (woo!)
  • Fixed some GDI bugs
  • Fixed config save bug
  • And as usual a number of other little fixes, improvements and optimization


v1.41      (30-Sep-2001)        Size: 78Kb

  • Modified "Seek to" tip
  • Implemented non-conventional VBR header location
  • Some other little fixes, improvements and optimization


v1.4      (24-Sep-2001)        Size: 77Kb

  • An installer appeared
  • Owner-drawn GUI of a config window
  • New option:
    • Playlist track number in tip

  • Finally made ID3v1.1 tag specification work ("Track" frame)
  • Fixed a terrible bug occured when calling Winamp with a parameter (for ex. double-clicking an *.mp3 file)
  • Fixed tip disappear problem
  • Changed display of a composition length (under WIN+Ctrl+Space)
  • Fixed a huge file attribute bug
  • Finally implemented full-screen application recognition (I'm not yet sure if it works correctly in all cases). Now tips'll not appear above, for example, a game screen or a screensaver as if it was before
  • Slightly changed a volume change mechanism (I hope that it would now work better with some sound mixers and both under 9x & NT)
  • Some unused options're gone
  • A DLL icon appeared
  • A "version" tab appeared (under "Properties" in Windows Explorer)
  • Some improvements, optimizations & bugfixes


v1.275      (23-Mar-2001)        Size: 77Kb

  • 1 new hotkey:
    • WIN+Alt+R - Current file "Read only" attribute toggle (useful while editing ID3 tags)

  • Fixed an NT/2000 file-access bug
  • Fixed a small Mute bug
  • Fixed an NT/2000 hint-warping bug 8-()
  • Fixed (mmm... may be "suppressed" sounds better) a Winamp volume bug under NT/2000


v1.26      (27-Feb-2001)        Size: 76Kb

  • Fixed some terrible repaint bugs (including old WIN+D issue)
  • Some code optimization


v1.25      (26-Feb-2001)        Size: 76.5Kb

  • Implemented ID3v1.1 tag support (track number in ID3v1)
  • Partially implemented ID3v2 tag (v2.3.0 & v2.4.0) See the list of supported frames below in the coresponding section
  • Implemented MPEG file info tip
  • Fast forward & Rewind are now available in mode
  • 2 new config options:
    • Disabling tips opportunity
    • Square root law for volume change

  • Fixed repaint problems
  • Corrected ID3v1 genres
  • Display fix for extremely short ID3 tag content
  • 9 new hotkeys: (actually 5 are really new, others only changed)
    • WIN+1 - ID3v1 info tip
    • WIN+2 - ID3v2 info tip
    • WIN+Alt+Space - if exists ID3v2 'en show it, else same with ID3v1
    • WIN+Ctrl+Space - MPEG file info tip
    • WIN+' - Toggle config window
    • WIN+K - Toggle visualization plug-in
    • WIN+Shift+V - Stop track with fadeout
    • WIN+W - Mute toggle
    • WIN+Q - Exit Winamp

  • Config tips no more suppress other tips
  • Some more reduced tip blinkin'
  • Changed config design a bit
  • Plenty of little fixes, improvements & code optimization


v1.2      (30-Jan-2001)        Size: 52Kb

  • Modified config window
  • Implemented ID3v1 tag tip
  • Added and modified config window tips
  • Config info now 's in plugin.ini
  • 5 new config options
    • Disabling plug-in
    • Displaying title & artist name when new song starts is now an option
    • Winamp can be launched always initially minimized
    • Winamp begins playing when it starts
    • Winamp launches current visualization plug-in on start

  • 7 new hotkeys:
    • WIN+3 - Show MPEG file info+ID3 tag editor box
    • WIN+Ctrl+Space - ID3v1 info tip
    • WIN+Alt+S - Set Shuffle to "ON" (useful when using Winamp with a monitor shut down; If need to turn off, first press WIN+Alt+S to turn on, then WIN+S to toggle to "OFF" state)
    • WIN+Alt+N - Same, but Repeat
    • WIN+P - Toggle preferences screen
    • WIN+Alt+V - Stop track with fadeout
    • WIN+Ctrl+V - Toggle visualization plug-in

  • Modified volume tip (as wished)
  • Some modification of WIN+1 (now toggle)
  • Fixed silly time displaying bug
  • A lot of slight fixes and improvements


v1.12      (24-Jan-2001)        Size: 33Kb

  • New hotkeys:
    • WIN+Alt+Space = ex WIN+Space - Extended track info
    • Now WIN+Space - Brief track info

  • Fixed WIN+Alt+Z & WIN+Alt+B problems
  • Fixed incorrect display of digits
  • More comfortible & correct display in info tip
  • Tooltip text color uses windows appearance scheme
  • Some correction of config window
  • Some more reduced tip blinkin'
  • Slightly corrected jump tip timing


v1.1      (22-Jan-2001)        Size: 30.5Kb

  • Config 's now in \Plugins\Tip.ini
  • 2 new hotkeys:
    • WIN+Alt+Z - Previous track as if Shuffle is off (even is on)
    • WIN+Alt+B - Same, but next track

  • More intellectual tip timing
  • Now tip window consists of one component
  • Pretty ;) config window caption
  • Tip became smaller
  • Fixed multiply instances bug
  • Fixed config file absence crash
  • Reduced tip blinking
  • Config is now correctly displayed even in terrible Windows appearance schemes 8-(]


v1.0      (20-Jan-2001)        Size: 29.5Kb

  • Initial release



5. Hotkey List (Default values):            Back to top


        (WIN is a    ÿ    button)
  • WIN+1 - ID3v1 tag tip
  • WIN+2 - ID3v2 tag tip
  • WIN+3 - Show MPEG file info+ID3 tag editor box
  • WIN+A - Minimize/Restore Winamp toggle
  • WIN+C - Stop track
  • WIN+J - Open jump to file dialog
  • WIN+K - Toggle visualization plug-in
  • WIN+N - Repeat toggle
  • WIN+P - Toggle preferences screen
  • WIN+Q - Exit Winamp
  • WIN+S - Shuffle toggle
  • WIN+V - Next track
  • WIN+X - Play/Pause track toggle
  • WIN+Z - Previous track
  • WIN+Space - Track info
  • WIN+Up - Increase volume
  • WIN+Down - Decrease volume
  • WIN+Left - Rewind 5 sec.
  • WIN+Right - Fast forward 5 sec.
  • WIN+Delete - Physically delete current file
  • WIN+F2 - Rename track according to ID3 tag (maximum version available tag)
  • WIN+F3 - Make ID3 tag from filename
  • WIN+F5 - Copy file to a specified folder
  • WIN+F6 - Move file to a specified folder
  • WIN+` - Toggle config window
  • WIN+Alt+N - Turn repeat to "ON" state
  • WIN+Alt+R - Current file "Read only" attribute toggle
  • WIN+Alt+S - Turn shuffle to "ON" state
  • WIN+Alt+V - Next track without shuffle even if it is on
  • WIN+Alt+Z - Previous track without shuffle even if it is on
  • WIN+Alt+Space - If exists ID3v2 'en show it, else same with ID3v1
  • WIN+Ctrl+Space - File info tip
  • WIN+Ctrl+C - Stop after current track
  • WIN+Ctrl+N - Equalizer on/off toggle
  • WIN+Shift+C - Stop track with fadeout



6. Options List:            Back to top


  • Launch Winamp minimized

If checked then Winamp always launches initially minimized

  • Autoplay

Checked state causes Winamp to begin playing when it starts

  • Visualization plug-in on start

If checked then Winamp launches current visualization plug-in on start

  • Tip on song start

Allows displaying title and artist name when the new composition starts

  • Playlist track number in tip

If checked then a playlist track number will be added to a tip text

  • Prompt on file deletion

If checked then plug-in prompts a user for confirmation of file deletion on Win+Delete

  • Also remove folder

Also removes a containing folder if it is empty on file deletion (Win+Delete)

  • Previous/next button in systray

Shows/hides a "next/previous" button in system tray. Left mouse button click on it starts playing previous track, right mouse button click starts playing next track

  • Disable tips

If checked then tips will not appear in any case

  • Disable plug-in

Disables plug-in



7. Reassigning controls:            Back to top


            Since v1.6 it is possible to reassign key combinations to hotkeys or even turn some hotkeys manually off. It is made by editing a plain text configuration file "plugin.ini" (can be found in %WINAMPDIR%\plugins\). The file contains one or more plug-in [sections]. We are interested in [Tip Plugin] section. It is made up from several configuration strings. Each string contains a key in format KeyName = KeyValue. Our aim are values that represent couples of numbers, such as PlayPause=8 88. The KeyName represents the hotkey and numbers – a key combination, assosiated with that hotkey. The first number is the sum of codes of modifier keys, such as Win, Control, Alt and Shift; second – a main hotkey key (its virtual code).

            The codes of modifier keys are:
  • Alt – 1
  • Ctrl – 2
  • Shift – 4
  • Win – 8
Some virtual key codes (for all codes refer to appropriate documentation):
  • A..Z – 65..90
  • 0..9 – 48..57
  • F1..F12 – 112..123
  • Space – 32
Current KeyNames:
  • Prev – Previous track
  • PlayPause – Play/Pause track toggle
  • StopTrack – Stop track
  • Next – Next track
  • IncVol – Increase volume
  • DecVol – Decrease volume
  • MinMax – Minimize/Restore Winamp toggle
  • SeekFwd – Fast forward 5 sec.
  • SeekBkw – Rewind 5 sec.
  • MPEGInfo – File info tip
  • Quit – Exit Winamp
  • Shuffle – Shuffle toggle
  • Repeat – Repeat toggle
  • Config – Toggle config window
  • PrvWOShuffle – Previous track without shuffle even if it is on
  • NxtWOShuffle – Next track without shuffle even if it is on
  • TrackInfo – Track info
  • ShflOn – Turn shuffle to "ON" state
  • RptOn – Turn repeat to "ON" state
  • TAG – Show MPEG file info+ID3 tag editor box
  • ID3v1 – ID3v1 tag tip
  • Preferences – Toggle preferences screen
  • VisPlug – Toggle visualization plug-in
  • StopWFadeout – Stop track with fadeout
  • ID3v2 – ID3v2 tag tip
  • ID3Any – If exists ID3v2 'en show it, else same with ID3v1
  • StopAfterCurr – Stop after current track
  • ReadOnlyToggle – Current file "Read only" attribute toggle
  • PhysDelete – Physically delete current file
  • EQ – Equalizer on/off toggle
  • CopyFile – Copy file to a specified folder
  • MoveFile – Move file to a specified folder
  • JumpTo – Open jump to file dialog
  • RenameFile – Rename track according to ID3 tag (maximum version available tag)
  • ModifyID3 – Make ID3 tag from filename
            So, for example, if we want to assign a Win+Alt+A key combination to a "Quit Winamp" function, we must modify the coresponding key as follows:

Quit=9 65

            Here 9 is a sum of Win (8) and Alt (1) and 65 is a virtual code of "A" key.

            If we want to disable this hotkey, we must leave the KeyValue field blank:

Quit=

            If we deleted the entire key, it would be recreated with the default values.


8. Supported ID3v2 Frames:            Back to top


  • Track number/Position in set
  • Content group description
  • Title/Songname/Content description
  • Subtitle/Description refinement
  • Lead artist/Lead performer/Soloist/Performing group
  • Album/Movie/Show title
  • Year
  • Content type/Genre
  • Comments
  • Lyricist/Text writer
  • Original lyricist/Text writer
  • Composer
  • Interpreted, remixed, or otherwise modified by
  • Original artist/Performer
  • Original album/movie/show title
  • Copyright message
  • User defined URL link
  • Encoded by
  • Conductor
  • Band/Orchestra/Accompaniment
  • Publisher
  • Owner
  • Internet radio station
  • Internet radio station owner
  • BPM



9. Known Problems:            Back to top


  • In some systems working with a CONSOLE application (i.e. if a console window is active) pressing any hotkey that contains a CTRL or ALT (and also probably WIN) button in order that you press Control or Alt _FIRST_ causes an action as if you pressed a key combination w/o this buttons (i.e. pressing WIN+Ctrl+Space will cause WIN+Space action). This and next problem is a Windows console application bug, but not a plug-in bug. The solution of this problem is pressing the WIN button first.
  • Sometimes when working with a console application there is no any performed action at all while pressing any hotkey in any order.The only way of solving this problem is making a console inactive (for example: minimize it or click any GDI application).
  • If standard Winamp MPEG file info+ID3 tag editor dialog box is shown and you try to close Winamp by pressing WIN+Q, Windows generates an error dialog ("This program has performed..."). That's not a plug-in but a Winamp bug (try to close Winamp by right-clicking on a tray icon and then choosing an item in a popup menu and you'll get the same result).
  • A number of frames in MPEG tip does not always match the coresponding value that Winamp displays. This is due to _WINAMP_ calculates frames incorrectly (or maybe in some other manner). Plug-in values are correct. You can check this out in any sound processing program that can calculate MPEG frames.
  • In some cases attempts to change volume fail. This often happens if your current output plugin is Winamp WaveOut plugin and its option "Volume control" is turned on (default value). So turn it off in order not to face with this issue.




10. Copyright:            Back to top


            This program is freeware. You can copy it as many time as you wish and send to anyone you know or even not. Any modification/commercial use is prohibited.

            All mentioned trademarks are the property of their respective owners.



11. Contacts:            Back to top


            Check for updates, ask questions, send bugs, offers, wishes, money, beer, cola etc. ;-) to:


12. Credits:            Back to top


  • Development: me solely
  • Testing and support: MCHS, MichaeL & others
  • Dedicated to ... well, he knows... ;)


       Phew! That's all for right now. See ya!


Accel Y. Zirby       







ÿ amp Rulez!