Ficedula's music program

[Anonymous]

My e-mails are not reaching Ficedula for some reason, so i'll write here.
Im having problems with the Music program. First, It only works when I have configured the midi device to be the Creative Synth (my soundcard's a Live!). Second, when it works, it does not replace the midi, It just starts playing on top of the midi while the midi still plays here's the log file the program produces (for playing the prelude song):

WinMM layer log started
Init patches
DataPath is c:windowsprofilesjomat tiedostotpelitFinal Fantasy VIIficedula
Reading ini...
File search paths:
   C:PIISEJÄ
   c:windowsprofilesjomat tiedostotpelitFinal Fantasy VIIficedula
   .
Files count: 95
Patch init done
WinMM layer version 1.0.5 build 0
----------------------------------------------
Dumping ID: 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
--------------midiStreamOpen called----------------
midiStreamOpen finished successfully
Dumping ID: 8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F8F
--------------midiStreamOpen called----------------
midiStreamOpen finished successfully
Midi file matched! pre
File counterpart prelude.MP3
Resolved to C:PIISEJÄprelude.MP3
Playing MP3
Init plugins
Setup input plugin: Nullsoft MPEG Audio Decoder 2.75i
Setup output plugin: Nullsoft DirectSound plug-in v2.0
Init finished
Dumping ID: 0049004400470046003C003C0031003100318F8F0031002E002E8F8F8F8F002E
--------------midiStreamOpen called----------------
midiStreamOpen finished successfully
Deinit done

What's going on? M I using the right plugins?
Or is just something else not correct?

[ficedula]

Oh yeah.

I know why that's happening; the patch mutes the midi volume on device 0. Normally that's the first soundcard, which is what most people use of course. If you're using a different synth for whatever reason, then the patch is working from the wrong device.

I hadn't planned any more work on the patch in the near future, but that's something I *can* fix easily. So I will, hopefully in the near future (less than a week?).

Oh, I don't know why my email isn't working; I've been receiving emails from other people fine today.

[Anonymous]

Can you please work on it as quickly as you can? FICEDULA IS DA MAN!  

[ficedula]

OK ... worked on the patch a bit. Using my newly-found assembler expertise I decided to hack the EXE and improve the music patch. So I did ^_^

There's a newer version on my website at the moment. It *should* work much better than the older versions; no PAT files, no ID numbers; it rips the filenames straight out of the exe while it's running for maximum accuracy. However I DID have to rewrite a lot of the patch so DON'T expect the special features like looping, volume fades to work. In fact, it probably won't turn off the midis either. It's just a test; if the new method works for everyone, I'll add in all those useful little extras  

Note that you'll need both Cetra and the Library Code to run the newest version of the music patch.

So, can people test this for me?

[Anonymous]

Well, I just quickly tried to replace the prelude song. No luck, the mp3 still plays on top but the midi does not go anywhere.
I can test it if you say what i'll have to do.

[Sir Canealot]

Err I made a post in the Uber FF7 topic about both your programs Fice.

[ficedula]

Right.

To install the newer version, first TOTALLY REMOVE any older version of the patch. Most important is the NEWMM.DLL file: Kill it! You can keep your old INI file if you want, obviously that'll save you work setting the patch up.

Then make sure FF7MUSIC.EXE and FF7MUSIC.INI are in a folder called FICEDULA off the main FF7 folder. Make sure FF7MUSIC.DLL is in the main FF7 folder.

Get the latest version of Cetra from my website and install the FF Music patch. You'll almost certainly need FF7 v1.02 for that. Don't install any other patches just yet (like the 32-bit colour patch); they SHOULD work with it ... but best to start off just with the music patch.

Obviously start with an unpatched FF7.EXE. Restore from a backup or something to be sure, before you try patching it.

If necessary, download the library code from my website and install that. Any version will work fine so you don't need to download anything if you already got the library code for Cosmo or something.

THEN, the patch *should* work. It *won't* turn off midi playback - I know that. It's mainly a version to test that everyone's computer can detect the music and playback the correct mp3/whatever in response. It *should* be far more reliable at doing that.

If FF7 runs, at least, check both LOG.TXT - my log - and APP.LOG - FF7's log - to see what's been produced. If there's any problems email both the logs to me. I wouldn't advise posting them here ... APP.LOG in particular can get *large*.

If it *does* work for everyone, I'll put together a version that mutes the midi's, includes looping, an easy setup - etc. But people need to test it for me first!

[This message has been edited by ficedula (edited July 22, 2001).]