Jukebox Software: "Arcade Music Box 2006" (v30 released, final version)

[Space Fractal]

It a Bug.

This one should fix that bug (please copy & paste to adressbar, and do NOT click on the link):

http://www.arcademusicbox.com/Temp/amb2.zip

[jbrem41]

Works now!
Thank you and great program, I will be using this for my Jukebox.

[Space Fractal]

Version 2.07 Released:
[LI]New search engine, based on cache files. Search.dat are not supported anymore.[/LI]
[LI]If the search feature are enbabled (disabled by default), Arcade Music Box create all Cache files by the first run. This take time.[/LI]

[LI]Cache files can now been updated by each run (auto detect all changes, so no reindex all files are required).[/LI]

[LI]Input rutine improved to sync with the improved search feature.[/LI]

[LI]Added "Move Right" and "Move Left" inputs, so these can been used by the new Input$ rutine.[/LI]

[LI]The shutdown feature did not work as intended (it shutdowned after it was played the current song).[/LI]

[LI]Another language bug, caused in Windows 98, are fixed. Arcade Music Box now run correct (again) on this OS.[/LI]
[/UL]

Hoping you like the new way, I have made the Search on!


[EDIT]
FOUND A IMPORTANT BUG IN V2.07:

"Name That Song" game are messed a bit in this version. It fixed, and all works again.
Im release a new version later today.

A NEW VERSION RELEASED TODAY (v2.07.2): It fix the above bug. That all.
[/EDIT]

[Space Fractal]

It may been a week or 2 before I release the next version.

I'm are working on a Karaoke feature (and have other projects to due), that accept

[Barry Barcrest]

WOW, Well done that man 

[Space Fractal]

Thanks Barcrest.

Do somebody have CDG files (i do NOT need the sound version), so I better can test (I have only that song)?

Im still missing a few instructions (text scrolling), but this song didden't use that feature (and it "only" working as a standalone application).

[Barry Barcrest]

Would be nice if you could put it into an OCX file, save me $299 lol....

Here are some CDG files, to be honest i have never seen the scroll used on any comercial discs and i actually host karaokes in bars.

http://rapidshare.de/files/4463985/cdg.zip.html

[Space Fractal]

Thanks Barcrest. I have downloaded that file.

Sorry, but Blitz+ (wich i was using) Basic dosen't support OCX files, only EXE files), but Blitz does support Command Line. If it ok with you, it that way you need to do (but it can't been act like a video in a tab in your application).

CD-G files is actuelly a pretty simple format, when you first have found out, how it works (only the scrollingpart can take some time to made, and is the missing part)....

[EDIT]
To Barcrest:

It ok with me, if you using this part of my software (just credit me anyware in your software), when im finished it (cannot tell the release day, but soon). I have a plan to madea standalone command line version, and a version, that is direct impleted on my own jukebox software (of course).
[/EDIT]

[Barry Barcrest]

Hey, thanks for the offer but i don't want to call any external programs. You can fully control winamp from visual basic and that's heavilly documented. That also supports CD+G MP3+G but i don't like piggy backing on external apps. I could use the direct show filter i posted up and use media player but again i don't feel 100% comfortable with this. I think i will use the OCX file i have then attempt to code my own at a later date.

Thanks for the offer dude, i don't want to sound ungreatful but for the look i want i need to use a method that keeps it intergrated within the jukebox. Looks like with CD+G support your jukebox will be one of the most sort after.

[Space Fractal]

You cannot use a visual winamp plugin? maybe like this one? http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/programs/cdgplugin/

I have never used Visual Basic works (and do not known how OCX files really works, I only use dll files), because I have really never like this language (but it can even been made really nice and great applications made in Visual Basic), maynly because it requied a lots of runtimes files to use. This is is just a personal note.

When you going to made your own, you should look on this sourcecode: http://www.kibosh.org/pykaraoke/

(even I never have used that language too, the source is well documented).

I can nothing due anymore. Blitz have that shame, and that it.

[Barry Barcrest]

It's cool. I just this second found out i can play them using that direct show filter. I was loading up the wrong files before, it all works sweet now.

[Space Fractal]

Hoping you save the 299$, it seen to a very high price.

The cdgfiles I got diddent use any the scrolling instructions, but I have found some Author, that using the scrolling intruction. Some of these song I tested could have maked use of this instruction, because it sometime dislay the first word very late (twist & shout doing that in a another way).

There was a transperancy problem, that diddent display the black color correct (the black color was a transperancy color, wich it should not been there). Otherwice they all worked fine with that alpha stadie of my software.

[cerebus]

Space Fractal, I noticed that if you select a limit of 10+ max songs in free mode it won't work properly.
It will only let you queue a maximum of 2 songs.

otherwise great stuff!

[Space Fractal]

Space Fractal, I noticed that if you select a limit of 10+ max songs in free mode it won't work properly.
It will only let you queue a maximum of 2 songs.

otherwise great stuff!

Thanks for the notice. I have fixed that now to the next release (you was right).

I am going to make a direct support for the cdg files (the song istelf dosent need to been mp3), without using a thirdparty plugin. Im only missing a scrolling intruction (wich it seen it diddet use it very much).

[EDIT]
My connection is down, and have used a another connection. When It work again, I release the new version.
[/EDIT]

[Space Fractal]

New Release 2.08.2 with (another) Karaoke support:

- A new Karaoke Mode tab, using uncompressed CDG files. Just need to add a another path. Define ot from the config app.

- Small bugs around AMB, like that one with the "Max number of songs on queue" limit diddent work as it should.

- The English language is allways loading as default. If it find a another language it just replace the exists lines on that file.

- V2.08.2 has fixed a "tiny" Rotate 180 bug (may been used in a vertical monitors), that dident work in 2.08. It all it does.

It my turn to make that feature . All Basic features (includning scrolling) should work.

[NB] If somebody want a command line version of the cdg-player, let me know (PM me).

[Space Fractal]

I got a partially harddrive failure yesterday, which my D: Drive is gone (none sourcecodes was here, trout). I need to take care about this first.

The next release may take some weeks, which I take a focus on the "Name That Song" to integrate better with the cache system, like the same way I did on the search feature (much easier to mainstream that game).

Note: The Hiscores in the minigame may been changed, because the game behaver would been changed.

[EDIT] Download link was messed, but it now works again [/EDIT]

[Space Fractal]

It finally updated after the "Bad Block" harddrive crash, last week (but I did not lose any sourcecodes).

New Release 2.09 - Name That Song v2

Name That Song Changes:

- It now based on the automatic updated cache files, so no more manual creation of playlist files anymore.

- Game edit in control panel is removed, and it now based on ini files (look in the online faq).
Hiscore is changed (sorry) and moved to cache folder, so it dosen't use *.lev or *.hi files in data folder anymore, Delete them (it doing that auto, if you have autoupdate on).

- The game do now appear as a System Control, like "View Queue" and "Add Whole Album" entries in the music navigation.

- Some visual bugs in the game now squazzed.

Other Changes:
 
- Cache system is cleaned a bit up, and now work even better. It should now 100% sync, even when you rename folders.

- Using Cover.* files as coverart is now supported. If it dosent find any folder.* or cover.*, it use the first found picture file as coverart instead.

NEXT VERSION?
One of the next version I have a plan to make some touch screen support with the exists skin, only using 3 buttons (to keep it so simple, so even kids can use it). It may been using desktop overlay for compatible, so no rotations is supported here. Oterwrice is act like the windowed system, but with added buttons.

[Space Fractal]

25.09.2005: v2.10 - "Touch Screen Support"

- I now added a touchscreen support. Only the standard skin and only with 640x480 can been used by now. This is just because I diddent added the require graphics to the other skins yet, so it all skinable and rotation too. It just added some buttons (Up/down/select) to the screen.

- Fixed some titlename problem in netradio (it now act like Singles).

- Fixed some problems in the config app, and removed a feature (removing the scrollbar didden

[Space Fractal]

25.09.2005: v2.10.2 - "Slow Computer Support"

A possible sound crackling with selecting a song to the queue is fixed.
10FPS (normal 30FPS) version is added ("Slow Computer" in Config/Misc) for using on a slow computers.

19.10.2005: v2.11 - "CD Player+Plugins Support"

Added the Bass's new plugin system from v2.2, so you now can add a whole extra extensions to the Arcade Music Box.

Added a regular CD-Player, that fine support both "data+audio" cd's and multiply cd-drives.

Added 2 new touch skins to Classic Purple skin: "H320x240" and "V480x640" (Vertical Touch panels do now works, they was buggede)

Moving some bits around in the config app (needed to add a another tab).

Removed "File Mask" feature on singles. It got to much touble to get this to work, and have never and/or partilly worked.

Forgot to take "level_1.ini" file to the "Name That Song" game. It now included.

[thesmit]

Hi Space,
I am running a cab with the MameWah front end (and lovin it!).. but I am havin a bit of trouble getting your juke box to work in it.
Do I just configure it like any other emulator (have tried this with no success - maybe doing it wrong)?

If anyone has done this before or has any suggestions that would be great.

Thanks
Smit

[Space Fractal]

Im using this settings in the ini file (the path may been edited, because Im using a danish XP vesion):

### jukebox.ini (mamewah v1.60) ###

emulator_title                            Arcade Music Box

### List Generation Settings ###
rom_path                                  C:\Programmer\Arcade Music Box 2
rom_extension                             lnk
dat_file                                 
nms_file                                 
catver_ini_file                           
list_generation_method                    rom_folder

### Execution Settings ###
emulator_executable                       PC
commandline_format                        [name]{autodosbox}{nosafelaunch}
alt_commandline_format_1                  [name]{autodosbox}{nosafelaunch}
alt_commandline_format_2                  [name]{autodosbox}{nosafelaunch}
game_specific_config_path                 
mouse_cursor                              none

### Artwork Locations ###
artwork_1_image_path                     
artwork_2_image_path                     
artwork_3_image_path                     
artwork_4_image_path                     
artwork_5_image_path                     
artwork_6_image_path                     
artwork_7_image_path                     
artwork_8_image_path                     
artwork_9_image_path                     
artwork_10_image_path                     
movie_preview_path                       
movie_artwork_no                          1

### Screen-Saver Settings ###
enable_music_in_screensaver               1
saver_type                                slideshow
movie_path                               
movie_fullscreen                          1
quit_delay                                30
wrapper_executable                       
wrapper_commandline_format                [name]{nodosbox}{nosafelaunch}
scr_file                                 

### External Application Settings ###
ipc_file_or_path                         
app_1_executable                         
app_1_commandline_format                 
app_2_executable                         
app_2_commandline_format                 
app_3_executable                         
app_3_commandline_format                 
auto_launch_apps                         

### Additional Settings ###
music_path                               
play_music_during_emulation               0
lcd_display_file_path                     
lcd_fe_text                               

### Settings used by MAMEWAH ###
current_list                              0


Create a shourtcut, that point to the bin/amb.exe (wich it should allready doing that under installation), and it should now work.

[thesmit]

Thanks for the help

I'll try it tonite and let ya know...

cya
Smit

[thesmit]

Hi Space
I have tried to get Arcde Jukebox going in MameWah on the weekend.
I have used the info from your .ini file you provided (thanks again for that!), and I can get the Jukebox to come up in a list, but my prob comes when I try to run it.
It does nothing. The MameWah list stays in view (but cannot be used - it is frozen) and Arcade Jukebox does not start. It seems to start and then run in the background or something, because if I press Esc after attempting to run the Jukebox from MameWah, it is as if it exits the invisible Jukebox program and go back to the MameWah list, un-freezing MameWah which then alllows me to use MameWah like normal.
I have tried adding other programs to this list (using the .lnk extension) and they run from MameWah fine, so I know it is not MameWah (hopefully).

Any ideas?

thnx
Smit

[Space Fractal]

Hi again.

Try doing these:

- Change rom_path in the ini file (that one is only work for a danish version of XP).

- Do the shortcut work, when it double clicked from MS Explorer? If not, the start path may been wrong, and it need to been started from the bin dir.

- You may need to change the line "commandline_format" to "[name]{autodosbox}{safelaunch}" to get it work.

[thesmit]

Hi Space,
Thanks for your help.
Yes, double clicking the shortcut from within windows explorer runs the program no problems. I think it is something in one of my mameWah .ini files.

I'll try what you suggested and let ya know.

Thanks
Smit

[thesmit]

Hi
I have now looked at the problem further and have discovered that it is not only the Jukebox Software that is not running, but no PC applications are running (they all freeze MameWah). I am certain that this is a problem with my configuration... but thanks a heap for your help anyways Space.

If anyone ha a solution/ suggestion to fix this problem, feel free to let me know. I would be much appriciated.

Thanks
Smit

[Space Fractal]

Try to search in the software forum, and in the Mamewah readme file, how to get PC Applications to run.

I found this one in the mamewaq faq:

Launching [emulator name] or [PC game/app] results in MAMEWAH hanging.

[Silver]

I'm being a bit slow I think, but having difficulty getting the songs to list with there names.

I have some mp3s stored with 1 dir per album, each mp3 is named "Track# - Title.mp3", All have full id3 info.

In the config I have #ALBUM# in the dir mask and #TRACK#-#TITLE# in the file mask.

The dirs are all listed, but when I go into a dir, the songs are listed by 1 letter only, with another in brackets after. Presumably this is showing 1 character of the Artist and track?

What am I doing wrong?

[Space Fractal]

Can you give me a screenshot, what it doing here (you may pm me)? It a mystery, it seen you doing the correct. How do it display?

If you have a # and a space in the your file name, you may try to use #TRACK##-#TITLE# instead.

You may try to delete cache files in the cache folder, before a retry, otherwice it just read all id infos directly from them, and do not reread the tags again (wich of cource much the id3 again with the same problem).

Ohterwice do you use ID3v1 or ID3v2 tags? If you only use ID3v1 tags, and ID3v2 is empty (but it enabled), it may try to review info from ID3v2 tags, wich is empty. Hence you must try to use a tool to copy all info, so ID3v1 and ID3v2 is correctly.

[EDIT]
If you have a eailer version (about a version or 2), Dirmask and Filemask may been buggede, but should works as expeted in the v2.11 and up (I remember I got some simular problem with dirmask in the past).

[Silver]

I'm using the latest version.

A bit more playing around has revealed that its not doing this for all my albums, but it is the majority of the ones I'm testing with.

All mp3's have both id3v2 and id3v1 (which have same info). I've attached a pic of what happens for most of the albums, and one for when it works. I'm updating cache files at start and currently using:

#ALBUM# for the dir mask.
#TRACK#-#ARTIST#-#TITLE# for the file mask.

I have a hunch this could be something to do with unicode in a lot of my tags - I know Barcrests program lists loads of songs with weird characters at the front. Although its odd you seem to list just the first letter....

[Space Fractal]

You should delelte cache files manually, before you update. It only update cache file, if you have renamed a file, added a folder or such on, otherwice it never updated.

It seen your songs was treated like a SINGLE album, and not a ALBUM? If Im correct, AMB should never retrive any id3 tags, but just retrive data directly on your defined MASK, and never touch the id3 tags. So I guess you have used a SINGLES dir folder instead of ALBUM dir folder?

FILE DIRMASK is disabled in the lastest version for SINGLES, because they never did work as intended, but it may return sooner or later.

The unicode problem may been a bug in tags.dll (from BASS homepage), wich I use for tagging. I would been happy to get one of the problem mp3 file to see a clue on, what it happens.

[Silver]

Ah, deleting the cache files seemed to sort this....

Thanks

[Space Fractal]

I would like to get a mp3, why it id3 tagged them wrong. otherwice I make a function, that automatick delete all cache files, if DIRMASK or such functions was used to avoid this to been happen....

[Space Fractal]

I released a v2.11.3 today with some bugsfixing;

- Coverart diddent show correctly, when cachefiles was used (forgot to load them).

A user by email reported that one, when he could not get coverart to work. sorry to you.


- Can now been started anyware, if standard installations folder is used, so start path is no problem longer (if it not in the standard installation folder, it display a fine error message instead).

[Stobe]

Hello,

I just downloaded the newest version from your webpage (2.11.4) and installed it on my WinXP SP2 cab, (arcadevga).  After install, I went through the config program and made a few changes.  But when I run the software, I get the main screen, which lets me choose Albums, Singles, or CD Player.  When I choose anything, it immediately crashes, and I get the Windows "Send.Don't Send" screen.

I've tried changing a few things in the config, but no matter what I do, it just crashes every time.

Do you know what could be causing this?  My computer has a pretty clean install of XP.  The only other thing I've installed on the machine is MameWAH, which works fine.

Thanks, and keep up the great work!
-Stobe

[Space Fractal]

There may been a stupid bug added in one of the newest AMB (in 2.11.4), if there are some other non music files in the same folder, when it trying to read first.  This bug is fixed in the next release.

But I'm are going to make a DirectX to a fulscreen window canvas change, which may take a day or 2 to make that. I doesn't have the original 2.11.4 source, so you may have to wait.

By now:

1) Try to enable "Allways update cache files at start up in "Audio" in the config setup. If it still crash, I can not make a hurry fix to that problem, because I doesn't have the unchanged source for that.

2) Download 2.11.3 (added to my homepage), that didn't cause the bug (but a little bug in "singles" may show numbers instead of "song", but they still works. This bu fix may have also caused a another more crash bug instead.

_________________________________

STATUS V2.12 (next version):
NB: NEAR FINISHED. Relaseing that tomorrow.

- Should been even cheaper in DirectX, because I changede the fullscreen DX mode to fullscreen canvas mode. This took some time remap some things (specefic the CDG player), and now it work pretty stable. No more graphicscard trouble, like that one in version 1.XX!

- The crash bug Stobe wrote from 2.11.4 is hopefully fixed (it crashed here, when I tried to dig to the CDG directory, so this is very stupid bug), I hope you can wait a day.

[Space Fractal]

Version 2.12 (No DirectX) released:

    * Changed DirectX full screen mode to using Window Canvas (Still in fullscreen of course), so DirectX should now only been used by the sound (I hope).
    * You can now write a little help screen (look in the 3 new files in the language Dir).
    * CDG Player is now a much more integrated in Arcade Music Box (can been played in a window and it doesn't change resolution.
    * A (stupid) Crash bug is fixed, if you selected a category from the main screen (this may only appear on some machine).
    * NB: The Joystick code are not tested (last thing to test) in the graphics mode change, but it should work.

[grueinthebox]

Maybe it's just me, but I'm having some pretty serious problems using 2.12...  The program will not launch in full screen mode - just gives an error "User lib not found".  It will launch in windowed mode, but freezes after bringing up a list after making a selection from the main menu (after the album list comes up when selecting "My Albums" or the radio list after selecting "My Radios").  Have to close the program out using Task Manager after it freezes.  Also, the keyboard controls don't work in windowed mode - have to use the mouse.

This is running under Windows XP with all current patches, etc.  Running an Athlon XP 2800+ w/ 1GB RAM and an ATI Radeon 9600XT.  Tried completely uninstalling the program, deleting the folder and reinstalling, with the same results.

[Space Fractal]

It my dumb  .

I forgot to add a new dll, that was used in V2.12. I release new v2.12 in between 15 min and a hour. I may also forgot something, when I changed the mode. I look on that now!

Released v2.12.2:
- Fullscreen now works again (I hope you got the missing dll file?)
- Keyboard in windowed now works again.

Released v1.12.3:
- Some netradio issues, that diddent behaiver as they should. ASX, PLS and URLS should now all works.
- Tiny bug: Select Button didden't work (keyboard), if using windowed mode.

I cannot get AMB to freeze on a fresh installation, maybe it fixed in 2.12.2 and/or 2.12.3?

[Space Fractal]

Coming Soon in v2.13:
- Movie support!

This would works as sameway as cdg files does.

But this is writtin in a external language application, because Blitz+ dosen't support rotations for video files (but it just use borderless window).

The dark side is Direct9 (it writting in Dark Basic) is requried to play movies, but only if a rotation is used. If you dosen't use a rotation, this movieplayer would not been needed.

This release is a far away, because Im are going to move home, and this may take a 1-2 weeks, because I dosen't have access to my sourcecode.....