±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±
±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±Frequently asked questions about±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±
±±±±±±±±the Multi Module Player (C) Charles Attard 1994-1996±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±
±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±±

Q: Why doesn't MMP support any other old format ?

A:   MMP supports the most frequently used file formats
   (I mean, the most frequently found modules)
   MOD, S3M, XM (and some now 'rare' ones 669, MTM, NST).
   I don't think it's useful to multiply the supported formats,
   the use of converters is a better method. I will incorporate
   some of them in the ZIP file (MMP will then 'virtually' support
   OKT, PSM, STX, STM)


Q: When loading any module I get the message
   'EMM386: DMA mode not supported. Press a key to reboot ...'
   What can I do ?

A: The difficulty comes from EMM386.EXE, which is an Expanded
   and Upper memory manager (and VCPI host).
   I haven't managed to reproduce this situation on my system
   so I'm not sure of the exact reason, but you can easily
   overcome the problem by disabling EMM386. Simply add 'rem'
   in 'config.sys' at the beginning of the line where EMM386.EXE
   is installed. You should have something like:
                 'rem DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE ...'
   And don't forget to reboot your system ...
   If you can't remove EMM386 because you need its Upper Memory
   management abilities (that's to say, you need much conventional
   memory), then you should try adding the option 'D=64' (declares
   a 64KB DMA buffer), to have something like:
                 'DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE D=64 ...'
   And reboot your system


Q: I've got a 'EMS unavailable, XMS unavailable' message with big
   modules, what can I do to play them ?

A:  The most frequent configuration is that you have installed
   an expanded memory manager as EMM386 or QEMM386 with no EMS
   (i.e with option 'NOEMS').
   That's the worst case because MMP can't use any of its modes
   (EMS or XMS) to load your modules.
    If you really can't disable any EMM, then you should at least
   enable some EMS. But try first to disable it because EMS
   management is really sloooww ... (this is intrinsic to EMS)


Q:  Why can't I launch MMP from Windows 3.x or 95, or from a DOS session ?
   (That's to say, Windows gives me a system violation message or
   any other hugly message of that kind :\ )

A:  Well, that's easy, MMP was not designed to run under Windows.
   It's a MS-DOS program.
   You can launch it from Windows 95 if you set its properties
   to run in MS-DOS mode.
   (be aware that any task running will be suspended because Windows
   will switch to real mode (think of fax, modem or network)
   I'm currently trying the GNU Pascal for DOS, a 32bits compiler that
   would allow a launch of MMP from Windows, without restrictions.
   But I don't know what I really could do with it yet ...


Q:  The music sounds like 'hesitating' or 'buzzing', where does-it
   come from ?

A:  It seems like your system isn't fast enough to play the module
   you want to listen to (that's to say the module has too many channels).
    A feature of MMP which makes the output sound great is the real-time
   oversampling, it's nice but it's the 'heaviest' work that your CPU
   has to do. So you should disable it and enable the digital low-pass
   filter instead. On high quality modules this won't be much hearable.
    Also, take a look at the memory mode of MMP (type 'c' to make the
   configuration window appear), if it's DOS/EMS then it's not good
   because this mode is slow. So, if you don't really need EMS you
   should disable it (add 'REM' before 'EMM386' or 'QEMM386' in your
   CONFIG.SYS file)
    If you can't take back the control of your system, that's to say
   if the CPU load is too high, then press the 'Pause' key and you
   will be able to reconfigure MMP. You could, for example, lower the
   output frequency (you can go down to 30000 Hz without a significant
    loss in quality).
    The last thing you can do without losing significantly sound quality
   is switching to mono mode (selectable from the configuration menu),
   this will almost divide by two the CPU load. This is certainly the
   mode which uses the less CPU power with the highest quality.
    If disabling real-time oversampling, disabling EMS, lowering
   output frequency and switching to mono mode doesn't help, then,
   I'm sorry but I can't do more for you because I've HIGHLY optimized
   the mixing routines ... (I mean I CAN'T optimize them more),
   so, you should consider upgrading your system ;)
    But, in fact, I think these options will allow any system (at least
    486s) to play modules with satisfactory quality.

   Here is, in decreasing priority, the things you can do in case
   you're in trouble with a CPU overload state:

       1) disable EMM managers (EMM386.EXE, QEMM386.EXE ...)
       2) switch to mono
       2) disable oversampling (and enable low-pass filter)
       3) decrease output frequency (not below 30 KHz if you have choice)


Q:  The graphics and windows opening or closing are really sluggish,
   what can I do ?

A:  The CPU load mustn't go over 60-70% (open the configuration window
   to read the CPU load) to allow fast enough graphics.
    See above to lower the CPU load.


Q:  Where does MMP save its configuration file ?

A:   If the environment string MMP is not set, then MMP saves its
    configuration file MMP.CFG in the directory where MMP.EXE lays.
     If the environment string MMP is present, MMP uses it instead.
    To set the environment string, add the following line in your
    AUTOEXEC.BAT file:

         set MMP=MMP_PATH

    Where MMP_PATH is the directory you want MMP to save its configuration.
    (e.g 'set MMP=C:\MUSIC\MMP')