MikIT 0.91 release notes
========================

Hello people.. welcome to a new and enhanced version of MikIT. Some of 
the new features in this version are:
	
        - IT 2.14 format support
        - MOD and S3M support !!
        - Several effects bugfixed
        - MikIT win/dos/linux libs available (see below)

For a detailed list of these changes take a look at the history , and 
see the todo screen for coming attractions. I'd like some feedback 
from you on this player, so please don't hesitate to email if you find 
any serious bugs (buggy effects, crashes). Please try to isolate the 
problem before you mail.. comments like 'Oi, this module doesn't sound 
right' aren't very helpful :)  I want to thank all the people that 
helped me find bugs so far, MikIT wouldn't have become this good 
without your help.

MikIT has rather sluggish mixing code (written in C++) but the output 
setup dialog should allow you to run it on anything ranging from a 
slow 486 to top of the line pentium pro machines.

MikIT is freeware for non-commercial use. Please contact me if you 
need details on commercial use.

If you want to use MikIT for your next musicdisk, demo or plugin, or 
if you feel like making a BETTER gui interface for MikIT just mail me. 
I currently have a MikIT DLL for Win95/NT (obviously) , a MikIT 
library for pmode DOS (watcom) and a shared MikIT library for Linux 
that you could use. (FreeBSD coming up soon too)


Contact Information
===================

	Programmer:	Jean-Paul Mikkers

	Email:		mikmak@via.nl (preferred)
		or
			mikmak@stack.nl

	Homepage:	http://www.stack.nl/~mikmak

	Snailmail:	Godartstraat 16
			5932AX
			Tegelen, 
			The Netherlands

Disclaimer
==========

The author (Jean-Paul Mikkers) specifically disclaims all warranties, 
expressed or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties 
of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose with respect 
to defects in the software and documentation.

In no event shall the author be liable for any loss of profit or 
damage, including but not limited to special, incidental, or 
consequential damages.

All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks contained in 
this document are the property of their respective holders.


History
=======

Version: 0.91 Date: 16-Aug-1997

-  fixed XM instrument header check which would fail on some mods, 
   even if they were ok
 
-  the IT effect SBx would skip the module. Fixed.

-  implemented MOD support
 
-  implemented S3M support
 
-  added support for the new IT 2.14 format (compressed samples!)
 
-  added synchronisation so MikIT lets a module play to the very 
   final note
 
-  fixed `zero division' bug on some XM modules
 
-  IT loader only loads patterns that are contained in the 
   orderlist now, to prevent loading corrupt patterns for some IT 
   modules
 
-  implemented IT surround effect S91
 
-  fixed IT effect Gxx to start an instrument if it wasn't playing 
   already
 
-  implemented loading of old instrument envelopes
 
-  fixed IT tremor effect Ixx
 
-  fixed slide speeds for IT volume column effect Gx
 
-  fixed IT patternbreak and positionjump  so `backwards' modules 
   will play too
 
-  fixed XM tempo effect
 
-  a XM note off with an instrument value behind it should result 
   in a note-off anyway. Fixed.
 
-  fixed IT effect S6x (patterndelay) 
 
-  Doubleclicking on a module when MikIT is already active won't 
   start another instance of MikIT anymore. Instead the other MikIT 
   will start playing it.


Version: 0.90 Date: 01-Jun-1997

-  XM support !! (MikIT now contains over 6000 lines of code)
 
-  fixed `hanging' notes when skipping patterns
 
-  added `old effects' vibrato type


Version: 0.08 Date: 15-May-1997 (not released)

-  fixed NT compatibility bug
 
-  GUI: `about' dialog still showed mikit version 0.05. fixed.
 
-  GUI: fixed bug that would cause a crash when skipping modules in 
   an empty playlist
 
-  module file handle is closed when playing (so you can delete the 
   module if you don't like it :)
 
-  NoClick also works on note cuts now


Version: 0.07 Date: 10-May-1997

-  GUI: increased maximum latency value to 2000
 
-  super-quality NoClick mixer option
 
-  fixed the SAx effect (set high sample offset)


Version: 0.06 Date: (Not released)

-  GUI: sample / instrument / message viewing dialog
 
-  GUI: progress bar
 
-  improved mixer routines (16 bit samples will sound better)
 
-  fixed a pattern delay effect bug
 
-  fixed an amiga slide bug
 
-  released a new linux version of mikit, this time with command 
   line options
 
-  released a Macintosh port of MikIT, made by Dmitry Boldyrev


Version: 0.05 Date: 30-Mar-1997

-  IT modules with stereo samples are no longer refused by MikIT
 
-  Using IT-style panning now (instead of XM style) which increases 
   stereo separation
 
-  Fixed pattern decoding bug which caused MikIT to crash on a few 
   modules
 
-  Fixed: an instrument value without a note shouldn't restart the 
   sample (thanks Farmer)
 
-  Amiga slides are also implemented now
 
-  GUI: loop mode selection button
 
-  GUI: drag & drop support in both the main and playlist dialog
 
-  GUI: load/save menu for playlist


Version: 0.04 Date: 08-Mar-1997

-  Out-of-range patternnumbers and empty orders don't crash MikIT 
   anymore
 
-  Fixed sustained samples in CHRIS-14.IT (when a note-cut is 
   active the instrument value should be ignored)
 
-  reworked main MikIT routines into a multithreading DLL
 
-  created a GUI for MikIT using MSVC 


Version: 0.03B  Date: 13-Jan-1997

-  ArGhh.. found an initialisation bug in 0.02 which caused silent 
   samples. Fixed.


Version: 0.02B  Date: 12-Jan-1997

-  MikIT also loads old instrument types now (ignoring envelopes)

-  Added extra check to prevent MikIT from crashing when a module 
   plays a non-existing sample or instrument

-  Previous version used to set the windows WAV mixer volume to 
   zero when it stopped. Fixed.

-  Implemented some of the remaining Sxx effects

-  Made C++ mixer a bit faster by unrolling the mixing loops


Version: 0.01B  Date: 05-Jan-1997

-  First public beta release (Win95 version)

-  Released a linux binary on 10-Jan-1997


To do
=====

Things left to do:

        - panbrello support
 
        - configurable number of channels for IT playback

        - Archive support (ZIP, ARJ, RAR)
 
        - MTM support


Usage
=====

Usage of MikIT is pretty straighforward: just doubleclick on mikit.exe 
from windows explorer to start it. Then click on the `play' button; 
you'll be presented with the playlist edit dialog. In this dialog you 
can add one or more IT module paths to the playlist and rearrange them 
in any order you like. When you're done, click on `OK' and click on 
the play button to enjoy the tunes.

NEW: now it's also possible to drag & drop module icons on the MikIT 
main window.. MikIT will automatically start playing the files you 
drop on it.

You can also install MikIT to be the default `viewer' for .IT files in 
explorer: doubleclick on a IT / XM / MOD / S3M file in explorer. If 
you didn't assign the file-type already you'll be presented with a 
`Open With' dialog asking you what program to use for this kind of 
extension. Now click on the `Other...' button and select the mikit.exe 
file. Now you can simply doubleclick on a IT module icon to play it.

If you want to select a different output format or soundcard click on 
the button with the hammer icon. This will open the output setup 
dialog.


Output Setup Dialog
===================

The output setup dialog is used for adjusting the output format and 
sound quality to your needs. Please note that changing these settings 
will only take effect the next time you start playing a module.

Output device:
selects what soundcard to use for playing back IT 
modules (most people will only see one entry here 
though)

Mixing frequency:
Specifies the output frequency. If your computer is 
slow, don't try to mix at high rates. 

Resolution:
Specifies wether the output format uses 8 bit or 16 
bit samples. Changing this has NO effect on the 
performance of the mixing routines.

Quality:
If you select `interpolated' here the mixer will 
use a interpolation algorithm which reduces 
quantisation noise in the resulting audio stream. 
Don't enable this on slow computers.

Channels:
Specifies mono or stereo output.

Latency:
This value determines the audio buffer size .. if 
you want to reduce the chance of interrupted music 
when your computer is busy, just put a higher value 
in this field. Increasing this value also reduces 
the reaction time of the play/stop/ff/rew buttons 
though.

NoClick:
Use this checkbox to enable the high quality mixer. 
If you have this option enabled the mixer will 
perform fast 1.4 millisecond volume-ramps each time 
an instrument is started, and also during 
volume/panning changes. This feature is cpu 
intensive, so don't enable it if you don't hear the 
difference anyway :)


Playlist Edit Dialog
====================

Using the playlist edit dialog you can build a list of IT modules and 
rearrange them in any order you like. Use the `File' menu to load or 
save the current playlist (for those of you that couldn't find it 
before: IT'S IN THE UPPER-LEFT CORNER OF THE PLAYLIST EDIT DIALOG!!).

The listbox in this dialog allows multiple selections.. by pressing 
the CTRL key you can select sets of IT modules to move or delete. 

A new feature of the playlist dialog is drag & drop support.. you can 
simply drag an IT module icon to the dialog and it will be added to 
the play list.


Greetings
=========

first of all, BIG thanks go to:

        Pulse

        Dmitry Boldyrev

        MCGV STACK
 
        Walnut Creek CD-ROM
	

Also a big hello to all the people on:

        #TRAX

( I removed the big name list because it was getting too big for me to 
maintain so here's the short version: THANK YOU to all people that 
helped me. You know who you are - I love you)

