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< h3 > LameXP - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)< / h3 > < br >
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< a name = "127191f3" > < / a > < b > Table of contents:< / b > < br >
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< ul >
< li > < a href = "#6a0b023d" > What is LameXP ???< / a >
< li > < a href = "#be0a8459" > What platforms does LameXP run on?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#29065b86" > What output formats (encoders) does LameXP support?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#4e398a46" > What input formats (decoders) does LameXP support?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#96205e91" > My anti-virus program raises an alarm when I try to download/install/launch LameXP. Why is that?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#fd53d98a" > Who created LameXP?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#de1c5e44" > What license is LameXP released under?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#303e5fa7" > Do I have to pay for LameXP? / How can I donate to the authors of LameXP?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#054010d9" > MP3, AAC or Vorbis - What is the best compressed audio format?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#411d1257" > What is the difference between the CBR, VBR and ABR rate control modes?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#71a113b0" > How do I enable AAC/MP4/M4A output (encoding) in LameXP?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#126abc5a" > Is there a way to output ".m4a" or ".aac" files with LameXP?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#ebf016ab" > How do I enable WMA input (decoding) in LameXP?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#9fd53558" > How can I use LameXP as a "portable" application?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#3d6684e9" > Is there a way to use custom tools (binaries) with LameXP instead of the "built-in" ones?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#df406578" > The LameXP startup (splash screen) takes very long on my system. What can I do?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#a923d407" > Why is there a time limit in my version of LameXP?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#900a2a6c" > Is there a way to hide/show the LameXP console ("DOS Box") window?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#9b0a5c32" > Why does application 'xyz' not open the Wave files created by LameXP?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#89cbd3d0" > Why does LameXP run (only) N instances/threads in parallel on my computer?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#454e51dd" > Why does LameXP try to connect to the web-server at 'xyz.com' secretly?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#12d077d5" > How can I force LameXP to create ID3 version 2 (ID3v2) tags?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#d83ab3c6" > Why does LameXP use LAME v3.99 rather than v3.98?< / a > < br >
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< li > < a href = "#4213adbc" > Can LameXP be used to convert/extract tracks from an Audio CD?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#434f2578" > Why is the maximum normalization level limited to -0.5 dB?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#9f8ff13a" > What do the different 'Equalization' modes do?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#c6d9dfed" > Why does my encoded file come out slightly longer than the original?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#ed4d30ed" > Why is the Hibernation option disabled (greyed out) on my system?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#54150e92" > Why do random files fail with "Not Found!" or "Failed!" status?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#3e999f02" > Why is "Convert this file with LameXP" missing from the Explorer context menu somtimes?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#e7c9ae2b" > Why do I get the error 'Executable doesn't support Windows compatibility mode' on startup?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#328b0a18" > Why do I get the error 'Executable requires Windows XP or later' on startup?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#3ffe490e" > Why do I get the error 'The procedure entry point De/EncodePointer could not be located' on startup?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#01922741" > Why do I get the error 'LameXP.exe is not a valid Win32 application' on startup?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#491aaad9" > Why do I get the error 'A device attached to the system is not functioning' on startup?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#a0fd5ae8" > Why do I get the error 'File ´ tool_foobar.exe´ could not be locked!' on startup?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#f35cfa24" > How can I translate LameXP to my language or improve an existing translation?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#8dba381f" > Where can I download the latest version of LameXP?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#9c2e273d" > Where can I submit bug reports or feature requests?< / a >
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< li > < a href = "#e5694e3e" > What programming language is LameXP written in?< / a > < br >
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< li > < a href = "#982cf1c0" > Where can I find the LameXP source code?< / a >
< li > < a href = "#a0c1e92b" > What are the prerequisites to build LameXP from the sources?< / a > < / ul >
< br > < br >
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< a name = "6a0b023d" > < / a > < b > What is LameXP ???< / b > < br >
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< br >
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LameXP is a graphical user-interface (front-end) for various of audio encoders: It allows you convert your< br >
audio files from one audio format to another one in the most simple way. Despite its name, LameXP is NOT only< br >
a front-end for the LAME encoder, but supports a wide range of output formats, including MP3, Ogg Vorbis,< br >
AAC/MP4, FLAC, AC-3 and Wave Audio. The number of supported input formats is even bigger! Furthermore LameXP< br >
does NOT only run on Windows XP, but also on Windows Vista, Windows 7 and many other operating systems.< br >
< br >
As all the encoders and decoders used by LameXP are already "built-in" (with one exception), you do NOT need< br >
to install any additional software, such as "Codecs", "Filters" or "Plug-ins", on your computer. Everything< br >
works "out of the box"! You can even use LameXP as a "portable" application, e.g. run it from your USB stick.< br >
Moreover LameXP was designed for batch processing. This means that you can convert a huge number of audio< br >
files, e.g. a complete album or even your entire music collection, in a single step. And, as LameXP is able< br >
to process several audio files in parallel, it takes full advantage of modern multi-core processors! However< br >
LameXP is NOT only optimized for speed, it also provides excellent sound quality by using the most< br >
sophisticated encoders available and by giving the user unrestricted control over all encoding parameters.< br >
< br >
In addition to that, LameXP provides full support for metadata, including cover art. So when converting your< br >
audio files, LameXP will retain existing meta tags. But there also is an easy-to-use editor for adding or< br >
modifying metadata. LameXP supports Unicode for both, meta tags and filenames, so there won't be any problems< br >
with "foreign" characters. And, thanks to our translators, the user-interface of LameXP is available in< br >
multiple languages. Last but not least, LameXP supports a number of post-processing filters, including sample< br >
rate conversion, normalization (gain), tone adjustment and downmixing of multi-channel sources.< br > < br >
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< br > < br >
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< a name = "be0a8459" > < / a > < b > What platforms does LameXP run on?< / b > < br >
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< br >
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LameXP is currently being developed on the following platforms:< br > < ul >
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< li > Microsoft Windows 7 (32-Bit and 64-Bit editions) with < a href = "http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/gg635126" target = "_blank" > Service Pack 1< / a >
< li > Microsoft Windows XP with < a href = "http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/bb794714" target = "_blank" > Service Pack 3< / a > < / ul >
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< br >
The following platforms should work, but aren't tested extensively:< br > < ul >
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< li > Microsoft Windows Vista (32-Bit and 64-Bit editions) with < a href = "http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd262148" target = "_blank" > Service Pack 2< / a >
< li > Microsoft Windows XP x64 Edition with < a href = "http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=17791" target = "_blank" > Service Pack 2< / a >
< li > Microsoft Windows 2000 with < a href = "http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=4127" target = "_blank" > Service Pack 4< / a >
< li > Microsoft Windows Server 2008 with < a href = "http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd262148" target = "_blank" > Service Pack 2< / a >
< li > Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 with < a href = "http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/gg635126" target = "_blank" > Service Pack 1< / a >
< li > GNU/Linux using < a href = "http://www.winehq.org/" target = "_blank" > Wine< / a > v1.2.2+ (native Linux version planned)< / ul >
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< br >
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The following "legacy" platforms are NOT supported any longer:< br > < ul >
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< li > Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
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< li > Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (*)
< li > Microsoft Windows 98 (*)
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< li > Microsoft Windows 95< / ul >
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< br >
(*) Some people claim that LameXP can run on Windows 98 SE or Millennium Edition with the help of < a href = "http://sourceforge.net/projects/kernelex/" target = "_blank" > KernelEx< / a > .< br > < br >
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< br > < br >
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< a name = "29065b86" > < / a > < b > What output formats (encoders) does LameXP support?< / b > < br >
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< br >
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Currently the following output formats are supported by LameXP:< br > < ul >
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< li > MPEG Audio-Layer III (MP3), using the < a href = "http://lamexp.sourceforge.net/" target = "_blank" > LAME< / a > encoder [built-in]
< li > Ogg Vorbis, using the < a href = "http://www.xiph.org/vorbis/" target = "_blank" > OggEnc2/libvorbis< / a > encoder with < a href = "http://www.geocities.jp/aoyoume/aotuv/" target = "_blank" > aoTuV< / a > [built-in]
< li > Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), using < a href = "http://www.audiocoding.com/nero_aacenc.html" target = "_blank" > Nero AAC< / a > encoder [separate download!]
< li > ATSC A/52 (aka "AC-3"), using the < a href = "http://aften.sourceforge.net/" target = "_blank" > Aften< / a > encoder [built-in]
< li > Free Lossless Audio Codec (< a href = "http://flac.sourceforge.net/" target = "_blank" > FLAC< / a > ) [built-in]
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< li > Uncompressed PCM / Waveform Audio File (WAV/RIFF)< / ul >
< br > < br >
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< a name = "4e398a46" > < / a > < b > What input formats (decoders) does LameXP support?< / b > < br >
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< br >
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Currently the following input formats are supported by LameXP:< br > < ul >
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< li > AC-3 (ATSC A/52), using Valib decoder [built-in]
< li > Advanced Audio Coding (AAC), using FAAD decoder [built-in]
< li > Apple Lossless (ALAC)
< li > Apple/SGI AIFF
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< li > Avisynth, audio only [requires Avisynth 2.5.x to be installed]
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< li > Digital Theater System, using Valib decoder [built-in]
< li > Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC)
< li > Microsoft ADPCM
< li > Monkey's Audio (APE)
< li > MPEG Audio-Layer I (MP1), using mpg123 decoder [built-in]
< li > MPEG Audio-Layer II (MP2), using mpg123 decoder [built-in]
< li > MPEG Audio-Layer III (MP3), using mpg123 decoder [built-in]
< li > Musepack
< li > Shorten
< li > Speex
< li > Sun/NeXT Au
< li > The True Audio (TTA)
< li > Uncompressed PCM / Waveform Audio File (WAV/RIFF)
< li > WavPack Hybrid Lossless Audio
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< li > Windows Media Audio (WMA), using wma2wav [built-in]< / ul >
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< br > < br >
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< a name = "96205e91" > < / a > < b > My anti-virus program raises an alarm when I try to download/install/launch LameXP. Why is that?< / b > < br >
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< br >
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Occasionally your anti-virus program may mistakenly(!) detect "malware" (e.g. virus, trojan horse or worm) in< br >
LameXP. This is called a "false positive" and the file is actually innocent/clean. It's an error in your< br >
specific anti-virus software. So in case you encounter such problems, please use < a href = "http://www.virustotal.com/" target = "_blank" > http://www.virustotal.com/< / a > ,< br >
< a href = "http://www.virscan.org/" target = "_blank" > http://www.virscan.org/< / a > or a similar online-service to check the file in question with multiple(!) anti-virus< br >
engines. Especially take care with scan results like "suspicious", "generic" or "packed", as such results are< br >
NOT confirmed malware detections and in almost any case they can be ignored/discarded safely!< br >
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< br >
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Apparently anti-virus programs tend to suspect installers or uninstallers created with < a href = "http://nsis.sourceforge.net/" target = "_blank" > NSIS< / a > . Furthermore some< br >
anti-virus programs blindly suspect all "packed" executables of being malware. Obviously that is a stupid< br >
generalization, so please ignore these nasty warnings! Last but not least: Always keep in mind that LameXP is< br >
OpenSource software. If you don't trust the provided pre-compiled binaries, simply download the < a href = "#982cf1c0" > source codes< / a > ,< br >
search the code for "malicious" functions (you won't find any!) and then < a href = "#a0c1e92b" > compile< / a > your own binary.< br >
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< br >
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Conclusion:< ul >
< li > IN CASE YOU HAVE A CONFIRMED INFECTION, RE-DOWNLOAD THE FILE FROM ONE OF THE *OFFICIAL* MIRRORS!
< li > DO NOT SEND US VIRUS REPORTS, UNLESS YOU HAVE VERIFIED THE INFECTION WITH MULTIPLE ANTI-VIRUS ENGINES!
< li > PLEASE REPORT "FALSE POSITIVES" TO THE DEVELOPER OF YOUR ANTI-VIRUS SOFTWARE. WE CANNOT FIX THEM!< / ul >
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< br > < br >
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< a name = "fd53d98a" > < / a > < b > Who created LameXP?< / b > < br >
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< br >
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LameXP was written from the scratch by < a href = "mailto:mulder2-nospam@gmx.de" > LoRd_MuldeR < MuldeR2@ GMX.de> < / a > . However it has to be noted that LameXP< br >
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uses a number of third-party tools, which have been created by the individual authors. Moreover various< br >
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people have contributed LameXP translations. Please see the "About" dialog for details! Also please do NOT< br >
send e-mail to LoRd_MuldeR directly, if the problem or suggestion can be discussed in the < a href = "#9c2e273d" > support< / a > forums!< br >
< br >
More OpenSource projects by LoRd_MuldeR available at < a href = "http://mulder.at.gg/" target = "_blank" > http://mulder.at.gg/< / a > or < a href = "http://mulder.googlecode.com/" target = "_blank" > http://mulder.googlecode.com/< / a > .< br > < br >
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< br > < br >
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< a name = "de1c5e44" > < / a > < b > What license is LameXP released under?< / b > < br >
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< br >
LameXP is free software. You can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public< br >
License (GPL) as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your< br >
option) any later version. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY< br >
WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.< br >
< br >
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The licenses for most software and other practical works are designed to take away your freedom to share and< br >
change the works. By contrast, the GNU General Public License is intended to guarantee your freedom to share< br >
and change all versions of a program - to make sure it remains free software for all its users.< br >
< br >
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Please see the < a href = "http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html" target = "_blank" > GNU General Public License< / a > for more details!< br > < br >
< br > < br >
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< a name = "303e5fa7" > < / a > < b > Do I have to pay for LameXP? / How can I donate to the authors of LameXP?< / b > < br >
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< br >
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LameXP is < a href = "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_software" target = "_blank" > free software< / a > , so you may use it for free and for any purpose. Moreover the authors of LameXP< br >
currently do NOT accept any donations. Therefore you should NOT pay or donate any money in order to obtain< br >
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LameXP! However it was brought to our attention that some dubious third-party web-sites offer "payed"< br >
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downloads of LameXP and/or include Adware into the LameXP download. We do NOT cooperate with any of these< br >
sites. So if you pay for the LameXP download, the authors of LameXP will not get a single cent! Instead you< br >
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should save your money and download LameXP from the official mirrors (< a href = "#8dba381f" > see below< / a > ), which is 100% free.< br >
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< br >
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If you want to support the development of LameXP, you can do so by contributing translations or code :-)< br > < br >
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< br > < br >
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< a name = "054010d9" > < / a > < b > MP3, AAC or Vorbis - What is the best compressed audio format?< / b > < br >
< br >
This question can NOT be answered in general. The best audio format is the format that works best for you!< br >
< br >
Having said that, there are a few things to consider. First of all: All output formats supported by LameXP,< br >
except for FLAC and PCM/Wave, use a lossy(!) kind of compression. That applies to MP3 and AAC as well as< br >
Vorbis. Consequently with these formats a certain quality loss is unavoidable when re-encoding/converting, no< br >
matter what. This is called "generation loss". Nonetheless all three formats (MP3, AAC and Vorbis) are able< br >
to retain an EXCELLENT audio quality, given that the chosen bitrate (quality level) is sufficient/reasonable.< br >
< br >
Secondly, the audio quality does not depend on the audio format and the chosen bitrate only. It also depends< br >
greatly on the encoder software that is being used. LameXP uses the LAME MP3 encoder, probably the most< br >
sophisticated MP3 encoder out there, the Nero AAC encoder, one of the best AAC encoders available, and the< br >
aoTuV Vorbis encoder, an improved/tuned version of the reference Vorbis encoder. Consequently LameXP provides< br >
you with state-of-the-art encoders, which ensures maximum encoding quality for ALL supported output formats.< br >
< br >
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Another thing to consider is hardware support, i.e. support on stand-alone and portable players. The MP3< br >
format still has the best support on hardware players, but support for AAC/MP4 has become widespread too -< br >
especially on portable devices. Hardware support for Vorbis is more limited, but growing. So if portability< br >
is a priority, then MP3 is a good choice. However the MP3 format does NOT support multi-channel audio, which< br >
means that you will have to use AAC or Vorbis for multi-channel files. Last but not least, if you prefer a< br >
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truly "open" and patent-free audio format, then Vorbis will be the format of your choice!< br >
< br >
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Another resource you might find interesting are Sebastian's Public Listening Tests:< br > < ul >
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< li > < a href = "http://listening-tests.hydrogenaudio.org/sebastian/mp3-128-1/results.htm" target = "_blank" > MP3 listening test @ 128 kbps, includes MP3 encoders (like LAME) only< / a >
< li > < a href = "http://listening-tests.hydrogenaudio.org/sebastian/mf-128-1/results.htm" target = "_blank" > Multiformat listening test @ 128 kbps, includes LAME MP3, Vorbis AoTuV and others< / a >
< li > < a href = "http://listening-tests.hydrogenaudio.org/sebastian/mf-64-1/results.htm" target = "_blank" > Multiformat listening test @ 64 kbps, includes Vorbis AoTuV, Nero AAC and others< / a >
< / ul >
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(However be aware that some of the results from these listening tests are not up-to-date anymore)< br > < br >
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< br > < br >
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< a name = "411d1257" > < / a > < b > What is the difference between the CBR, VBR and ABR rate control modes?< / b > < br >
< br >
CBR means "constant bitrate" and, as the name implies, CBR mode allocates the bits at a constant rate. This< br >
means that each part of the audio will get the same amount of bits, regardless of its content. Obviously this< br >
will waste bits in parts of the audio that are easy to compress. At the same time the quality of parts of the< br >
audio that are hard to compress will be degraded. Consequently using CBR mode is NOT a very good idea, unless< br >
you really have to for some reason. However CBR mode has the advantage that the final size of the compressed< br >
file is perfectly predictable. The resulting file size is defined simply as "duration × fixed bitrate".< br >
< br >
VBR means "variable bitrate" and, in contrast to CBR mode, VBR mode allows the bitrate to vary/fluctuate.< br >
Thus the VBR mode enables the encoder to adapt the bitrate with respect to the content of the audio. Parts of< br >
the audio that are easy to compress will get a lower bitrate in order to safe bits. Parts of the audio that< br >
are hard to compress will get a higher bitrate in order to avoid quality degradation. Or in other words: VBR< br >
mode "moves" the bits to the locations where they are actually needed. Therefore the VBR mode achieves a much< br >
better compression efficiency than the CBR mode, i.e. with VBR mode you can get a better quality at the same< br >
file size, or the same quality at a smaller file size (compared to CBR mode). One disadvantage of the VBR< br >
mode is, however, that the final size of the compressed file can NOT be predicted. The resulting file size is< br >
defined as "duration × average bitrate", but the average bitrate can NOT be known beforehand. That's< br >
because the average bitrate for a specific VBR quality level can vary greatly, depending solely on the< br >
complexity of the individual audio. Nonetheless VBR mode generally should be the preferred encoding mode.< br >
< br >
ABR means "average bitrate". You can think of ABR mode as a compromise between the CBR and VBR mode. With ABR< br >
mode the bitrate is allowed to vary/fluctuate, similar to VBR mode. However the ABR mode doesn't work with a< br >
predefined/fixed quality level, as VBR mode does. Instead in ABR mode the encoder will continuously re-adjust< br >
the quality level in order to hit the target average(!) bitrate. You can also think of ABR mode as a mode< br >
that pre-allocates the bits in a CBR-like fashion and then redistributes the bits within a local neighborhood< br >
as needed. Thus the ABR mode combines advantages of CBR mode (predictability) and VBR mode (good quality).< br >
The final size of the encoded file is still defined as "duration × average bitrate", but with ABR mode the< br >
average bitrate *is* known beforehand. So if you need to hit a specific file size, ABR mode is the solution.< br >
< br >
Hint: The Nero AAC encoder supports a variant of the ABR mode, the so-called "2-Pass" mode. That mode scans< br >
through the entire file once (first pass) before the actual encoding is performed (second pass). This way the< br >
encoder is able to distribute the bits over the entire file and still hit the desired target average bitrate.< br >
2011-04-01 00:57:52 +02:00
It should be obvious that the advantages of the "2-Pass" mode come at the cost of increased encoding time.< br >
< br >
Hint: A common mistake done by people comparing rate control modes is choosing a bitrate that is too high. Of< br >
course only files of an identical (average) bitrate can be compared by quality. But if that bitrate is chosen< br >
too high, you won't be able to draw any conclusions from the test. That's because at a certain bitrate even< br >
the CBR mode will retain excellent quality. In that situation VBR mode or ABR mode can't give an even better< br >
quality for obvious reasons. But drawing the conclusion that there is no difference between CBR mode and the< br >
VBR/ABR modes would be very wrong! The differences will become significant when using a reasonable bitrate.< br >
Another mistake is starting with a low-quality source file and concluding that all modes perform equally bad.< br >
2011-03-31 19:31:23 +02:00
< br >
Summary of rate control modes:< br > < ul >
< li > Need to hit a specific fixed file size and still want to retain decent quality? ⇒ ABR mode
< li > Want to retain a certain level of quality and the file size doesn't matter that much? ⇒ VBR mode
< li > Avoid CBR mode by all means, unless there are crude restrictions that force you to use it!< / ul >
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "71a113b0" > < / a > < b > How do I enable AAC/MP4/M4A output (encoding) in LameXP?< / b > < br >
2011-02-18 16:29:26 +01:00
< br >
LameXP uses the Nero AAC Encoder for creating AAC/MP4/M4A files. The Nero AAC Encoder is available as a free< br >
download. However the license doesn't allow redistribution! Therefore we can NOT ship the Nero encoder along< br >
with LameXP. Instead you will have to obtain the Nero encoder as a separate download from the official "Nero< br >
Digital" web-site. Currently you'll find the latest Nero AAC Encoder version at this location:< br > < ul >
2011-04-01 00:57:52 +02:00
< li > < a href = "http://www.nero.com/deu/downloads-nerodigital-nero-aac-codec.php" target = "_blank" > http://www.nero.com/deu/downloads-nerodigital-nero-aac-codec.php< / a >
< li > < a href = "http://ftp6.nero.com/tools/" target = "_blank" > http://ftp6.nero.com/tools/< / a > < / ul >
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< br >
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After you have downloaded the Nero AAC Encoder as a ZIP file, you must "install" the encoder binaries, so< br >
2011-02-18 16:29:26 +01:00
LameXP can use them. Simply unzip the files 'neroAacEnc.exe', 'neroAacDec.exe' as well as 'neroAacTag.exe' to< br >
the same directory where your LameXP executable ('LameXP.exe') is located. For unzipping the ZIP file you can< br >
use any suitable archiver, such as < a href = "http://rarlabs.com/download.htm" target = "_blank" > WinRAR< / a > or < a href = "http://sevenzip.sourceforge.net/" target = "_blank" > 7-Zip< / a > . Once the required Nero encoder binaries are located in< br >
2011-08-21 14:43:18 +02:00
the LameXP directory, the AAC encoding option should be "enabled" on the next startup of LameXP.< br >
< br >
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< br >
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QAAC Encoder< br >
< br >
Optionally LameXP supports the QAAC encoder, i.e. the AAC encoder used by QuickTime and iTunes. Just like the< br >
Nero AAC encoder, the QAAC encoder can NOT be redistributed along with LameXP. Thus if you want to use the< br >
QAAC encoder, then you have to install QuickTime v7.7.1 (or newer). Alternatively iTunes v10.5 (or newer) can< br >
be installed. Both, QuickTime and iTunes, can be < a href = "http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/" target = "_blank" > downloaded for free< / a > from the official Apple web-site.< br >
< br >
In order to enable the QAAC Encoder support you will also need the 'QAAC Encoder Add-in' for LameXP:< br > < ul >
< li > < a href = "http://www.mediafire.com/file/uayr4fbbohx9544/LameXP.qaac-addin.2012-03-06.zip" target = "_blank" > http://www.mediafire.com/file/uayr4fbbohx9544/LameXP.qaac-addin.2012-03-06.zip< / a >
< li > < a href = "http://mulder.brhack.net/public/add-in/LameXP.qaac-addin.2012-03-06.zip" target = "_blank" > http://mulder.brhack.net/public/add-in/LameXP.qaac-addin.2012-03-06.zip< / a > < / ul >
< br >
Please follow the install instructions that are included with the 'QAAC Encoder Add-in' download package!< br >
Note that you do NOT need to install this Add-in, if you only want to use the Nero AAC Encoder.< br >
< br >
< br >
FHG AAC Encoder< br >
< br >
2011-08-21 14:43:18 +02:00
Optionally LameXP also supports the FHG AAC Encoder now. Just like the Nero encoder, the FHG encoder can NOT< br >
be redistributed along with LameXP. However the FHG AAC Encoder is included with Winamp v5.62, which is< br >
available as a free download (you don't need to buy the "Pro" version!) from the official Winamp web-site at:< br > < ul >
< li > < a href = "http://www.winamp.com/media-player/" target = "_blank" > http://www.winamp.com/media-player/< / a >
2012-03-06 19:22:55 +01:00
< li > < a href = "http://download.nullsoft.com/winamp/client/winamp5623_full_emusic-7plus_all.exe" target = "_blank" > http://download.nullsoft.com/winamp/client/winamp5623_full_emusic-7plus_all.exe< / a > < / ul >
2011-08-21 14:43:18 +02:00
< br >
In order to enable the FHG AAC Encoder support you will also need the 'FHG AAC Encoder Add-in' for LameXP:< br > < ul >
2012-03-06 19:22:55 +01:00
< li > < a href = "http://www.mediafire.com/file/on0m45l7z26fmch/LameXP.fhgaacenc-addin.2011-08-22.zip" target = "_blank" > http://www.mediafire.com/file/on0m45l7z26fmch/LameXP.fhgaacenc-addin.2011-08-22.zip< / a >
< li > < a href = "http://mulder.brhack.net/public/add-in/LameXP.fhgaacenc-addin.2011-08-22.zip" target = "_blank" > http://mulder.brhack.net/public/add-in/LameXP.fhgaacenc-addin.2011-08-22.zip< / a > < / ul >
2011-08-21 14:43:18 +02:00
< br >
Please follow the install instructions that are included with the 'FHG AAC Encoder Add-in' download package!< br >
2012-03-06 19:22:55 +01:00
Note that you do NOT need to install this Add-in, if you only want to use the Nero AAC Encoder.< br > < br >
2011-02-18 16:29:26 +01:00
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "126abc5a" > < / a > < b > Is there a way to output ".m4a" or ".aac" files with LameXP?< / b > < br >
2011-02-18 16:29:26 +01:00
< br >
LameXP uses the Nero AAC Encoder for AAC encoding. And the Nero encoder always puts the AAC streams into an< br >
MP4 (MPEG-4 Part 14) container - in almost any case that is exactly what you want/need! The one and only< br >
"correct" file extension for MP4 files is '.mp4'. However sometimes the "incorrect" file extension '.m4a' is< br >
used to indicate "audio-only" MP4 files. Even worse: There are some buggy (hardware) players that will< br >
recognize MP4 audio file only with the "incorrect" .m4a extension, but NOT with the "correct" .mp4 extension.< br >
Of course LameXP will save your MP4 files with the "correct" .mp4 extension. But if you need your MP4 files< br >
2011-12-14 23:54:49 +01:00
with an .m4a extension for some reason, you can simply rename(!) these files. Renaming isn't more or less< br >
2011-02-28 17:52:43 +01:00
"incorrect" than saving the files as .m4a directly. After all, an MP4 file remains an MP4 file.< br >
2011-02-18 16:29:26 +01:00
< br >
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Warning: While renaming .mp4 files to .m4a (or vice versa) is safe, because both file extensions refer to MP4< br >
files, you must NOT rename any .mp4/.m4a files to .aac (or the other way around). That's because the '.aac'< br >
extension is used with "raw" AAC streams (ADTS format), i.e. AAC streams that are explicitly NOT stored in an< br >
2011-12-15 00:05:23 +01:00
MP4 container! Unfortunately the Nero AAC encoder has NO option to output "raw" AAC streams. And usually you< br >
don't need such streams. Still, if you really need to extract the "raw" AAC stream (.aac) from an MP4 file,< br >
you can simply use < a href = "http://www.videohelp.com/tools/mp4box" target = "_blank" > MP4Box< / a > for that purpose. Please note that < a href = "http://yamb.unite-video.com/" > YAMB< / a > is a great MP4Box GUI created by Kurtnoise.< br > < br >
2011-02-18 16:29:26 +01:00
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "ebf016ab" > < / a > < b > How do I enable WMA input (decoding) in LameXP?< / b > < br >
2011-02-18 16:29:26 +01:00
< br >
2011-07-26 22:17:14 +02:00
LameXP now uses its "built-in" WMA decoder, thanks to 'wma2wav'. However it has to be noted that the WMA< br >
decoder relies on the Windows Media Format Runtime. All supported versions of Microsoft Windows should have< br >
the Windows Media Format Runtime installed as part of the Windows Media Player. But Wine does not! In case< br >
you encounter problems with the WMA decoder, try installing the < a href = "http://anonym.to/http://www.citizeninsomniac.com/WMV/wmfdist11.exe" target = "_blank" > Windows Media Format Runtime< / a > manually. This< br >
should also work under Wine. The 'N' or 'KN' editions of Windows 7 need the < a href = "http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=16546" target = "_blank" > Windows Media Feature Pack< / a > .< br > < br >
2011-02-18 16:29:26 +01:00
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "9fd53558" > < / a > < b > How can I use LameXP as a "portable" application?< / b > < br >
2011-02-16 00:11:59 +01:00
< br >
LameXP always is "portable", in the sense that the application works out of the box: LameXP does NOT require< br >
any additional software, such as codecs, encoders, decoders or runtime libraries, and it will NOT install< br >
anything of that kind on your local computer! All the third-party tools used by LameXP are already built-in.< br >
There currently are two notable exceptions: The Nero AAC encoder and the WMA decoder cannot be redistributed< br >
along with LameXP for legal reasons. Therefore these tools have to be obtained as separate downloads.< br >
< br >
2011-02-16 22:38:13 +01:00
Having said that, LameXP stores its configuration file in the < a href = "http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd378457(v=vs.85).aspx#FOLDERID_LocalAppData" target = "_blank" > %LOCALAPPDATA%< / a > folder on the local computer.< br >
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That's because on a modern multi-user operating this is the only "correct" folder to store user-specific< br >
configuration files. Also it's one of the few folders where an application is guaranteed to get write-access,< br >
even when the application was launched by a "normal" (non-admin) user and did not request elevated rights.< br >
Storing the configuration file in the "install" folder is antiquated and highly error-prone.< br >
< br >
2011-02-26 19:59:01 +01:00
Still some users may want to store the configuration file in the same folder as the LameXP executable file,< br >
2011-02-16 00:11:59 +01:00
e.g. when launching LameXP directly from their USB stick on different computers. For this purpose LameXP now< br >
offers a "true" portable mode. You can enable that mode simply by renaming the LameXP executable file to< br >
"LameXP-Portable.exe". But be aware: When running LameXP in the "portable" mode, the user(!) must ensure that< br >
2011-02-26 19:59:01 +01:00
write-access is granted to the directory where the LameXP executable is located.< br > < br >
2011-02-16 00:11:59 +01:00
< br > < br >
2011-04-18 11:12:27 +02:00
< a name = "3d6684e9" > < / a > < b > Is there a way to use custom tools (binaries) with LameXP instead of the "built-in" ones?< / b > < br >
< br >
LameXP uses a number third-party tools. All of these tools are already "built-in" (with a few exceptions) and< br >
thus it is NOT required to provide separate binaries. Usually it will NOT be necessary to replace any of< br >
the "built-in" tools with a custom (user-provided) binary. If, however, you need to replace/update/downgrade< br >
one of the binaries for a good reason, the recommended method is re-building LameXP from the sources. If you< br >
don't know how to build LameXP from the sources, then you probably shouldn't be trying to replace the binary.< br >
< br >
Having said that, there now is a more convenient method for using a custom tool version (binary) instead of< br >
the "built-in" one. This method works WITHOUT re-building LameXP. However note that the following is intended< br >
for testing and debugging purposes only! Also note that LameXP was specifically designed to work with the< br >
"built-in" versions of the tools. It may not work properly or may not work at all with custom tool versions!< br >
< br >
In order to replace a "built-in" binary, simply put the user-provided binary to the following location:
< blockquote > < install_folder> \tools\< build_number> \< tool_name> .exe< / blockquote >
If, for example, you want to replace 'lame.exe' in Build #666 of LameXP, you would put it to the this path:
< blockquote > C:\Path to your LameXP install folder\tools\666\lame.exe< / blockquote >
(It is intended that the '< build_number> ' part of the path has to be adjusted with every update of LameXP)< br > < br >
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "df406578" > < / a > < b > The LameXP startup (splash screen) takes very long on my system. What can I do?< / b > < br >
2011-02-16 00:11:59 +01:00
< br >
Starting up LameXP shouldn't take longer than approximately 10 seconds. However it was brought to our< br >
attention that badly optimized anti-virus software can slow down the startup procedure a lot! On our test< br >
system (Windows 7 running on an Intel Core2 Q6600 with 4 GB of RAM) starting up LameXP takes about 3 seconds< br >
2011-02-26 19:59:01 +01:00
without an anti-virus software and about 6 seconds with the "real-time protection" of Microsoft Security< br >
2011-02-16 00:11:59 +01:00
Essentials enabled. With other anti-virus software the startup was delayed up to 20 seconds and more!< br >
< br >
So if you think that LameXP is starting up too slow on your system, you should temporarily(!) disable or< br >
uninstall your current anti-virus program and try again. Usually it should be sufficient to disable only the< br >
"real-time protection", "file system protection" or "guard" feature of your anti-virus software. If it turns< br >
2011-02-26 19:59:01 +01:00
out that the startup is significantly(!) faster WITHOUT the anti-virus software, please report the problem to< br >
2011-02-16 00:11:59 +01:00
the developer of the anti-virus software. And, if they don't fix the problem, switch to a better product!< br > < br >
< br > < br >
2011-12-07 23:00:49 +01:00
< a name = "a923d407" > < / a > < b > Why is there a time limit in my version of LameXP?< / b > < br >
< br >
LameXP is free software, released under the GPL. This means that you may use LameXP for free and without any< br >
restrictions. More specifically, there is NO time limit in "Release" versions of LameXP! Nonetheless, "Beta"< br >
(pre-release) versions of LameXP are limited to 30 days, starting at the build date. That's because these< br >
"Beta" versions are intended for testing and evaluation only - they are NOT intended for productive use. Also< br >
there will be frequent updates for "Beta" versions. Usually a new build will be available even before the< br >
previous build has expired. So if you are not willing to update regularly, stick with the "Release" version.< br >
< br >
Note: We are well aware that the expiration mechanism implemented in LameXP can be circumvented quite easily,< br >
if you really want to. But implementing a "better" mechanism is pointless for an OpenSource software ;-)< br > < br >
< br > < br >
2011-05-08 19:41:25 +02:00
< a name = "900a2a6c" > < / a > < b > Is there a way to hide/show the LameXP console ("DOS Box") window?< / b > < br >
< br >
2011-05-09 00:23:37 +02:00
It is common for many people to run an alleged "DOS" program inside Windows, using a so-called "DOS Box".< br >
2011-05-08 19:41:25 +02:00
Everything works fine. But when you try to run such a program in DOS, you get an ugly message "This program< br >
cannot be run in DOS mode". What's wrong? Well, the affected program is NOT a "DOS" one. It is a Windows< br >
Console program. "DOS" is NOT a synonym of Console. And "Windows" is NOT a synonym of GUI (Graphical User< br >
Interface). Both, DOS and Windows programs, can be either Console or GUI. Actually Windows programs can be< br >
Console *and* GUI at the same time, i.e. a Windows GUI program can have a Console attached.< br >
< br >
LameXP is a GUI program for Windows. However it can have a "Debug" console attached. The purpose of this< br >
console is providing users an insight into what's happening behind the scenes. While the console is mainly< br >
intended for developers, it may be helpful for "regular" users too. Nonetheless you usually will NOT need the< br >
console, unless something is going wrong. Therefore the LameXP console is disabled by default in all< br >
"release" builds. You can enable the console by passing the "--console" command-line parameter, if required.< br >
At the same time the console is enabled by default in all "beta" (pre-release) builds of LameXP. You can< br >
2011-05-09 09:54:50 +02:00
still disable the console by passing the "--no-console" command-line parameter, if you don't like it.< br >
< br >
WARNING: Any attempt to close the LameXP console window will kill the application immediately !!!< br > < br >
2011-05-08 19:41:25 +02:00
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "9b0a5c32" > < / a > < b > Why does application 'xyz' not open the Wave files created by LameXP?< / b > < br >
2011-02-23 15:34:02 +01:00
< br >
Some of the decoders used in LameXP will insert an additional 'JUNK' chunk into the Wave/RIFF file, right< br >
before the 'fmt' chunk ("Wave header"). There are technical reasons why this 'JUNK' chunk (placeholder) might< br >
be needed at the beginning of the file. The 'JUNK' type is a standard RIFF type and, by definition of the< br >
RIFF file format specification, any reading application must ignore/skip all 'JUNK' chunks it may encounter!< br >
Evidently most reading applications do so and thus will correctly open the Wave file. Unfortunately it was< br >
brought to our attention that there are a few broken(!) applications, which reject Wave/RIFF files with an< br >
additional 'JUNK' chunk in front of the 'fmt' chunk. It seems that these applications make false assumptions< br >
2011-03-15 20:30:10 +01:00
and expect the 'fmt' chunk to be located at a fixed position, rather than parsing the RIFF structure.< br >
2011-02-23 15:34:02 +01:00
< br >
While it is evident that applications, which reject the Wave/RIFF file because of the extra 'JUNK' chunk, are< br >
broken with respect to the RIFF specification and should be fixed by the respective author, there is an easy< br >
2011-02-24 22:16:07 +01:00
workaround: Re-saving the Wave/RIFF file with < a href = "http://sox.sourceforge.net/" target = "_blank" > SoX< / a > creates a file that even the broken applications seem to< br >
2011-02-23 15:34:02 +01:00
accept, as SoX apparently doesn't insert any 'JUNK' chunks (although it would be free to do so!) Re-saving< br >
your Wave file with SoX does NOT change the actual content at all, as long as no additional filters are used.< br >
< br >
You can use a command-line like this:< br >
2011-02-26 19:59:01 +01:00
< blockquote > sox.exe "c:\some path\input.wav" "c:\some path\output.wav"< / blockquote >
2011-02-23 15:34:02 +01:00
< br > < br >
2011-11-26 22:28:00 +01:00
< a name = "89cbd3d0" > < / a > < b > Why does LameXP run (only) N instances/threads in parallel on my computer?< / b > < br >
< br >
LameXP is able to run multiple instances of the encoder or decoder in parallel. This is done in order to< br >
maximize the CPU utilization on modern "multi-core" processors, which will significantly speed up the overall< br >
encoding process. However be aware that LameXP uses file-based parallelization. This means that the maximum< br >
number of instances that can run in parallel is limited by the number of files that are processed. If, for< br >
example, you convert only a single file, then NO parallelization will be possible. If, instead, you convert< br >
multiple files at once, then LameXP can run as many instances in parallel as files are being converted.< br >
< br >
Within the aforementioned limitations, LameXP will selected the number of parallel instances based on the< br >
number of available processors (CPU cores) on the individual system. However LameXP will NOT use a one-to-one< br >
mapping! Instead a custom-made 'cubic spline' function is used to map the number of CPU cores to the maximum< br >
number of instances. This function has the following properties: On systems with at most four CPU cores, the< br >
maximum number of parallel instances will be identical to the number of CPU cores. On systems with eight CPU< br >
cores, the maximum number of parallel instances is six. On systems with 16 cores, the maximum number of< br >
2011-11-27 02:06:03 +01:00
parallel instances is eight. On systems with 32 cores, the maximum number of parallel instances is eleven.< br >
And on systems with 64 cores, the maximum number of parallel instances is 16. 16 is the upper limit.< br >
2011-11-26 22:28:00 +01:00
< br >
2011-12-01 22:16:06 +01:00
< a href = "http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/1428/corestoinstancesbig.png" target = "_blank" > < img src = "http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/1428/corestoinstancesbig.th.png" border = "0" alt = "thumb" > < / a > < br >
2011-11-26 22:28:00 +01:00
< br >
You may wonder why LameXP doesn't always create one instance for each CPU core. In theory, the more instances< br >
2011-11-30 01:10:49 +01:00
we run in parallel, the more CPU cores can be utilized - until all CPU cores are busy and the overall CPU< br >
usage approaches 100%. In reality, however, there are some "shared" resources on each computer. And, the more< br >
instances we run in parallel, the more processes will be competing for these shared resources! Specifically,< br >
the amount of main memory (RAM) is limited. Creating a huge number of instances in parallel can easily use up< br >
all RAM, which will then cause the operating system to make heavy use of the page file. This can result in< br >
HDD thrashing and hence may significantly hurt the overall performance! But even in case there is enough RAM< br >
available on the system, each encoder or decoder instance needs to access the HDD quite frequently, e.g. for< br >
reading from the input file and for writing to the output file. Thus running too many instances will generate< br >
more I/O operations than the HDD can handle, which will result in an I/O bottleneck. In this situation the< br >
processes will spend more and more time waiting for I/O operations to finish - rather then doing useful work.< br >
< br >
In other words: There will always be some point at which creating even more instances will actually slow down< br >
the overall process! On systems with many CPU cores, this point might be reached BEFORE all cores are busy.< br >
Even on the Quadcore computer, which is used to develop/test LameXP and which runs "only" four instances in< br >
parallel, we sporadically notice significant drops of the CPU usage, obviously caused by HDD overstressing.< br >
2011-11-26 22:28:00 +01:00
If, however, you think that LameXP's choice of the number of parallel instances is too conservative, you may< br >
2011-11-30 01:10:49 +01:00
overwrite the number of parallel instances on the "Advanced Options" tab - the upper limit is 16 for now.< br >
2011-11-26 22:28:00 +01:00
Finally, note that LameXP only controls the number of instances that will run in parallel, but it does NOT< br >
2011-02-26 19:59:01 +01:00
control how many threads an individual instance will create! Some encoders use "built-in" multi-threading and< br >
2011-03-02 19:27:49 +01:00
thus a single encoder instance may create several threads - LameXP has no control over that.< br > < br >
2011-02-26 19:59:01 +01:00
< br > < br >
2011-12-02 01:14:32 +01:00
< a name = "454e51dd" > < / a > < b > Why does LameXP try to connect to the web-server at 'xyz.com' secretly?< / b > < br >
< br >
LameXP does NOT connect to any web-server secretly! Of course the 'Auto Update' feature of LameXP unavoidably< br >
has to connect to one of our update servers. However in no event LameXP will search for updates without your< br >
agreement. Also LameXP will NOT send any personal information to the update server. It won't even send your< br >
program version to the server. Instead the latest version number will be downloaded from the server first and< br >
will then be compared to your current version number on the local computer. Moreover all information obtained< br >
from the update server are protected with a digital signature (GnuPG) in order to prevent spoofing attacks.< br >
< br >
Note: As LameXP is a non-profit project, we cannot afford a huge server infrastructure. Therefore the update< br >
server may be overstrained or unavailable once in a while. As we need to be able to distinguish the case in< br >
which our server is failing from the case in which your local internet connection has a problem, LameXP will< br >
run a short connectivity test on your local system first. For this purpose LameXP contains a list of 64 known< br >
hosts, taken (mostly) from the well-known Alexa 'top 500 sites on the web' listing. LameXP will assume that< br >
your internet connection is working properly if a certain minimum number (currently four) of the known hosts< br >
is reachable. That's also the reason why you may notice LameXP is trying to connect to a "random" web-site.< br > < br >
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "12d077d5" > < / a > < b > How can I force LameXP to create ID3 version 2 (ID3v2) tags?< / b > < br >
2011-03-19 18:16:35 +01:00
< br >
The LAME encoder automatically chooses the proper ID3 tag version. By default it will create a version 1 tag,< br >
if possible. Only if the information cannot be embedded into a version 1 tag (ID3v1), e.g. because the string< br >
is too long or the string contains Unicode characters, a version 2 tag (ID3v2) will be added. This behavior< br >
is advisable, because devices that support ID3v2 tags should also be able to read ID3v1 tags - but this< br >
doesn't apply the other way around! Moreover embedding an ID3v1 and an ID3v2 tag at the same time, although< br >
the information would have fit into a single ID3v1 tag, means an unnecessary redundancy!< br >
< br >
2011-03-19 19:50:26 +01:00
If, however, you need to enforce the creation of an ID3v2 tag for some reason, you can use the "--add-id3v2"< br >
2011-04-04 14:55:46 +02:00
parameter for that purpose. Simply add the parameter to the "Custom Encoder Parameters" for LAME.< br >
< br >
That's what the LAME help says about ID3 tags:< br >
< blockquote > A version 2 tag will NOT be added unless one of the input fields< br >
won't fit in a version 1 tag (e.g. the title string is longer than 30< br >
characters), or the '--add-id3v2' or '--id3v2-only' options are used,< br >
or output is redirected to stdout.< / blockquote >
2011-03-19 18:16:35 +01:00
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "d83ab3c6" > < / a > < b > Why does LameXP use LAME v3.99 rather than v3.98?< / b > < br >
2011-03-24 16:04:29 +01:00
< br >
LAME v3.99 contains the latest improvements and bugfixes of the LAME mp3 encoder, but it's less tested than< br >
the older 3.98 release series. The most important reason why LAME v3.99 is used in LameXP v4.xx is because< br >
LameXP v4.xx focuses on proper Unicode support, but LAME v3.98 did NOT support Unicode filenames or Unicode< br >
meta tags (through the CLI front-end, on the Windows platform). However LAME v3.99 finally does!< br >
< br >
2011-03-31 19:31:23 +02:00
So far we have not encountered any noteworthy problems with LAME v3.99. If, however, you encounter a problem< br >
2011-03-24 16:04:29 +01:00
with LAME v3.99, please report your finding to the < a href = "http://lame.sourceforge.net/contact.php" target = "_blank" > LAME development team< / a > . Do NOT submit any LAME-specific bug< br >
2011-10-18 18:52:52 +02:00
reports to the LameXP developers, as we generally cannot analyze/fix problems specific to the LAME encoder.< br >
< br >
2011-10-22 17:49:46 +02:00
[UPDATE] LAME v3.99 Final was release on 2011-10-15, so that is the official "stable" version now! [/UPDATE]< br > < br >
2011-03-24 16:04:29 +01:00
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "4213adbc" > < / a > < b > Can LameXP be used to convert/extract tracks from an Audio CD?< / b > < br >
2011-03-19 19:50:26 +01:00
< br >
LameXP can be used to convert audio files that have been extracted from an Audio CD, but it can NOT extract< br >
or read the audio tracks from the Audio CD directly (yet). Consequently you will have to extract ("rip") the< br >
audio tracks first, before you can convert them with LameXP. We recommend using the < a href = "http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/" target = "_blank" > Exact Audio Copy< / a > software< br >
for that purpose. When ripping tracks from an Audio CD you should always save the tracks as uncompressed Wave< br >
files or as lossless FLAC files! This will avoid a quality loss during the extraction/ripping process.< br >
< br >
Warning: The Windows operating system will show CDA files (such as "Track01.cda") on an Audio CD. These are< br >
dummy/fake files! Actually an Audio CD does NOT contain a file system and thus there are NO files. There only< br >
are audio tracks on an Audio CD. These audio tracks can be extracted as files (e.g. Wave Audio files) using a< br >
ripping software and then the extracted files can be converted. At the same time any attempt to copy/convert< br >
the '.cda' files directly is destined to fail (as the '.cda' files do NOT actually contain any audio data).< br > < br >
< br > < br >
2011-05-07 15:50:21 +02:00
< a name = "434f2578" > < / a > < b > Why is the maximum normalization level limited to -0.5 dB?< / b > < br >
< br >
When an analogue [audio] signal is converted to the digital domain, the signal is sampled at a fixed rate< br >
(e.g. 44100 samples per second) and each "sample" value is stored with a fixed number of bits (e.g. 16 or 24< br >
bits per sample). Consequently [uncompressed] digital audio is represented as a sequence of binary sample< br >
values. The range of possible sample values is determined by the word size ("bits per sample"). For example< br >
with a word size of 16 bit, the minimum value is − 32768 and the maximum value is 32767 - assuming the values< br >
are signed. The range of the sample values corresponds to the voltage range of the electrical input signal.< br >
The maximum digital sample value (i.e. 32767 at 16-Bit) often is referred to as 0dBFS (0dB "full scale").< br >
< br >
Performing a Normalization in the digital domain seems straightforward: We simply multiply all sample values< br >
with the same factor. And we choose this factor in such a way that the highest sample value(s) in the track< br >
will become exactly 0dBFS after the normalization has been performed. However one needs to be aware that when< br >
playing back the digital audio track, it needs to be converted back to an analogue signal. The D/A converter< br >
will convert each sample from its binary representation to the corresponding voltage. Then a "reconstruction"< br >
filter will be applied in order to recover a continuous signal from these individual voltages. And for the< br >
reconstructed analogue signal it is possible to have voltages that are higher than the highest digital sample< br >
in the audio track! This is illustrated in the following image (samples are represented as tiny squares):< br >
< br >
2011-10-04 23:21:20 +02:00
< a target = "_blank" href = "http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9153/sine0dbfs.png" > < img src = "http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9153/sine0dbfs.th.png" border = "0" alt = "thumb" > < / a > < br >
2011-05-07 15:50:21 +02:00
< br >
Consequently normalizing the sample values to 0dBFS is NOT a very good idea, as this may very well result in< br >
a reconstructed analogue signal which exceeds(!) 0dBFS. And, as the analogue parts of the playback equipment< br >
generally are NOT prepared for +0dBFS voltages, this may cause problems, such as annoying distortions!< br >
< br >
The help document of a well-known audio editing software contains the following advice:< br >
2011-05-08 19:41:25 +02:00
< blockquote > If you're planning to put normalized audio on CD, you might want to normalize the waveforms to< br >
2011-05-07 15:50:21 +02:00
no more than 96% [-0.36 dB] as some audio compact disc players have problems accurately reproducing< br >
bits that have been processed to 100% (maximum) amplitude [0dBFS].< / blockquote >
For details please refer to the following article:< br > < ul >
< li > < a href = "http://www.audioholics.com/education/audio-formats-technology/issues-with-0dbfs-levels-on-digital-audio-playback-systems" target = "_blank" > http://www.audioholics.com/...issues-with-0dbfs-levels-on-digital-audio-playback-systems< / a > < / ul >
< br > < br >
2011-10-08 20:34:10 +02:00
< a name = "9f8ff13a" > < / a > < b > What do the different 'Equalization' modes do?< / b > < br >
< br >
The "equalization" modes control how the normalization filter will deal with multi-channel input files, i.e.< br >
everything that is not Mono. The "Peak Level" mode will normalize each channel according to its highest peak< br >
(maximum sample value). This means that channels with a lower maximum sample value will be amplified stronger< br >
than channels with a higher maximum sample value. Still all samples in a channel will be amplified by the< br >
same factor, so dynamic range compression is NOT done. The "RMS Level" mode works similar to the previous< br >
mode, but the channels are amplified according to their peak RMS level (maximum energy), instead of their< br >
maximum sample value. This may be used to correct stereo imbalance caused by an imperfect record turntable< br >
cartridge. Last but not least, the "None" mode will not euqalize the channels at all, i.e. all channles will< br >
2012-02-26 23:32:25 +01:00
by amplified by the same factor. In the last mode, the highest peak of all(!) channels is used as threshold.< br > < br >
2011-10-08 20:34:10 +02:00
< br > < br >
2011-12-11 01:55:22 +01:00
< a name = "c6d9dfed" > < / a > < b > Why does my encoded file come out slightly longer than the original?< / b > < br >
< br >
Because of the way most (lossy) audio compressors work, a number of "silent" samples have to be prepended to< br >
the first input sample. Also a number of silent samples may be appended to the last input sample. Obviously< br >
these additional "padding" samples will make the encoded file longer than the original input. If the decoder< br >
does not compensate for the padding samples that have been added by the encoder, the padding samples at the< br >
beginning of the encoded file will cause a certain delay/shift, compared to the (uncompressed) original file.< br >
Another effect is that there will be a "gap" between the files, when playing multiple files in sequence.< br >
< br >
It has to be noted that the padding is an inherent property of the audio compressor that can not be avoided.< br >
But, as mentioned before, the padding samples can be removed by the decoder. In that case, the decoded output< br >
will have the exactly same length (in samples) as the original file. However this can only be done, if the< br >
decoder is able to determine the exact number of padding samples that had been added. While the Vorbis audio< br >
format stores the number of padding samples in the stream and thus any compliant decoder will remove them,< br >
the MP3 and AAC audio formats do NOT define an "official" way to store the the number of padding samples!< br >
< br >
Nonetheless, the LAME MP3 encoder, which is used by LameXP, uses its own "non-standard" way to indicate the< br >
exact number of padding samples. This is done by adding a so-called "LAME header" to the MP3 file. Hence MP3< br >
decoders, which recognize the LAME header, will be able to remove the padding samples. This feature often is< br >
referred to as "gapless" decoding/playback. The 'mpg123' decoder, which is used by LameXP, does support the< br >
gapless decoding. This means that if you encode MP3 files with LameXP/LAME, then gapless decoding will be< br >
possible. And if you decode these files with LameXP/mpg123 again, they will come out at the original length.< br >
< br >
Still you have to be aware that NOT all MP3 decoders support the LAME header. So if you encode MP3 files with< br >
LameXP and then decode them with an arbitrary MP3 decoder, they may come out at a "wrong" length. And there< br >
is absoloutely nothing that LameXP could do about that! Furthermore, if you decode a MP3 file in LameXP that< br >
has been created with some MP3 decoder which did not add a LAME header, then it is impossible to remove the< br >
padding samples. That's because in this situation there is NO way to know the number of padding samples!< br >
< br >
Some more info on this topic can be found here:< br > < ul >
< li > < a href = "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gapless_playback" target = "_blank" > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gapless_playback< / a >
< li > < a href = "http://lame.sourceforge.net/tech-FAQ.txt" target = "_blank" > http://lame.sourceforge.net/tech-FAQ.txt< / a >
< li > < a href = "http://cas.web.cern.ch/cas/Denmark-2010/Caspers/Tektronix%20%20primer%20on%20overlapping%20FFT%20signals%202009%20CAS2010.pdf" target = "_blank" > Understanding FFT Overlap Processing
Fundamental< / a > < / ul >
< br > < br >
2011-10-22 17:49:46 +02:00
< a name = "ed4d30ed" > < / a > < b > Why is the Hibernation option disabled (greyed out) on my system?< / b > < br >
< br >
In order to use "Hibernation", your system must support the S4 power saving mode (aka "Suspend-to-Disk") and< br >
the hibernation file ("hiberfil.sys") must be enabled. If these conditions are not met, then the Hibernation< br >
option will be disabled in LameXP, for obvious reasons. Note that on older versions of Windows you can enable< br >
or disable the hibernation file in the "Power Options" dialog of the Control Panel (see < a href = "http://tothepc.com/img/2010/05/xp-hibernate-disable.png" target = "_blank" > here< / a > ). On Windows 7< br >
and probably also on Vista, you have to do this from the Windows command interpreter. First open an elevated< br >
command prompt by typing "cmd" in the Startmenu (not "Run" dialog!) and when "cmd.exe" appears as suggestion,< br >
then right-click on "cmd.exe" and choose "Run as administartor". After that you should see an "Administrator"< br >
command prompt window. Here you can type "powercfg -h on" (without the quotation marks!) and press Enter to< br >
enable the hibernation file. You can disable the hibernation file again by typing "powercfg -h off".< br >
< br >
Note: The size of "hiberfil.sys" is equal to your RAM size and it always is located on the system partition!< br > < br >
< br > < br >
2012-02-26 23:32:25 +01:00
< a name = "54150e92" > < / a > < b > Why do random files fail with "Not Found!" or "Failed!" status?< / b > < br >
< br >
If a file fails to convert with "Not Found!" or "Failed!" status, this usually has a reason! In that case you< br >
can double-click on the failed item in order to view the log. The log will give detailed information about< br >
the problem that has occured. In very rare cases, however, the following behavior has been observed by users:< br >
When converting multiple files, some of the failes seem to fail at random. When the same files are converted< br >
again later, some of the files that failed before will now succeed while some of the files that succeeded< br >
before will now fail. This behavior has been tracked down to faultily "anti-virus" software! So in case you< br >
encounter the described behavior and if you use some anti-virus software with "real-time scanner" or "guard"< br >
functionality, then try to uninstall (or at least disable) the anti-virus software. If that resolves the< br >
problem, then you know for sure that the anti-virus software was the cause of the problem. As the developers< br >
of LameXP can NOT fix or workaround problems induced by faultily "anti-virus" software, please report such< br >
problems to the developer (or support team) of your anti-virus software! Or switch to a better a/v product...< br > < br >
< br > < br >
< a name = "3e999f02" > < / a > < b > Why is "Convert this file with LameXP" missing from the Explorer context menu somtimes?< / b > < br >
< br >
The entry "Convert this file with LameXP" will be available from the Windows Explorer context menu for all< br >
files supported by LameXP, if (and only if) the LameXP Shell-Integration is enbaleld. You can enable or< br >
disable the LameXP Shell-Integration at any time from the "Tools > Configuration" menu within LameXP at any< br >
time. However be aware that this option will NOT be available, if LameXP is running in portable mode. Also be< br >
aware that if you select multiple files in Explorer, the LameXP context menu entry will only appear, if ALL< br >
files in your selection are supported by LameXP. Last but not least, Windows will NOT show the LameXP context< br >
menu entry, if more than 15 files are selected. That is a limitation of Windows Explorer! It is "by design".< br >
< br >
See also:< br >
< a href = "http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2022295/" target = "_blank" > Context menus are shortened when more than 15 files are selected< / a > < br > < br >
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "e7c9ae2b" > < / a > < b > Why do I get the error 'Executable doesn't support Windows compatibility mode' on startup?< / b > < br >
2011-03-12 01:50:43 +01:00
< br >
2011-03-15 20:30:10 +01:00
LameXP was designed to run on all supported platforms natively (except for Linux/Wine). If you see this error< br >
message, that's probably because your system is configured to run LameXP in 'compatibility mode', i.e. your< br >
2011-03-13 20:55:51 +01:00
system will pretend an older OS version than is actually running. In Windows Explorer you can disable(!) the< br >
2011-03-12 01:50:43 +01:00
compatibility mode by right-clicking on the 'LameXP.exe' file, choosing 'Properties' from the context menu,< br >
switching to the 'Compatibility' tab and un-checking the 'Run this program in compatibility mode' option.< br > < br >
< br > < br >
2011-08-21 14:43:18 +02:00
< a name = "328b0a18" > < / a > < b > Why do I get the error 'Executable requires Windows 2000 or later' on startup?< / b > < br >
< a name = "3ffe490e" > < / a > < b > Why do I get the error 'The procedure entry point < Something> could not be located' on startup?< / b > < br >
2011-04-08 15:36:41 +02:00
< a name = "01922741" > < / a > < b > Why do I get the error 'LameXP.exe is not a valid Win32 application' on startup?< / b > < br >
2011-03-12 01:50:43 +01:00
< br >
2011-03-12 21:58:46 +01:00
You are trying to run LameXP on a platform that is NOT supported, such as Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows< br >
2011-08-21 14:43:18 +02:00
Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0. There is nothing you can do about that, except for updating to a less< br >
antiquated OS. Running an outdated and unsupported OS is a severe security risk anyway!< br >
2011-04-08 15:36:41 +02:00
< br >
2011-08-21 14:43:18 +02:00
Note: This error can also occur, if your system has been configured to run LameXP in < a href = "#e7c9ae2b" > compatibility mode< / a > .< br > < br >
2011-03-12 01:50:43 +01:00
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "491aaad9" > < / a > < b > Why do I get the error 'A device attached to the system is not functioning' on startup?< / b > < br >
2011-03-15 11:44:48 +01:00
< br >
2011-03-15 20:30:10 +01:00
This error message from the Windows operating system is somewhat misleading. It often appears together with< br >
a second error message and it means that Windows was unable to load/execute the program file. There are< br >
various reasons why this error might occur, but usually it indicates that you are trying to run LameXP or the< br >
LameXP setup/update program on a platform that is NOT supported, such as Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows< br >
2011-08-21 14:43:18 +02:00
Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0. There is nothing you can do about that, except for updating to a less< br >
antiquated OS. Running an outdated and unsupported OS is a severe security risk anyway!< br > < br >
2011-03-15 11:44:48 +01:00
< br > < br >
2011-06-21 14:35:46 +02:00
< a name = "a0fd5ae8" > < / a > < b > Why do I get the error 'File ´ tool_foobar.exe´ could not be locked!' on startup?< / b > < br >
< br >
This error indicates that LameXP was unable to open/read a required file - one that it just has extracted< br >
itself. Generally this should never happen, but we have reports that some bogus "anti-vrius" software might< br >
trigger this kind of errors. Of course there is nothing we can do on our side, if the error is induced by< br >
proprietary third-party software (such as faulty "anti-virus" software). So please try to temporarily(!)< br >
uninstall/disable your anti-virus software. If the problem goes away, you can be sure it was caused by the< br >
anti-virus software. In that case report the bug to the support team of your anti-virus software as soon as< br >
possible. Or, if they don't fix the bug (in due time), switch to a better anti-virus product!< br >
< br >
See also:< br >
< a href = "#96205e91" > My anti-virus program raises an alarm when I try to download/install/launch LameXP. Why is that?< / a > < br > < br >
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "f35cfa24" > < / a > < b > How can I translate LameXP to my language or improve an existing translation?< / b > < br >
2011-02-16 00:11:59 +01:00
< br >
Please see the guide for translators at:< br > < ul >
< li > < a href = "http://mulder.brhack.net/public/doc/lamexp_translate.html" target = "_blank" > http://mulder.brhack.net/public/doc/lamexp_translate.html< / a > < / ul >
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "8dba381f" > < / a > < b > Where can I download the latest version of LameXP?< / b > < br >
2011-02-14 23:37:48 +01:00
< br >
The latest "official" release of LameXP can be found on the following mirrors:< br > < ul >
< li > < a href = "https://github.com/lordmulder/LameXP/downloads" target = "_blank" > https://github.com/lordmulder/LameXP/downloads< / a >
< li > < a href = "http://sourceforge.net/projects/lamexp/files/" target = "_blank" > http://sourceforge.net/projects/lamexp/files/< / a >
< li > < a href = "http://code.google.com/p/mulder/downloads/list" target = "_blank" > http://code.google.com/p/mulder/downloads/list< / a > < / ul >
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "9c2e273d" > < / a > < b > Where can I submit bug reports or feature requests?< / b > < br >
2011-02-14 23:37:48 +01:00
< br >
The preferred place to report bugs or request new features is the LameXP thread at Doom9's Forum:< br > < ul >
2011-02-24 22:16:07 +01:00
< li > < a href = "http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=157726" target = "_blank" > http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=157726< / a > (English)
< li > < a href = "http://forum.gleitz.info/showthread.php?t=37956" target = "_blank" > http://forum.gleitz.info/showthread.php?t=37956< / a > (German)< / ul >
< br >
Please do NOT send me E-Mail unless you really have to! I receive a LOT of E-Mail and your mail can get lost!< br > < br >
2011-08-21 14:43:18 +02:00
2011-02-14 23:37:48 +01:00
< br > < br >
2011-06-02 02:11:47 +02:00
< a name = "e5694e3e" > < / a > < b > What programming language is LameXP written in?< / b > < br >
< br >
While LameXP v3.xx and all earlier versions were written in Delphi/Pascal, starting with version 4.xx the< br >
software has been re-written in the C++ programming language. LameXP v4.xx is based on the Qt cross-platform< br >
application framework and offers full Unicode support. For the time being LameXP is Windows-only.< br > < br >
< br > < br >
2011-03-28 21:09:40 +02:00
< a name = "982cf1c0" > < / a > < b > Where can I find the LameXP source code?< / b > < br >
2011-02-14 23:37:48 +01:00
< br >
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LameXP is developed using the < a href = "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Git_(software)" target = "_blank" > Git< / a > revision control system. The LameXP Git repository is mirrored at:< br > < ul >
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< li > < a href = "git://github.com/lordmulder/LameXP.git" target = "_blank" > git://github.com/lordmulder/LameXP.git< / a > (< a href = "https://github.com/lordmulder/LameXP/commits/master" target = "_blank" > Log< / a > )
< li > < a href = "git://lamexp.git.sourceforge.net/gitroot/lamexp/lamexp" target = "_blank" > git://lamexp.git.sourceforge.net/gitroot/lamexp/lamexp< / a > (< a href = "http://lamexp.git.sourceforge.net/git/gitweb.cgi?p=lamexp/lamexp;a=shortlog;h=HEAD" target = "_blank" > Log< / a > )
< li > < a href = "git://gitorious.org/lamexp/lamexp.git" target = "_blank" > git://gitorious.org/lamexp/lamexp.git< / a > (< a href = "http://gitorious.org/lamexp/lamexp/commits/master" target = "_blank" > Log< / a > )< / ul >
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< br > < br >
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< a name = "a0c1e92b" > < / a > < b > What are the prerequisites to build LameXP from the sources?< / b > < br >
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< br >
LameXP is currently being developed using the following build environment:< br > < ul >
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< li > < a href = "http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/en-us" target = "_blank" > Visual Studio 2010< / a > with Service Pack 1, running on Windows 7 with Service Pack 1
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< li > Desktop Qt v4.8.0 (MSVC 2010), included in < a href = "http://qt.nokia.com/products/qt-sdk" target = "_blank" > Qt SDK v1.2< / a >
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< li > < a href = "http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=35AEDA01-421D-4BA5-B44B-543DC8C33A20" target = "_blank" > Windows Platform SDK v7.1< / a > (Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 4)
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< li > The minimum supported build platform is Windows XP with Service Pack 2< / ul >
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< br >
Also note the following hints:< br > < ul >
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< li > Run "qtenv2.bat" before launching Visual Studio in order to set up the Qt environment
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< li > Visual Studio 2008 solution/project files are still provided for people targeting Windows 2000
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< li > In order to make a "fully static" build of LameXP, you need to compile Qt as 'static' libraries
< li > The Windows Platform SDK v6.0A should work as well, but there may be a few limitations
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< li > Only the "fully static" builds may still run on Windows 2000, due to workarounds we implemented
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< li > Support for the GNU Toolchain (GCC/MinGW + Make) is planned for a future version< / ul >
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< br >
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In order to use the LameXP deployment scripts you need the following tools:< br > < ul >
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< li > Visual Studio 2010 with Service Pack 1 with Desktop Qt v4.8.0
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< li > < a href = "http://www.7-zip.org/" target = "_blank" > 7-Zip< / a > - file archiver with a high compression ratio
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< li > < a href = "http://www.scratchpaper.com/" target = "_blank" > NSIS< / a > - Nullsoft Scriptable Install System (Unicode Version)< ul >
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< li > < a href = "http://nsis.sourceforge.net/StdUtils_plug-in" target = "_blank" > StdUtils plug-in< / a >
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< li > < a href = "http://nsis.sourceforge.net/LockedList_plug-in" target = "_blank" > LockedList plug-in< / a >
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< li > < a href = "http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Inetc_plug-in" target = "_blank" > Inetc plug-in< / a >
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< li > < a href = "http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?t=329990" target = "_blank" > Aero plug-in< / a > < / ul >
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< li > < a href = "http://upx.sourceforge.net/" target = "_blank" > UPX< / a > - the Ultimate Packer for eXecutables
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< li > < a href = "http://www.matcode.com/mpress.htm" target = "_blank" > MPRESS< / a > - high-performance executable packer for PE32/PE32+
< li > < a href = "ftp://ftp.gnupg.org/gcrypt/binary/" target = "_blank" > GnuPG< / a > - the GNU Privacy Guard v1.4.x< div style = "height:7px" > < / div >
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< li > NOTE: Copy 'buildenv.template.txt' to 'buildenv.txt' and edit the paths as needed!< / ul >
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< br >
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Instructions to build Qt as 'static' libraries:< br > < ul >
< li > Make sure Visual Studio 2010 and Strawberry Perl for Windows are installed
< li > Install the Qt SDK v1.1 and choose to install the Qt 4.7.3 Sources
< li > Open a new command window (cmd.exe)
< li > Add Strawberry Perl to your PATH (e.g. 'set PATH=C:\strawberry\perl\bin;%PATH%')
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< li > Now run 'vcvarsall.bat' form your Visual C++ install directory - within the same console!
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< li > Change the current directory to the Qt Sources path (e.g. 'C:\QtSDK\QtSources\4.7.3')
< li > Finally run 'configure.exe -release -static -ltcg < more options> ' and wait for completion
< li > You can now open and build the solution files (e.g. 'src\corelib\QtCore.sln' in Visual Studio
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< li > Make sure you select the "Release" configuration for your builds!
< li > It is also required to change "Code Generation ⇒ Runtime Library" to "/MT" for all projects!
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< li > Libraries you need to build for LameXP include the following:< ul >
< li > lib\qtmain.lib
< li > lib\QtCore.lib
< li > lib\QtGui.lib
< li > lib\QtSvg.lib
< li > lib\QtXml.lib
< li > plugins\imageformats\qgif.lib
< li > plugins\imageformats\qico.lib
< li > plugins\imageformats\qsvg.lib< / ul >
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< li > Put the static *.lib files into the 'LameXP\etc\Prerequisites\qt4_static\lib' directory
< li > ImageFormat plugins go to 'LameXP\etc\Prerequisites\qt4_static\plugins\imageformats'< / ul >
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