WACHandler
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How to install WACHandler ?
A: Unpack all files found in
the WACHandler.zip archive to the same destination folder. This
destination folder can be wherever you want it, as long as you have
write access to it. Then just start the WACHandler.exe file. If you
previously used my WAC700Downloader application, WACHandler will ask if
you would like to copy the saved settings from the WAC700Dowloader.
Q: WACHandler doesn't find my
WAC
A: Start the WADM or DMM application
and make sure it is able to find your WAC. If WADM/DMM is ok, try to
restart
the WACHandler applcation.
Q: How do I make WACHandler save log files ?
A: The simpelst way (from version
2.1.34.131) is to press and hold down the Left Shift and Left Control
keys on the keyboard when double-clicking the WACHandler.exe icon. Keep
the two keys pressed until the main window becomes visible !
Or, start WAChandler with the "-log" command
line argument (without the quotes). There are two ways to do this :
a: From a Command Prompt Window :
b: Modify a Windows shortcut to WACHandler :
Q: Is WACHandler safe to use, i.e. can in
under any
circumstances destroy track data in my WAC ?
A: Yes, it is safe to use. In worst case, a
track upload or track information edit may fail due to a lost
connection, but it will never destroy already existing data in the WAC.
The PC-Link protocol (Philips'
PC-to-WAC protocol) protects from virtaully any case of unexpected
communixation losses/glitches.
Q: Why is some text (Track Titles,
Artist/Album names etc) displayed with red text sometimes ?
A: Text strings that will be truncated (and
suffixed with "...") since they are longer than the WAC can handle in
it's LCD display are displayed in red in WACHandler, just as a reminder
that if possible, you should/may try to shorten it so the complete text
portion will be visible on the WAC.
Q: How do I know which version of WACHandler
I am using ?
A:Select About in the Help menu, or press
the F1 key.
Q: How do I install a new version of
WACHandler ?
A:Unless otherwise specified, just download
and unpack the WACHandler.zip file and overwrite your old
WACHandler.exe file with the new one.
If you delete your WACHandler.mdb
file, you will loose any manually identification changes (Title,
Artist, Year, etc) of your Audio CD 's. So don't delete this one !
Q: How do I edit track
information (title, artist, genre, year, etc...) ?
A: There are several ways to do
this;
- Mark the field you want to edit and press the F2 key.
- Click twice (not double-click) on the field you want to edit.
- Right-click on one or more tracks and select Edit.
Q: What is the WACHandler.mdb file used for and is
it really neccessary ?
A: This is a simple MS Access
database file that contains cached CD Database information. It is also
storing the edited CD track data. This file may be deleted, but CD
track data will not be cached, nor will it be possible to manually edit
CD track data if this file is missing.
Q: Ok, I understand what the WACHandler.mdb is for, but I really don't want it to be
in the same folder as the WACHandler.exe application file. Is there any
way I can move it to another disk and/or folder ?
A: Of course. But don't try this if you
are not familiar with the Windows RegEdit application !
- Make sure WACHandler is not running.
- Move the WACHandler.mdb
file to the destination where you want it.
- Open RegEdit and browse to the My
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WACHandler key.
- Double-click on the DatabaseName
value.
- Enter the full path, including the filename of the WACHandler.mdb and click Ok.
- Close RegEdit.
Q: Do I have to download and install
Lame_enc.dll before using WACHandler ?
A: No. If WACHandler can't find Lame_enc.dll
when it is
needed (when ripping CD tracks), it will create it automatically in the
same folder as WACHandler.exe.
The version included with WACHandler
is v3.96.
If, for some reason, you want to use
another version, delete the one created by WACHandler, then download
the version you want from The Lame Project
and save it anywhere in the Windows System Path, or in the same folder
as WACHandler.exe.
Q: How are my CD disks
identified ?
A: When an Audio CD is inserted
into the PC, WACHandler first looks in the WACHandler.mdb file for CD track
data. If not found there, it will ask Microsofts' CDDB (same database
that is used by
ths Windows Media Player). If the CD still isn't identified, WACHandler
will ask FreeDB.org for CD information.
Q: What does "ripping" mean ?
A: "Ripping" refers to the process performed
when copying music from an Audio CD disk to a PC. In the case of
WACHandler, CD-"Ripping" is done by copying the complete track into RAM
(PCM format), then the music is converted to MP3 format.
Q: Why do I see other devices than my WAC(s)
?
A: WACHandler broadcasts both standard UPnP
search and Philips' own PC-Link lookup commands.
All devices that comply to either (or
both) of these standards will be shown in the upper Tree.
In a future relase, WACHandler is
going to be able to remote control the Statiosn, but other "Non-WACS"
devices are only shown for informational purposes.
Q: What is the difference between
Normalize in Track and Album Mode ?
A: Normalizing in Track mode menas that all
selected tracks will be normalized to their individual maximum volume.
Normalizing in Album Mode will
analyze all selected tracks and normalize them so they keep their
individual volume difference.
Normalizing in Album Mode will be disabled if only one track is
selected.
Q: Why are the Track Numbers different for a
track viewed in "All Tracks" compared when seeing the same track in a
PlayList ?
A: The Track Number shown for tracks under a
PlayList Tree Node indicates the order of the track within that
PlayList. This is not the same as the Track Number embedded in the MP3
tag of the track (which can be edited manually).
To change the order of tracks within
a PlayList, just drag and drop the track to move it around in the
PlayList.
Q: I can't rename the Artist (or Album or
Genre) for a Track/several Tracks if I just want to change the Upper
and/or Lowercase of the letters, for example "Pink floyd" to "Pink
Floyd".
A: Due to a GUI limitation in the
implementation of WACHandler, this is a bit tricky to fix in the
application itself, at least if the GUI shall remain clean. The
following work around works though :
Imagine that all Tracks with artist = "Pink floyd" shall be renamed to
"Pink Floyd";
- Select all the Tracks that has
Artist = "Pink floyd"
- Right-click and select Edit
- Enter a new, temporrary Artist,
for example "PinkFloyd" (notice that it doesn't have ane space between
"Pink" and "Floyd"), or just "abcdef".
- Click Ok.
- The selected Tracks shall now
have the new Artist assigned to them.
- Select the same Tracks,
right-click and select Edit again.
- Enter the desired Artist name,
"Pink Floyd" and click Ok.
Q: Nice program ! May I have the source code
?
A: No. Except for the GPL licensed
third-party components I have used of course.
Q: Why is WACHandler trying to acces the
Internet ?
A: WACHandler uses Internet for 2 purposes :
A: To identify CD discs inserted in
the CD-reader(s) in your PC.
B: To look for new versions of
WACHandler.
In both cases, no information about
you and/or your configuration is transmitted.
When identifying CD's only a list of
the length of the CD-tracks is transmitted to the CDDB web server.