GSMP - General Sound Manipulation Program
(c) 2000-2002 Ren Rebe and Valentin Ziegler

TABLE OF CONTENTS
*****************

1. Disclaimer
2. Introduction
3. Installation / compilation
4. First Starting Hints / FAQ
5. Misc info

1. Disclaimer
-------------

We are not liable for any damage caused by the use of this program.

2. Introduction
---------------

GSMP aims to provide a complete Linux Audio recording / produceing
environment. Currently this package contains the first ALPHA (??)
version of the GSMP-Editor. This Editor is a normal graphical,
multi-track sound editor. The second component in this environment
will be the GSMP-Studio which will be some kind of pattern based
Audio / MIDI "virtual studio". The studio will be started in the
winter 2001/2002 when we have a more advanced GSMP-Editor.

3. Installation / compilation
-----------------------------

Library dependencies:

GSMP needs a recent version of the C++ gtk bindings and its signalling
system installed on your system. We use:

gtkmm-1.2.7
libsigc++-1.0.3

As Interface to the hardware, GSMP supports ALSA as well as OSS.
However, for optimal performance we recommend using ALSA.
ALSA 0.9-beta6 is the current minimal requirement. 

a newer versions should be fine, too.

To import other file-formats you additional need:

- Ogg / Vorbis support:
	vorbis-tools-1.0beta4
	libao-0.6.0
	libogg-1.0beta4
	libvorbis-1.0beta4

- MP3 support (eXPerimental !!!)
	mad (MADPlayer / libmad package)

Compiling GSMP:

To build and install GSMP, you only have to execture the normal
"configure; make; make install" process ... In this top-level source
directory.

IMPORTANT: If you have a previous version of GSMP installed on your
system, you should execute "make uninstall" BEFORE make; make install.

We hope you won't have too much problems installing and using it ;-)
... .

4. First Starting Hints / FAQ
-----------------------------

Q: I have the GMSP main-window. And now?
A: You have to load or capture data to be able to scroll, mark or process
FXs.

Q: GSMP creates hard-links between my data-files
A: GSMP is designed to respond quickly to user-actions, so we do not load
or convert the data from loaded files. They will be read on-the-fly. Because
it should be possible to save on this same file we create UNIX-hard-links
to be able to remove the original file for saving.

Q: My GSMP has been compiled with both ALSA and OSS support. How can I choose
beetween theese two ?
A: GSMP uses ALSA by default. If you for any reason prefer OSS, start GSMP
with the --oss option (Sorry, no config dialog for this stuff yet)

Q: Why doesn't the loop-io option work?
A: You need to have the stop-at-end option enabled, too. Sorry we will make
the options more inteligent in the next release.

Q: How can I prehear FXs?
A: You need a selection BEFORE you start the IO.(only selected part are send
through the FXs). Now start the IO with the "prehear-fx" option enabled.
You you will be able to hear FX on the tracks which have the DoFX buttons
checked. Simply select a FX from the filters dialog and check the prehear
button there. Now you can modify the FX's options unti you are satisfied.
Now stop the IO. And click on OK.

HINT1: All FXs will use the selection which was active BEFORE IO's start.

HINT2: If you change the track's DoFX state, you need to recheck the FX's
prehear button.

HINT3: You can toggle the IO-dialogs prehear option anytime and you can
prehear many FXs at the same time. - Keep in mind that hear the FX in the
order you check prehear-button BUT they will be applied onto the data in
the order you click the OK-buttons!

HINT4: Never click on the FX's OK while IO is running.

(This chaos (8-() will change COMPLETELY in one of the next releases !!!
 - SORRY!)

Q: The program constantly keeps crahsing?
A:  At first remove the hard-links and remaining temp-files created by
GMSP. Then write a BUG-report and send it to us. (Uo. How many mail will
we get ...)

Q: Why is GSMP developing so slowly?
A: Because we have to much to do, like: Creating a whole distribution
(Desktop ROCK Linux), bugfix serveral other Free Software or study :-(

5. Misc info
------------

This is an open-source-ed / GPL-ed project. So if you think GSMP needs
some improvements here and there (and I'm sure it needs many
improvements ;-) feel free to send us you suggestions / patches ... .

If you like to help and do not know exacly what is missing, simply
take a look in the TODO file in GSMP sub-directory (or the other sub-dirs
if you like to do low-level work ...) to get an overview what open-tasks
we have.
