XXHighEnd

Edit : With huge apologies ... there is a problem in this version, and the download has been removed ! A new one will be created later today. :sorry:

• Much attention has been paid to the startup process and things which can go wrong there for the (new) user.
  Besides, a very annoying phenomenon of the screen staying away after certain (error) messages has been solved. Note though that this can go along with a message implying that the initialization failed and other things will go wrong, but at least now the possibility is there to change settings for the better.
  
  
• If all is right situations have been covered for where, say, corrupted files, incurred for not being able to startup anymore.
  Please report if such a thing still happens, with the only solution of deleting files yourself (don't mind the latter, it just shouldn't be the solution). Thanks.
  
  
• Finally the situation that the last track could play twice has been solved.
  
  
• As it now appeared, the switching of format changes (Engine#3) did not work anymore. Solved.
  
  
• The two services currently being stopped at the start of playback (and when such is denoted by the settings parameters concerned) now are started unconditionally. It is the idea that nobody wants his screen misformed during normal working, and the determination of you already had stopped them for other reasons was flakey.
  
  
• When the On Screen Display Running Time is set to show (Settings Area), it now will always disappear when the services are running (but, as controlled by XXHighEnd, and not by other means !).
  
  
• Checks have been built in to be unable to show the Running Time OSD when the services are not stopped.
  Similarly the OSD time is not allowed anymore at Attended Playback.
  
  
• The disappearance and reappearance of the Start Button is now OK if all is right (possibly this was contained already in the previous version).
  
  
• It was found that at using Alt-E  and Alt-P not exactly happend what is intended (Pause + continue Playback at Unattended). This is solved now.
  
  
• The OSD Running Time can now be stopped and restarted (by means of Alt-G (as with Remote Control of course). Note though, that the time just stops actualizing, and that the last actual time shown, freezes.
  Important : Withgoing XX.ahk file has been changed in order to support this for Unattended Playback ! Also, for WiFi commands the withgoing XXTCPSrv program must stopped (rightlick at the Taskbar Tray icon - Exit), be initialized (double click the program from explorer in the 0.9x-6 XX folder) and started (rightlick at the Taskbar Tray icon - Start).
  A new XXWifiRemote.cfg example file is obtained in the download.
  
  
• The selection of the Sound Device still did not work flawless for Engine#3 and some setups. If all is right it now works as intended.
  But if not, please report !
  
  
• A ToolTip text for Inverted appeared to never have been there. It is there now.
  
  
• It turned out that the slider for the Coverart picture size (for the rightmost pane) could turn to zero or 1 randomly. This has been solved.
  
  
• It appeared that Dos 8.3 Shor Names can be shutoff by means of a registry tweak. This, while XXHighEnd uses it for Unicode problems and the solutions to them. When shut off, errors could occur from the ChangeWP program (showing the Coverart Wallpaper), and this can also cause tracks not to play;
  A check has been built in at startup, telling Dos 8.3 Short Name support has been shut off when so indeed. It is just necessary ...
  Note that it can not harm at all to have it on, and perceived performance degradation really is a non issue.
  
  
• A situation has been found that answering "Yes" to the question "Do you want to restore your settings" occurring after a new install, would keep on coming up until it is answered with No. If all is right this is solved now.
  
  
• Quite some "error" messages could appear, for example about a thread being aborted. Most of these more technical messages have been eliminated now.
  
  
• The Favorites.txt file, containing the Favorites from chosen Galleries and normal folders, could easily loose its data at switching versions. It still can by appointing the wrong Data folder (or forget about that at all), but before it just happened too easily. So, this has been improved.
  
  

Issue left : When the services are told to stop, and at starting an album which has to be e.g. FLAC converted, sound may stall briefly a few times during that period. This is to be solved of course.
Note : this has been reported, and was a perceived cause due to the early OSD starting, but it just happened here once while the OSD now really starts only after such a conversion. YMMV ?


A repeat of some importance from earlier release notes :

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Very important :  Only when AutoHotkey has been installed, and is at least working to the extend XXHighEnd can be startup with a hotkey (default is Alt-X), it is allowed to tick this checkbox. See AutoHotkey Install (http://www.phasure.com/index.php?topic=724.msg5220#msg5220). When this is not done, hence XXHighEnd can not be brought up with a hotkey, at Unattended Payback - no desktop icons will be visible, no Taskbar will be there, no Startbutton will be around ... nothing. So, you will not be able to do anything, except for listening out the playlist concerned, and wait until that finishes and XXHighEnd will popup automatically, which by itself will bring back everything.
A reboot is a solution as well. :yes:

This all sounds more dangerously than it really is, and with the hotkeys available there is really nothing to fear.
And remember the objective : better Sound Quality.

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(there is NO download of this version; a new one will be created later today)