FAQ:

Q:  Why should I use Mp3Skript?

A:  In my very humble opinion, it's better than everything else.  Why?

• All commands are accessible from popup menus and the command line, so it's good for new and experienced users.

• File searches and requests are performed by CTCP, so the channel window isn't flooded with requests.  (Imagine, actual conversation in a channel for once!)

• Backwards compatible with @locator type scripts.  People using the old @locator searches will get replies from you too, and can download with the !nick <file> requests.

• All search results are in a separate window listed one song per line.  No scrolling back through the channel to find a notice that flew by.

• Downloading is much easier.  No more copy-and-paste to request a download.  Just double-click the song!

• Random Search.  Can't think of a song you want?  Do a "random search" and get one random song from everyone on the channel.  If you see something you like, download!

• Easier setup.  The Mp3Skript Options Menu displays all of your current settings and allows you to easily change them with a simple double-click.

• Frequent updates.  I actually USE my script, so when I find a bug I fix it.  When I think of a useful new feature that I'd like, I write it in.   And, I'm open to suggestions.  (see bottom of page)

• Automatic Updates.  If a friend has downloaded a new version of the script s/he can send it to you and you'll be prompted to automatically update.   Choose to delete, keep, or update the script.  If you choose Update, it's installed and re-loaded over the old one for you!

• Uhmm... I'm sure there's other stuff. :)  It's just an over-all spiffy script.

Q:  Ok, I've downloaded the script.   Now what? 

A:  Installation of Mp3Skript is pretty easy.  Just move the file to your mIRC directory and then in any mIRC window type:

/load -rs mp3skript.ini

After you press Enter mIRC will prompt you with a dialogue box saying:

"One or more scripts have been loaded that include initialization commands.  Should I run initialization commands?  You should click No! if you don't know what the script does."

This is simply a warning that mIRC gives you which allows you to choose "No" to avoid running some commands that you didn't yourself initiate.   Mp3Skript needs to run the initialization commands to gather setup information from you, so you should choose Yes. 

Now Mp3Skript prompts you for some information.  It asks for your "Mp3 Root Dir?" or the folder where you keep your mp3 files.  Find it, and click OK.

Now the Mp3Skript Options Menu pops up.  For beginners, these settings should be OK.  Double-click on [Done] to close the menu.

Q:  Ok, I've got it installed.   Now what? 

A:  Well, you probably want a song, right?  In Mp3Skript all commands can be accessed from popup menus.  Just right-click in a channel or query box, choose Mp3, and then choose Search. 

A dialogue will pop up and ask you "Match what pattern?"   Type in a word, part of a word, or even a few words of what you're looking for.   Press Enter, or click OK. 

In a few moments (depending on the lag) a window ("@mp3found") will pop up at the bottom of your screen.  Click there to bring it up, and you have a list of songs.  To download one, just double-click it.   It's that easy!

Q:  I did a search but a window didn't pop up!!?? 

A:  Your search didn't find anything.  

Maybe no one in the channel is using Mp3Skript.  (It's new, spread the word, and the script!) Try doing a search for "*".  You'll get a result from anyone who has Mp3Skript enabled.  If no one has Mp3Skript, you might have to resort to the older @locator/@find searches.

Search Tips:

• Common file naming formats are "<artist> - <song>.mp3" and "<song> - <artist>.mp3".  Try searching for an artist name, OR a song name, but not both, because the order of the words matters.  Searching for fewer words gives you more results.
• If you're not sure how to spell something, or think others might misspell it, only type part of the word.  (Ex: Morissette, or Morisette?  Type: Moris, and get both.)

Q:  How can I tell who's running Mp3Skript?

A: search for "*" in a channel.  All Mp3Skript users who have their script enabled should reply with the number of MP3 files in their collection.

If you CTCP version someone, Mp3Skript will reply with the version of the script that they are using, whether they have it enabled or not.

Q:  What does the Options Menu do? 

A:  It shows you your current settings and allows you to change them just by double-clicking them. 

• Send File List On Request?
  After you build a list of your mp3 files, other Mp3Skript users can request it from you and you'll automatically send it to them.  If you don't want to automatically send this list, turn this option OFF.

• Current Mp3 List File:
  Mp3Skript uses this file to store a list of your mp3 files which can  be automatically sent when users request a list of your files (If enabled).

• Current MP3 DIR:
  The directory where your MP3 files are located.

• Max. Total DCC Sends:
  The maximum ammount of sends that can be going at once.  When a user requests a file and the sends are already full he is notified of how long it will be until the first one is finished.

• Max. per person:
  The maximum ammount of sends per person.  Set this to a low number if you want to keep a single person from hogging all of your send slots.

Q:  What are the commands? 

A:  All of the commands for mp3skript can be accessed through popup menus.  Commands can be accessed from the "Commands" menu in the menu bar, channel and query windows, and nicknames.

From the "Commands" menu in the Menubar:

• Search (or type /mp3search)
  searches the currently active window for a song.

• Random Search  (or type /mp3randomsearch)
  searches the currently active window for a single random song matching the pattern you specify.
  (note: from the menus the default search pattern is "*".  If you want to narow it down to songs from Tori Amos, you might type "/mp3randomsearch amos" on the command line to get random Tori Amos songs.)

• Play (or type /mp3play)
  Brings up a window in which you can search your own files for songs.  Double-click on a song to play it.

• Random Play (or type /mp3randomplay)
  Plays a random mp3 from your collection.
  
• Get List
  Requests a list of mp3files from the current channel, query, or nickname.  Be prepared for multiple DCCs if you request a list from a channel.  (You'll get one from every Mp3Skript user who automatically sends lists!)

• Send List
  Send your mp3 list to the current window.  (Query windows and nicknames only.)

• Build List (or type /mp3makelist)
  Compile (or re-compile) a list of your MP3 collection, in alphabetical order.  This is done in the background of mIRC in a hidden window, and will beep and write to the Status Window when it's finished.  (on a P150 computer the whole process takes about a minute for 330 songs.  better than completely freezing mIRC for half that time, I think.)

• Options
  Bring up the Mp3Skript Options Menu.

Q:  What about security?

A:  I run the script on my machine.   The script you get is exactly what I have on my end.  I don't want security holes in my IRC client, so you don't get any either.  If you have any doubts, though, feel free to read through my script before you load it.  If you have any questions, e-mail me.  (see bottom of page)

Q:  I keep getting lots of weird CTCP replies.  Why? 

A:  CTCP protection scripts. 
Some people find the need to use CTCP "protection" scripts instead of turning on their flood protection.  These scripts warn a user when an unknown CTCP command is sent.  Mp3Skript uses CTCP commands to search the channel.  The "protection" scripts mistake an unknown command as an attempt to flood them.  

Fortunately, mIRC provides great internal flood protection, which Mp3Skript automatically turns on.  Using it, you won't flood anyone else (or yourself) off of IRC.

Enough of my rant.  What can you DO about it?  First try asking them to remove the notice, and explain that you're not CTCPing them, but the channel.

Those with CTCP "protection" scripts are often stubborn, though, so you might just have to ignore all CTCP commands from the user. (/ignore -t <nickname>)  Or, if they're notifying you through notices or messages you might just completely ignore them. 

Q:  What version am I using?

A:  There are two ways to tell what version you're using.   First, when you start mIRC and the script is loaded, the version number is displayed in the status window.  Secondly, go to the options window, it's the first line displayed.

 

Q:  "I'd like to give your script a try, but I don't want to lose my current mIRC configuration.  Will it be changed?   If so, is there an uninstall type thing?"

A:  Mp3Skript doesn't change your mIRC configuration, all it does is sit in the background and wait for Mp3Skript commands, and replies to them. 

If you don't want it to reply to commands, just set the "Max. Total DCC Sends" in the Options menu to 0.  The script knows this means you want it to stop (since it won't be sending any files, it just ignores commands.)  You can still perform searches and use the popup menus. 

If you want to completely unload mp3skript, just unload it like any other script.  (/unload -rs mp3skript.ini)

 

Q: My mp3s won't play when I use the Mp3-Self-Search feature. 

A: This isn't my fault, I promise! :)   Windows95 still has remnants of Windows 3.x to stay backward compatible.   Apparantly mIRC 5.41 makes calls to the old Win3.x file associations when it tries to find the program to play .mp3 files.  Or maybe it's Windowz that's messing up.   Here's a fix:

In the Start menu, click Run, and tile "winfile".   From the File menu, choose "Associate...".  In the "Files with Extention:" box, type "mp3", and click the Browse button.   Find your favorite mp3 player, and click OK, and exit WinFile. 

Q:  How do I enable/disable Mp3Skript?

A:  If you want to disable file searches and list sends, just set your "Max Total DCCs" to 0.    Mp3Skript will still allow you to search, but you won't respond to any search requests.  If you're just sick of Mp3Skript (awww..) you can do: /unload -rs mp3skript.ini   to remove it from your loaded scripts. 

To enable it, make sure your "Max Total DCCs" and "Max DCCs per user" are both greater than 0.