Pseudo Intelligent Player (PiP) V1.1
by Forward Computing and Control Pty. Ltd.

PiP QuickStart

Introduction

PiP is a Java media player that plays MP3, OGG, WAV and many other files. What makes PiP different is that PiP remembers every tune you play and which ones you liked and which ones you didn't. It also remembers every playlist you open or save. PiP uses this information to suggest tunes to you. If you don't like the suggestion just press Play again to reject the tune and have PiP choose another.

You can load PiP on you portable USB device with you tunes and take it with you whereever you go. Of course you need to plug into a Java machine to run PiP when you get there. If you are running on a Windows 2000/XP machine, then you can copy Java to your USB device and use PiP.exe to run it from there. See the FAQ below for more details.

Getting Started on Windows 2000/XP and Unix.

For Windows 2000/XP, PiP.exe is provided. You can start PiP from the Desktop shortcut or from the Programs menu.
For Unix, install Java Runtime V1.4 (JRE V1.4) and then un-tar the distribution file to a directory, change to that directory and start PiP using the command
java -jar pip1.2.jar

Keyboard Shortcuts
	SpaceBar	Play/Reject
	Enter	FastForward/Accept
	Del	Remove selected Tunes from current list
	P	Pause/Release
	S	Stop

There are three ways to play tunes with PiP.

You can just play from the tunes shown in the list, either in the order shown or in random (Shuffle) order. If you don't like one of the tunes you can press Play again to reject it. The rejected tune will be removed from the list. When you have finished you have a list of all the tunes you like ready to be saved as a playlist.
You can tell PiP to suggest tunes from playlists you have opened or saved. Then when you press Play, PiP will start playing the first tune from one of your playlists.
If you like it click on the Add button next to “Choose from PlayLists” and PiP will add that playlist to your current list and keep playing.
If you don't like the tune selected the just press Play again to reject it and PiP will play the first tune from another of your playlists.
You can tell PiP to choose a tune for you from all the tunes you have played and liked, based on the last couple of tunes you have played.
If you don't like PiP's selection just press Play again to reject it and PiP will offer another suggestion.
When PiP has offered you every tune it knows about, PiP will automatically switch back to Choose "Only from those listed".
You can use the Reset button to tell PiP to forget about which tunes you have heard this session and start offering them all again.

PiP FAQ

What sound files does PiP recognize?

PiP recognizes the following file types,mp3, mp2, mp1, wav, ogg, spx, au, aif, aifc. Pip reads and writes M3U playlists.

How do I add files to the current list?

Click on the Add button at bottom left of the PiP window and navigate to the directory containing the files you want to add. You can select multiple files/directories. If your selection includes directories, PiP will add all the contents of that directory and it sub-directories. If your selection includes a playlist, PiP will open the playlist and add all the files it contains.

How do I load PiP on my USB device?

Plug in you USB device. Load it with your music and playlists and run PiP Setup and install PiP on the device. Then when you move you USB device from computer to computer you will also have PiP and all your playing history.

PiP needs Java JRE V1.4 or higher to run. If Java has been installed on the computers you will be using, then PiP will find it and use it. If Java is not installed you have two choices.

Open the Install_JRE web page in the PiP install dir. It will prompt you to download and install Java on the current computer.
As a second alternative (for Windows only), if you have about 25Megs free on you USB device, you can copy Java to the PiP install directory. To do this first find the installed Java on you computer, usually under C:\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2_05 or some similar name. Copy the entire j2re1.4.2_05 directory to the PiP install directory on our USB device. Finally rename the PiP\j2re1.4.2_05 directory on your USB device to PiP\jre. Now when you run PiP you will see in the console startup window that it is using the Java jre from the PiP install directory. This lets you run PiP on any Windows 2000 or XP computer you plug into without needing to install Java on that computer. (Note: PiP uninstall will not remove this jre direcory. You will need to remove it yourself.)

What does PiP cost?

This version of PiP (version 1) is voucherware. If you like PiP, send an Amazon Gift certificate (under the GIFTS section of the Amazon store, www.amazon.com) to me, Matthew Ford at pip@forward.com.au. If you don't like PiP, send me an email telling me why.
If you what a change made to PiP, the larger the gift certificate the higher up the list your request will go.

Can I distribute PiP?

Subject to the conditions set out in the pip_licence.txt file, you may freely distribute PiP V1.

Where are the PiP log files?

PiP writes its log files of all the tunes you play and playlists you open or save in the pipLogs sub-directory. This directory is not removed by the uninstall. You should take backup of the files in this directory regularly and keep them in a safe place.

Will there be a better interface later?

If there is sufficient interest. In the mean time of you are looking for a Java base media play with a jazzy interface try jGui . It takes WinAmp skins but does not remember what you played. If more interest in listening to music then in watching your media player then PiP is for you.

Change Notes:

V1.2 29th December 2004
Added library files to manifest in main jar.
Removed them from Pip.exe

V1.1 8th October 2004
Modified Install_JRE.html to support non-IE browers.
Added keyboard shortcuts and menus.
Refined "Choose a Tune for Me" to include tunes in the current list.

V1.0 1st October 2004
Original version

Pseudo Intelligent Player (PiP) V1.1 by Forward Computing and Control Pty. Ltd.