NEW VERSION (9.33)!!!

Version 9.33 is now available from the Download area.   This fixes a small problem with updating EMCW when Repertoire has not been installed.  Note: You must have installed version 9.32 which was sent on CD-Rom to install this update.

HLMS for Windows Preview

British Telecom Number Changes

Due to the large number of changes to British telephone numbers, I have written a small utility to automatically change as many numbers as possible with the new codes.  The instructions follow:

1. Click here to download the file bt.exe
2. Run the program and Unzip the files to your HLMS directory.
3. From the HLMS directory, run the BTUPD.EXE program.
4. Select the TEST mode and perform a test.
5. Evaluate the CHANGES.TXT file and let me know if there are any problems
6. If there are no problems, make sure that you have a good backup of your data, and run the program NOT in test mode.

HLMS Update Version History

Click Here to view a full history of HLMS versions (from version 8 to the most recent version).

HLMS for Windows Poll

For your information, the winner of the last HLMS for Windows Poll with the question "What is the MOST number of  individual parts in any set" was Oxford University Press with the work by Michael Finnissy called  Plain Harmony that has in excess of 236 individual parts.....

HLMS and the Euro

I have posted information about HLMS and the Euro which will be tackled in the next HLMS update (9.16) which will be available before Christmas.  Click Here to Download the File (52k in Adobe PDF Format).

Comments should be posted in the HLMS section of the WebBoard.

HLMS for Windows Discussion Paper

I have posted a discussion paper on the proposed format of of the new HLMS for Windows (NT/95).  Click Here to Download the File (238k in Adobe PDF Format).

Comments should be posted in the HLMS for Windows section of the WebBoard.

EMCW Conversion Utility

There is a new EMCW Conversion Utility for converting information from other programs into EMCW format and an update to EMCW to incorporate these changes.  Please visit the EMCW User Page for more information.

Don't forget that after you have downloaded the file (EMCWV2.EXE) and installed the update on your system, copy the EMCWV2.EXE file to your \EMCW\DATA directory and rename it SETUP.EXE

From the the DOS prompt you would type:

COPY EMCWV2.EXE C:\EMCW\DATA\SETUP.EXE

This will mean that your clients will also receive the latest version when you run the EMCW Update function in HLMS.

HLMS Documentation Now Available

Revised Documentation for HLMS is now available.

Click here for more information.

HLMS Conference Area Now Online

The HLMS WebBoard Conference Area is now online.  Click here for more information, or to enter the conferencing system.

NEW VERSION (9)!!!

HLMS version 9 has a number of significant changes, a complete list of which may be found on the HLMS v9 Page (click here).

Guide for HLMS Browsers

Stephen Murphy at Peters Edition has generously made available a document he wrote for users in his Company requiring "Browse Only" access. This is an extremely useful file which could be used (with a small amount of customisation) for any organisation that needs a simple user-manual for HLMS Browsers.

To download this file (In Microsoft Word format which may also be read with the installed Windows 95 wordprocessor WordPad), simply click HERE.

THANK YOU STEPHEN!!

HLMS in the Year 2000

Judging from the frequency of the question, there must be as much hype in your press about the doom and gloom of what will happen in the year 2000 as far as computers are concerned.

This is due to the fact that many older systems use a 2 digit number for the year, and so when 99 becomes 00, all arithmetic that uses the dates will need to be altered in some way.

At least I can assure you that as far as HLMS is concerned, all dates are stored in the database in a way that saves the full year details and so we should not have any problems. Something may crop up, but I will be testing and checking this closer to the time.

HLMS on Windows NT

I have been asked by a few people about running HLMS on Windows NT (the next generation of Windows). I know that if the NT Server is used simply as a repository for the system and data files there are no problems, however if you are using OSR2 of Windows 95m there is an important patch that you must install.

HLMS will run on a NT Workstation but there are a few problems with the printing.

Utility Software

How many of you have a Web site up and running? As you already know, you can easily export data from EMCW direct into HTML format for your Web site.

I have now written a little utility that looks like your Performance Statements option in HLMS, but create files that look exactly like this <click here>.

Interested??? Well as per usual the utility is very cheap. Contact me for details.

Keep those bug reports flying!!!

Putting EMCW on YOUR Web site

Making your EMCW list available on the Web is not as complicated as it may seem. Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Run the Update EMC/W option under the Maintenance Menu of HLMS
2. Copy the EMCW (Windows) file to a floppy disk
3. On another machine, check that the installation file is OK by running the SETUP.EXE
4. Take your EMCW disk to your Web administrator and get them to copy the file WDATA1.EXE (this may be renamed to something more appropriate) to your Web site with the following instructions:
   Complete [Company Name] Catalogue in EMC for Windows Format. First make sure that you have installed the EMC for Windows Program. This is a free program that may be downloaded from the Download page of the B.T.M. Innovation Web site. Click HERE to go to this site or to download the file or to get more information about EMC for Windows [on the HERE create a hyperlink to http://www.btmi.com.au].
   
   Click HERE to Download the [Company Name] data files and save them to your \EMCW\DATA directory. [Where HERE is the hyperlink to your WDATA1.EXE file]. To extract the files, simply run the WDATA1 program (which may be deleted after the files have been extracted). In EMCW open the [###.DBC] file to view, search and print the [Company Name] catalogue.
5. I also encourage the use of the logo on your Web page to advise people of the availability of your catalogue in this format.
6. Let me know your URL for the download and a description of its contents. I will check it out and will add your address to the LINKS page here.

You will notice that I did not get you to copy the SETUP.EXE program. I would prefer if you get your clients to upload the latest version of the EMCW program files from my Web site to avoid any problems with old versions.

You will also notice that I have not mentioned the EMC (Dos) version. At the moment I do not recommend placing this on the Web as it is more difficult to install.

Improving the look (and sound) of your EMCW Catalogues

Now that you have started making available your EMCW catalogue to your clients, there are a few simple things you can do to make your catalogue all that more impressive.

Your Logo
You can display your Logo when a user selects your catalogue by simply creating a 300 x 350 16-256 colour Windows bitmap (BMP) file (see the \EMCW\EMPTY.BMP file) and saving it to your \EMCW\DATA directory with the SAME name as your data files.

Sound
EMCW can also play a Windows sound file (WAV) when the logo is displayed. All you have to do is to create a sound file in this format (using the Wave Editor that comes with Windows) and save it in the \EMCW\DATA directory with the SAME name as your data files. Warning!!! Sound files can be VERY big, and so keep the sound files to the shortest length, and record them at low sample rates and in mono to save disk space.

Composer Biographies and Photos
One of the latest features of HLMS is to be able to incorporate biographies and photo of your composers into your EMCW files directly.

To include a biography you simply need to save a SHORT biography in standard Windows Text file format (using the Notepad) and save them to a directory (such as the \HLMS\DATA directory) with the COMPCODE of the composer and the TXT extension. For example, if the COMPCODE for Stravinsky is STRI, save the biography as STRI.TXT

To include a photo is similar to the biography but instead of a text file you simply need to create a 300 x 350 16-256 colour Windows bitmap (BMP) file and save it to a directory with the COMPCODE of the composer and the BMP extension. For example, if the COMPCODE for Stravinsky is STRI, save the photo as STRI.BMP

Now under the EMC/W Update option (under Maintenance) check that the Bio/Photo directory is correct (if not use the Edit Options) and run the Update facility and the information will be incorporated in your EMCW catalogue.

Self-installing Data Files

Using any of the Windows Installer packages around (I use and recommend the Wise Installation system) you can create data files that know where to find EMCW and can extract and copy the files accordingly. This is quite simple to do, and I would be happy to expand on this should anyone be interested.