***************************************************
*                                                 *
*        FLaRe85's Plugin Manager v0.9.3          *
*               Readme and FAQ                    *
*                                                 *
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Table of Contents
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 0. Introduction
 1. How to Use
    1-1-0.  Getting Started
    1-1-1.    Obtaining Plugins
    1-1-2.    Importing Plugins
    1-2-0.  Basic Plugin Operations
    1-2-1.    Configuring Plugins
    1-2-2.    Testing Plugins
    1-2-3.    The About Dialog
    1-3-0.  Plugin File Operations 
    1-3-1.    Renaming Plugins
    1-3-2.    Deleting Plugins
    1-3-3.    Copying Plugins
    1-3-4.    Copying All Plugins
    1-4-0.  Front-End Features
    1-4-1.    Setting Up Emulators
    1-4-2.    Launch Commands
    1-5-0.    Checking For Updates
    A-1-0.  Appendix: GUI Reference
    A-2-0.  Appendix: Menu Reference
    A-3-0.  Appendix: Command Line Switches
 2. Configuration
 3. FAQ
 4. Disclaimer
 5. Changelog
 6. Dedication
 7. Thanks


------------------------------------------------------------------------
 0. Introduction
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 FLaRe85's Plugin Manager is a tool designed to assist with the
 management of PSX and N64 plugins.  For plugins to be compatible,
 they must follow the PSEmu Pro spec or zilmar's spec, respectively.
 The application also has various frontend capabilities that are
 compatible with the following emulators:

 [PSX]
 - ePSXe        : http://www.epsxe.com
 - PCSX         : http://www.pcsx.net
 - PSXeven      : http://batard.psxfanatics.com

 [N64]
 - Project 64   : http://www.pj64.net
 - 1964         : http://1964emu.emulation64.com


------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1. How to Use
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1-1-0.  Getting Started

 When you start the application for the first time, it will configure
 itself under the default configuration.  Unless you have manually
 moved plugins to the tool's main backup folders, all the lists will
 display "No Plugins Found."  Your first step is to either obtain or
 import existing plugins.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 1-1-1.  Obtaining Plugins

 Plugins can be obtained from many places.  You can either visit the
 plugin authors' website or go to a next-gen emulation site such as
 NGEmu (http://www.ngemu.com) and download them from there.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 1-1-2.  Importing Plugins

 In order for you to be able to work with your plugins, it's best that
 you import them into the tool's main backup folders first.  You can do
 this by going to the file menu and selecting any one of the commands
 under the 'Import Plugins' menu or even dragging and dropping files
 into the application.

 - File(s) : Imports individual or multiple files to the current folder
 - Folder  : Imports an entire folder of files to the current folder
 - Archive : Extracts all files from a ZIP archive to the current folder


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 1-2-0.  Basic Plugin Operations

 Every plugin has at least three universal functions that can be called
 to allow user-interaction with the plugin.  They are Configure, Test,
 and About.

 1-2-1.  Configuring Plugins

 - Description : Allows the user to configure the options of the plugin.
 - Accessed By : Clicking the 'Configure' button, selecting it from 
                 the 'Plugins' menu or plugin context-menu,
                 double-clicking on the plugin within the list, or
                 pressing the Enter key while the plugin is selected.
 - Notes       : N64 plugins cannot be configured at this time due to
                 the way zilmar's spec is designed.

 1-2-2.  Testing Plugins

 - Description : Allows the plugin to run an internal test to see if it
                 can operate under the user's PC configuration.
 - Accessed By : Clicking the 'Test' button or selecting it from the
                 'Plugins' menu or plugin context-menu.
 - Notes       : PSX plugins return the test results and the application
                 handles them.  Most N64 plugins don't support Test, but
                 those that due interact with the user on their own.

 1-2-3.  The About Dialog

 - Description : Opens up an 'About Dialog' created by the author to give
                 the user more information about the plugin.
 - Accessed By : Clicking the 'About' button or selecting it from the
                 'Plugins' menu or plugin context-menu.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 1-3-0.  Plugin File Operations

 You are able to perform most of the regular file operations with the
 tool that would otherwise be available to you in Windows Explorer.
 These operations include Rename, Delete, Copy, and a special enhancement
 to the Copy function: Copy All.

 1-3-1.  Renaming Plugins

 - Description : Allows the user to easily change the filename .of the
                 plugin without having to use external means
 - Accessed By : Clicking on the 'filename' field of the plugin within
                 the list, selecting it from the 'Edit' menu or plugin
                 context-menu, or using the Ctrl + R key combo.
 - Notes       : Renaming plugins could make them ineligible for update
                 because this is what the tool uses to match and
                 identify plugins.

 1-3-2.  Deleting Plugins

 - Description : Either completely deletes or sends a file to the
                 Recycle Bin based upon the tool's configuration.
 - Accessed By : Selecting it from the 'Edit' menu or plugin context-menu
                 or pressing the Del key on the keyboard while the plugin
                 is selected.
 - Notes       : If the tool is configured to 'immediately delete plugins,'
                 it cannot be recovered after a delete operation.

 1-3-3.  Copying Plugins

 - Description : Copies a plugin from the current plugin folder to that of
                 another emulator that is setup in the tool's configuration.
 - Accessed By : Selecting an emulator from the menu in the 'Edit' menu or
                 plugin context-menu.

 1-3-4  Copying All Plugins

 - Description : A special modification of the Copy function -- this
                 command copies all plugins from the current plugin folder
                 to that of the emulator that is selected for the operation.
 - Accessed By : Selecting an emulator from the menu in the 'Edit' menu or
                 plugin context-menu.
 - Notes       : Any other files within the plugin folder will be copied
                 over to the new location as well.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 1-4-0.  Front-End Features

 The tool can also be considered a full-featured front-end because it allows
 you to externally configure and change the selected plugin settings for the
 emulators that it supports.  You do this by clicking the 'Apply' button in
 the lower right corner, next to 'Exit.'  Plugin Manager can even save your
 emulator / plugin configuration to a file so that you can easily re-apply
 those settings at a later time.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 1-4-1.  Setting up Emulators

 Before you can perform front-end features or load an emulator's plugins,
 you need to configure it in the tool's settings.  This is done in the
 'Configuration' tab by clicking 'Add' in the 'Emulator Setup' frame.
 Fill in the values requested in the new dialog.  Click 'OK' once you are
 finished.  The emulator will now be selectable in the emu-selector in the
 lower left corner.  You will also have access to launch commands and be
 able to edit the emulator's plugin configuration using the tool.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 1-4-2.  Launch Commands

 Found in the 'File' meny or system tray context-menu, these commands
 allows you to quickly launch the emulators that you have configured
 for use with the tool.  Certain emulators have features that allow
 you to bypass their GUI and load a file, immediately beginning emulation.

 - Launch Emulator : Launches the emulator just as if it had been opened
                     from Windows Explorer

 - Launch CDROM    : (Only for certain PSX emus) Launches the emu,
                     immediately beginning emulation of the disc in the
                     CDROM drive. Config profiles bound to disc will
                     automatically be loaded.

 - Launch ISO/ROM  : Asks for a file and then launches that file for
                     emulation within the currently-selected emulator.
                     Config profiles bound to ISO/ROM will automatically
                     be loaded.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 1-5-0.  Checking For Updates

 Plugin Manager holds the unique ability to interface with an update
 server and automatically detect if a new version of a plugin has been
 released.  It can then automatically download, extract, and replace the
 plugin with the new version.

 To check for updates, select "Check for Plugin Updates" from the File
 menu.  A new dialog will pop up.  When you're ready to check for updates,
 click the big button in the middle.  It will notify you of any updates
 that are available and proceed to download them if you confirm them.  You
 can also check to see the last time an update procedure completed in the
 update dialog.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 A-1-0.  Appendix: GUI Reference

 - Active Plugin Indicator : Shows, at-a-glance, the plugin that is
                             currently selected

 - Config/Test/About       : Calls config/test/about from the plugin,
                             respectively

 - Emu-Selector            : Selects the emulator plugin-set to work with.

 - Plugin Total Counters   : Shows the total number of plugins found in
                             each list

 - Launch Button           : Launches the emulator selected in emu-selector

 - Apply Button            : Applies the currently-selected plugins to
                             an emulator's configuration

 - Exit Button             : Exits the application

 - PSX Tab                 : Contains the PSX plugin lists

 - N64 Tab                 : Contains the N64 plugin lists

 - Config Tab              : Contains configuration options for the tool
                             as well as the emulator setup

 - About Tab               : Contains extra information about the tool


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 A-2-0.  Appendix: Menu Reference

 [File Menu]
 - Import Plugins > Imports plugins into the current folder
 - Load Configuration [Ctrl + O] > Loads a saved configuration file
 - Save Configuration [Ctrl + S] > Saves emu / plugin configuration to file
 - Configure Emulator [F4] > Opens dialog to configure selected emu
 - Launch Emulator  [F6] > Launches emulator
 - Launch CDROM  [F7] > Launches emulator; starts CDROM emulation
 - Launch ISO/ROM  [F8] > Launches ISO/ROM in emulator
 - Check for Plugin Updates > Opens Plugin Update dialog
 - Exit  [Ctrl + E] > Exits the application

 [Edit Menu]
 - Rename  [Ctrl + R] > Renames the selected plugin
 - Delete  [Del] > Deletes the current plugin
 - Copy > Copies selected plugin to another emulator plugin folder
 - Copy All > Copies all plugins to another emulator plugin folder
 - Enable Logging  [Ctrl + L] > Enables/Disables the tool's logging feature

 [View Menu]
 - PSX Plugins  [Shift + F1] > Focuses PSX tab
 - N64 Plugins  [Shift + F2] > Focuses N64 tab
 - Configuration  [Shift + F3] > Focuses Configuration tab
 - Refresh  [F5] > Refreshes the currently-viewable plugin list

 [Plugins Menu]
 - Configure > Equivalent of clicking 'Configure' button
 - Test > Equivalent of clicking 'Test' button
 - About > Equivalent of clicking 'About' button
 - PSX Pad Selection > Selects between Pad 1 and Pad 2

 [Tools Menu]
 - Configure N64 Registry Paths > Configure N64 registry paths to save with profiles

 [Help Menu]
 - Read Me  [F1] > Opens this file
 - Web Site > Takes you to the homepage for Plugin Manager
 - Check for Tool Update > Checks if a new version of the tool is available
 - About  [Shift + F4] > Focuses About Tab


-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 A-3-0.  Appendix: Command Line Switches

 The command line switches offer further configuration options beyond what
 is found in the configuration tab.  They can be used either by typing
 "Plugin_Manager -switch1 -switch2" at the command prompt or creating a
 shortcut that includes the switches in the Target field after the exe.

 -n64config        : Enables the EXPERIMENTAL N64 configuration code
 -lowres           : Forces tool into low-res mode even in high-resolutions
 -noconfigautoload : Disables automatic loading of config profiles during launch


------------------------------------------------------------------------
 2. Configuration
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Many options within the application are configurable or customizable
 in some way.  All configuring is done in the 'Configuration' tab.

 [General Settings]

"Do not show the splash screen when starting up" :
 - When enabled, this option will suppress the splash screen that is
   displayed while the tool loads.

 "Send Plugin Manager to the system tray when minimzed" :
 - When enabled, this option will cause the application to minimze to
   the system tray instead of the taskbar.

 "Immediately delete plugins instead of sending them to the recycle bin" :
 - When enabled, plugins will be immediately deleted (unrecoverable)
   instead of being sent to the recycle bin during a delete operation.

 "Enable plugin total counters" :
 - When enabled, the plugin total counters under each list will display
   the total number of plugins in each list.  When disabled, they will
   not be visisble.

 "Ask for confirmation when exiting Plugin Manager" :
 - When enabled, a yes/no dialog will appear confirming the exit
   whenever an attempt to close the application is made.

 "Ask for confirmation when altering filenames of plugins" :
 - When enabled, a yes/no dialog will appear to confirm when the user
   changes the filename of a plugin.

 "CDRom Drive"
 - Select the CDRom drive you use for emulating PSX games.

 "Window Transparency"
 - Move the slider to adjust the window's alpha transparency.

 [Update Settings]

 "Automatically check for plugin updates" :
 - When enabled, the tool will automatically check for plugin updates
   at the interval specified in the 'Check Interval' field and notify
   the user if any are found.

 "Automatically check for Plugin Manager updates at the same time" :
 - When enabled, the tool will check to see if a new version of itself
   has been released in addition to checking for plugin updates.

 "Automatically distribute plugins to their respective directories" :
 - When enabled, the tool will copy downloaded plugin updates to all
   configured emulators that are of the same system type.

 [Emulator Setup]

 Before Plugin Manager can manipulate and manage your plugin directories,
 you must configure them in the 'Emulator Setup' section of the
 configuration tab.

 To add an emulator:
   1) Click the 'Add' button
   2) Fill in all relevant fields (EXE is optional)
   3) Click the 'OK' button

 Configuring emulators within the tool not only allows you to manage
 multiple plugin folders.  It also gives you option of launching
 your emulators easily from within the tool. If an emulator entry has
 no executable associated with it, then it is managed in folder mode.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
 3. FAQ
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Q.  Why is configuration disabled for N64 plugins?
 A.  Due to the complications of zilmar's spec and the way it works,
     I'm having quite a bit of difficulty getting the N64 plugins
     to cooperate with configuration.  So, due to it's incredibly
     unstable nature at the moment, I've disabled it altogether.  You
     can however enable the dormant code by using the "-n64config" switch
     at the command line.  Please, only do this AT YOUR OWN RISK.  A lot
     of plugins cause the tool or even your PC to crash while others
     do not work completely.  There are, however, some plugins that seem
     to work fine with configuration.  It's all up to you to try it out.
     Hopefully, I'll have this feature figured out and enabled in future
     versions.

 Q.  What is the deadalus.ini file doing in the zip archive?
 A.  During testing, many people reported the Daedalus N64 GFX plugin
     causing problems when the tool was loading plugins.  It would often
     complain of a missing configuration file.  I have no idea where it
     looks for this thing, but putting a dummy daedalus.ini file in the
     same directory seemed to stop the errors from occuring.  You may
     delete that file if you do not use the Daedalus GFX plugin.

 Q.  I've seen screenshots and the GUI looks big.  Will it work on
     lower monitor resolutions like 800 x 600?
 A.  Yes, I've coded the tool to check the user's screen resolution at
     startup.  If the screen is a width of 800 pixels or less, it will
     automatically enable a special "Low Resolution Mode."  In this mode
     the GUI elements are extensively shifted around and resized to create
     a much more compact interface which fits lower resolutions well.
     Optionally, high resolution users who would prefer to use the low
     resolution mode can enable it through the "-lowres" switch at the
     command prompt.

 Q.  Why isn't x emu supported?
 A.  Initially, I've coded the tool to support the most popular and commonly
     used emulators available at the present time.  Most likely, I will add
     support for other emulators in future versions.

 Q.  Do you plan to add support for PS2 plugins?
 A.  Even shadow (expert) has asked me this question. :p  The answer is "yes."
     I've heard that the PS2 plugin interface that PCSX2 uses is very similar
     to the PSEMU Pro spec.  When PS2 emulation becomes more mainstream and
     plugins are released in abundance, I will most likely add support for
     this system as well.

 Q.  Can the tool be customized or skinned in any way?
 A.  Yes, Plugin Manager allows basic customization in the form of wallpaper.
     When it loads, it checks for any file named background in the BMP, JPG,
     or GIF formats in that order.  It will take the first it finds and tile
     it across the background of the window.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
 4. Disclaimer
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 This program is freeware and cannot be sold. Also, this program cannot be
 distributed without my permission. This program cannot be used for any
 commercial purposes. You may not reverse engineer, decompile, or
 disassemble the enclosed software.
 Author is not responsible for any damages that this program may cause
 and is also not responsible for anything this software will be used for.
 Please, use this software responsibly.


------------------------------------------------------------------------
 5. Changelog
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 - Plugin Manager v0.9.3 (Feb 14, 2004)
 ------------------------------------------
 * Added layered window transparency (need 2K/ME/XP)
 * Added background image importing (place background.bmp/jpg/gif in root folder to use it)
 * Added keyboard accelerators for command buttons
 * Added N64 plugin registry path config tool
 * Added text "helpers" to many dialogs
 * Added launch button to GUI
 * Setup default and cancel buttons for dialogs (will respond to enter and esc keys, now)
 * Implemented configuration saving support
 * Implemented configuration loading support
 * Implemented automatic loading of PSX disc-bound configurations on Launch CDROM (disable with -noconfigautoload)
 * Implemented automatic loading of PSX/N64 ISO/ROM-bound configurations on Launch ISO/ROM (disable with -noconfigautoload)
 * Implemented PSX game id extraction from system.cnf for binding to discs
 * Implemented CDROM drive detection and selection
 * Implemented ePSXe SPU support
 * Implemented active-plugin checking (will notify if a plugin configured for use is missing in dir)
 * Implemented ePSXe configuration support
 * Removed "Bypass GUI" in emulator configuration
 * Fixed bug where auto-update crashed tool when another dialog was already open
 * Fixed bug that caused a second instance to crash instead of exiting gracefully
 * Fixed bug that would sometimes hang when checking for updates
 * Numerous other bug fixes (way too many to list)

 
 - Plugin Manager v0.9.2 (Nov 4, 2003)
 ------------------------------------------
 * Initial Release


------------------------------------------------------------------------
 6. Dedication
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 This tool is dedicated to my girlfriend, Megan, whom I love with all my
 heart.  She has always been there to cheer me up when I was feeling down
 and provides encouragement when I need it the most.  Throughout nearly
 two years, she has stuck by me through the good times as well as the bad.
 This dedication is the least I can do to show how much I care.
 Happy Valentine's Day, hun!


------------------------------------------------------------------------
 7. Thanks
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 People that helped out extensively:

 - Xeven     : I really couldn't have done this without Xeven's help.
               He took a lot of time out of his nights to help me with
               any problems I had and answered a lot of my questions.

 - Bobbi     : You all know him from NGEmu.  I enjoyed working with Bobbi
               on the update feature of this tool.  He was really gung-ho
               about it and showed me a lot of support.

 - Betamax   : Beta basically showed me the tricks of the trade.  He is
               so full of information and has a lot of great coding ideas.
               Many of his suggestions made it into the code for the tool.

 - mike9010  : Mike was usually who I went to if Xeven wasn't around and
               I had some sort of problem I needed help with.  We would
               also sometimes sit there and brainstorm together for hours
               on how to make something work. ie: N64 Configuration ;)

 - moomoomoo : I can't thank moomoomoo enough for all the help that he
               gave me.  We offer tips to each other and share source code
               quite regularly so it was no surprise when he agreed to
               help out when I asked him.  A few parts of the tool are
               actually his code.  He put in a lot of work when he really
               didn't have to and I'll admit, a lot of the parts that he
               wrote were a pain in the ass to code and I just didn't
               have the time to focus on them.  I really appreciate that.

 The testers (alpha and beta):

 - Snake785, Skye-, CKemu, Raziel, zukeft, Andrew Hruska, yeloazndevil,
   Chrono Archange, zenogais, n_w95482, kof2k, Killjoy

 These people helped in some way (whether they know it or not):

 - Pete Bernert     : PSEmu Pro sources helped out a great deal
 - The Glide64 Team : Source code was very helpful in understanding zilmar's spec
 - The 1964 Team    : For some of those confusing things about N64 plugins
 - Azimer           : Gave me some suggestions to get started with N64 configuration
 - Aldo             : Graciously allowed me to use some of his memcard source
 - Strider          : Designed the first splash screen
 - Razor Blade      : Designed the second splash screen

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                               Copyright (C) FLaReTech [FLaRe85]
                                            Last Updated: Wed 2.14.2004 3:47 AM