A guide to the MKW Audio Compression Tool

Installation:

The First thing you need to do is download the tool. If you use Windows 95/98/ME youll first need to download the runtime libraries. Don't install them yet though, theres more. All users will need to download the MKW Audio Compression Tool. If you use WinXP or Win2000 you do NOT need the runtime libraries.

• Win95/98/ME users: First you'll need to install the runtime libraries you should have downloaded by now. This is sorta tricky, because a box is going to pop up first that you DON'Twant to close immediately. When this box:

pops up just ignore it and continue with your install. Basically, just say "yes" to all of the other boxes that pop up. Once the install is complete go ahead and close out that box. This should have created a directory in your C:\program files directory called Michael K. Weise. Now you're ready for step two.

 

• WinXP/2000 users and Win95/98/ME users who have completed the first step and installed the MKW Runtime Libraries: This step is just like the first one. Double click the .exe you've downloaded to begin the setup. A box is going to pop up that you don't want to close immediately. That box will look like this:

Just ignore that box for now, and continue with the installation. It will ask you where you want to install the program to, its best to just go along with the default settings. Once you get it installed you should have a directory in your c:\program files directory called "Michael K. Weise." If you installed the runtime libraries it should have two files in it, if you didn't need the runtime libraries then you should only have one.

 

• WinXP users: It is necessary to perform one more simple task before you run this tool. Simply go to the desktop icon that was created when you installed the MKW Audio Compression Tool and right click on it. Select "Properties" and go over to the "Compatibility" tab. Select to run this program in compatibility with Windows 2000. This is actually only necessary if you plan to convert from wav > shn, but I recommend doing it now, just to get it out of the way in case you ever need to do that and forget about the step.

Using The Tool:

• Set your output directories. Go to the Settings > File Options tab and set your output directories. When you decompress these .shn files to .wav you will need to tell it where to put the resulting .wav file. I prefer C:\Burning for mine, but you can set yours to whatever you like. It is also wise that while at this tab to UNcheck all of the boxes besides the one Labeled "Generate md5 sums after compressing."

• Decompress your .shn files. Now that you have everything set you should be able to go to your directory with your .shn files in it, be it a disc in your CD-ROM drive, or a folder on your hard drive and right click on shn files and see the option to "Decode to wav." Simply clicking that should start the process itself, and land the resulting .wav file in whatever directory you have set. You can also open the tool window itself and drag your shn files from whatever directory and drop them into the window. This is handy if you want to set it to decompress all of the files at once. Simply hilight all of the .shn files in your directory and click on one of them, holding your mouse button down. Drag them over to the open MKW window and release the mouse button. The tool should start to work immediately. Walk away, and in a few minutes when you return your output directory will be full of the .wav files you just created.

What is this .md5 file for?

.md5 files are a "digital fingerprint" of shn files. They serve to ensure you that your .shn files are exactly like that of the original. If you click the .md5 file after you have the MKW Audio Compression Tool installed it should pop up and start scanning the tracks. It is necessary that the .md5 be in the same folder as the .shn files for which is corresponds, and that the .shn files are still using the original names that they had when you got them. http://db.etree.org keeps a database of some .shn files in circulation for you to check your files against. I like to run my .md5 file, and make sure my .shn files pass, then go to the corresponding listing for that show and check the .md5 against the database's entry. You can do this two ways.

• Method one: Simply open your .md5 files in your "notepad" application and check them against the archived .md5 in the database. If you choose to open them with notepad you should get something that resembles this:

722997261f6af985757474bf69a403e4 *sts9-2002-04-06d1t01.shn
2c19c491532327183c1e126ba87b1cfd *sts9-2002-04-06d1t02.shn
081c3a768fb50d7cc955547bd97f8725 *sts9-2002-04-06d1t03.shn
018fdc5dfec29704ac42a0d785a2d05c *sts9-2002-04-06d1t04.shn
e0bc88dc44a72c0b70b09c86d34d9bcd *sts9-2002-04-06d1t05.shn
dcdca4db27a1b7fe9d6815b7ee196470 *sts9-2002-04-06d1t06.shn
38ae684ca042e78e836e9d39ee65cccd *sts9-2002-04-06d1t07.shn
ef8e0cb02c3194f111fd6052dc18ccc4 *sts9-2002-04-06d1t08.shn

Note how each track has a "code" for itself. You can just go to that show's corresponding entry in the database and compare this "code" to the one that they have archived. If they match, then congratulations, your seed is pure and matches the original!

 

• Method two: you can also choose to download the archived .md5 to the folder that holds your .shn files and run it. Simply right click on the file, choose to save, and send it to the folder that holds your .shn files. This could require renaming the .md5 you are downloading, if it is named the same as the one already in your folder. Just add a "1" or something to the front of it, and download it. Once its in the folder with the .shn files click to run it and it will scan your .shn files.

More Helpful Tools:

md5summer - A helpful tool for checking md5 files. (Freeware)

shntool - A very helpful tool for .shn and .wav files. (advanced users) (Freeware)

Flac - New and very useful audio compression scheme. (Freeware, open source)

EAC - The *best* program out there for ripping audio to your drive. (Freeware)

CDWav - Great tool for splitting .wav files into multiple tracks. (Donations appreciated, done by registering)

Feurio! - Wonderful software for burning audio cdrs. (Shareware, no expiration, but paying the $15 is a kind gesture if you like the softare)

More Helpful Sites:

BnP Guide - Helpful page for people who need to know the proper way to send out a BnP.

A Small SHN and MD5 FAQ - A page similar to mine with tips for .shn and .md5 files.

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