Questions

How can I find out when new versions or programs are out?
How do I install your programs (what is a .ZIP file)?
What is a command line program?
How do I uninstall your programs (what's the delete key)?
I tried to install a program, but it says it's corrupt - what's wrong?
I downloaded a DirectX plugin, but I can't get it to run!
The installer says the font folder is corrupt, what do I do?
What's with the electronic registration?
Where do all of these programs come from?
Why are you doing this?
How do you choose what to make?
Can I put your programs on my website?
Are there Mac version available?
Are PAD files available for your applications?
How do you make these programs?
How can I help?
You da man! No, you da man!


Answers

    You can always get the lowdown from the News section, particularly on Fridays since that's when I normally release new versions and/or new programs. If something major happens in your life, and you are unable to make it to my site within a few weeks then you can also check out the date listed on the downloads page; this date represents the last time the program was modified. And finally, if your computer blows up due to Y3K or something similar, and you can't remember when the last time was you were here, the 'About' box is all of the programs will show the version number, then just compare this to the version number on the programs download or history page. Is the number bigger on the page? If so, it's a new version.

    Installation varies from program to program; most of the programs have their own installer (these files end in a .EXE), and you simply need to double click on the icon, and follow the directions. Now other files are in a compressed format called ZIP, which makes the download size smaller and speeds up how quickly you get it. In order to use a program that has been compressed like this, you need a utility that will expand it back up to it's original size. There are many utilities like this, but the easiest is probably 7-Zip . It's a relatively small and very easy to use program, and you'll find it immensely useful the more time you spend downloading things off of the net, since a very large amount of the information is compressed using utilities similar to this. Once you have downloaded and installed it, simply doubleclick on the file you downloaded from me (it should now have a little icon on it that looks like a filing cabinet being smashed in a vice), and tell it where you want the files to go - you're done; the program is installed, and you're ready rock!

    Even if you haven't been using a computer for too long, you've probably heard of that thing called DOS right? Yeah, it's that thing from way back in the 80's that's still hiding behind the every version of Windows - calling out to you to get back to your text roots! Commandline (text) interfaces are by and large not used by mainstream users, who prefer the ease of use and simplicity of windowing environments. That isn't to say that the command line doesn't have a place in our modern world - quite the contrary actually - a large amount of people running a server or doing some sort of automated task find it's usually much easier to do so with a command interface. So is a command line program for you? Probably not, if you don't know what one is then you probably don't need to use the tools, nor is there really any pressing need to learn DOS these days. But, if you're feeling brave then by all means play around and learn - just be careful! In general, command line tools are not nearly as forgiving as their windowed cousins, and will rarely ask for a confirmation before deleting files (and they almost never move them to your recycle bin).

    Although I can't possible imagine why you would ever want to uninstall ANY AnalogX program, in the name of science I will detail how it could theoretically be done. All of the programs that have an installer, have a corresponding uninstaller that you simply need to run (by doubleclicking on it, or by selecting in from the Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs), and tell it that you want the programs to go bye-bye - that's it! If, for some reason, the uninstaller isn't there, or won't function properly, simply select all files in the directory that the program is located in, hit the 'delete' key, and that's it! None of the programs on the site install components into other places in your system (that's just rude), so it's very easy to clean up after. In most cases, all the files will have the same name, just different extensions, like 'program.txt', 'program.dat', and 'program.exe'; so it's easy to tell what's part of the same program.

    If you receive the error "(installer name) has been corrupted, please download a new copy.", or "(program name) has been corrupted, please re-install to correct the problem.", there can be several causes for this, but the most common are:

    1) the download wasn't completed successfully, try downloading another program and see if you get the same message.
    2) you are running Finjan on your system - this program tampers with executables, which makes the program think it's been infected with a virus (they're written specifically not to work if they may be infected) - none of the programs will work or install if Finjan is running on the system.
    3) your system is infected with a virus - I recommend using Avast! AntiVirus and scanning your system...

    DirectX Audio plugins are not executables, they are programs that run inside of other programs, but not by themselves. In order to use a DirectX Audio plugin, you must have already installed a program that has DirectX support, such as CoolEdit, WaveLab, Paris, Cakewalk, etc. Refer to the manual for whatever music/audio program you normally use to find out how to use DirectX plugins, but if you installed the plugin correctly (ie, if you ran my installer), then you will see the plugin in the DirectX filters area. Make *SURE* your program supports DirectX audio plugins before contacting me for any kind of help - I don't generally don't use a large assortment of programs, so I probably won't know anything about the program you use.

    The installer uses a custom font, so it needs to be able to temporarily install a font in order to run. There can be a couple of reasons you get this error; the most common can be solved simply by rebooting your machine. If this does not work, then try booting into 'Safe Mode', and then rebooting as normal. If neither of the previous methods work, then try to add a TrueType font to the folder manually (by dragging it into the Font Folder in the Control Panel), if you can do this successfully then the installer should have no problems running. The only other method is if you have TweakUI installed on your system (you can find it on your Windows98 CD, or if you're running Win95 you can get it at Microsoft), then you can select 'Repair Font Folder' from the 'Repair' tab.

    Haven't you ever bought some program, and it had either a registration card you sent in, or offered electronic registration? Well, this is the same thing! By registering, you're eligible for all kinds of special promotions and offers available only to registered users! Like what? Well, ummm... I don't know! I haven't figured out yet, but when I do, I'm sure you'll want to know about it, right? Plus, it also helps me get an idea of how many people are using my stuff, which helps me when I'm trying to decide what program to do next. It's like Jerry-whatever movie, with Tom Cruise; "Help me, help you! Help ME, help YOU!". Pretty deep, huh? So please please please show your appreciation for what I'm doing by registering.

    Well Jimmy, when two people want something badly enough, the stork comes and places it under a cabbage! Or I write them! Whichever seems like a more plausible explanation to it. Unlike most of the other sites around on this wonderful Internet of ours, that host a whole array of software written by the teeming masses, AnalogX features only software written by yours truly, AnalogX. What? I thought AnalogX was the name of the site, or maybe the name of a band, but it's also the name of a person?!?! Sort of, I guess I'm kind of like Madonna or Prince, my fellow one-named entities, although most people just call me 'Mr. X' for short. And of course neither of those superstars could code their ways out of a wet paper bag, but I'm not trying to brag here. So back to the original question, all of the programs on this site are written by one person, who happens to be the same person who updates the site, writes the killer tracks, and anything else you see on here. Unlike most of the other people out there that have useful utilities on their sites, I am giving away all of the programs on here, for free; not shareware or grovelware or whatever you want to call it.

    Why does anyone do anything in life? Money. Ooops, I forgot, all the programs are free... Well, no plan is perfect! So, with that in mind, I guess I do this because I enjoy it, and because it makes me feel good to know that what I do can have some sort of positive effect on others. I know, it's a whacky concept, but just imagine a world where everyone did everything for free! With little blue birds chirping at the windows, and squirrels eating sunflower seeds from your hands... Ok, I guess I had just better figure out how to get back to that money thing, eh?

    I'm sure there's a scientific method to how I choose what to make, but the bottom line is, I certainly don't know it! When they're generic utilities that anyone can use, I pretty much choose based off of demand, how much I would use it, and how time consuming it will be to develop. Sometimes I'll run across some application that I think is too big, or costs too much, and I'll develop a competitive product just for fun. If it's a specific application geared towards a piece of hardware (such as the Paris utilities), then I only develop them if I have the hardware, and I think it's cool... So all you people working at hardware companies, feel free to contact me about sending released or soon-to-be released hardware, and I'll make some free utilities for it (and your end users will love you for it).

    If you would like to put any of my programs on your website, I would ask a couple of things. The best scenario would be if you just put a link on your page to the respective download page on my site. This way, the person downloading can see what the latest version is, and whatever information that might be available related to the program. The next option would be just to have a link to the actual file, although if you do this, I would appreciate it if you also put a link to my website main page as well, so they could check it out and see what else is going on. I don't normally allow offsite hosting of any of the programs on my site, simply because I do update them fairly regularly, and it makes it a maintenance nightmare for me.
    That being said, there aren't many things as cool for me as going to a website and seeing a link to one of my programs (or my page) on it - it's an excellent way to show your support of what I'm doing!

    Ah yes, the inevitable question! First let me say that I like the Mac, and I wouldn't be opposed to making programs for it, but there's just one little problem... I don't own one. Sure, if I was a 'true' hacker, this really wouldn't matter, I'd build it out of chewing gum and scraps of tinfoil, but alas, those days are gone for me. And since I'm not actually charging anything for my fine utilities, it's unlikely that supporting the Mac will ever be an economically viable option. But don't loose faith! I am a commercial programmer, and I do occasionally need to port products over to the Mac, and when this next occurs, who knows, something new and whacky may show up on the site!

    Yes! Each and every file on the site has a PAD file - and if you don't know what that is, don't bother finding out (it's really only for download sites). On each application page you'll find a PAD graphic that links directly to the PAD for that particular program - or you can get all the pads from the mega PAD listing of everything.

    If you're thinking that you might like to try to make similar programs, and you haven't programmed before, then I would advise against it. While most of the programs on here are relatively small, many of them do use very advanced techniques to achieve their respective results. I've been programming for close to 20 years now, and commercially for more than 12 of those, so I'm not a novice at this, just tossing these out in my spare time. Ok, but if you're a techie, and feel like following in my footsteps, here's the lowdown on what I use. Almost all of the programs are written in C, with a very few written in C++. I predominately use Visual Studio 2005 but I still dream that someday I'll be able to use OpenWatcom, my favorite from the good old days. I use American Cybernetics MultiEdit for all of my programming needs, since it is my preferred text editor, and I do almost all of my builds from the DOS prompt. The average time any one of these programs takes to develop is hard to quantify, since many of them share components amongst themselves, they vary anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks, but a few actually take more than a month; of course, these are 14 hour programmer days :)

    First off, let me make one thing clear, I need your help, and if you use and enjoy any of my programs, then I would love to get some help from you, because ultimately everyone benefits. So what does this help entail? It's pretty simple, tell your friends and colleagues about the site, when you're talking to mainstream media, drop the ol' AnalogX name every once in a while, and help me spread the word! If you have a website, show your support of what I'm doing and put a link to me on it (you can find both a banner and button here)! I know, these don't seem like big things, but they really do mean a lot to me, and there's nothing like running across an article or a page that you never saw before, that appreciates what you're doing. Also, if you run into a bug, or wish that one of the programs on the site really had some neato feature, let me know! I'm good, but I'm no psychic, and I certainly can't think of everything, now can I? And finally, if you can think of some really cool program that you wish existed, or if there's an existing program that you wish could do more, by all means let me know! It's hard work trying to come up with new programs to write, and I can use all the help I can get. I can't guarantee that I'll be able to do it, but sometimes the suggestion can lead to another equally useful program.

    One closing comment I would like to make is how impressed I am with what everyone out there is doing with my utilities! It really is cool to hear stories from people who have found great benefit from some of my programs, and people who never even thought they could do music, actually having fun learning! None of these programs would be worth the bytes they were stored on if it weren't for users like you out there who 'use' them! So, I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for using my programs, and creating something new and wonderful with them...