VDMSound LaunchPad Shell Extension v1.0.1.1 (BETA 5)

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*** What does it require?

 - VDMS 2.0.4 "Update 2".  Remember that LaunchPad is a graphical front-end to
   the VDMSound 2.0.4 backend.

      ** IMPORTANT ** IMPORTANT ** IMPORTANT ** IMPORTANT ** IMPORTANT **

   Before LaunchPad can work you must install VDMSound (from the VDMSound
   Download page):

     1) Download and install VDMSound 2.0.4
        http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/vdmsound/VDMSound-2.0.4-WinNT-i386.msi?download
        - Double-click on VDMSound-2.0.4-WinNT-i386.msi to install
     2) Download and install VDMSound 2.0.4 "Update 2"
        http://vdmsound.sourceforge.net/files/VDMSound.2.0.4.update2.zip
        - Unzip directly over the VDMSound 2.0.4 files, typically residing
          in C:\Program Files\VDMSound; answer "yes" when prompted to overwrite
     3) Download and install LaunchPad 1.0.1
        http://vdmsound.sourceforge.net/files/VDMSLaunchPad.v1.0.1.1.zip
        - run uninstall.bat to uninstall any previous verions of LaunchPad
        - log off or reboot, then log on again (as Administrator)
        - run install.bat
        - enjoy

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*** What does it do?

It extends the Windows shell in the following way:
 - Adds notion of "VDMSound shortcuts" which behave like regular
   shortcuts and can be fully customized like .pif files, but much
   better, since in the "Properties" box you now have VDMSound
   emulation settings to play with as well.
 - "Run with VDMS" for .com/.bat/exe files with new behaviour;
   it lets you automatically create VDMSound shortcuts in pretty much
   the same way Windows lets you create .pif files from .exe/.com
   files.

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*** How do I use it?

 Several ways.
 - through the "Properties" pane on VDMSound shortcuts
 - through the "Run with VDMS" menu on .exe/.bat/com files or
   VDMSound shortcut files
 - by drag'n'dropping .exe/.com/.bat files onto existing VDMSound
   shortcuts

 A typical user scenario would be:
 - right-click on a .exe/.bat/.com for the first time
 - choose "Run with VDMS" ( ** IMPORTANT ** choose the one with the icon,
   the one without the icon is the standard VDMS 2.0.4 "Run with VDMS",
   whereas the one *with* the icon is the new "Run with VDMS" that will
   replace the old one in the next VDMS version.
 - Follow the wizard, do as you like.  At the end you can check one or two
   of the check boxes, which will create one or two VDMSound shortcuts
   in your game directory and/or desktop.
 - Play the game, exit the game, go to sleep, etc.
 - If you want to change the settings, simply right-click on the VDMSound
   shortcut(s) created by the wizard, and change the settings, then apply.

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*** What will this thing break on my system?

 As far as I can tell, nothing.  I have carefully tested the installation
 and deinstallation of this Beta on both NT4 and Win2k, and nothing is
 broken.  Nothing is erased that was tere before the installation.  LaunchPad
 has been used by people for about one year now and no major issues were
 reported.

 This program is a standard shell add-in, like WinZip, WinRar, or
 Ultraedit's add-ins (that make all those pretty icons and items appear
 in your context menu).

 The reason why this has to be run as Admin is that on NT4 it can't be
 done in another way.  In the next VDMSound release you should be given
 the option to install as Admin or as another user if you have 2k or XP.

 Known issues:
  The following keys are left in the registry by the uninstallation:

	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Approved\{64BC5640-700F-4E7E-8462-D3092DD74B0F}
		(limitation, will be fixed at the latest in the official release)
	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\.vlp
		(by design - in case .vlp was registered before)
	HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\vlpfile
		(by design - in case .vlp was registered before)

 You can remove them by hand if you want.  Make sure, though, that you
 know what key was *really* selected before hitting the "Del" key, please.

 The exact list of what gets written into the registry, for the curious, can
 be found at:

   http://cvs.sourceforge.net/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/vdmsound/LaunchPad/LaunchPadShellEx.rgs?rev=1.5&content-type=text/vnd.viewcvs-markup

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Contact/bug reports/features/etc.: Vlad (ntvdm@hotmail.com)
