dBpowerAMP Audio Player doesn't play

[stibi]

My Operating System is Windows XP Home addition.
Today, after installing dBpowerAMP's Audio Player, when I clicked on it for the first time, the said player appeared. However, later I have encountered a series of problems with it : (1) When I double-click on it, it doesn't show the player on the Desktop. I see the Player' Icon and its name down on the Taskbar, but when I click or double-click on it (on the Taskbar) I see only, something jumping up, and, after les than a second, back to the taskbar. By right-clicking on it on the taskbar I can only close it. (2) When I double-click in the Explorer on any file which I associated with dBpoweAMP Player, it doesn't play. (3) I configured dBpowerAMP File Type Associations so that it should be the default player of ra, rm, ram and MPC files only. Notwithstanding, from time to time I see that the icons on the desktop (and elsewhere) of MP3 and other music files changed to the icon of dBpoweramp; and when I check the "File Association" of dBpowerAMP it shows that all the audio files are associated with it.
Uninstalling the player and then reinstalling it didn't solve the problem; though, I should add, that when I uninstalled the player I did not remove it from the Register, since I didn't know how to remove from it the Player only, without removing the Converter too.
Thanks in advance for any help.
stibi

[Spoon]

By task bar you mean the section where say Internet explorer would appear, or the small section next to the clock (dAP puts a speaker there)?

[stibi]

It's not in the smal section. It's where the icon of any opened program lies (like Word, Internet Explorer, Adobe Reader etc).
Thanks for trying to help
stibi

[Spoon]

Check you havn't selected some wierd skin - load dap options menu.

[stibi]

In Program Files>Illustrate>dBpowerAMP>Skins>Dap-n-log>AMP I see only one "dBpowerAMP.skin" of 137KB (there is another one of 65KB, but it is apparently for the traycontrol, since it is in the "Traycontrol" subfolder).
Indeed, when I load the dap options menu and click on "Skins", there appeares the Skins window in which "Default" is selected. Hence, when I click on "Switch To" nothing happens.
I am unable to download a couple of skins from dBpower, since it seems that the relevant site is under construction.

Could you, please, E-mail me a couple of skins ?

Just to make sure : assuming I received from you some skins, in order to change the present skin would it be enough if I add those skins to Program Files>Illustrate>dBpowerAMP>Skins>Dap-n-log>AMP folder mentioned above; then load the dap options menu, click on "Skins" and in the Skins window on "Switch To" ?

Thanks in advance
stibi

[Spoon]

Start >> Programs >> dBpowerAMP >> dap options menu select the default skin.

[Craze]

Have you tried just clicking on an unused or blank portion of the task bar itself, or on the blank space just left of your system clock?
This usually works for me when dAP hangs upon opening.

[stibi]

Thanks for your quick response.

Well I started dBpowerAMP's option menu and clicked on "Skins". There appeared on the screen the Skins window window with the "Default Skin" already checked. Nevertheless, I selected it (by clicking on the word "Default"). Next, I double-clicked on an MPC audio file situated on my desktop. To my surprise the dBpowerAMP's Player appeared on the screen and the said audio file started to play.

I wanted to stop it playing and to try my luck with another mpc file (also situated on my desktop), but since on the said Player there is no "stop" device (would you know why ?), I clicked on the X, on the upper right corner of the Player, whereupon the playing stopped and the player disappeared (another way to do it is right-clicking on the player, whereupon the dBpoweAMP's option menu shows up, and to click on "Power Off").
Next I double-clicked on the other MPC audio file. It started to play, however the Player didn't appear on the screen and clicking on the Players icon on the taskbar wouldn't cause it to appear. I, therefore, right-clicked on the player's icon on the taskbar and chose "close".

To sum up this part of my problems with the Player : Whenever I wish to play an audio file - whether from the desktop or from the Explorer - and at the same time to see the Player, I should first start the PowerAMP's option menu and to select the Default Skin. Moreover, sometimes it doesn't help and I must again start the PowerAMP's option menu and to select the Default Skin. I should add that in the past (before uninstalling and the reinstalling dBpowerAMP Converter and the Player) I used the Player (though with a different skin - that skin looked like an old-fashioned radio), and I had no such problems.

As I have mentioned when I first asked the Forum to help me to solve my problems with dBpowerAMP, I have also the following problems :

I configured dBpowerAMP File Type Associations so that it should be the default player of ra, rm, ram and MPC files only. Notwithstanding, from time to time I see that the icons on the desktop and in the Explorer of MP3 and other audio files changed to the icon of dBpoweramp; and when I check the "File Association" of dBpowerAMP it shows that all the audio files are associated with it (I assume it's not something build-in in dBpowerAMP, since even the Windows Media Player of Microsoft's doesn't force itself to such an extent).

Finally : I don't understand why dBpowerAMP's Player doesn't play Real media files, although these files (ra, rm, ram) are checked in the File Associations; and I have downloaded from dBpowerAMP the real codec and installed it.

Thanks in advance
stibi

[stibi]

Hi Spoon

Further to my mail to you a few minutes ago :- Just now I have installed Real Alternative and now the dBpowerAMP plays Real files.
Thanks
Yehuda Stein

[Craze]

A review of dAP's Help files from your systems Start icon may hold many answers. The Default player skin has only a Play button which also acts as a Stop button when you're playing a file. You can keep the Default skin from switching to another skin you've installed by selecting Switch to "Never" at the bottom of the Skins menu,...(suggested) until your problem is resolved. There are no known issues with the N-Log skin at this time.
The desktop MPC files that you speak of,...have you added them to dAP's MMC? If not, try adding them and see if the problem subsides. Otherwise you might try this method of opening your songs. Right-click to get a menu and select "Play in dAP".
Hope this is helpful.
-Craze

[stibi]

Hi Craze,
Thanks for your (2) answers.
1) I tried to click on an unused or blank portion of the taskbar, as well as on the blank space just left to the systems clock, however it didn't help.

2) You are right, cliking on the "play" arrow during the audio file's playing stops the playing. Sorry I haven't noticed it.

3) The only skin I have installed is the Default skin, so I don't have the problem of the Default Skin switching to another skin. On the contrary, if I had another skin I would like to switch from the default skin to the another skin. The reason for non having another skin is that the site from which I was supposed to download skins for dBpoweAMP seems to be under construction. If you could E-mail me some of your skins I would appreciate it.

4) I had the problem that dBpowerAMP's Player didn't play real files. Meanwhile, as I mentioned in my last answer to Spoon, I have installed Real Alternative, and now dBpowerAMP's Player plays Real files. I had no problem with playing PCM files.

Thanks again
Yehuda

[Craze]

Hi stibi,
You're currently not set up to accept emails from Forum users.
You can edit your profile to Enable accepting email in your USER CP under "Edit Options".

[stibi]

Hi Craze,

Thanks.

I am now set up to accept emails from Forum users.
stibi

[Craze]

Try this. http://www.sensory-fusion.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=43
It will get you to all of the skin downloads. The picture galleries that show what the skins look like is currently down though.

[stibi]

Hi Craze,

Thanks for sending me the address for skin downloads.

I went to http://www.sensory-fusion.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=43
and clicked on "Skin Downloads", but nothing happend. I thought : perhaps the skins are downloadable to members only; so I registered myself, then loged-in and pressed again on Skin Downloads; however, this time too, nothing happened.

stibi

[Craze]

Are you able to scroll down the page?

[stibi]

Hi Craze,

Thanks for your message.

I scrolled down and saw the thread Two qestions on dbpoweramp audio player and 3 from Spoon about the Beta versions 10, 9, and 8.

By asking whether I can scroll down, did you mean to suggest that I should try the beta version 10 ? It makes sence, at least because it seems that that version's default skin is different from my. I only wonder why Spoon didn't suggest it to me when he wrote that it seems the my skin may be corrupted.

Thanks again
stibi

[Craze]

I meant once you get to the skin site from the link I posted, can you scroll down to get to the different threads. Access to downloading the skins are in the threads.
There have been no known issues with the Default skin in this regard.

[Craze]

stibi,

I may have misread your original post. I have seen this before. But never on the Default skin. Sounds like the positioning coordinates have become corrupted which have the Amp showing off your screen. Here's how to check them and to reset them.
Be very careful to follow these instructions exactly.
I have included a screenshot to guide you.


Click Start--> Run
Type --> regedit --> Click OK

Expand the HKEY_CURRENT_USER tree and navigate to the Default skin and check the "X" and "Y" positioning coordinates.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Illustrate/dBpowerAMP/Skin/Default/Amp/Amp.

Click on the Amp folder.
Look in the right side window for the files "X" and "Y" and note the value that is in paranthesis at the end of the file line. (Its probably a huge number).

Right click on "X" and select Modify.
Select decimal. Then type in 10 in the Data Value. Click OK.

Repeat for "Y". Then close.

This should return the MainAmp back to your display.

Hope this is helpful.
Craze

[adaywayne]

Finally : I don't understand why dBpowerAMP's Player doesn't play Real media files, although these files (ra, rm, ram) are checked in the File Associations; and I have downloaded from dBpowerAMP the real codec and installed it.

Thanks in advance
stibi
~~~~~~~~~~~
If any of these are streaming RM files, DAP will not play them.

[stibi]

Hi Craze,

Thanks for your latest suggestions.
In the meantime I have downloaded and installed a skin named Default2 (it's author - Reliant), launched the Option menu, unchecked the Default skin and checked Default skin2. Next when I double-clicked on a MPC audio file, the player appeared on the screen and started to play the file. I tried the same in the Explorer with several audio files of different kinds and it worked too. What's more surprising : I unchecked the Default2 skin, checked the "old" default skin and now it woorkes too. I downloaded also a skin named Windows Classic (it's author - Razgo) and it works too.

Hence I didn't try your other suggestion -to amend the register.

Thanks again fot your efforts.
stibi

Hi adaywayne,

Yor reply merely cited me about dBpowerAMP's not playing real audio files, withot any suggestion of yours.

It seems that you didn' see my reply in which I wrote, that after downloading and installing Real Alternative, dBpowerAMP's player does play real files.

Anyway, thanks for tring to help.

stibi

[adaywayne]

Hi Craze,


Hi adaywayne,

Yor reply merely cited me about dBpowerAMP's not playing real audio files, withot any suggestion of yours.

It seems that you didn' see my reply in which I wrote, that after downloading and installing Real Alternative, dBpowerAMP's player does play real files.

Anyway, thanks for tring to help.

stibi
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Right...I was repsonding to the posts as I came to them, without looking ahead. It occurred to me that you might be trying to play streaming RM files. Sorry.