simplify osx_write_pre_select()

[paraslash.git] / README

diff --git a/README b/README
index 95410014c33d228b4ea2516ec0117fe846f8a268..a1e8adc1391103366d3b4fe1a481f6fe2566d6e9 100644 (file)
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -1,147 +1,171 @@
-Paraslash README
-================
+README
+======
+
+----

 Paraslash is an acronym for
 
 Paraslash is an acronym for
 

-       Play, archive, rate and stream large audio sets happily
+_Play, archive, rate and stream large audio sets happily_

 
 It contains the following programs:
 
 
 It contains the following programs:
 

-- para_server (obligatory):
+-----------------------
+para_server (obligatory)
+-----------------------

 
 

-       This server listens on a tcp port and accepts commands such as
-       play, stop, pause, next. However, there are many more commands.
+This server supports audio streaming of mp3, ogg vorbis and aac files.
+It listens on a tcp port and accepts commands such as play, stop,
+pause, next from authenticated clients.

 
 

-       For audio streaming, at least one sender must be activated.
-       At the moment, paraslash contains two internal senders:
+The audio stream may be sent over the network by three different
+senders:

 
 

-       The http sender is recommended for public streams that can
-       be played by any player like mpg123, xmms, winamp...
+The http sender is recommended for public streams that can be played
+by any player like mpg123, xmms, winamp...

 
 

-       The ortp sender is recommended for LAN streaming and for
-       private streams that require authentication.
+The dccp sender is experimental and requires kernel support for the
+rather new datagram congestion control protocol.

 
 

-       It is possible to activate more than one sender simultaneously.
-       All senders have the same set of commands that allow to
-       control the access permissions of the stream.
+The ortp sender is recommended for LAN streaming and for private
+streams that require authentication.

 
 

-       para_server needs an  "audio file selector" to work, mainly to
-       determine which song to stream next. There are three selectors
-       available: random, plm and mysql. The former chooses audio
-       files randomly and plm, the playlist manager, can handle
-       playlists. Both are always supported.
+It is possible to activate more than one sender simultaneously.

 
 

-       The (optional) mysql selector connects to a mysql server
-       which holds information on your audio files. It has several
-       unusual features, see README.mysql for details.
+para_server needs an "audio file selector" to work, mainly to determine
+which song to stream next. There are three selectors available:
+random, playlist and mysql. The former chooses audio files randomly
+and  playlist can handle, well, playlists. Both are always supported.

 
 

-- para_client (obligatory):
+The optional mysql selector connects to a mysql server which holds
+information on your audio files. It has several unusual features,
+see README.mysql for details.

 
 

-       The client program to connect to para_server.
+------------------------
+para_client (obligatory)
+-----------------------

 
 

-- para_recv (optional)
+The client program to connect to para_server.

 
 

-       A command line http/ortp stream grabber.
+-------------------
+para_recv (optional)
+-------------------

 
 

-- para_filter (optional)
+A command line http/dccp/rtp stream grabber.

 
 

-       An filter program that converts from stdin and writes to
-       stdout. This one is independent from the rest of paraslash,
-       so it might be useful also for different purposes.
+---------------------
+para_filter (optional)
+---------------------

 
 

-       para_filter combines an mp3 decoder an oggvorbis decoder
-       and a volume normalzer. New filters can be added easily due
-       to the modular design. If more than one filter is specified,
-       the given filters are 'piped' together in-memory, i.e. without
-       calling any of the read(2)/write(2)/select(2) etc. functions.
+A filter program that converts from stdin and writes to stdout. This
+one is independent from the rest of paraslash, so it might be useful
+also for different purposes.

 
 

-- para_play (optional)
+para_filter combines several decoders (mp3, oggvorbis, aac) and a
+volume normalzer. New filters can be added easily due to the modular
+design. If more than one filter is specified, the given filters
+are 'piped' together in-memory, i.e. without calling any of the
+read(2)/write(2)/select(2) etc. functions.

 
 

-       A small wav/raw player for alsa.
-       Debian package: libasound2-dev
+----------------------
+para_write (obligatory)
+----------------------

 
 

-- para_audiod (optional, but recommended):
+A modular audio stream writer. It supports a simple file writer output
+plugin and an optional wav/raw player for alsa.  Debian package:
+libasound2-dev

 
 

-       The local daemon that starts playback and collects information
-       from para_server to be forwarded to local clients.
+---------------------------------------
+para_audiod (optional, but recommended)
+---------------------------------------

 
 

-       para_audiod reads the audio stream from the network if
-       para_server indicates that there is a stream available. It may
-       be sent through any of the supported filters (see para_filter
-       above) before the result is fed to the output software
-       (default: para_play) which must be capable of reading from
-       stdin, but is not restricted otherwise.
+The local daemon that collects information from para_server. It
+starts an appropriate receiver, filter and player as soon as
+para_server announces the availability (and the type) of an audio
+stream. para_audiod listens on a local socket and sends status
+information about para_server and para_audiod to local clients
+on request.

 
 

-- para_audioc (optional, but recommended)
+--------------------------------------
+para_audioc (optional, but recommended)
+--------------------------------------

 
 

-       A small client that can talk to para_audiod. Used to control
-       para_audiod and to receive status info. It can also be used to
-       grab the stream at any point in the filter chain. para_audioc
-       is needed by para_gui, para_sdl_gui and para_krell, see below.
+The client program which talks with para_audiod. Used to control
+para_audiod, to receive status info, or to grab the stream at any
+point in the filter chain.

 
 

-- para_gui (optional, but recommended):
+para_audioc (hence para_audiod) is needed by para_gui, para_sdl_gui
+and para_krell, see below.

 
 

-        Themable ncurses-based gui. It calls para_audioc and presents
-        the obtained information in an ncurses window. para_gui
-        provides key-bindings for the most common commands and new
-        key-bindings can be added easily.
+-------------------
+para_gui (optional)
+-------------------

 
 

-- para_sdl_gui (optional):
+Themable ncurses-based gui. It calls para_audioc and presents
+the obtained information in an ncurses window. para_gui provides
+key-bindings for the most common commands and new key-bindings can
+be added easily.

 
 

-        SDL-based gui. Similar to para_gui but presents its output in
-        an X window (fullscreen mode is also available) and can display
-        jpg images on a per song basis. para_sdl_gui provides an input
-        prompt to enter arbitrary commands. However, it can also be used
-        non-interactively (e.g. as a screen saver) via the -i switch.
+-----------------------
+para_sdl_gui (optional)
+-----------------------

 
 

-- para_krell (optional, only useful in conjunction with the mysql dbtool):
+SDL-based gui. Similar to para_gui but presents its output in an X
+window (fullscreen mode is also available) and can display jpg images
+on a per song basis. para_sdl_gui provides an input prompt to enter
+arbitrary commands. However, it can also be used non-interactively
+(e.g. as a screen saver) via the -i switch.

 
 

-       A plugin for gkrellm which shows small pictures of the
-       current song. It allows you to launch 27 different commands
-       by clicking in different areas of its picture (9 small squares
-       x 3 mouse buttons).
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+para_krell (optional, only useful in conjunction with the mysql selector)
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 
 

-- para_fade (optional):
+A plugin for gkrellm which shows small pictures of the current song. It
+allows you to launch 27 different commands by clicking in different
+areas of its picture (9 small squares x 3 mouse buttons).

 
 

-       A (Linux-only) alarm clock and volume-fader.
+--------------------
+para_fade (optional)
+--------------------

 
 

-- para_dbadm (optional, only useful in conjunction with the mysql dbtool):
+A (Linux-only) alarm clock and volume-fader.

 
 

-       Very simple curses-based frontend which uses libmenu. Useful
-       for quickly changing the attributes of the current song
-       (e.g. from para_gui as an external command).
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+para_dbadm (optional, only useful in conjunction with the mysql selector)
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 
 

-- para_slider (optional, only useful in conjunction with the mysql dbtool):
+Very simple curses-based frontend which uses libmenu. Useful for
+quickly changing the attributes of the current song (e.g. from para_gui
+as an external command).

 
 

-       A small X application which shows a scrollbar for each
-       attribute defined in the mysql database. It creates a stream
-       definition from the values of the scrollbars. This allows
-       to smoothly change the mood of the given stream without any
-       file editing.
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------
+para_slider (optional, only useful in conjunction with the mysql selector)
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 
 

-- bash_completion (optional):
+A small X application which shows a scrollbar for each attribute
+defined in the mysql database. It creates a stream definition from
+the values of the scrollbars. This allows to smoothly change the mood
+of the given stream without any file editing.

 
 

-       A small bash script for inclusion in ~/.bashrc. It gives you
-       command line completion for some paraslash commands.
+--------------------------
+bash_completion (optional)
+--------------------------

 
 

-REQUIREMENTS:
-~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-In any case you need
+A small bash script for inclusion in ~/.bashrc. It gives you command
+line completion for some paraslash commands.
+
+------------
+Requirements
+------------

 
 

-       - gcc, the gnu compiler collection (shipped with distro): gcc-3
-       or newer is prefered, but gcc-2.95 is still supported. Note
-       that gcc-2.95 may spit out many warnings like unused function
-       parameters and missing initializers. These are all harmless
-       and may be ignored.
+In any case you need

 
 

+       - gcc, the gnu compiler collection (shipped with distro): gcc-3.3
+         or newer is required.

        - openssl (needed by server, client): usually shipped with
        - openssl (needed by server, client): usually shipped with

-       distro, but you might have to install the "development"
-       package as well
-
-               http://www.openssl.org/
-
+         distro, but you might have to install the "development"
+         package as well: http://www.openssl.org/

        - software mixing, e.g. ALSA and the direct mixing plugin (dmix)
 
        - software mixing, e.g. ALSA and the direct mixing plugin (dmix)
 

-If you want to use the mysql-based dbtool (recommended), you also need
+If you want to use the mysql-based audio file selector, you also need

 
        - mysql-server
        - mysql-client
 
        - mysql-server
        - mysql-client


@@ -150,72 +174,46 @@ If you want to use the mysql-based dbtool (recommended), you also need
 These are usually shipped with the distro but probably not installed
 by default.
 
 These are usually shipped with the distro but probably not installed
 by default.
 

-The mp3 decoder of para_filter is based on libmad:
-
-               http://www.underbit.com/products/mad/
-
-If you prefer to use the libmad package provided by your distributor,
-make sure to install the corresponding development package as well.
-
-If you want to stream ogg vorbis files you'll need:
-
-       - libogg, libvorbis, libvorbisfile, and a command line ogg vorbis
-               player, e.g. para_filter or ogg123.
-
-               http://www.xiph.org/downloads/
-
-Debian packages: libogg-dev libvorbis-dev
+The mp3 decoder of para_filter is based on libmad: If you prefer to
+use the libmad package provided by your distributor, make sure to
+install the corresponding development package as well.  Otherwise,
+just download libmad from http://www.underbit.com/products/mad/

 
 

-Note that para_audiod still works even if neither mp3 nor ogg support
-was compiled in. You'll have to use the --no_default_filters option
-in this case (and e.g. "mpg123 -" as the stream write command).
+For ogg vorbis streams you'll need libogg, libvorbis, libvorbisfile,
+and a command line ogg vorbis decoder, e.g. para_filter or ogg123.
+The corresponding Debian packages are called libogg-dev libvorbis-dev,
+other distributors chose similar names.  All of these are also
+available at http://www.xiph.org/downloads/

 
 

-If you intend to use the optional ortp streamer:
-
-       - libortp
-
-               http://www.linphone.org/ortp/
+For aac files (m4a) you'll need libfaad. Get it at
+http://www.audiocoding.com/modules/wiki/?page=AAC

 
 

+If you intend to use the optional ortp streamer, you'll need libortp:
+http://www.linphone.org/ortp/

 
 For the optional SDL-based gui, the following packages must be installed:
 
 
 For the optional SDL-based gui, the following packages must be installed:
 

-       - X (usually shipped with distro)
-
-               http://www.x.org/
-
-       - libSDL (usually shipped with distro)
-
-               http://www.libsdl.org/index.php
+       - X (usually shipped with distro): http://www.x.org/
+       - libSDL (usually shipped with distro): http://www.libsdl.org/index.php
+       - SDL_image: http://www.libsdl.org/projects/SDL_image/

 
 

-       - SDL_image
-
-               http://www.libsdl.org/projects/SDL_image/
-
-For para_slider, the zero memory widget library is neccessary. Get it at
-
-               http://www710.univ-lyon1.fr/~exco/ZMW/
+For para_slider, the zero memory widget library is neccessary:
+http://www710.univ-lyon1.fr/~exco/ZMW/

 
 Finally, para_krell needs
 
 
 Finally, para_krell needs
 

-       - gtk2
-
-               http://www.gtk.org/
-
-       - gkrellm2
+       - gtk2: http://www.gtk.org/
+       - gkrellm2: http://members.dslextreme.com/users/billw/gkrellm/gkrellm.html

 
 

-               http://members.dslextreme.com/users/billw/gkrellm/gkrellm.html
+-------
+LICENSE
+-------

 
 

-LICENSE:
-~~~~~~~~

 Distribution of paraslash is covered by the GNU GPL. See file COPYING.
 
 Distribution of paraslash is covered by the GNU GPL. See file COPYING.
 

-LIMITATIONS:
-~~~~~~~~~~~~
-The mysql selector assumes that the basenames of your audio files are
-unique. If this is not the case, don't use this selector, rename your
-files, or create your own one.
+----------
+THE AUTHOR
+----------

 
 

-THE AUTHOR:
-~~~~~~~~~~~
-Author: Andre Noll <maan@systemlinux.org>
+Andre Noll <maan@systemlinux.org>

 Comments and bug reports are welcome.
 Comments and bug reports are welcome.