VolControl 0.85 Beta
Copyright ©2010-11 Boredom Software, All Rights Reserved

1. Purpose
2. Installing
3. Using
4. Uninstalling
5. Bugs & Issues
6. Misc notes
7. Contact



1. Purpose
VolControl has two modes of operation: The default mode is to register three hotkey combinations with Windows which correspond to the volume up, volume down and 
Volume Mute commands. The second mode will usurp the volume control keys on many media keyboards to the same effect. This allows the user to more granularly 
control the volume settings. 

An optional On-Screen volume meter can give a visual indication of the current volume level in either mode. The volume can also be set by clicking the tray icon 
and using the popup meter.

2. Installing
VolControl does not require installation. Simply execute the VolControl.exe file to run it. Settings are kept in the volconsetts.dat file (only created if you 
change from the defaults.)

3. Using
Once running, VolControl will sit in the background (optionally displaying a system tray icon) waiting for the user to press the specified hotkey combinations 
or media keys. It then alters the system's sound volume accordingly. You may use VolControl to change the volume either through the keyboard or by clicking the 
VolControl tray icon and using the popup meter.
	
	a. Settings
	   VolControl offers a range of settings. Sensible defaults have been chosen which should satisfy most users. The available settings as of version 0.85 are 
	   as follows:
			1. General
				i. "Raise/Lower Volume By x"
					The number "x" is the percent by which the volume should be raised or lowered. The percentage is calculated as a fraction of the maximum 
					possible volume and can be adjusted	by as minute a fraction as 0.1% through the GUI. To set a smaller or more precise stepping (e.g. 0.001% 
					or 11.65%) simply edit the volconsetts.dat file and change the "volumeStep=n" line (replacing "n" with any number larger than zero and smaller 
					than 100.) Let me know if you think that more minute controls should be available through the GUI.
				ii. "Show Tray Icon"
					By default, VolControl will add its icon to the system tray. If you don't want it there, uncheck this box. If you previously hid the icon and want
					it back you can either delete the vonconsetts.dat file or edit the line which reads "showTray=0" to read "showTray=1". The tray icon is the only 
					way to access the settings GUI and also offers a popup volume meter when clicked.
				iii. "Show Meter Bar"
					By default, when you use the keyboard to change the volume, VolControl will show you a graphical meter displaying the current volume level. 
					The meter bar will show for 1 second plus the number of milliseconds allotted for it's entry/exit animation (400 milliseconds by default.) 
					Uncheck this box if you don't want to see the meter.
				iv. "Assign Hotkeys" / "Use Media Keys"
					This setting controls how you are able to invoke VolControl from the keyboard. Setting this to "Use Media Keys" will set the volume controls 
					to the volume buttons on your keyboard (if you have them.) If you don't have volume buttons, then select "Assign Hotkeys" to assign a keyboard 
					combination to the volume up, down, and mute functions. Keyboard combinations are composed of two keys: a "meta" key and an action key. The 
					meta key can be either the Windows key, the shift key, the control key, the alt key, or "none".	Click the "Select" button next to each action to 
					select the action key. No two actions can share the same action key.
			2. "Text Appearance"
				This section controls the appearance of the meter bar text, if enabled.
					i. "Has Text"
						Enables and disables the text overlay.
					ii. "Text Font"
						Allows selection of the font to be used in rendering the percent overlay on the meter bar.
					iii. "Text Color"
						Allows selection of the font color to be used in rendering the text overlay on the meter bar.
					iv. "Bold" "Italic" and "Underline"
						Controls the bold, italic, and underline decorations of the text overlay.
			3. "Meter Appearance"
					i. "Show Meter Bar"
						Enables and disables showing the on-screen meter.
					ii. "Border"
						Enables and disables the drawing of a border around the on-screen meter.
					iii. "Gradient"
						Enables and disables the use of a color gradient for the meter bar.
					iv. "Main Color"
						Sets the primary color of the meter bar. If a color gradient is not used, this color will apply to the whole bar. If a color gradient is used, this 
						color applies to the top of the meter bar.
					v. "Second Color"
						If a color gradient is used, this color will apply to the bottom of the bar. If a color gradient is not used, this setting is diabled.
					vi. "Meter Border"
						If the border setting is enabled, sets the color for the meter border. If the border setting is disabled, then so to will this setting.
					vii. "Meter Background"
						Allows selection of the background color of the meter.
					viii. "Change Meter Position"
						Allows relocation of the meter bar.
			3. Effects
				This section allows you to change the animations for the meter bar's entry and exit as well as the speed of the animations (default is 200ms.)
					i. The "Animation Speed" setting is in milliseconds (1/1000 of a second.) The default is 200ms or 1/5 of a second. The lower limit in the 
					GUI is 50ms, or 1/20 of a second; the upper limit is 2500ms or 2 and a half seconds.
											
	To reset the default settings simply delete the volconsetts.dat file and restart the application.

4. Uninstalling
Delete the VolControl.exe and volconsetts.dat files.

5. Bugs & Issues
	VolControl will run on Windows Vista and Windows 7 in Compatibility Mode for Windows XP. However there are reports of VolControl randomly locking up in these 
	environments.
	
6. Misc Notes
This program was inspired by the excellent Sound Volume Hotkeys utility from softarium.com. It is my hope to create a more configurable utility after the 
fashion of SVH.
This program utilizes the excellent functions provided by the Windows Functionality Suite by Aaron Ballman, et al. It also utilizes the very handy custom 
scrollbar class created by Dave Addey.
VolControl is Konami Compliant.

7. Contact
Please send all queries to andrew@boredomsoft.org or use the online form at http://www.boredomsoft.org/bugs to report bugs