SOUNDSHAPER SUPPORT

Support for Soundshaper and CDP is mostly offered through the CDP Users' Forum. Additionally, users are welcome to email with any Soundshaper/CDP problem that requires specific advice (see Links page).

 INSTALLING SOUNDSHAPER and CDP

• Download and install CDP sound-processing software first, then Soundshaper.
• The CDP installer establishes a base folder: \cdpr7.
  This folder can be on any drive (and in fact any name will do, e.g. \CDP)
• Within \cdpr7, CDP creates various subfolders:
  

  \_cdp (the CDP programs are in _cdp\_cdprogs); SoundLoom, if installed, is in \_cdp)
  \docs
     \demo (three sub-folders of help docs)
     \DeskReference (a .pdf document outlining the programs & modes)
     \html (CDP reference docs, relating mostly to command-line applications)
     \htmltuts (tutorial documents)
     \Specialhelp (documents relating to Sound Loom)
  \Al-Erwin (Rajmil Fischman's algorithmic program)



• Soundshaper's files are extracted into the base CDP-Folder (e.g. \cdpr7).
  Soundshaper's installer asks you to select this base folder and creates the sub-folder [CDP-Folder]\Soundshaper4.5.


• Also select/create a User Folder for your data files and patches.
  The recommended location is also within the CDP-Folder ( \cdpr7 ):
     [CDP-Folder]\TXT
  Any folder name is acceptable, and any location. The path is stored in Soundshaper's Settings file (Soundshaper.evt - see Options > Settings).
  However, updates to datafiles and presets will be set up to install into [CDP-Folder]\TXT .


• Finally select/create a TEMP.OUTFILES folder for Soundshaper's temporary output (sound) files.
    –The default for this is [CDP-Folder]\TEMP, but it can be on any drive, e.g. D:\TEMP, D:\SNDS etc.
    –Any name is acceptable, provided the path to this folder has no spaces. Otherwise the CDP programs will not run.
    –The folder path is stored in Settings. It is a good idea to put sounds on a different drive from Windows, if possible.

Soundshaper creates temporary files, beginning with the tilde character (~), and clears these when a patch is cleared or the program is closed. It is often helpful to have this folder open in Windows Explorer when running the program, in case files have to be cleared manually. This can happen when a file is in use in another application, e.g. a viewer/editor, or if a CDP program hangs for any reason.

 UPDATES and UPGRADES

Updates typically consist of a revised Soundshaper.exe, plus possible revisions to 3 text files: CMDDATA.txt, Hints.txt and Shortnames.txt.
Upgrades from previous versions typically have the above, plus revised or new data files etc.

   USING SOUNDSHAPER WITH AN AUDIO EDITOR

Soundshaper integrates easily with most external audio editors. You can either:

• Send the contents of any cell to an audio editor (or other external audio program),
  or
• Work from the editor and send some or all of the sound to Soundshaper for processing.

 FROM SOUNDSHAPER TO EDITOR AND BACK

• Set a link to your favourite editor in Settings > Settings-tab > Soundfile Viewer.
• Create a dummy cell, following the one you've just processed (PATCH > Add Null Cell)
• Send the contents of the dummy cell (soundfile only) to the editor by clicking the View Soundfile icon in the toolbar, or hit F2.
  Alternatively, you can set up any audio program as a "Favourite" (File > Favorites > Select Favorite Program) and send the current cell's soundfile (only) to the program via Tools > FAVORITES > plus select the external program in the menu.
• Process the imported sound in the editor
• Export it from the editor (see below), normally to the SAME soundfile name (the NULL cell).
• Continue on to the next process in Soundshaper.

 FROM EDITOR TO SOUNDSHAPER AND BACK

IN THE EDITOR:

• Highlight the portion you want to process.
• Export the selection to a file (see below). Leave the selected portion highlighted.

Exporting the selection:

Audacity	File > Export Selection
Wavosaur	File > Export Selection
Nero	Edit > Copy to File
Wavelab	File > Save special > Export Selection
Wavepad	Edit > Save selected region
Waveflow	File > Export Selection

IN SOUNDSHAPER:

• Open the file, e.g. by drag and drop.
• Run the process then save the final cell (should be a soundfile) to a file (click on Save icon).

BACK IN THE EDITOR:

• Open the processed file, select the whole contents (usually CTRL+A) and copy to clipboard (CTRL+C).
• Click on the original file's window (not on the sound-display) and delete the originally selected portion (usually DELETE key or CTRL+DELETE).
• Paste in the processed contents from the clipboard (CTRL+V).

If you don't like the result:

• CTRL+Z: undo the paste operation.
• CTRL+Z: undo the deletion (restore the original).