Adding Sound Effects

[aa7b5]

Does anyone know if it is possible to add sound effects to a program written with the very early BBC Basic for Windows version 3.13a.
The sound effect files would be in wav or mp3 format.
At the moment I am using wav files included in Windows but these are quite limited and not very appropriate.
I cannot use the BBC Basic Upgrade to solve this problem because it is not compatible with my Windows XP Operating System.

[guest]

I cannot use the BBC Basic Upgrade to solve this problem because it is not compatible with my Windows XP Operating System.

In what way is it "Not compatible"? The latest version of BB4W (6.11a) is still compatible with, and tested on, Windows 95 (OSR2), let alone Windows XP! In fact it was developed entirely on Windows XP! The only circumstance in which I could imagine it not working is if you have blocked Internet Explorer, because (like very many applications) BBC BASIC relies on components of Windows that may be installed with IE (notably UniScribe).

Every new version of BB4W is tested on Windows 95, Windows Me, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 10 before release. I no longer test it on Windows 98, Windows NT4, Windows Vista or Windows 8, although I used to and there is no reason to suspect that it has stopped working.

Richard.

[aa7b5]

I did say MY Windows XP.
Since an early Microsoft update caused problems on my PC, all subsequent updates were stopped.
I thought the BBC Basic Upgrade not installing was possibly due to some missing component.
When my Internet Explorer stopped working, I replaced it with Chrome.
Another reason why I gave up on the Upgrade is that even if it had installed I would probably have had to update most of the programs I have written.
This is why I was more interested in trying to get the older BBC BASIC version to perform.

[guest]

I did say MY Windows XP.
Since an early Microsoft update caused problems on my PC, all subsequent updates were stopped.

I don't understand why you haven't long ago fixed the underlying problem, which sounds to be a corrupted Windows. If you have the original Windows XP media you should be able to repair the installation.

I thought the BBC Basic Upgrade not installing was possibly due to some missing component.

If so, I would have expected it to tell you which component (presumably a DLL) was missing. You should then be able to copy a replacement DLL into the system directory. You don't even need the installer to work, you could copy the BB4W files from another PC and bypass running the installer altogether.

Another reason why I gave up on the Upgrade is that even if it had installed I would probably have had to update most of the programs I have written.

It's unlikely that any changes would be required, at least so long as you upgraded to v5.95a rather than v6.11a. If there were, they should be very minor. Maintaining compatibility with earlier versions has always been my highest priority.

This is why I was more interested in trying to get the older BBC BASIC version to perform.

Early versions had many bugs, some quite serious, and it would be unwise to run them anyway.

Richard.

[aa7b5]

I already did try re-installing Windows XP but this made no difference.

When I click on the Upgrade exe file there is no reaction whatsoever.
No mention of Windows Installer or dotnetfx versions or DLLs — absolutely nothing!

I am still running Service Pack 2, could that be it?

[guest]

I am still running Service Pack 2, could that be it?

I doubt it. What happens if you enter this at a command prompt (it runs the System File Check):

  sfc /scannow

If that doesn't work, I can send you the current version of BB4W as a simple Zip file rather than as an installer. Since you already have a working version (albeit an old one) that should be sufficient to update it.

Richard.

[aa7b5]

sfc /scannow asked me to insert the original installation disc, it spent 20 minutes verifying all Windows files then promptly disappeared. I assume that as no errors were reported that all was OK.

So as it appears nothing is missing or corrupted, your Zip file work around suggestion would be much appreciated.

[guest]

So as it appears nothing is missing or corrupted, your Zip file work around suggestion would be much appreciated.

Before I do that, one more question. I presume that you have checked to ensure that the upgrade.exe installer that you are trying to run is not itself corrupted? It's very common for a file downloaded via HTML from a website to arrive in a broken or incomplete state - HTML, unlike FTP, is not really intended for file transfers. The symptom you are describing could very easily be due to upgrade.exe being corrupted.

The simplest test you can do is to check its size. The upgrade file should be exactly 4,590,136 bytes long: anything less (or more) would mean that the file was not transferred to your PC successfully. EIther way, you should at the very least (if you haven't already) clear your browser's internet cache - to ensure it doesn't simply return the same corrupted file again - and repeat the download from the website.

Richard.

[aa7b5]

Hello Richard,

Yes I did try a second download and even ran a checksum on both, — no difference.
This was last year file size 4,593,312.
I see the latest version has shrunk to 4,590,136 so I downloaded it and this file also refused to run.
Now and again when clicked on, there was a very brief flash as though something was suppressing it.
I right clicked on the exe file, clicked on properties, clicked on the General tab and right at the bottom noticed the heading Security.
Lo and Behold clicking the accompanying Unblock button has cured the problem.
I had no idea that was there so how about that for a serendipity.

Anyhow it just remains for me to thank you all the same for all your interest and efforts in trying to solve this problem for me.

Regards,
Anthony.