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glossary
Winamp Menu
The Winamp menu contains commands for playing, saving, editing and storing audio files, plug-ins and skins. Access the menu by clicking the icon in the upper right corner of the player:
Click the icon and the following menu appears:
Menu Items
Nullsoft Winamp...
Clicking this menu item launches a pop-up box with information on Winamp, credits to the program designers, a list of keyboard shortcuts for use in operating the player, and a list of new features and revisions in Winamp Lite 2.72.
Play
Select "Play" and a drop-down menu appears:
Play > File >
An "Open File(s)" box appears, allowing you to use the drill-down menu to open any audio file on your hard drive.Play > Location >
An "Open Location" box appears. Enter a URL to go directly to a site.Play > Directory >
An "Open Directory" Windows Explorer box appears. Navigate to any file on your hard drive to access audio files.Play > Audio CD/D: >
Choosing this launches your computer's CD player and begins playing the loaded CD.Play > Bookmarks
Launches a list of your bookmarks. Scroll to the desired track and click.Play > Bookmarks > Edit >
"Edit Bookmarks" launches a Winamp Preferences window that allows you to edit, remove, or open a bookmark.Play > Bookmarks > Add current >
Clicking "Add current as bookmark" saves the track currently playing as a bookmark.View File Info
This launches a "MPEG file info box + ID3 tag editor" containing title, artist and other information on the file presently selected.
Window Toggles:
To open or close any of the three main windows, or the minibrowser, use these window toggles on the Winamp Menu. The check mark signifies that the box is open. To close it, just click it again. The window closes and the check mark disappears.
By default, the minibrowser does not open. To open it, simply select that option. The browser appears, allowing you quick access to SHOUTcast, a free Internet MP3 radio, as well as access to Winamp's Plug-ins and Skins.
Minibrowser:
| Note: If you select the "Main Window" (same as the Main Player) to close, you lose access to the Winamp Menu. If this happens, right-click Winamp icon on your task bar and select Winamp, the top item in the drop-down. A Winamp Menu appears, identical to the one accessed through the Main Player. Select "Main Window" and it reappears. The keyboard shortcut for this function is Alt+W. |
Options
The Options menu controls the way your music plays.
Options > Preferences
This launches the Preferences dialog box. Each category and subcategory in the preferences box is clickable. The contents of each category and subcategory appears to the right when it is clicked.
Options > Preferences > Setup
Add Winamp to the Start Menu Group, add a Winamp icon or add a QuickLaunch icon here. Change Internet setting preferences or input HTTP proxy address here.Options > Preferences > Setup > File Type
Use this to select which audio extensions you want Winamp to support. Selecting all gives you the most options. Click the "Associate with audio CDs" box and Winamp automatically plays any CD you put into your CD drive.Options > Preferences > Setup > Agent
Enable or disable the Winamp agent. If you disable the agent, the Winamp icon disappears from your taskbar.Clicking "Maintain file associations" keeps the file extension (mp3, WAV, etc.) even if other software is installed that supports the audio files as well, Winamp will retain the original file extentions.
Options > Preferences > Options
This function lets you alter the ways Winamp displays and loads audio files. It also allows you to change the default extension used to play files of unknown type (it is set to MP3, by default).Options > Preferences > Options > Display
This function provides further tweaking of Winamp displays. By disabling "Display tooltips in Winamp's main window," you'll lose the short descriptions that pop-up when you hover your cursor over dials on the main player window. Disabling this is not recommended for users new to Winamp.Other options:
- Whether to scroll a song title in the Windows taskbar
- Whether to use Winamp-styled cursurs
- Whether to dim toolbars when inactive
- Adjust the pixel size of Winamp windows
- Whether to show numbers in Playlist
- Whether to use bitmap font for main display
- Choose playlist font size
You can also change the Winamp icon shown in the system tray. Choose from 12 different Winamp icons.
Options > Preferences > Options > Visualization
Use these commands to alter the appearance of your amplifier. Refer to the Plug-ins section for more information.Options > Preferences > Plug-ins
Refer to the Plug-ins section.Options > Preferences > Options > Visualization
Refer to the Skins section.Options > Preferences > Bookmarks
This displays a list of current bookmarks to open, edit or remove.Playback
The playback menu provides clickable player commands as well as a list of key commands for playing audio files.
Stop with fade-out (Shift + V)
Selected while a track is playing, the track stops as the audio fades out.
Stop after current (Control + V)
If the current track is part of a playlist, selecting this stops the playlist once the current track finishes.
Back 5 seconds (or left arrow on keyboard)
The track jumps back 5 seconds
Forward 5 seconds (or right arrow on keyboard)
The track jumps forward 5 seconds
Start of list (Control + Z)
The current track ends and the first of the selected playlist begins.
10 tracks back (or number 1 on keyboard)
The current track ends and the player jumps ahead 10 tracks. If there are fewer than 10 tracks in the playlist, the player jumps to the last track.
10 tracks forward (or number 3 on keyboard)
The current track ends and the last track of the selected playlist begins — or the last track on the list if it less than 10 tracks.
Visualization
Set preferences here for visualization plug-ins.
Visualization > Visualization Options
This launches the "Built-in visualization options" window. There are two different amplifier visualizations built in to Winamp:Spectrum Analyzer:
Oscilloscope:
In this options window you can select one of the two, or turn both off.
You may also switch visualization by right-clicking the visualization area in the upper left corner of the player.
Visualization > Start/Stop Plug-ins
This control launches the selected visualization plug-in. A track must be playing in order for this function to work.Visualization > Configure Plug-ins
Adjust the voiceprint, analyzer, scope color and scope scaling of your plug-in. Also adjust to correct screen dimensions.Visualization > Select Plug-ins
This launches the Winamp Preferences Box and a list of current plug-ins. Choose your desired plug-in and click Start.
Skins
Download a new skin or choose one you've already downloaded.
This opens the "Skin Browser," where you can change the default skins folder by clicking "Set skins directory."
You can also enable or disable "Random skin on play" which displays a different skin each time you select a new track.
Clicking "Get more skins" launches winamp.com/skins, where you'll find more skin downloads.