User:DJ VorTechS/PhatHack Media Manager/Manual/First Running

PhatHack Media Manager Manual - Startup and First Running
Starting the application

Starting PhatHack Media Manager is achieved through the 'Start Menu', and can be found under:


 * All Programs


 * PhatHack


 * PhatHack Media Manager

It can be launched by clicking on the 'PhatHack Media Manager' shortcut.

When you start PhatHack Media Manager it runs through a simple startup process, which tells you what it is doing as it is doing it through the splash screen as illustrated in the screenshot to the right.



Startup Stages

The application runs through the following stages, at startup:


 * Determines the Screensave state of your machine (for full screen visualization playback purposes)


 * Processes and executes any command lines (see command lines section for more information)


 * Starts remote control support (as in Media Center type remotes - not implemented as yet)


 * Loads the audio libraries


 * Determines the supported audio extension types


 * Validates the application paths (configuration, library etc)


 * Sets the startup volume


 * Plays the PhatHack startup sound (if not disabled by the options)


 * Initialises the TTS (Text To Speech) engine


 * Configures the internal transcoder options


 * Loads the available application skins


 * Activates the current skin


 * Loads the track popup overlay skin


 * Scans and initialises the Media Devices/Folders/Libraries

First Run

On the first run, the application will create a global media database and associate it with a 'Folder Device' named 'Imported Media'. It will then ask whether or not media should be imported into this database through the prompt as illustrated to the right:



It is not necessary to select 'Yes' at this point. Media can be imported to folders/devices at a later stage. However, responding 'Yes' to this prompt will result in the 'Import Media' dialog being displayed.

For more information on importing media, see the 'Importing Media' Section.

What you should do on the first run

When running for the first time, you should consider attaching any, or all, of the media devices you want the application to be able to manage. You should then set the relevant configuration settings for each device through the options screen.

Also the application does not run with the most optimized settings, so configuring these at the same time will be highly beneficial to the user experience. For more information, see the 'Options and Configuration' page.

<< Manual Contents Options and configuration >>