Volumouse v2.03 - Control the sound volume with a wheel mouse

Copyright (c) 2004 - 2014 Nir Sofer

Description

System Requirements

Windows operating system: Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows 7/Vista/2008/8. (Windows 95 is not supported)

Wheel mouse

Sound card.

Notice for Windows 10 users !

Known Issues

On Windows Vista/7/2008 - If UAC is turned on, Volumouse cannot work with applications that you run as Administrator. If you want that Volumouse will be able to capture mouse events from application that you run as Administrator, you should also run Volumouse as Administrator.

On 64-bit systems, you must use the 64-bit version of Volumouse.

Additional Plugins

HideThisApp Plugin - Allows you to hide the active window by pressing a key combination, and showing it again by pressing another key combination.

MoveResize Plugin - allows you to resize or move the current active window by rolling the mouse wheel or by pressing a hot-key.

OpenCloseCD Plugin - allows you to open and close the door of your CD-ROM/DVD by rolling the mouse wheel or by pressing a hot-key.

Versions History

Version 2.03: 'Mouse cursor is over the taskbar' now also works with the taskbar on secondary monitor (Windows 8).

Version 2.02: When trying to use Volumouse 32-bit on 64-bit systems, Volumouse now displays a warning.

Version 2.01: Fixed a problem with the percent label of on-screen indicator in some systems.

Version 2.00: Volumouse now allows you to configure up to 12 rules, in 2 pages. Volumouse x64 now supports both x64 applications and 32-bit applications. On Windows Vista/7/2008 you can now change the volume of specific application. On Screen Display indicator now allows you to add your own text that describes the rule. Added 'Send Hot Keys' component, which allows you to send the specified keys combination to the active application on every wheel move. (Be careful with this feature: Don't use it with Ctrl/Shift/Alt keys on the rule's condition) Added "Don't restrict the indicator position to screen size" option for TrackBar indicators. This feature may be useful for users with multiple monitors.

Version 1.72: Fixed issue for multiple monitors - Volumouse now open the options windows in the primary screen.

Version 1.71: Fixed bug in Windows 7/Vista: When choosing 'Default Playback' or 'Default Recording' option, the channels combo-box was disabled, so you could not use the mute/unmute option on default Playback/Recording.

Version 1.70: Added 2 new conditions for working with almost any application window: 'The specified application window is focused' and 'Mouse cursor is over the specified window'. You can specify the desired window according to window title and/or window class, in the Advanced Rule Options. Changed the installer - Now the Volumouse setup .exe is created with NSIS instead of my old ZipInstaller. Fixed bug: In new Volumouse installations, the OSD indicator was transparent, instead of green.

Version 1.67: Fixed bug: Windows key settings were not saved when you exit from Volumouse.

Version 1.66: Added support for Windows key (in separated check-box) when using hot keys instead of wheel mouse.

Version 1.65: Added support for setting the color of On Screen Display. Added support for displaying the percent label in 'On Screen Display'. Action add/change: 'The cursor is on screen corners' action now really works only when the cursor is on screen corners. There is a new action, 'The cursor is on screen edges' that works like the corners action in previous versions.

Version 1.60: Added new type of indicator: On Screen Display. (Only for Windows 2000 or greater) Added enable/disable options. When Volumouse is disabled, scrolling the wheel mouse or pressing the hot-key combination will make the regular task and won't be captured by volumouse. On 64-but systems, you can now run 2 separated instances of Volumouse. one for using it with 32-bit applications, and the other for using it with 64-bit applications.

Version 1.57: Add new option: Increase steps value on high volume.

Version 1.56: New Rule Condition: When VLC Player is focused.

Version 1.55: Added /cfg command-line option to load the configuration of Volumouse from another file. (For example: volumouse.exe /cfg "c:\temp\vm.cfg")

Version 1.54: Fixed problems with multiple monitors.

Version 1.53: Fixed bug: Volumouse failed to change the volume when the component type is 'Default Playback' or 'Default Recording' (in Vista)

Version 1.52: Increased the width of drop-down lists. Added negative values to steps combo-box.

Version 1.51: Added support for creating plugins.

Version 1.50: Volumouse now works under Windows Vista (both 32-bit and x64 versions) Under Vista, there is no default mixer device anymore, but you can select the default playback and recording device in the component combo-box. Under Vista, You can select more 6 channels, in addition to the 2 standard left and right channels. Under Vista, changing the master volume doesn't affect the default left/right balance, as in the previous version of Windows. All default settings are now saved into .cfg file instead of the Registry. Added new options to "Use the wheel when" combo-box: Windows Media Center is focused, iTunes is focused, Mouse cursor is over the Vista Gadgets, GOM Player is focused, Alt+Shift are down, Alt+Ctrl are down, Ctrl+Shift are down, The cursor is on screen corners. New option: Use hot-keys instead of the mouse wheel. Added additional rule line (6 instead of 5 in previous versions...)

Version 1.31: New option in device combo-box - Use the default playback device in Control Panel. When Windows Media Player is focused - Now also works in full screen mode.

Version 1.30: Fixed bug: When Word/Excel window is focused, the volume change is faster than other windows. Ability to control the left/right balance. Save/load all Volumouse configuration to file.

Version 1.21: New option: Run Volumouse application in high priority.

Version 1.20: Component names change: sound component names are now loaded from the operating system New option: Display percent label on the indicator. New option: Activate the rule only after specified number of wheel moves. New option: indicator position fix - move the indicator position according to your preference. New option: Use different mixer device in each rule. Fixed bug: In previous version, Volumouse always used the first mixer device, even if you selected another one... New rule condition: "no button/key is pressed" - Use this rule if you want to replace the normal behaviour of the wheel. Windows XP Style: The indicator and other elements are now displayed according to your XP style.

Version 1.10: New option: Display on-screen indicator while changing the sound volume. New option: Mute/unmute the sound volume. New Rule Conditions: Mouse cursor is over a title bar, BSPlayer is focused. Non-Sound Components: Now you can also use volumouse to make your windows transparent (On Windows 2000/XP) or to change the brightness of the entire screen (only if you have a video card that supports this feature).

Version 1.00 - First release.

Upgrading Volumouse from previous versions

Exit completely from Volumouse. (The pink button) Wait one or two minutes, to allow the vlmshlp.dll file to be released by the operating system. Install Volumouse, as you did with the previous version. If you get any error message related to vlmshlp.dll, restart your computer, and then do all this process again.

Notice: When upgrading from verson 1.31 or earlier to this version, you'll lose all your previous settings and we'll have to reconfigure Volumouse again.

Installing/Removing Volumouse

Manual Installation: (For advanced users only !)

In order to manually install Volumouse on your system, follow the instructions below: Create a new folder for Volumouse utility (Under your 'Program Files' folder, or anywhere else you like). Extract all files from the zip file (volumouse.zip for 32-bit or volumouse-x64.zip for x64) into the new folder that you created. Optionally, create a shortcut to volumouse.exe on your desktop or under your start-menu. Start using Volumouse, simply by running the executable - volumouse.exe In order to remove Volumouse from your system, follow the instructions below: To ensure that Volumouse is not running in your system, Select 'Exit Completely' from the options dialog-box or from popup menu of the taskbar icon. Delete the folder that you created during the installation process. If you failed to delete the Volumouse helper dll (vlmshlp.dll), wait a little time (one or two minutes) to allow this file to be released by the operating system, and then try again. Optionally, delete Volumouse configuration from the Registry under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\NirSoft\Volumouse

In order to manually install Volumouse on your system, follow the instructions below: Automatic Installation (With self-install executable)

In order to install Volumouse with self-install executable, follow the instructions below: Download and run the Volumouse self-install executable. Select the desired installation settings, and click 'install' to start installing Volumouse. After installation is completed, run Volumouse from the your start-menu. In order to remove Volumouse that you previously installed with ZipInstaller: First, you must ensure that Volumouse is not running in your system. In order to do that, select 'Exit Completely' from the options dialog-box (the pink button) or from popup menu of the taskbar icon. Wait a little time to ensure that vlmshlp.dll is completely unloaded from the system, and then continue to the next step. Go to the Add/Remove Programs module, choose Volumouse entry, and select to remove it from your system.

In order to install Volumouse with self-install executable, follow the instructions below:

Using Volumouse

Wheel Mouse Rules

Use the wheel when: This field represents the condition of the rule. For example: if your select 'Shift key is down', this rule will be activated only while the shift key is hold down. You can also disable a rule by selecting 'Disabled' in this field. Component: This field determines that sound component that you want to control with this rule. The default and the most useful component is the 'Master Volume' of your system. Channels: The default and the most useful option in this field is 'All Channels' - which means that both right and left channels are changed to the same values. If from some reason, you want to change only one channel separately - you can use the 'Left Channel' and 'Right Channel' options. Starting from version 1.10, 'Mute / Unmute' option is also available. If you select this option, scrolling the wheel down will mute the sound, and scrolling the wheel up will unmute the sound. Steps: The number of steps added to the sound volume for each move of the mouse wheel. If you increase this number, the volume will be changed faster when you scroll the wheel.

More Rule Options

Activate the rule only after... Allows you to activate the rule only after specified number of wheel moves.

Allows you to activate the rule only after specified number of wheel moves. Left / Right Balance: Allows you to control the balance of left and right channels. For example: If you want that the volume of the left channel will always be 50% of the right channel volume, set the right value to 1.0 and the left value to 0.5

On-Screen Indicator

Type: The type of the on-screen indicator. You can select vertical trackbar, horizontal trackbar, or 'none' - if you don't want to display any indicator.

The type of the on-screen indicator. You can select vertical trackbar, horizontal trackbar, or 'none' - if you don't want to display any indicator. Size: The size of indicator - in pixels.

The size of indicator - in pixels. Delay: The number of milliseconds that the indicator will be displayed on the screen after you finish to adjust the volume. The default value is 500 milliseconds.

The number of milliseconds that the indicator will be displayed on the screen after you finish to adjust the volume. The default value is 500 milliseconds. Position: the horizontal and vertical position of the indicator. By default, the indicator is displayed in the position of the mouse cursor.

the horizontal and vertical position of the indicator. By default, the indicator is displayed in the position of the mouse cursor. Transparency: Allows you to display the indicator as transparent. Only works on Windows 2000/XP.

Non-Sound Components

Window Transparency: (Works only on Windows 2000/XP)

Allows you make any window transparent !

In order to use this feature, define a new rule with this component, go with mouse cursor to the window that you want to make transparent, hold down the right keys or buttons according the the condition that you chose, and then scroll down the wheel to make the window transparent ! Screen Brightness: Allows you to change the brightness of the entire screen.

Important Notice: Changing the screen brightness is achieved by setting the gamma ramp values into the video card. Unfortunately, many video cards don't support this feature, so the 'Screen Brightness' component may not work in your system.

Using the mouse wheel when specific application is in focus

Creating plugins for Volumouse

Other Options

Mixer Device: The sound device that you want to use in Volumouse.

The sound device that you want to use in Volumouse. Display icon in the system tray: By default, the icon of Volumouse is displayed in the system tray (taskbar). When you click the icon with the left mouse button, the main options window is displayed. If from some reason you don't want this icon to appear in your taskbar, you can hide it by unchecking this option. When this option is unchecked, the only way to access the options windows - is by running the executable of Volumouse (volumouse.exe)

By default, the icon of Volumouse is displayed in the system tray (taskbar). When you click the icon with the left mouse button, the main options window is displayed. If from some reason you don't want this icon to appear in your taskbar, you can hide it by unchecking this option. When this option is unchecked, the only way to access the options windows - is by running the executable of Volumouse (volumouse.exe) Load Volumouse at startup: If this option is checked, Volumouse will be automatically loaded after you reboot your computer.

If this option is checked, Volumouse will be automatically loaded after you reboot your computer. Display this window when you start Volumouse: By default, the 'Options' window is displayed each time that you run Volumouse. If you want to avoid this, uncheck this option

By default, the 'Options' window is displayed each time that you run Volumouse. If you want to avoid this, uncheck this option Run Volumouse application in high priority: When the CPU usage is high, Volumouse may respond to mouse moves very slowly. To improve the performances of Volumouse under high CPU usage conditions, you can set the priority of Volumouse application to high, simply by checking this option.

Translating Volumouse to other languages

Run Volumouse with /savelangfile parameter:

volumouse.exe /savelangfile

A file named volumouse_lng.ini will be created in the folder of Volumouse utility. Open the created language file in Notepad or in any other text editor. Translate all string entries to the desired language. Optionally, you can also add your name and/or a link to your Web site. (TranslatorName and TranslatorURL values) If you add this information, it'll be used in the 'About' window. After you finish the translation, Run Volumouse, and all translated strings will be loaded from the language file.

If you want to run Volumouse without the translation, simply rename the language file, or move it to another folder.

License

Disclaimer

Feedback

Volumouse is also available in other languages. In order to change the language of Volumouse, download the appropriate language zip file, extract the 'volumouse_lng.ini', and put it in the same folder that you Installed Volumouse utility.