Troubleshooting the JavaScript Jukebox

Problems with the JavaScript Jukebox? Check the following

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I can't see the button that calls the Jukebox.

This is the problem people most often write me about. Make sure the code that generates the button is contained within the <FORM> </FORM> tag. Without the form tags, the button will not be created! Your button code should look like this: <FORM> <Input type="button" name="Juke" value="JavaScript Jukebox" onclick="JukeWin()"> </FORM> Note: it is okay if there is a line break in the above code.

I use a graphical editor and can't get my Jukebox to work.

Did you use graphical web editor that doesn't allow you to directly work with source code? This type of editor will often re-write the HTML source to its own standards, stripping off or modifying tags it doesn't recognize or understand. Examples of this type of editor include Microsoft Frontpage, Microsoft Word Internet Assistant, the Netscape Navigator Gold editor, Netscape Composer, HotMetal, and Adobe PageMill.

If you prefer to use the previously mentioned editors, the best way to proceed is to set the page up the way you want it with your preferred editor, save it, then open the page again with a text editor (Notepad in Windows or Simpletext in MacOS), and cut and paste the Jukebox code. Be aware if you later modify the page, your graphical editor may break the JavaScript code. Make backups of pages before working on them. MacroMedia's DreamWeaver, though pricey, does let you manipulate source code.

I have all the code in place but I get JavaScript error messages

Are there any line wraps that break a line of JavaScript code? Turn off word-wrap if not sure.

I'm using Internet Explorer 4 and am having trouble

Because of what appears to be a bug in Internet Explorer 4, copying and pasting the sample text with Internet Explorer 4 does not produce correctly formatted text. You will either need to use a different browser (Internet Explorer 3 and Netscape Navigator 3 and 4 all work properly), or go back and correct the formatting by hand so that it matches the formatting in the sample code.

The Jukebox says it can't find a file.

Are all the paths to the various files correct? Look especially at the line in the page that sets up the function that calls the Jukebox: function JukeWin() { open("midi/jukebox.html","Jukebox","toolbar=no,width=200,height=360"); } and check the path to "jukebox.html" for correctness.

The Jukebox seems to work but I can't hear anything.

Is your machine correctly configured for MIDI files and JavaScript? Hit the button below and see if the Jukebox on the JavaScript Jukebox site works.

The audio plug-ins for Netscape 4 often use Java as a component, which must first load and compile using the "Just In Time" Java Compiler. This slows down playback for the first file to play. Subsequent files don't seem to have this slowdown.

If you are running the Jukebox off your website rather than a local drive, there will be a time lag as the MIDI files downloads. Depending upon the size of the file and the speed of your connection, this could take some time. If you don't think this is the situation, try the next suggestion.

The Jukebox works fine running locally (off my hard drive) but doesn't from my website

If all this works perfectly running off your local drive but bombs when you load it on your web server, you may need to add a MIME type for MIDI files. It may be necessary to contact your Internet Service Provider to do this, but a quick fix, if your server is running the NSCA or Apache webservers is to add a MIME type using a special ".htaccess" file.

Copy the following and save it as "htaccess" :

	AddType audio/midi .mid

then upload it into the directory you've placed the MIDI files. Rename it ".htaccess" (note the period at the beginning of the filename). This should solve the problem. If not, contact your service provider.