Português Decifra Português Frequently asked questions (FAQ) . Site Index Your Record Registration

To see and print all pages of the program Help, use this button (in the Help header):

2 - Ordinary use
21. I cannot read files or perform other common operations. Why ?
22. I cannot hear the chords. What shall I do ?
23. Why Decifra cannot understand some chord symbols when importing or pasting text ?
24. Why well-known chord symbols are sometimes not understood ?
25. Why chord symbols are sometimes misplaced when importing or pasting text ?
26. Why Decifra does not accept the symbol 10 (for example, C7/9/10) ?
27. Why aren't the symbols 9 and 11 accepted as exactly equivalent to 2 and 4 ?

01. In the installation program, which options and buttons shall I use ?
R. If you don't want to install Decifra in the suggested folder (Extract to), fill in a complete folder name or use the Browse button to select one from the existing tree. Files to be expanded are shown in a highlighted background (you can change this condition by clicking on each one, and prevent some of them for being installed). When re-installing, you may also define the course of action to be taken in case of duplicated filenames. You can confirm case by case (Confirm), substitute the existing files (Overwrite) or preserve the original ones (Don't overwrite). When it is the case, we recommend renaming the existing files beforehand, to keep them as a safety backup. After completing your choices, press Extract (or Close, to cancel).

02. How shall I proceed to buy Decifra ? Why is this called Registration ?
R. The procedure is described in our page Registration and your copy is obtained from Download. The registration of your purchase is necessary to guarantee your rights, if you need technical support or new passwords (required when you change your hard disk, for example). Finally, it will allow us to send you relevant messages (revisions, etc.) and to give you a special discount in the eventual release of a new version (at least 50%, in this case).

03. Do I need to send you my name and electronic address to be registered ?
R. No. These are optional items. However, without an electronic address, we would not be able to send you messages about revisions and so. Also, these are important items to recognize you as a registered client, if you ever need anything from us.

04. Can I omit the computer code in the registration form ?
R. Yes. But you will soon have to send us this information, accessing Your Record or via e-mail. This is absolutely necessary, because the authorizing password depends on this code.

05. What is the computer code and why is it so important ? Does it expose me to any privacy invasion ?
R. This 8-digit code is generated by Decifra, using 6 or 7 characteristics of your computer (like the hard disk serial number), all of them absolutely generic and public (or non-confidential). Once created, it cannot be decomposed into its operands. So, no one can make any other use of it. Its only function is to make each computer different from all others, allowing the definition of a personalized authorizing password, which will not work in any other equipment.

06. How can I obtain the computer code ?
R. As mentioned, this code is identified by the program itself. Once installed, run Decifra and ask for Registration, in the main menu. In its window, there is a button to identify the computer code (and controls to submit the password, later on). The Registration function is removed from the main menu, as soon as you submit the correct password.

07. I cannot send you the registration data. What can be possibly wrong ?
R. Firstly observe that this operation must be done through our Registration page, and never through Your Record, which will be available for you only after the successful receiving of your registration form. In the form, never use special characters or letter accents (tilde, etc.) Use only numbers and ordinary letters. In the access key, nor even spaces are tolerated.

08. How shall I pay and which guarantees do I have of getting my password ?
R. When you send us the registration form, listed in our corresponding page, you will receive detailed payment instructions. In this case the payment must be done through a specialized service, acting on our behalf. Please observe strictly the instructions received from our site, avoiding any institution not listed there. Once paid, your guarantee is our firm intention of staying alive (and growing, with your help), plus the fact of being here since September, 1998. Anyway, if by any chance you don't receive your password after the normal delay for payment confirmation, please notify us immediately.

09. How and when will I receive my password ?
R. After concluding your payment, you must wait for its confirmation. This usually takes around 8 hours (when paid with credit cards). Adding our own processing time will result in a usual delay of 12 hours. Of course, depending on the period of the day, this may be doubled. But also, with luck, it can be done in 4 or 6 hours. For safety and to make it quick, it is also advisable to send us a notice about your payment, preferably including some details of the operation.

10. How shall I submit my password (and check the result) ?
R. In the same equipment where the computer code was identified, run Decifra and ask for the function Registration, in the main menu. In the corresponding window, fill in the password and press the Submit button. When the password is correct, the main window message will be substituted by an image and the Registration function will be removed from the main menu. This operation is required only once, as the password is memorized by the program. Some situations, however, may invalidate your password, by modifying the computer code (see below a specific question about this).

11. The password does not work. What can be wrong ?
R. One possible mistake is the inclusion of a letter 'O' (all similar symbols in a password are actually zeros). Other reasons are a mistaken computer code or its modification (due to physical or logical changes in the hard disk, for example). Of course, in these last two situations, you must contact us to ask for a new password.

12. I forgot the key to access my Record in the clients's databank. What shall I do ?
R. Just contact us. If your record contains sufficient data, we will be able to locate it. Having done that, we can send you the access key (or update it ourselves). This is an important reason to fill your record with a minimum amount of information.

13. In which situations will I need a new password ?
R. Basically, when you change your computer or modify some of its characteristics, specially on the hard disk (HD). In fact, a new password is required when the computer code changes for any reason. Updating your Windows version and formatting the HD will not necessarily modify the computer code, but different partitions will probably do it. The HD serial number shall not be modified, as well. All this refers to the logical disk or disk partition which contains the Windows and the Decifra folders. Please try not to modify these characteristics, as new passwords are now subjected to certain rules.

14. Can I have Decifra simultaneously installed in more than one computer ?
R. Yes, up to a maximum of three. There is an extra cost for thar as you can see in multiple installations.

2 - Ordinary use

21. I cannot read files or perform other common operations. Why ?
R. You are either using the free Visualization Version (quite limited) or the Demonstration one. In the Visualization Version you may read documents, but not import text files or select a specific folder (only files in the same folder as the executable file can be read). The Demonstration version is the same as the full one, but without a valid password. If you are a registered user, see the corresponding questions above. .

22. I cannot hear the chords. What shall I do ?
R. Make sure you are using the mouse right button for this function, which doesn't obviously work in text mode. Beforehand, prepare the sound device and choose an appropriate MIDI adapter (in the main menu, Options -> Sound management).

23. Why Decifra cannot understand some chord symbols when importing or pasting text ?
R. In this interpretation, Decifra uses the Rules to convert text into chord symbols, clearly defined in the program Help. Everything different than that is seen as normal text (lyrics), causing the whole line to be understood as ordinary text. So, it is quite important to understand these rules as you may eventually have to modify a text, in order to have it properly understood by Decifra. As this is quite an open field, we encourage our users to send us suggestions on this subject (as in general).

24. Why well-known chord symbols are sometimes not understood ?
R. To be recognized by Decifra, a chord symbol must not be mixed with ordinary text. In other words, a text element is only seen as a chord symbol when all other elements in that line have the same meaning. A single word (like 'intro') or any strange character (including parentheses) is enough for the whole line to appear as normal text (use the Verify button, when editing in text mode, to see the interpretation of each line).

25. Why chord symbols are sometimes misplaced when importing or pasting text ?
R. In Decifra, the position of each chord is associated to the order of a specific character in the following text line. In other words, if a chord (in the text) is preceeded by 9 spaces, that means it is associated to the 10th character of the next line (if it exists). If the original text is exhibited in fixed fonts (and fixed sizes), all characters have the same length and this problem will not appear. Moreover, regardless of your presentation options, Decifra will always keep each chord on its place. However, if the original text is shown with variable fonts, the result may be unpredictable. As it would happen in normal text editors,where the relative positions of elements may change when you select other fonts or even letter sizes. Fortunately, conscious people avoid this problem by presenting Chords & Lyrics documents with a fixed font (Courier, usually). Otherwise, you may have to replace the chords (in this case, do it in graphic mode, eventually using the printed original as a guide).

26. Why Decifra does not accept the symbol 10 (for example, C7/9/10) ?
R. Because it is uncommon and unnecessary, as the 10ths are equivalente to the thirds. Thirds are accepted, although again unnecessarily (their presence is implicitly indicated by the major and minor classes of chords, and their absence is also shown by the sus symbol). In the same way, the 5th is not usually indicated. For example, you don't need to write C3/5 to indicate a C major, nor a C3b/5 to characterize a C minor. Just write C or Cm, as usual.