• Shorten Tools for Win9x users: To uncompress SHNs in a Win9x environment, some options:

  • Recommended for beginning users: The easiest method is to use mkw Audio Compression Tool (mkwACT), by  Michael K. Weise. This freeware program is highly recommended by users. The MD5 checking and creating function is included in the software. Michael's help file is online. Etree.org also has a help site for this program, with screen shots.
  • Another reportedly easy program is EtreeMenu, a SHN/MD5 combination tool by Eddie Burks.
  • Alternatively, you can use batch file methods, with freeware DOS Shorten and Md5sum programs that have been modified for etree use. Etree.org has easy instructions and batch files for setting up the etree version of Shorten.
  • Likewise, Jeremy Clark has easy instructions for setup. Jeremy's original batch file method is still used by many "old-time" SHN-heads.
  • Visit SoftSound for a registered version for Windows. This program will also play SHNs directly. It does not include MD5 checking capability, however- you'd have to set that up separately.
  • For experienced users: Jason has created shntool, a multipurpose utility for SHN work. Chris Green has a new Windows help page for painless setup of the tool's simplest function.

• Shorten Tools for NT users:
  • Softsound's Shorten for Windows is also compatible with NT.
  • You can also use the programs for Win9x linked in the above paragraphs.
  • A little advice about batch files for running in DOS.
  • Mike Heilmann has witten a Perl script for decompression of SHN files on NT systems.

• Shorten Tools for Win2k users:
  • Michael Weise's mkwACT tool reportedly works well under Win2k. We have no information on the other methods listed above.

• Shorten Tools for Mac users:
  • Doug Hornig has ported Shorten for both Power Mac and 68K. Includes functions for MD5 checking and SHN>AIFF.
  • Highly recommended resource: Mike Kelleher's Mac User's Guide to the Etree. It is also mirrored on its own etree page.
  • If you are a Mac user having trouble reading SHN filenames generated by PC users, try the Joliet tool.

• Shorten Tools for Linux/Unix users:
  • Doug Hornig has also ported Shorten for this environment.
  • etree.org now has a detailed Linux FAQ page.
  • Trey Howland also has a how-to page for running Shorten under Linux.
  • Jason has created shntool, a multipurpose utility that does various handy things with shns.
  • Jason also has a collection of *nix- related etree links.

Can you play SHNs directly on your computer?
With the tools below, you can listen to SHNs "on the fly" on PC without decompressing them to WAVs first. Bear in mind that after downloading a SHN, you should still check the file integrity (see above, about MD5s and checking tools) before playing. Corrupt files may not play correctly. If you can't use the methods below, you can always decompress and use other tools to play the uncompressed audio data as usual. However, note that SHNs or WAVs played on typical PC speakers don't sound much better than MP3s.

• Windows:
  • Wayne Stielau has recently created the ShnAmp plugin for WinAmp, allowing you to play SHNs on the PC without decompression..
  • Visit SoftSound for a registered version for Windows. Besides decompressing, this program will also play SHNs directly.

• Linux/Unix:
  • Jason has created the xmms-shn plugin that will play SHNs.

• Mac: Still no reports on playing SHNs "on the fly" for this OS yet.