Creating samples display like Wavelab eg.

Hi guys,

i could need help in understanding displaying decoded mp3.
I decode the mp3 by the minimad example which works fine.

for (int i=0; i<(nsamples*4); i+=4)
         {
                 sample  = scale(*left_ch++);
                 *redux++ = (sample >> 0) & 0xff;
                 *redux++ = (sample >> 8) & 0xff;

                 if (nchannels == 2)
                 {
                                 sample = scale(*right_ch++);
                                 *redux++ = (sample >> 0) & 0xff;
                                 *redux++ = (sample >> 8) & 0xff;
                 }
         }

After that i got an unsigned char array which is in the little endian format.
Looks like this if i got an stereo file:

Left 1st byte, Left 2nd byte,    Right 1st byte, Right 2nd byte,   Left 1st 
byte, Left 2nd byte, ....

Please correct me if i'm wrong.


Now i try to display these datas in a waveform like in Wavelab, Soundforge, 
Audacity

It would be great if anyone could tell me how to calculate the peaks which 
i have to draw.


Thanks you
daSickboy