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CU Amiga Super CD-ROM 17
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CU Amiga Magazine's Super CD-ROM 17 (1997)(EMAP Images)(GB)[!][issue 1997-12].iso
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MSE-DEMO
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Readme-FIRST.demo
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MIDI SYStem EXplorer
-- DEMO --
Requirements
------------
This demo uses fonts included with WB: Garnet.16 and Helvetica.9.
Installing
----------
Copy fonts/ to your FONTS: directory. The included Topaz2, Topaz2p,
and Topaz2N fonts are designed for use with the demo modules. These
modules have been defined to use these fonts, but they are not
necesarily required for custom modules you create. Topaz2 is a nicer
looking version of Topaz, Topaz2p is a proportional version of Topaz2,
Topaz2N is a narrow version of Topaz2.
Getting Started - TUTORIAL
--------------------------
Double-click on the MSE-DEMO icon.
When MSE starts, you will be prompted with a file requester to choose a
module to load. Enter the Oberheim directory and select the
Matrix-6R.mse module.
This is a demo of an editor for the Matrix-6R, but does not require
this device. Though all MIDI is disabled it demonstates several
features of MSE.
Click in the string gadget containing "--------" at the top middle of
the screen. This is a gadget defined to contain the patch name for
this patch. Because almost all patch names are required to be a
constant length this gadget is forced to be in OVERWRITE mode and will
not allow you to DEL characters. Try it!
Many manufacturers use different character sets for their devices. Some
do not allow lowercase letters while others do. MSE allows you to
define what the character set contains for every module you create.
Curious about what characters are supported by this module? While in
the patch name gadget press the HELP key (3.x only). A requester will
pop up showing you what characters are supported. Notice that
lowercase letters are not shown for this device. For your convenience,
lowercase letters will be automatically converted to uppercase for this
device. Also, you will not be allowed to enter any characters that are
not allowed. Try it!
The cycle gadget in the upper left hand corner labled "DCO 1 / 2" is
configured to flip through several pages of parameters. Try it! MSE
uses system gadgets so its cycle gadgets are compatible with patches
like CycleToMenu. This patch, in particular, really enhances the speed
of making patches in MSE.
Note that you could, if you wanted to, redefine/reposition anything you
see. Of course you will need the compiler included with the registered
version of MSE to do it.
Play with the gadgets on these pages, change lots of values! Now, if
you decided that the current values were what you wanted every new
patch to default to you simply go to the PROJECT menu and select SAVE
AS DEFAULT. Try it. Now whenever you restart this editor, these
settings will be the default.
Let's load an existing patch... go to the PROJECT menu and select LOAD.
When prompted with the file requester choose the PATCHES directory and
select 'Matrix6R-Patch1'. This patch is loaded and returns to the
first page of parameters. If this was not a Matrix6R patch, you would
have been told so, and the patch would not have been loaded.
In a future version, MSE will automatically recognize the patch type
and load the appropriate editor along with the patch! NEETO!
To start with a fresh patch, go to the PROJECT menu and select LOAD
DEFAULT. Note that any time you load a patch, MSE automatically
performs a defined initialization routine. For each module you can
define what the intialization includes. Normally this would include
sending the patch to a predefined audition patch on the device. You
can also manually send a patch by going to the PROJECT menu and
selecting SEND. Though, in the demo, this will not do anything.
Now let's check out the PREFS... goto the PREFS menu and select MIDI
CONFIGURATION. These can be defined within each module. Check out the
HANDLER gadget... MSE currently supports standard BlueRibbon.library
use, the 3 outputs of the Triple Play Plus midi interface, the public
domain MIDI.library, Commodores CAMD.library and a special FILE type.
FILE is used for testing purposes and sends all MIDI output to a file.
This makes things much easier when testing new modules. As well, you
can override the defined MIDI channel here. Note that for this device
all channels (1-16) are supported. Some devices, such as the Akai S612
do not support all 16 channels. If that were the case you can
configure this gadget to only allow the supported channels. Remember,
this setting and all others are specific to each module.
Reposition the MIDI CONFIGURATION window to some where else on the
screen and then close it. Now, open it again. Notice that it
remembers its new position. If you want MSE to remember this the next
time you use it, goto the PREFS menu and select SAVE. SAVE stores the
window configurations as well as directory paths and other preferences
information.
Now, let's check out another module. Goto the MODULE menu and select
OPEN. In the file requester, choose the TEST directory and select the
'Test.mse' module. This module is not an editor for a MIDI device. It
just serves to demonstrate some of the different kinds of things you
can define: Borderless and non-borderless windows, borders, different
size fonts, etc. Note the custom slider gadget near the center, it is
labeled "Special Gadget". It is similar to a cycle gadget in that it
contains several different text values. Also the gadget below it,
which defaults to '-6.9db'. This is another custom gadget which
supports floating point values with any incremental value you want. MSE
also supports several other custom gadgets that are designed
specifically to meet the needs of MIDI devices.
The window that says 'Drag me!' has been defined as a draggable window.
Use its drag bar to move it anywhere you want. This window also
contains another custom gadget (the Note gadget). It is used for
setting parameters such as note ranges. It has actually been defined
to display the current value in two different ways, so you'll see two
values updating as you change the value.
One of the best features of MSE is automation. To see it in action
click on the 'Automate' gadget in the upper left hand corner. This
gadget has been linked to an external ARexx script which will do some
fun things with the gadgets in this module.
In a future version, popup windows will also be definable. These
special windows will be triggered from button gadgets. For example,
the Note gadget popup window will contain a graphic keyboard that you
can select notes on. When you close the popup-window the value will be
displayed as it is now. These kinds of popups will support many kinds
of parameters: including envelopes, lists, etc. This support is in the
works now and will be ready soon.
Notice that most of the menu selections under the PROJECT menu are now
ghosted. That is because the TEST module does not contain a definition
for patch data. MSE recognized this and disabled the menus that did
not apply. NIFTY EH!
MSE also recognized that this module contains special USAGE
information. Goto the MODULE menu and select USAGE. This can come in
handy when you need to remember something important to use this editor.
You can define whatever text you want to appear here. HANDY!
Okay, lets try one more module. Go to the MODULE menu and select OPEN.
In the file requester, choose the 'Roland' directory, then choose the
'SDX-330' directory and select the 'Stereo8PhaseChorus.mse' module.
Note that the MSE-Compiler automatically creates these directories for
you, based on the modules you create. This helps keep things
organized. If you wanted to, you could make a custom module to load
modules. Then you could tell MSE to always load that specific module
upon startup. MSE is very powerful indeed!
Okay, now that we have loaded the SDX-330 module let's see what other
neet things MSE can do... Down near the bottom right hand corner, there
is a cycle gadget marked 1-4. This is a special gadget that is defined
to control multiple pages (much like the one you tried earlier). Cycle
it and MSE jumps to the next page of Chorus parameters 5-8. Notice
that only that particular area of the screen changed. There is another
cycle page selector at the top left corner, second row, marked 'Chorus'
(not the one marked 'Stereo 8 Phase Chorus', that one will be explained
next.) Cycle it, and it flips pages too. Super Neeto! The cycle
gadget above that one marked 'Stereo 8 Phase Chorus' is defined to
select modules. Because the SDX-330 has many effects modes each effect
type has been broken up into separate modules. This cuts down on
memory requirements for this editor. You could make it all into one
module if you wanted to, but it would have 100s of gadgets and many
many pages. This is the recommended way of handling devices of this
kind. Because we have not included the other SDX-330 modules with the
demo cycling this gadget will give you an error.
That concludes the DEMO TUTORIAL. It only touchs on the many things
you can do with MSE. And there is much more yet to come! We have
included a few other demo modules as well, try them out.
We have also included some definition files used to create the demo
modules in the definitions directory. They are simple text files, have
a look!
So are you hooked yet? Excited about the creative possibilities?
For a limited time, MSE will be available for the low shareware
registration price of US$30 (CAN$40). After registering, any following
updates will be free to those with email access.
Print and complete the Registration.txt form and send it along with
payment to (Make checks or money orders payable to 'dhomas trenn'):
young monkey studios
797 Mitchell Street
Fredericton, NB
E3B 3S8 CANADA
We suggest that you send us a copy of the SYSEX docs for the units you
want to make modules for (check with us first to see if we already have
the info). We will have a look at the documentation and confirm that
MSE supports everything required by that unit. If it does not, we can
try and implement it at that time. That way, you do not have to spend
your money until the program meets your needs.
For more information send email to:
MSE@youngmonkey.ca
----
dhomas trenn
young monkey studios