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Software Vault: The Gold Collection
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Software Vault - The Gold Collection (American Databankers) (1993).ISO
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cdr35
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tm104.zip
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README.TM
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1993-06-06
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Hi All!
~|~une /\/\aker Version 1.04
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~
[1] This programme is pretty useless if you do not have a copy of
Version 2.24+ of the Silver Xpress Off-Line Message Reader
produced by Hector Santos [the well-known GENIUS!!].
[2] The programme is simply designed to make it easier to create
tunes for Xpress Messages, by allowing you to create the tunes
and then writing the Dot Command Files for you.
[3] The programme will also, if you wish, allow you to create a
file of raw C Code which will play the same tune. Please note,
though, that this is written for Turbo C and other compilers
which do not have a sound() function or something similar (I
think QuickC doesn't) will not compile it. Also I have not
yet had time to create C Modules which will perform the same
functions as the Alarm, Siren, & Beep dot commands, and these
are not inserted into the C File.
[4] The programme should run on any IBM-compatible PC, but not, I'm
afraid, on anything else. Your Computer should be able to display
extended ascii characters, and must be capable of running in 80
Column Mode. Version 1.04 includes support for colour, but will
work perfectly okay in Black & White or Monochrome Modes.
~|~une /\/\aker 1.04 requires approximately 95k free RAM to run.
NOTE:- tune.exe now supports the following command-line switches:
/q or -q disables the initial Screen Frenzy and permits a
FAST ENTRY into the programme for people using XT
speed machines.
/m or -m disables colour (tune will normally display
colour if your setup is capable of it) in case
you prefer Black & White...
These can precede or follow any file you specify but must
be seperated from the filespec by a space, eg:-
tune /q/m
tune -qm
tune bach.arr /q are all okay......but
tune/q or
tune bach.arr/q will NOT work!!!
I have not included the raw code for the programme in this zip
file (to save myself from embarassment as much as anything!!).
If you would like it, it is available from the Time Tunnel,
Bolton [UK] (2:250/106) (0204 596245). and the file is
TM104-C.ZIP. ~|~une /\/\aker is written in Turbo C.
[5] The programme itself is very easy to use, as 5 octaves of notes
are programmed into it and all you have to do is to create the
tune from ear, as it were. Where you prompted for a delay or
duration, please note that this is in MILLISECONDS. The keys
that are available for use are shown at all times. There are
four basic areas of operation: Creating, Editing, Blocks, and the
Quit/Write/Save Area.
Creating allows you to add to an existing tune, but not to edit
the rest except to delete the last recorded note. Editing allows
you to edit the notes, or to add notes to the end (and you can
also insert them into the middle. At any time, you can save the
current tune and/or load a new/existing file and/or write the
various text files and/or change the output File Name. From
Editing Mode it is possible to move, copy or delete whole
blocks of notes.
[6] A couple of things to note:
(a) In either mode, if you insert a beep, siren, alarm, delay,
or no-sound into the tune, then if, when editing, you wish
to change that instruction back to a note, you must first
hit [M] to change it to a note.
(b) This program is designed to run on an 80x25 display. Whilst
it will run on 80x43 or 80x50, it will NOT run on anything
less.
(c) Sorry if anyone finds the beeps and whistles annoying!! I
let myself get carried away a bit!!! <grin>. Similarly, I am
slightly spoilt by having written this on a 386, and the
Windowing Functions may work rather slowly on an XT!!!
If this is the case, use the /q command-line switch.
(d) I have included 2 demonstrations of what is possible
with the programme. To load these files (or any others),
simply give the name of the file (including any necessary
drive or path specifications) as a command line parameter.
(e) What's new in Versions 1.03 and 1.04?
1.03 [1] Bug fix from 1.02:- Output File Name
for C and Dot Command Files now changed if
new file loaded from within the programme.
[2] The Block Mode now allows Deletion and Moving
of Blocks as well as copying.
[3] The Edit Mode now allows you to increase the
size of the array by adding notes to the end
of the tune. An attempt to go beyond the end
of the tune no longer results in an error,
merely copies the last note and increases the
array and tune position indicators.
[4] The Save/Write/Quit screen now allows you the
option of changing the output file names in
the middle of the programme.
1.04 [1] Another Octave has been added below Bottom C.
The lower notes have been renamed accordingly.
[2] Command-line switches enabled to allow Quick
start [/q] or to disable colour [/m]
[7] INSTRUCTIONS:
=============
(A) You only need tune.exe to run this. You may find it easier
to give it its own directory, if you are going to want
to save the tunes you've created.
(B) Just hit [tune] to start Tune Maker. No parameters are
needed, but if you do not specify a file, then ~|~/\/\ will
load or create (as necessary) the default file which is
`xprtune.arr'. If you want to load a particular .arr file,
then simply give it as a parameter, (together with any path
if not in the current directory.
If you want a quick rather than a spectaculer start, then use
the /q option, and if you want monochrome (despite the fact
that your system supports colour) then use the /m option.
(C) After the starting screens, the program ends up giving you a
tone to work with. You are in effect being allowed to specify
the first note of the tune (or the next if a tune is loaded
at startup) Available commands are displayed at the bottom
of the screen, and a status window at top left which gives
details about the current note. The bottom half of that status
window merely records the number of notes recorded at this stage.
If you have loaded an old tune, then you are put to the end
of the tune.
(D) Creation Mode.
Notes are recorded into the array by hitting [RETURN]. Commands
available up to that point are as follows:-
(1) Pitch Commands.
[UP-Arrow] increases the pitch of the note by a semi-tone.
[DOWN-Arrow] decreases the pitch of the note by a semi-tone.
[Page-UP] increases the pitch of the note by an Octave.
[Page-DOWN] decreases the pitch of the note by an Octave.
[HOME] sets the pitch of the note to Middle C.
[END] sets the pitch of the note 2 octaves above Middle C.
(2) Playback Commands.
[P] Plays back the last *recorded* note to you.
[T] Plays back the whole tune so far.
(3) Special Function Commands.
[A] Inserts an Alarm. } Please note that these are *not* translated
[B] Inserts a Beep. } into the C File, and are *not* played back.
[S] Inserts a Siren } They *do* get put in the Dot Command File.
[N] Inserts a [NO SOUND] Command. } These useful for putting in
[D] Inserts a [DELAY] (Pause) Comand.} gaps between repeated notes.
(4) Other Commands.
[BACKSPACE] Deletes the last recorded note and lets you create it
afresh.
[RETURN] Records the note at the current pitch. Prompts you for
the duration of the note.
[E] Puts you in Tune Editing Mode.
[ESC] Puts you in the Save/Load/Write/Quit Window.
(E) Editing Mode:
This places you at Note 1 in your tune and allows you to alter
the notes you have created. You can return to Creation Mode by
hitting [ESC]. Please note that these alterations are done `on
the fly' and you have no need to hit [RETURN] to record them.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE PROGRAMME PLAYS THE CURRENT NOTE BACK TO
YOU AFTER EACH KEY-PRESS. YOU SHOULD BE WARY OF ALLOWING THE
KEYBOARD TO AUTO-REPEAT WHEN IN EDITING MODE.
Commands available in Editing Mode are as follows:-
(1) Movement Commands.
[LEFT-Arrow] moves to the previous note.
[RIGHT-Arrow] moves to the next note. If you try to go beyond
the end of the tune, 1.04 now creates a
duplicate of the previous note, and increases
the size of the array accordingly, so you can
now ad to the tune in Editing Mode.
[HOME] Moves to the start of the tune.
[END] moves to the end of the tune.
(2) Pitch & Delay Commands.
[UP-Arrow] Increases the pitch of the current note by a semitone.
[DOWN_Arrow] Decreases the pitch of the current note by a semitone.
[Page-UP] Increases the delay of the note by 10 milliseconds.
[Page-DOWN] Decreases the delay of the note by 10 milliseconds.
[PLUS] Increases the delay of the note by 50 ms.
[MINUS] Decreases the delay of the note by 50 ms.
(3) Special Commands.
[C] Allows you to copy a Block of Characters.
[A] changes the current `note' to an Alarm.
[B] changes the current note to a Beep.
[S] changes the current note to a Siren.
[N] changes the current note to a [Nosound] Command.
[D] changes the current note to a [Delay] Command.
[M] changes the current note from any of the 5 above, back into a
note. It specifies Middle C for 500 ms and can be edited from
there.
[INS] Inserts a space at the current position and moves the rest
of the tune up one. Again, it specifies Middle C for 500 ms.
[DEL] Deletes the CURRENT note from the tune and moves the rest
down one. Places you at the same position in the tune (ie:
what used to be the next note).
[ESC] Returns you to Creation Mode.
(4) Playback commands.
[P] Plays back the current note again.
[T] Plays back the whole tune for you.
(F) Block Mode.
At this point you can copy a block of notes/commands to any
other point in the Tune Array, move a Block about, or delete
a previously marked block. Simply use the left and right
cursor keys and [S], [E], & [D] keys to mark the Start, End,
and/or Destination of the Block, and then hit C to copy the
Block, M to move it, or the Keypad [MINUS] to delete it,
and return to Editing Mode. At any time you can hit
[ESC] to abort the operation and return to editing. You can
always reposition Block/Destination Markers before you hit
[C]. The operation places you at the end of the copied Block
when you return to editing.
Note that the Destination is to the left of the note you
specify (ie: if you specify note 6 as the destination, then
the block will be copied or moved to between notes 5 & 6).
Blocks are inclusive of the Start and End Notes you specify.
(G) Save/Load/Write/Quit Window.
This window allows you to write various files using the current
values, save the current values to Disc, to exit with or
without saving anything, or to return to creation mode. Just
hit the relevant letter to implement the command.
(Q) Quit. Exits the program without saving anything further.
(S) Save. Writes a file xxxxxxxx.ARR containing the current values
of the tune. You are then returned to this menu. This
is the file which the program itself uses to load old
tunes, and in simply in a format "nnnn nnnn" being the
frequency and duration factors. The special commands
like delays, alarms, sirens etc, are shown by frequencies
0 - 4 as follows:-
" 0 nnnn" is a delay for a specified period.
" 1 0" is an Alarm.
" 2 0" is a Beep.
" 3 0" is a Siren.
" 4 0" is a (No-sound) Command.
(L) Load. Puts up the Load Windows: On the left are the .ARR
files contained in the CURRENT Directory, with the
current file highlighted. Any of these can be
selected merely by entering the file name. If you
want to load a file not shown, then it's full path
should be given. To cancel and return to the
previous window, just hit ENTER, otherwise the file
you specify is loaded and you are returned to
Creation Mode.
(C) Write C File. Writes Turbo C Source Code to implement the
tune using the current values. You can either
compile this immediately, or incorporate it
in another program. This ignores all the calls
for Sirens, Alarms, etc, and is xxxxxxxx.C.
The file #include's <dos.h> & <stdio.h>,
and consists of one `main()' function only.
(W) Write Dot File. This writes a file with Silver Xpress Dot
Commands in, including all the Commands for Beeps, Sirens
etc, and the file is called xxxxxxxx.MSG. This is in the
exact format required by Silver Xpress and can simply be
incorporated into a message from within Xpress when editing
the message. Given the limitations of having to keep hitting
Page-Down when reading the message, it plays the tune exactly
as the TM Program or C Function, except that alarms etc are
included.
(F) Change Output File Name. This displays a similar set of
screens to the New File Load ones, but simply allows you
to change the name of any files which you write but
keeping the tune currently stored in the array. If this
option is chosen then the names of any future .c and .msg
files are also changed,
(R) Return to Program. This simply puts you back to Creation Mode
with nothing further changed. This will allow you to come out
and save or write and then go back to editing etc.
[8] This is now care-ware (!!). I originally wrote it solely for my
own use after Xpress 2.24 came out, but eventually got it to a
reasonable enough state where I thought someone else might find it
useful, so I released it, and it's developed from there. I would be
grateful for feedback (either in the Xpress Echo or on Time Tunnel)
on any bugs I've missed, or suggestions for ways in which the format
of the programme could be improved.
If you really feel so bowled over by the brilliance of the
programme that you feel you have to make a contribution of some
sort <huge grin>, then please make a donation to the fund for
Royal Ulster Constabulary Widows & Orphans (or an equivalent
Police Charity if you're outside the UK).
If anyone wants the creation of source code in a different language or
for a different C Compiler and can provide the relevant commands
and syntax required, I will be happy to incorporate that in the next
verion!!!
I just hope that you have as much fun using it as I had writing it!
===================================================================
I must, however, record my thanks to my brother Paul for his
assistance with the Windowing Functions, especially Screen
Frenzy, and for his ever-available advice and technical support!
Above all thank you, Hector, for Xpress 2.24+, without which none
of this would be possible or worthwhile!!
Best Wishes,
__ __
(__)liver |__larke. 19th April 1990.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~