SoundMaker 2003 (Professional Edition)/SoundMaker 2003 - Professional Edition.iso/sample converter/tlrdemo.exe/{app}/epsdisk.txt

Text File | 2000-07-05 | 18KB | 387 lines

                                                                11/8/1993
============================================================================
EPSDisk v1.30b:  program for reading, writing and formatting
                 EPS disks and images on IBM PC compatibles;
                 extracts and writes individual files to DOS
                 files
============================================================================
It allows the user to read and write physical disks, raw image files, and
GKH files (GKH is the standard disk image format used for the EPS archive
at oak.oakl.edu).  Version 1.11 added the ability to extract and write EPS
individual files to DOS files.

EPSDisk supports different disk formats, including EPS/16+ double density
800K and ASR-10 high density 1.6MB format.  It also allows non-standard
formats to be created (to an extent) --- for example, it is very possible
(I am using one as my boot disk) to format 82 tracks per side, for a total
disk capacity of 820K (1640 blocks)!

As of Version 1.21 the COMPUTER format of the ASR-10 (thanks to
Fred Shaul for the info) is fully supported , allowing formatting and all
other  normal operations.

The EPSDisk formatter has a feature called sector shift, which speeds up
your disk access by formatting the disk sectors in a special order.  The
order of sectors is staggered from one track to the next, so that the drive
doesn't have to spin all the way around to start on the next track.  This
feature gives a truly amazing increase in disk performance from floppies!
Please try it --- this alone is worth the price.

Try this out: grab your OS disk, and save it to a file (GKH, or whatever).
Then, format a disk with EPSDisk (double density by default; to change, use
the Parameters command), and copy the disk image onto your new disk.  You'll
be pleasantly surprised to find your EPS boots up quite a bit faster!  Also
try a few bank loads, and you'll understand how neat this feature is.

Enjoy!  Send comments, questions, wish lists, etc. to:

Michael Chen                    ([e-mail])
319 West Hamilton #E
State College, PA 16801           (ground address valid until August 1994)
                (USA)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
MY CURRENT WISH LIST:

Could someone please send me either a copy of the file formats for the EPS
and cousins, tell me where to get one, or the same for the MIDI Sys-Ex
documentation (which is supposedly very close to the file data)?

Also, please keep uploading cool samples to the archive!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
SHAREWARE POLICY (THE "POOR STUDENT" PLUG)

If you find this software useful, and use it on a regular basis,
please register your copy with me.  Send your ground address, your
e-mail address (if you have one), and the version of EPSDisk you are
using to me, along with a modest monetary donation (if you think it is
worthy; certainly not over $50!) and suggestions on what could be done
to improve or expand the program.

E-mail and ground addresses are listed above.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
RELEASE NOTES:

The single files that EPSDisk creates are .EFE-compatible.  However, if you
don't specify an extension, EPSDisk tries to pick one that is descriptive
of the file type (.INS, .OS, and so on).  To override this, just add .EFE to
the file name.

When writing existing .EFE compatible files to an EPS disk or an image
one can supply DOS wildcards for the filename to select all in a directory.

In situations where you have a lot of .EFE files the easiest thing to do
is to write these files first to an image and then to an EPS floppy.
Here is what you do:
   1. Format a GKH volume  -- F)ormat, volume w.gkh ( or w.img )
   2. Write the .EFE files to that volume -- W)rite, dest volume
        w.gkh, default directory, source file *.efe
   3. Copy the GKH image to an EPS disk -- C)opy w.gkh to B:

    Note: When doing W)rite file to disk, EPSDisk expects the DOS file to
          be in the current directory.


I have had one report of a very strange bug when trying to copy the second
disk of a multi-disk instrument.  Can someone else try this for me?

If the information about the disk format in the device block is bad, EPSDisk
will now scan your disk to figure out how many tracks and sectors it has.
For DOS disks, the number of sectors found will be one more than expected
(i.e. a 720K disk scans as 10-sector); this is due to the way the EPS and DOS
number their disk sectors.
============================================================================
EPSDisk revision log:

<1.01 (1/27/93) Internal (non-public) versions only

1.01a (1/28/93) Fixed bug which prevented HD drives from formatting DD disks,
                which made the formatter useless for a lot of people.

1.01b (1/28/93) Fixed bug which messed up volume copies to and from DD disks.

1.01c (1/28/93) Fixed bug in volume formatting which caused the EPS to say
                "BAD DISK OS" when the disk was inserted.  As it turns out,
                some of the diagrams in the document "EPS Floppy Disk Format
                Explained" are not correct -- there are columns missing from
                at least two of the memory dumps.

1.01d (1/28/93) Modified code from SctrEdit module of old EPSUTIL program to
                use the new routines -- so now EPSDisk has a sector editor
                (albeit a primitive one) as well.

1.10  (1/31/93) Now extracts and writes individual files to DOS files.  Uses
                .EFE format with minor extension; tries to give informative
                DOS file suffix (.INS, .SQ, etc.) if not specified.

1.11  (2/13/93) Small (one-letter) patch to let Terje's .EFE files work with
                EPSDisk.

1.11b (2/18/93) Small (one-line) patch to fix problem with extracting files
                with non-contiguous blocks.

1.20  (3/6/93)  Changed method of selecting disk type; added auto-scan for
                damaged disks.

1.21  (3/11/93) Added proper support for COMPUTER format.

1.21b (3/11/93) Fixed small bug in version 1.21; superseded upload.

1.21c (3/12/93) Fixed bug in copy routine; added ability to accept single
                sector errors during during copy and then allow the user to
                continue.

1.30b (11/8/93) Added DOS wildcards when naming existing .EFE and .INS files one
                wants to write to an EPS disk or an image.

=============================================================================

These User Guidlines for EPSDisk were kindly written by Nate Stelton,
[e-mail] with the assistance of the author of EPSDisk - Michael Chen

EPSDisk 1.30b User Guidelines (12/14/93)

EPSDisk is a utility program that allows you to read from, write to, or format,
Ensoniq EPS Classic, EPS 16+, and ASR-10 disks using an IBM PC compatible
computer.  The data image of an EPS diskette can be saved on a PC hard disk
as a .IMG file or as a .GKH file. ( The latter is just the raw image wrapped in a
format allowing additional information in the file ).  In addition, you can transfer
individual files ( such as instruments or sequences ) between the Ensoniq disks and
the PC (stored on the PC hard disk as EFE compatible files).

Other features of EPSDisk include an option that verifies the integrity of
either an Ensoniq disk or a .IMG/.GKH file, and a sector editor that lets you edit
the binary information of the Ensoniq disk or the .IMG/.GKH file.

Installation

Basically, all you need to do to install the program is to create a directory,
and copy the program into it. Before doing this, however, you might give some thought
to where and how you want to store and organize your files, how EPSDisk will be
accessed via your path, and whether or not you want to use compressors.
(Pkzip should compress a GKH file down to about 75% of its original size.)

Using EPSDisk

EPSDisk uses a simple menu interface for executing selected options.
To start the program from the DOS command line, enter:  EPSDISK

You see:

  EPSDisk v1.30b with SctrEdit module by Michael Chen 3/6/1993

  C)opy / F)ormat / disk T)ype / S)ector edit / V)erify / D)irectory /
  eX)tract, W)rite file / change P)arameters / Q)uit ?

Important Note:  Before doing anything else, always set the disk type (third
menu item) first!  If you don't, you may have all sorts of problems.

Following is a breakdown of these menu options:

  C) Copy  -- This command lets you copy a disk or image file to another disk
         or image file.  When selected, you see:

         Enter source volume spec (<CR> exits):

         At this prompt, identify the source data to be copied, either as
         i)   a floppy drive (e.g., A:)
         ii)  a GKH filename (e.g., tuba.gkh).
         iii) a raw-image filename (e.g., tuba.img).

         You then see:

         Enter destination volume spec (<CR> exits):

         Again, enter a drive or image filename, this time for where you are
         copying to.  For both prompts, make sure that if a drive is selected,
         that drive has an Ensoniq disk whose format matches the one you
         selected with the disk type option.  For filenames, full pathnames
         are legal.

         Note: If the disk has never been formatted or uses a different
         encoding method (i.e., GCR for DD Mac disks), EPSDisk will figure out
         that the disk is new and will format it before copying.  If the disk
         is MS-DOS, then it needs to be formatted first.  (It's easiest just
         to always do it.)

  F) Format -- This formats a diskette to the type specified by T) Disk Type.
         When selected, you see:

         Enter volume spec (<CR> exits):

         Enter a drive (e.g., A:) at this prompt.  You can also enter a IMG/GKH
         filename to create a blank file (into which you can copy EFE files).

  T) Disk Type -- This option sets the format for both Ensoniq disk and IMG/GKH
         files.  When selected, you see:

         0) User        user-defined disk type
         1) DD          standard EPS double-density (800K)
         2) 820K        special EPS double-density (820K)
         3) HD          standard ASR-10 high-density (1600K)
         4) 1640K       special ASR-10 high-density (1640K)
         5) COMP_DD     COMPUTER-format double-density (720K)
         6) COMP_HD     COMPUTER-format high-density (1440K)
         7) COMP_800K   COMPUTER-format double-density (800K)
         8) COMP_1600K  COMPUTER-format high-density (1600K)

         Select disk type: (<CR> leaves unchanged)

         Enter an option (0 to 8).  For options 1) through 8), make sure that
         your selection matches the disk's DD or HD type (i.e., for DD, select
         1, 2, 5, or 7; for HD, legal selections are 3, 4, 6, or 8).  If you
         select option 0), you are led through a series of questions concerning
         number of tracks, sides, sectors per track, interleaving, gap, sector
         offset, head sector shift, and track sector shift (the explanation of
         which extends beyond the scope of this document).

         Note: The 820K disk doesn't work right on (at least) the EPS Classic,
         since the EPS does not seek past track 79.

  S) Sector Edit -- This lets you see and/or change the binary data of a disk
        or IMG/GKH file, one block per screenload. The editor screen actually
        shows the block in two side-by-side matrices--on the left in hex and on
        the right in ASCII.  A live curser in each matrix allows you to select
        and edit bytes in either format.  The following operations can be
        performed from this screen:

        B)lock -- Select the block to view/edit.
        R)ead -- Read the last-saved version of the displayed block from file
           or floppy (sort of like a "revert").
        V)erify -- Verify the current sector.
        W)rite -- Write the block to the file or floppy.  This writes over
           only the block displayed.
        H)ex entry -- Edit the selected byte by hex.
        A)SCII entry -- Edit the selected byte by ASCII.
        Q)uit -- Go back to the main menu.

  V) Verify -- This is a check to see whether the Ensoniq disk or GKH file is
        readable or corrupted.

  D) Directory -- This displays a listing of the individual wave files  on
        a disk or IMG/GKH file.

        Source volume (<CR> exits) :

        Enter either a drive or a IMG/GKH filename.  You then see:

        Directory at block (default 3) :

        This is asking you what block's directory to list.  If you don't use
        subdirectories (and most people don't), just hit return.  You should
        see something like this example:

        2: name DEMO-KIT-ASR type EPS-INST size  1036 (ctg     1) loc    31
        3: name VERSA BASS   type EPS-INST size   251 (ctg     1) loc  1067
        4: name DEMO PERCS   type EPS-INST size   363 (ctg     1) loc  1315
        5: name DEMO SYNTH   type EPS-INST size   377 (ctg     1) loc  1678
        6: name DEMO FLUTE   type EPS-INST size   109 (ctg     1) loc  2054
        7: name DEMO P5-B3   type EPS-INST size    83 (ctg     1) loc  2163
        8: name DEMO EFFECTS type EPS-INST size   847 (ctg     1) loc  2246
        9: name ASR LEAD GTR type EPS-INST size    34 (ctg     1) loc  3093
       10: name TIME BOMB    type          size    38 (ctg     1) loc  3127

  X) Extract -- This option grabs an EPS file (sequence, instrument, etc.) and
        reads it into an EFE-format DOS file.  The suffixes are different,
        to distinguish between sequence and instrument files, etc.

        Note: You may have problems getting a good copy if the file's blocks
        are not contiguous.

  W) Write File -- This selection takes an EFE-format file and writes it onto
        the EPS disk.  Don't try this with non-EFE files.  When selected, you
        see a series of prompts:

        Destination volume (<CR> exits) :

        Enter either a drive or a IMG/GKH filename.  You then see:

        Directory at block (default 3) :

        Enter a <CR> to write the file to the root directory, which is where
        you'll probably want your instrument file(s).  Next, you see:

        Source file name (<CR> exits) :

        Enter a filename here, or if you want to copy all the EFE files that
        are in the current directory, enter *.EFE.

  P) Change Parameters -- This selection sets a number of parameters used in
        formatting and any error reporting during a disk/file read.  When
        selected, you see a series of prompts:

         DISK FORMAT PARAMETERS

           Label () :

        Enter a label name here (or just hit a <CR>).  The label name is
        written to the disk during formatting.

         ERROR HANDLING PARAMETERS

           Number of retries on error (5) :
           Delay between errors in milliseconds (250) :
           Number of drive resets between errors (1) :

        Enter <CR> for each of the above three prompts to select the default
        values shown in the ()'s.  This determines how the program will
        behave if it encounters difficulties while reading or varifying a
        disk or GKH/IMG file.

  Q) Quit -- Exit the EPSDisk program.


Backing up an Ensoniq disk to the PC's hard drive

1.  Start EPSDisk.
2.  Select T (disk type) and select the format that matches the disk to copy.
3.  Insert the Ensoniq disk.
4.  Select C to copy.
5.  Supply source drive (e.g., A:) and a filename (e.g., organs.gkh).
6.  Select V to verify the file you just created.
7.  Select Q to exit.  You can then use a backup program and/or compression
    program to further archive the file, if desired.

Getting a file from the eps mailig lists ftp site to the sampler

1.  Using ftp and whatever other modem tools normally used, get the GKH file
    to your PC and uncompress it as nessecary.
2.  Start EPSDisk.
3.  Select T (disk type) and select the format that matches the disk to copy.
    (Typically, this step isn't needed, since EPSDisk defaults to standard EPS
    800K, and all uploaded GKH files are this type.)
4.  Insert the blank disk. This must be a Double sided Double density disk.
5.  If the disk is unformatted, select F to format it.
6.  Select C to copy.
7.  Supply source filename (e.g., organs.gkh) and drive (e.g., A:).
8.  Select V to verify the disk you just wrote to.
9.  Select Q to exit.  Put the disk in your instrument and play.

Copying an EFE file from an 800K GKH file to a 1600K GKH file (of interest to
ASR-10 and TS-10 users)

1.  Start EPSDisk
2.  Select X to extract.
3.  Supply the source volume (file1.gkh), the directory block (usually just
    hit <CR>), the EPS source sound file (as named on the EPS disk), and the
    destination filename (file.efe).
4.  Select T to change disk type and select option 3).
5.  If you're creating a new 1600K disk/gkh-file from scratch, select F to
    format and supply the GKH filename (file2.gkh).
6.  Select W to write the EFE file to the GKH file.
7.  Supply the destination volume (file2.gkh), the directory block, and the
    source filename (file.efe).

Uploading a file to the eps mailig lists ftp site

1.  Put the samples onto a 800 kB Double sided Double density Ensoniq formatted
    floppy. This you can all do at your sampler. Use only DD floppies NOT HD
2.     Start EPSDisk  and put in the DD floppy you made in the drive.
3.  Select C to copy
4.    Supply source drive (e.g. A: ) and destination file ( e.g. mygongs.gkh )
5    Compress the image with gzip
6    Make a description of your samples in a text file, call it mygongs.gkh
7.    Start your ftp program, upload to the eps/incoming directory
    give them destination name such as mygongs.gkh.gz an mygongs.txt
8.    Write a short note aboat your upload  to the site administrator
    telling : what is it? to where do you suggest it beeing moved