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Amiga Computing 59
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ac059.adf
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Utilities
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PowerTracker.doc
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PowerTracker.doc
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1993-02-05
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PowerTracker v1.00
Copyright © 1992,1993 Wai Hung Liu
All rights reserved.
Amiga Computing has distribution rights to this version for their coverdisk.
Neither Amiga Computing or the author take any responsiblity for any loss of
data in any form whatsoever through use of this program. The program is all
written by and copyright Wai Hung Liu except for Reqtools.library which is a
freely distributable library written and copyrighted by Nico Francois.
Reqtools.library is included in the PowerTracker package by the author.
About PowerTracker
==================
There have been numerous Tracker players since the phenomenen called
SoundTracker changed Amiga music. So why should you choose PowerTracker?
o Small, compact 100% pure assembly code
o 2.0 style interface even on 1.2/1.3 machines
o Fully O/S legal
o Works on (tested) 1.3 upto 3.0+, (not tested) 1.2.
o Stand alone program, no extra "players"
o Uses Reqtools.library (if available) for file requesters
o Can load PowerPacked modules
o Can save modules to disk
o Can be iconified
o Fully multitasking
o Loadable from WorkBench
o Uses a CIA interrupt
o Properly allocates the audio hardware
o Preferences
o CLI parameters
o and much more
PowerTracker is a versatile player with many different options. Most
importantly the program conforms to legal programming. eg. There are no
"hacks" to speed up the program, etc. If you want to be able to use file
requesters you must have "Reqtools.library" in your system LIBS: drawer.
Reqtools.library also has a palette editor and this is used by PowerTracker.
I did not use Arp.library as it is very old now, and Asl.library only works
on Kickstart 2+ machines. With Reqtools you can use it on all Amigas.
I think that you will agree that this compromise will suit all users.
Note that there are two versions of Reqtools.library. One is ONLY for 2.0+
machines, another for both 1.3 and 2.0+ machines. Make sure you don't
install the 2.0 library if you have a 1.3 machine!! Vice versa has no
problems. Reqtools.library is a freely distributable library ©1991-1993
by Nico Francois. Nice one Nico - keep it up!
If you want to get in touch with the author of this program, Wai Hung Liu,
write to the following address. Any ideas, comments, bug reports (no!)
would be appreciated.
WH Liu (Simon),
(PowerTracker),
90 Terenure Road East,
Dublin 6,
Ireland.
If you need a personal reply please enclose a stamped addressed envelope.
I decided to write PowerTracker because no other player suited my own taste.
Either they crashed when run from WorkBench, or would refuse to work when
a library like ReqTools was absent. PowerTracker avoids these problems
and tries to be as user friendly as possible. However caution must be taken
when using PowerTracker and/or other music players. Avoid trying to run both
at the same time or loading the player twice (thereby launching two programs)
because the results are wierd and unpredictable. Just stick with one player
at any one time and your system will run smoothly! (Try PowerTracker ;-)
General information
===================
PowerTracker uses the intuition library for full multitasking and opens
it's own window.
Upon loading you will be met with gadgets and menus. The main bar is
for you to enter the name of a module to load or save. The gadgets along
the bottom operate different functions. The menu has the same options as
the gadgets with some extras. If you look at the menu you can see that you
can operate the program by special key combinations. Do this by holding
down "Right Amiga" and the corresponding key.
Currently PowerTracker will play tracker compatible modules. This
encompasses the following types:
SoundTracker x.x
NoiseTracker x.x
ProTracker 1.0-2.1b
StarTrekker (4 channels only)
Even if your tracker is not on this list the chances are that the music
program is compatible so save some music and try loading it up. Remember
that this program will not play songs, but modules. These are the songs
saved as a single compact file.
Basic Requirements
==================
The program is only limited by the amount of chip mem you have since
modules are loaded into this memory. If you do experience any memory
problems then you should turn off external drives, or better still, buy a
ram upgrade. PowerTracker has been tested and found to work on machines
with KickStart 1.3 upto 3.x and no memory problems were found.
Loading from CLI
================
PowerTracker can be run from the CLI and can handle one parameter. This
parameter is either a specified path or module name and is used as such:
1> PowerTracker [path/module]
In the prefs menu there is an option called Autoload. This simply means
that if a module is specified it will be automatically loaded and played.
Even if the prefs file is not found, Autoload is a default function so the
program will try and play the module. Specifying a path is only useful
if you have Reqtools.libary present. If Autoload is on a requester will
appear showing the contents of the specified device or directory. For
example if your modules are in the "Modules" directory of "MyDisk:" you
would type:
1> PowerTracker MyDisk:Modules/
and the directory would be listed. You must end the path with either a
":" to denote a disk/device or "/" for a directory! This is so that the
program could still load a module called "Modules" and not confuse it
with the directory.
If PowerTracker is not on your boot or system disk a requester may pop up
asking for that disk. This is because PowerTracker is looking for the
prefs file. You can click cancel if you want. A second requester will
appear, again asking for the boot disk. This is because PowerTracker is
looking for the Reqtools.library in the LIBS: drawer. You can click cancel
if you want, but if Reqtools is available it would be better to load it
as then you can use the nice file requesters.
Loading from WorkBench
======================
This is even easier than loading from the CLI. Simply double-click on the
PowerTracker icon and the program will load. If requesters pop up then it
is for the same reason as shown above in the CLI loading section.
If you have a module on disk you can play it by adding PowerTracker as it's
default tool. Simply select the modules "Info" from the WorkBench menu,
click in the default tool box, and type in exactly where PowerTracker is to
be found. For example if you have copied PowerTracker to your Utilities
drawer on the WorkBench disk you would type in:
WorkBench:Utilities/PowerTracker
Now if you click on the module's icon it will load PowerTracker and then be
played.
Program functions
=================
Gadgets
-------
Below is an explanation of all of the gadgets.
STRING - You can enter the name of a module here if you find that
Reqtools.library is unavailable. Works the same way as if you had used the
file requester. Anything typed here will also be used in the file req.
PLAY - Plays the loaded module from the start.
CONT - Continue playing the module from the location it was stopped at.
STOP - Stop playing the module.
LOAD - Loads the specified module into memory. If Reqtools is available
then a requester pops up and you can choose the module to load from there.
The requester is extremely easy to use. To cancel loading just click on the
Cancel button. Modules can be crunched with PowerPacker.
SAVE - As "LOAD" gadget but the file specified will be saved. (Decrunched)
Menu Options
------------
Below is an explanation of the menu options. You can use the keyboard
combinations as shown by holding down the Right Amiga Key and the specified
key. For example, to get some info about the program press the Right Amiga
key with "a".
PROJECT
-------
[a] ABOUT - A small window to display info about PowerTracker.
[t] CLEAR - If a module is in memory you have the option of wiping it.
[l] LOAD... - Same as "LOAD" gadget.
[w] SAVE... - Same as "SAVE" gadget.
[q] QUIT - Exit program
FUNCTION
--------
[p] PLAY - Play module
[c] CONT - Continue module
[s] STOP - Stop module
EXTRAS
------
[u] AUTOLOAD - When a filename is passed as a CLI parameter or from
WorkBench then the module will be immediately loaded and
played. If a directory is passed a file requester will
open displaying the contents of it.
[f] FILTER - Toggle filter on or off
[i] ICONIFY - Toggle iconify on or off. If on the program will shrink
into a small title bar, else it will revert to normal.
[m] MOD.* ONLY - Toggle pattern on or off for file requesters. If on
only files with a prefix of "mod.", the standard prefix
for music modules is shown.
[e] EDIT PALETTE - Simple. Lets you change the current screen colours.
[x] SAVE PREFS - Saves your current preferences to disk.
Preferences
===========
The idea of having this option is to allow you to customise PowerTracker to
your liking. This way you can set it up to the right colours and module to
start playing, etc. When saving prefs, options that will be activated next
time you run PowerTracker are the options in the Prefs menu that have a tick
next to them.
AUTOLOAD - As explained above.
FILTER - Sets the filter on/off when program run.
ICONIFY - If set on, the program will start in Iconified mode.
MOD.* ONLY - If set on, all file requesters have the pattern on.
Current system colours are also saved so that next time PowerTracker is run
your edited colours will be restored.
The prefs is saved to your SYS: directory (or boot disk/partition) as a
small file called "Prefs.PT". If PowerTracker can't find the file, that
doesn't matter as the program will just default to it's original settings.
The actual Prefs file is tiny at 12 bytes so you should have plenty of room
for it either on disk or hard drive.
Error messages
==============
PowerTracker will inform you of any decisions you have to make or of any
errors that might have occured.
"Cannot allocate audio hardware"
--------------------------------
This means that PowerTracker cannot take over the audio.device because
another program is using it. Make sure that no other music program is
running as they may also want to use the audio.device. Try pressing "Play"
again and if it is free now the music will be played. When you press
"Stop" the audio.device will be freed by PowerTracker. Because the program
does not hog the aduio hardware it means you don't have to quit PowerTracker
if you do want to load a music editor, etc.
"Error loading module"
----------------------
An error occurred while trying to load your specified module. Either it
does not exist or the module itself has errors on it.
"Error saving module"
---------------------
There was an error trying to save the current module in memory. This can
happen for many reasons eg. disk full, disk corrupt, or specified disk or
path does not exist.
"Not enough chip memory"
------------------------
This means that you do have enough memory to load your module into chip mem.
Chip memory is the memory that the custom chips need so modules must be
loaded into this memory. Try freeing some other programs or resetting
before trying again. Memory can become fragmented and this is a common
cause.
"Unrecognised module format"
----------------------------
Your module was loaded correctly but are you sure the file is a tracker
compatible module? If it is it is most likely that the module is corrupt or
you have used a new version of a music editor which is not supported.
"Error saving prefs"
--------------------
This disk will save the prefs onto your "SYS:" disk, or boot disk. If it
can't then this message pops up probably because you did not insert the
correct disk or there is no space left on the disk.
Acknowledgements
================
Thanks must go to the following people:
Commodore - For producing the best computer ever!
Nico Francois - Where would we be without you?!
Gary Edmunds - For fastest testing ever!
Tony McNamee - For bug-testing and ideas(?)
Mike Cross - Thanks for telling me I needed to create decent intuition
interfaces. By the way, ASM-One was used to assemble this...
Final Note
==========
Forthcoming products from the same programmer...
X-Play 0.2 will soon be updated with a few more replayers to enhance it.
AMOS Cracker 0.5, to rip more banks depends on the availability of the new
pro compiler.
Magnum 1.4 will soon handle MED and tracker modules and will not require
converting of modules.
PowerMore, a new text viewer that can handle PP files and have many options.