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Collection of Hack-Phreak Scene Programs
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MOD15V12.ZIP
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3115.DOC
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1996-01-20
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This file comes from "MOD15V12.ZIP",
a pack containing the following files :
file_id.diz -> description (text)
tfl-tdv.nfo -> The FLamoots AND The Dark Vision group info file (text)
tfl-tdv.app -> application form for TFL-TDV distsites (text)
crossing.txt -> advertising for Tetsuo BBS (text)
1531.exe -> module converter : SoundTracker to NoiseTracker/ProTracker
3115.exe -> module converter : NoiseTracker/ProTracker to SoundTracker
1531.doc -> 1531.EXE & 3115.EXE user information (text)
3115.doc -> 1531.EXE & 3115.EXE user information (text)
mod_id.inf -> Some infos about id strings in mod, by Type One /TFL-TDV (text)
modfile.txt -> Unofficial description of mod formats by Lars Hamre,
included without his permission (text)
1531.c -> 1531.exe source code (c)
3115.c -> 3115.exe source code (c)
Executable files are for PC.
=============
H I S T O R Y
=============
The first file format for digital tracked music appeared on Amiga in the 80s,
with the editor Sound Tracker. It was called "module" and allowed only 15
instruments. The only *official* doc you can find on it is a legendary edition
of "ST-magazine" (that Atari freaks should know), around summer 1990. While
coding NoiseTracker for Amiga (Atari ST version coded by Dr. Satan), their
authors, Mahoney and Kaktus, extended that format to 31 instruments. The latest
updates, mostly due to FastTracker I & II on PC, but also Octalyzer on STe,
or some trackers on Falcon, Archimedes, etc, allowing more channels (everyone
knows that Amiga formats allow only 4 channels), are based on the M.K. (Mahoney
and Kaktus) model.
NOTE: The present Amiga ProTracker uses the same format than Noise Tracker :
it just uses some features that weren't used yet by Mahoney and Kaktus.
About extensions
================
Now, you PC dudes, are used to name files of all those formats with the exten-
sion "MOD". But you should know that on Amiga, there are no filename extension.
So, only when SoundTracker modules were transfered from Amiga to ST, then on
Archimede, then -lately- on PC, they have been given the extension "MOD". When
NoiseTracker came, NoiseTracker files have got the extension "NST". Now they're
mostly called MOD too... So "MOD" can in fact mean a lot of formats, all
based on the NoiseTracker one (NST), wich is based on the early Sound Tracker
one. At the position 1080 (in bytes) in the file, is a string of 4 characters
that identify the format ("M.K." for NoiseTracker or ProTracker files - common
31 samples & 4 channels module), except if the file is a Sound Tracker module
(15 samples). That early Sound Tracker format is impossible to identify (just
load it and see if it is music ;) ).
============================
What are doing those utils ?
============================
Syntax: 1531 <filename>
or 3115 <filename>
("filename" is the name of the module to convert)
1531.EXE transforms a 15-samples (Sound Tracker) module into a 31samples (Noise
Tracker or ProTracker) module. The output files gets ".NST" as
extension, but can be renamed as "*.MOD" without any problem.
Actually, it just adds 16 fake sample names and parameters (the size
of each sample is 0 bytes, of course), and the flag "M.K.", to the
file.
3115.EXE transform a Noise Tracker / ProTracker module into a Sound Tracker
compatible (15 samples) module. Actually, it removes 16 samplenames
& sample parameters and the flag "M.K.". But it doesn't actually
remove the samples. So if there are sampledata behind sample #15, it
will be lost, but the memory used by it will keep wasted. Anyway,
this is quite a stupid and unuseful util... Moreover, it could allow
you to create a Sound Tracker file with Pro Tracker commands in the
pattern ! I've made it only because it was so easy to make after
1531.exe...
If the filename is *.NST, the output filename will be *.MOD.
If the filename is already *.MOD, the output filename will be _*.* .
This is to avoid overwriting.
=========
WARNINGS:
=========
Note that those utils can only convert 4-channels modules.
They works "as a blind", without testing what you give to convert, even if
it's your command.com !
I coded these softs in 1 hour. So there isn't any file format test: you could
convert a 15instr into 15instr AGAIN, a 8 channels MOD into 15instr. 8ch. (that
doesn't exist!), or even a text file or your autoexec.bat ! Sorry but I was too
lazy to detect flags. Please always listen to the converted file before dele-
ting the source !
There is no control on filename. You should always enter .MOD or .NST names.
With extension shorter than 3 characters, the behaviour is unpredictable. If
the total length of filename is less than 3 characters, it could even crash.
Sorry for that, but you must enter correct command line...
I advise you against using them on diskettes, because they don't test if there
is enough place left on disk before writing on it (I coded that but it didn't
work immediately so I got angry and I just deleted the function). Actually, I
really don't know what happens if you want them to output a file on a full
disk !
===========
LEGAL STUFF
===========
Those utils are shareware. You can copy and spread them without permission,
but only freely. Note that this doesn't allow you to put them on commercial
CD-Roms or other medias... They are their author's (Frederic Scalliet) proper-
ty. If you modify them, you *must* change the name of the pack and still
mention my name in it... etc... etc... etc... Anyway nobody cares of this...
=================
A N Y W A Y . . .
=================
You can contact me at: llardin@is1.vub.ac.be (That's Type One's e-mail,
actually, but he let me use it :)
Or you can send me a postcard from your country to :
Frédéric Scalliet
53 Dieweg
1180 Brussels
Belgium
Enjoy those utils,
have a good tracking,
listening,
playing,
ripping,
or whatever...
Magic Fred / TFL-TDV
T H E F L A M O O T S
A N D
T H E D A R K V I S I O N