130 MIDI Tool Box/130 MIDI Tool Box.iso/play_smf/play.hlp

Text File | 1990-01-11 | 16KB | 204 lines

 ** Function key usage **                                    Mouse

   F1     - Display this help information.                  [Help]
   F3     - Exit program.                                   [Exit]
   F4     - Save configuration information to disk.         [Save]
   F5     - Rewind to beginning (00:00).                    [Rewind]
   F6     - Fast forward (advances 10 seconds at a time).   [Fast Fwd]
   F7     - Toggles between play and pause.                 [Play/Pause]
   F9     - Decrease value of current field.                <left button>
   F10    - Increase value of current field.                <right button>
   Home   - Move to first screen cell (File).
   Alt-F1 - Toggle channel activity indicators off/on.
   Alt-F2 - Toggle MIDI thru mode off/on (default is on).   [Thru]
   Alt-F3 - Push to DOS (suspends playing).                 [Push]

 ** Editing **

 Use the arrow keys to move the large block cursor around the screen to
 select the available data fields or "cells".  On a color monitor, the data
 in cells which can be changed will appear yellow.  Note the input area near
 the bottom of the screen, indicated by ">" and the small blinking cursor.
 To enter or change a selected cell, type into the input area and press
 return.  The value entered will then appear in the cell (if the input was
 valid).  A description of the valid input for the current cell will always
 appear on the line above the input area.

 Use the following keys for editing:

  Return    - Retrieves the current contents of a cell and places it in the
                input area for modification (if the input area is empty).
  Insert    - Toggles between character insert and overwrite modes.
  Delete    - Deletes the character at the cursor.
  BackSpace - Deletes the character before the cursor.
  End       - Moves to the end of the character string.
  Home      - Moves to the beginning of the character string.
  Escape    - Erases the input area.

 ** Operation **

 To load a MIDI file, move to the "File:" cell (press Home).  Then type the
 name of the file and press return.  If no extension is given, ".MFF" is
 assumed.  After the file has been loaded, it will be scanned for the various
 types of data described below.  This will take some time, unless the data
 has been previously saved for this file using the F4 function.  Press F7 to
 begin playing.  Note that any operation may be performed while a song is
 playing.

 Data cells:

 - Tempo or Speed:  For metrically specified time bases, this cell controls
   the overall, or "master", tempo in beats per minute.  The first tempo
   value encountered in the file is used as the reference for subsequent
   manual changes.  If the file does not specify tempo, 120 is assumed.  The
   speed of play at any given point is determined by the ratio of the current
   setting to the original value (regardless of tempo changes in the file).
   For example, if the original value is 120, play will occur at half speed
   whenever the master tempo is changed to 60.

   For files having a time base specified in SMPTE or MIDI time code units,
   this cell is indicated as speed, rather than tempo, and is given as a
   percentage of the initial speed (100%).  Half speed is 50%, double speed
   is 200%, etc.

 - Lt (Length):  Duration of the song in minutes and seconds.  Note that when
   the master tempo is changed, the duration is adjusted accordingly.

 - Pos (Position):  The current song position in minutes and seconds.  This
   cell is updated every second while playing is in progress (actually, for
   every second in which an event occurs).  It may be selected and changed at
   any time.  It may take a few seconds to skip to a new position, depending
   on how far away it is.  Selecting an earlier location requires scanning
   from the beginning.  The F6 (fast forward) function advances the position
   10 seconds at a time.  F10 may also be used when this cell is selected to
   advance 1 second.  F9 (decrease) is not recommended.  Note: This cell
   represents elapsed time since the start of play - if the master tempo is
   changed while playing, counting continues in one second intervals and the
   ending time may not match the song duration for that play.

 The numbered rows show channel data as follows:

 - Chan:  MIDI channel number (1-16).

 - Notes:  Maximum number of notes played concurrently on the channel (as
   determined by note on/off messages).

 - Lo/Hi:  Lowest and highest note pitches used on the channel.

 - Vol:  Maximum volume of notes played on the channel, from 0 to 100 percent
   (determined by note velocities).  If this value is changed, subsequent
   note volumes will be adjusted *relative* to the original maximum value.

 - Map:  Channel to which the original output for this channel is to be
   redirected (1 to 16).  Default is the same channel.

 - Chg:  Determines whether program changes are allowed for the channel. "On"
   indicates changes enabled.

 - Xpos:  The number of half steps that notes on the channel are to be
   transposed.  From -127 to +127.  Notes transposed below 0 or above 127
   will not be played.

 - Tracks:  Lists the MIDI file track numbers which contain messages for the
   channel.  (There may be more than can be displayed - use the program in
   line mode to get full track information.)  Note that track 1 typically
   contains only tempo information and will probably not appear.

 - Info:  Originally contains textual information found while scanning the
   track(s) corresponding to the channel.  This information may be changed as
   desired to record information about the file for future reference.  It can
   be saved along with the rest of the screen data by using the F4 function.


 ** Saving **

 When the F4 (save) function key is pressed, the current data on the screen
 will be saved to a file.  The same name as the current file is used, but
 with the extension ".PLA".  If a .PLA file corresponding to the MIDI file
 being loaded is found, that data will be used and the (sometimes slow)
 initial scan step is eliminated.  F4 will replace the existing .PLA file
 whenever it is pressed.


 ** Mouse usage **

 When a Microsoft-compatible mouse is available and the mouse driver software
 properly loaded, operations using the mouse will be enabled.  The mouse may
 be used to select an input cell on the screen by positioning the small mouse
 cursor on the cell and single clicking either button.  The cell will be
 highlighted, just as if the cell had been selected using the arrow keys.

 Any cell which can be changed using the F10/F9 keys to increment/decrement,
 may be changed in a similar manner using the mouse.  Once a cell is selected
 by clicking on it, subsequent clicking of the left button will decrement the
 cell value, and clicking of the right button will increment it.

 In mouse mode, the function key designations normally displayed at the
 bottom of the screen are changed to selector blocks for each available
 function.  Clicking on a block will perform the indicated function.  All
 functions may still be invoked via the normal keyboard equivalents.

 If mouse operations are not desired, add the -k option on the command line
 when the program is run to force keyboard mode.


 ** Command line usage **

 PLAY <filename> <mode> <options>

 If <filename> is specified, PLAY is run non-interactively (i.e., the file is
 just played, without the full-screen editing display).  Interactive mode is
 selected simply by leaving off the file name.

 <mode> may only be specified if a file name is given.  If <mode> is a number
 from 1 to 16, it indicates the channel to which all channel messages will be
 redirected.  This is useful for quick "auditioning" of a file when the
 actual channels are unknown, or when they do not match the equipment
 settings.  For more control, run PLAY interactively.

 If <mode> is the letter "S" (for Scan), no playing is done, but the file is
 scanned and pertinent channel and track information is listed (similar to
 that displayed in interactive mode).  To capture scan output to a file, use
 standard DOS output redirection:  play midifile s >outfile

 if <mode> is the letter "D" (for Debug), the events in the MIDI file are
 listed on the screen as they are played, along with the corresponding track
 times in microseconds.  Playing may be choppy in this mode due to time
 delays as information is displayed on the screen.  If "X" is specified
 instead of "D", no playing occurs - only events are listed.  Output may be
 captured to a file as mentioned above.


 <options> may be any of the following:

 -r  indicates that the Roland MPU compatible interface is to be used if an
     IBM Music Feature card is also present.

 -p  followed by a hexidecimal number defines the base I/O address to be used
     for the MPU interface.  Note that MIDI hardware interrupts are not used,
     so the IRQ setting of the interface is not relevant.

 -k  forces keyboard mode if a mouse is present.

 -m  forces monochrome mode (mono mode is automatically detected).

  Separate all options with at least one space.


 Examples:

   play                     (Runs the program interactively)

   play test.mff            (Plays the file non-interactively)

   play test.mff s          (Just scans the file and lists data)

   play test.mff 3          (Maps all channels to channel 3)

   play -p336               (Runs interactively; forces MPU I/O address 336)

   play test.mff -r         (Plays file, forcing MPU mode)

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