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1993-11-14
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SBI-Spy version 1.0
Written by Tim Kilgore
Copyright 1993, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION -
SBI-Spy is utility to allow you to preview SoundBlaster Instrument (SBI)
files. It does this by allowing you to play notes using an instrument
of your choosing.
This program is useful to anyone that needs to select instruments as part
of the composing process (CMF and IBK file creation). It will also be
useful to game authors capable of accessing an instrument bank; many of
the sounds included with SBI-Spy are suitable for sound effects.
If you have no need to preview instruments, then SBI-Spy will probably
have a very short lifespan on your hard drive. It can be entertaining to
listen to the many instruments included with SBI-Spy, so by all means
feel free to play with the program.
PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS -
o An 80286-class machine, or better.
o An Adlib or compatible (such as the SoundBlaster)
o At least 200k of conventional memory
o A mouse is optional, but recommended
DISCLAIMER <sigh> -
BY YOUR USE OF THIS PROGRAM, YOU AGREE NOT TO HOLD THE AUTHOR, TIM
KILGORE, RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, REAL OR IMAGINED, THAT OCCUR
THROUGH THE USE OR MISUSE OF SBI-SPY.EXE. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH
THESE TERMS, DELETE SBI-SPY.EXE AND ALL RELATED TEXT OR DATA FILES
IMMEDIATELY.
EXECUTING SBI-SPY -
SBI-Spy accepts a single command-line augument, the name of a composite
or single SBI file. This means that you can listen to the instruments
included in SBI.DAT (1198 instruments) or SFX.DAT (sound effects suitable
for game programmers). You can also load a standard SBI file.
Here are some examples -
SBI-SPY SFX.DAT
SBI-SPY HARP.SBI
SBI-Spy checks the file to be loaded in several ways. It is unlikely
that SBI-Spy will allow you to load anything other than a composite or
single SBI file.
If a file name is not provided, SBI-SPY will attempt to load SBI.DAT, the
default data file.
NOTE: if a path is not provided, SBI-SPY will first look in the current
sub directory for the specified file. If it is not found, SBI-SPY
will search the sub directory from which it was summoned (useful for
placing SBI-SPY in your path).
COMPOSITE SBI FILES? -
I recently aquired 1198 *.SBI files. Each file is 52 bytes in size, but
occupies 4096 bytes of hard drive space. This isn't very efficient, and
many of the utilities I like to use simply aren't designed to handle so
many files.
So, I copied the files together. A composite SBI file is nothing more
than 2 or more SBI files copied together.
Because of the number of SBI files involved (1198), I wrote a program to
append the SBI files together, but it can also be accomplished with the
COPY command. This means that you can very easily add SBI files to *.DAT
composite SBI files provided with SBI-Spy.
Here is an example of using the COPY command to append a single SBI file
to SBI.DAT -
COPY /B SBI.DAT + mysound.sbi
Note the /B. This tells copy to assume that the file is BINARY. If you
forget this option, the copy may not work which will ruin the *.DAT file.
NOTE: SBI-Spy cannot handle DAT files larger than 65460 bytes in size.
TRICKS AND TIPS FOR GAME AUTHORS -
SFX.DAT contains quite a few useful instruments for game programming.
Sound effects range from telephones ringing to UFO sound effects. While
VOC files are of better quality, there are many times when playing a note
from a SFX instrument is the better solution. VOC files require a lot of
memory while a SFX instrument requires no more than 52 bytes of memory.
Most of the SFX instruments are designed to be played at certain pitch.
You'll have to experiment, but Low C is the most common pitch for SFX
instruments.
Many of the SFX instruments in SFX.DAT require repetative note sounding
before they emulate the desired sound. A good example of this is PLANE1.
Press and HOLD ALT-L when you listen to this instrument. Now it sounds
like a plane's engine!
TOOLS USED -
SBI-Spy was written using Microsoft's VISUAL BASIC FOR DOS, Professional
Edition. Sound services were provided by Mystic Software's WORX+, a sound
toolkit intended for C and Pascal programmers (but clearly works fine with
BASIC).
If you are interested in a wonderful, reasonably priced sound library, I
recommend WORX or WORX+. Mystic Software can be contacted at 510-865-9563
(voice).
REGISTERING SBI-SPY -
If you find yourself using SBI-Spy on a regular basis, I'd appreciate
it if you would take the time to register this program. It's really
fairly painless.
The registration fee for SBI-Spy is a single postcard. The theme
for the postcard should be something humorous or a famous landmark
located where you live. (Don't even bother sending 3x5 note cards,
ok?)
Send your postcard to -
TIM KILGORE
2601 S Providence #40
Columbia, MO 65203
Once you've done this, you can use SBI-Spy in good faith!
Enjoy!
EOF