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tMidi.doc Copyright (C)1997 Cornel Huth
Release 2.11 28-Apr-1997
tMidi is a 32-channel, real-time, VIO-based standard MIDI file player. It
can be used with an attached keyboard to completely control the MPU(s).
You can play an SMF and the keyboard at the same time, even with one MPU.
Files included are:
1. paradise.sys
2. tmidi.exe
3. several SMFs, documentation
Optionally, if you are running Warp 3 or earlier:
4. clock01.sys (clock02.sys available by request, for MCA)
No other drivers are needed. MMPM/2 is not required (but is okay), nor
are any soundcard drivers. This package includes everything you need for
perfect MIDI playback, even under heavy multitasking.
For related files go to http://www.40th.com/ and look around the Paradise
section. If you are using an older version of the Paradise driver, be
sure to replace it with the driver in this package (version 1.7).
Also currently available in the Paradise line:
aMixer: a PM mixer for all Sound Blaster cards, for Warp 3 and Warp 4
tMixer: a VIO mixer, similar to aMixer, except command-line driven
XG DSP: a PM DSP editor/controller/mixer for Yamaha's SW60XG and MU-80
Either of the mixer apps may be required for best use of tMidi if you
have a Sound Blaster card; current Warp SB drivers break the mixer
support in Warp (3 and 4). The Paradise mixers are not affected.
Installation
------------
Install the (two) SYS driver(s) in your boot drive's root directory and
include a reference for the paradise driver in your config.sys:
DEVICE=G:\PARADISE.SYS (optional -q for quiet install)
Paradise version 1.7 or later is required.
CLOCK01.SYS, installed automatically by the boot process and so has no
reference in the config.sys file, is based on the Warp 4.0 driver. It
can be used in previous OS/2 versions, too. If you are using Warp 4.0,
your CLOCK driver already has the IDC hook, so you can use the one you
already have. The included CLOCK01.SYS driver is only for those running
Warp 3 or earlier.
If you have the old clock driver installed, paradise.sys will gracefully
tell you so, and not install itself. If you get this message at boot, use
the included clock01.sys.
Note: Due to a long-standing bug in OS/2, detection of obsolete clock
drivers is not as straight-forward as it should be. However, if the
obsolete clock is not found during boot, it likely will be found by tmidi.
The clock01.sys driver in Warp 3's fixpack #26 is -not- an up-to-date
driver. If the clock01.sys driver is substantially less than 4000 bytes
(e.g., 3520 bytes, like the fp26 one (date 10-10-96)) you need to install
the clock01.sys driver included in this package.
Once you have the driver(s) installed, reboot.
Note: There is no need to remove any driver from config.sys. All you
need to do is add an entry for PARADISE.SYS, and possibly copy the
clock01.sys included in this package to boot:\. That's all there is
to it.
Using tMidi
-----------
For technical support in the use of tMidi, register using the included
_order.* forms. Once registered, e-mail support@40th.com for answers to
any of your questions on how to best use tMidi. This evaluation version
contains basic setup and use instructions, which is enough to see whether
you want to use it, but includes no tech support.
Use no args for a list of switches:
[F:\mids\fine]tmidi
tMidi 2.11 Copyright (C)1997 Cornel Huth http://www.40th.com/
Use: [G:\]tmidi [-switch] file.mid
-p1:x x=hex baseport of MPU for port 1 (e.g., -p1:330 [def])
-p2:x x=hex baseport of MPU for port 2+ (e.g., -p2:300)
-gm send GM ON sysex before play
-gs send GS ON sysex before play
-xg send XG ON sysex before play
-tm:x x=hex track mask, to play selected tracks only (x=1-FFFFFFFF)
-tk:n n=track to mask, repeat as required (n=1 to 32)
-w1:n n=max timeout for port 1, n=1000 to 65535, def=10000
-w2:n n=max timeout for port 2, n=1000 to 65535, def=10000
"-sx1:x x" x=hex byte(s) to output to -p1: (single ch msg or sysex)
"-sx2:x x" x=hex byte(s) to output to -p2: (must be in "marks")
"-kb:i pi ch po" IRQ,portIn=1|2,channel=1-16,portOut=1|2 ("-kb:10 1 16 1")
-no121 do not send a Reset All Controllers at end of play
The default MPU port is 330h, and if there, does not need to be specified.
The Paradise driver handles up any number of ports, and any number of
devices, though tMidi currently supports 16 ports and 2 device. If a
second device is specified, all output to ports 2 through 16 go to it.
An example output during a run:
[F:\paradise\tmidi\mids]tmidi -p1:330 -p2:300 -gm -tm:FFFFF inferno.mid
1:45 fmt:1 tks: 9 div:120 GM 123456789 1234567890
0:15.88 6/8 4:1 67bpm 136Hz TTTTTTTTT PP.......P
In this case, 3 ports have been specified: port 1 data goes to the MPU
at -p1:330; port 2 and port 10 data goes to the MPU at -p2:300. All
tracks are played (-tm:FFFFF used only for example). The screen output
makes use of ANSI color, where it's needed.
Specifying Mode
---------------
An optional switch is the MIDI playback mode: GM, GS, or XG. If the
SMF contains no embedded mode, you can specifiy it via the command line.
If the SMF already contains a mode, you cannot override it.
Specifying Tracks
-----------------
Supply either a hex mask for tracks to play, or select them individually
using -tk:. Only the first 32 tracks can be played if either of these
are used, otherwise, 1000+ tracks can be played.
Specifying Waits
----------------
To detect when the MPU interface has been reset out from under it, the
Paradise driver checks for a timeout condition to occur. By default, it
counts down 10,000 times before concluding that something's gone wrong.
For very fast systems this may be too soon. If you get a time-out error
reported, or otherwise do not hear anything when you expect you should,
use the -w1: switch to set this wait timeout value. The valid range is
1000 to 65535, with the default set to 10,000.
An additional fail-safe has been added to this time-out check: when a
time-out condition has occured 5 times in a row the current play is
stopped and tmidi exits. The next play should go as expected.
Specifying Data to Send To the MPU
----------------------------------
Using -sx1: (-sx2: for -p2: MPU) you can send a single channel or system
exclusive messages to the MPU(s). The entire argument must be enclosed in
double-quote marks. For example:
[G:\]tmidi -gs "-sx1:F0 41 42 12 40 00 7F 00 FF F7"
The above sends a GS RESET sysex message to the MPU. The checksum is
calculated if FF is used in the checksum place (and -gs). See tmidi.tec
(available to registered usrs only) for details and tips.
Specifying an External Controller
---------------------------------
If you have an external controller, like a MIDI-capable keyboard, you can
use it with tMidi. You can specify the IRQ (required), portIn, portOut,
and MIDI channel to output to. See tmidi.tec for details and tips. The
entire argument must be enclosed in double-quote marks.
You must supply either a SMF filename or a sysex/channel msg (-sx above) on
the command line with this switch.
For example, to play the keyboard connected to the port 1 device, using
IRQ 10, out to the port 1 device, on channel 16:
[G:\]tmidi xg_on.mid ;switch to XG mode
[G:\]tmidi "-sx1:BF 00 40" ;switch to SFX bank (may need BF 20 00 also)
[G:\]tmidi "-sx1:CF 21" "-kb:10 1 16 1" ;set program to THUNDER, then
;using IRQ10, read from port 1 device
;and output to channel 16 on port 1 device
When you press a key, you get rolling thunder!
The keyboard remains active until you press a key on the (type) keyboard,
such as ENTER (or up-arrow).
Limitations
-----------
A compatible MPU-401 device is required. This includes not only
real MPU-401 devices, but cards like the Sound Blaster 16, AWE32, etc.,
with either a daughterboard (CL Wave Blaster, Yamaha DB50XG, etc.), or
a sound module or keyboard attached to the external MIDI port. Stand-
alone cards, like the Yamaha SW60XG, can be used, too. There are no
plans to work with other, non-MPU devices at this time.
Tips
----
To not send a Reset All Controllers message (channel mode message 121)
at the end of play use the -no121 switch. At the end of play, both
All Notes Off and All Sounds Off are still sent to each channel. The
MPU mode (GM, GS, XG) remains in whatever state it is in. In addition,
the MPU is left in UART mode.
If the SMF has no internal play mode specified (GM, GS, or XG), tmidi
plays it using whatever the MPU device was last set to. To prevent
playing a "generic" (a file with no internal play mode) in whatever
mode was last set, add -gm to each command line until you are sure
that the "generic" SMF is really a GS or XG. If there is an internal
play mode, adding -gm won't have any affect. You can also use the
included xx_on.mid files before playing an SMF without an internal
reset message. If there is an internal reset (GM, GS, XG) message,
you cannot override it.
To play a whole lot of files without having to keep feeding the
command line, create a cmd file like this:
dir *.mid /b > all.cmd
Edit all.cmd by placing a ` in column 1 for all rows. Go back and
replace the ` with a tmidi<space> (or tmidi<space><quote>). If you
are using quotes around the name (spaces in the names), change .mid to
.mid<quote>. Then, just type in all.cmd. If you don't like a
tune, just hit a key (ctrl-C to exit for good).
See the tmidigm.cmd file if you want to use tMidi as a Netscape Helper
to play .mid files off the web (by clicking the filename.mid link).
See the README for more.
Filename is tmidi211.zip.