#DMCS Problems
41 messages in this thread
Hi Rick, I've noticed one a couple of other occasions that you seem to be know
DMCS fairly well. Well, I've got a couple of problems that I can't seem to
figure out. First: About six months ago I upgraded to a hard drive. After I
moved (a Marauder'ed) DMCS to the drive, certain functions stopped working,
namely the "Score Set-up" window. Also, the title page (the one with the wavy
lines) no longer displays. There may be other things I've not noticed, also.
Second: I recently bought a DX100 and MIDI interface from a friend. It all
works great with DMCS except when I try to exit the program or disable the MIDI
(by toggling the "MIDI Enabled" menu entry). Then it crashes with a Task Held
requester. Always. I'm at a loss to understand this one. Oh, BTW I bought
DMCS in July, 1987, if that is of any help. (is there an newer version?) Any
help is appreciated. Thanks, Bill
Bill,
Welcome to the frustrating world of DMCS – a program with promise that misses
the mark.
Maybe I can help a bit. First, if you want to see the title screen, create a c
directory inside your DMCS directory, which should already be assigned as DMCS:
in your startup sequence. Then, copy the file c/splash on your dmcs floppy disk
into that new directory. i.e., if your HD directory is dh0:dmcs, and your DMCS
floppy is in df0:, do the following:
makedir dh0:dmcs/c copy df0:c/splash dh0:dmcs/c
your startup-sequence file should contain the line:
assign DMCS: dh0:DMCS
I run DMCS from my HD all the time and have never had a problem with the score
setup window. Perhaps the assign will help there if you don't have it already.
You should also have the DMCSclefs, DMCSnotes and DMCSpalette files, and the
Music and Instruments directories in your dmcs directory. There are also 3
custom fonts in the floppy DMCS:fonts directory that should be moved to your HD
fonts directory.
<continued>
<continuation>
I believe that I have the latest version of DMCS, here are the particulars:
DeluxeMusic 301904 08-Apr-89 14:51:33
Unfortunately, we're all stuck with the exit lockup until EA sees fit to fix
the program. I've found that things are a bit more stable if GOMF is not
running and also if you don't have any other programs running that would
interfere with DMCS closing down the WB.
Hope this helps.
David
Bill,
Whoops! MAJOR CORRECTION DEPT.
Before everybody gets too excited about DMCS, the correct filedate should be:
DeluxeMusic 301904 08-Apr-87 14:51:33
Sorry about the typo.
David
David,
My version of DeluxeMusic is a bit larger than yours, it is
DeluxeMusic 303720 —arwed 18-Nov-88 08:32:25
I'm not too sure about the file's creation date since I got this off my HD and
not the original disk. I searched the file for a version number but couldn't
find one. Do you know if there is one and where to look for it?
chris
Chris,
I don't think that there is a version number to easily look up. I always go to
a copy of the distribution disk and look at the file date and size there. I've
got a CP'd version and a non-CP'd version with the following stats:
CP'd version: DeluxeMusic 306784 hspar-e- 31-Mar-87 10:56:11
non-CP'd version: DeluxeMusic 301904 hspar-e- 08-Apr-87 14:51:33
David
David,
My unprotected version of DeluxeMusic is different than either of yours.
It is DeluxeMusic 303720 —arwed 18-Nov-88 08:32:25
I do believe the creation date is correct but haven't the chance to check the
original disk since it is home and the HD is here at work. I do remember
upgrading it twice though, once to unprotect it and the second time for the
updated version.
chris
Chris,
If you have the chance, could you please check on the date. I'd like to know if
I have the most current version or not.
Thanks,
David
David,
I'll find the distribution disk in my files and check the date for you. I do
kinda remember getting DMCS unprotected and then learning of an upgrade and
ordering that too! I'm sure there is a later version than the one you listed
here.
chris
Chris,
Thanks,
I'll be watching for your message.
David
David I checked both original disks I have of DeluxeMusic and the newest one is
DeluxeMusic 306784 hspar-e- 31-Mar-87 10:56:11
The other version I have is
DeluxeMusic 303720 —-r-e- 09-Dec-86 11:48:21
I got these dates off the master copies,
BTW I intend to call EA and find out if there is a newer version that is for HD
installation and hopefully will not require the KEY disk copy protection.
chris
Chris,
I believe that the one I have is the latest, but, I'd be very interested in
hearing if there is a later version.
The 301904 length file is the un-protected version. That's the one I have on my
HD.
BTW – you can E-Plex EA at ppn 76004,237.
David
David,
Are you saying that your unprotected version does not require the key disk
inserted in the drive upon running the program? What is the date of your latest
version of DMCS?
chris
David,
I also have the 306784 31 Mar 87 version. I sent off for the
keydisk-less version, so I assume that this is it. It runs fine on the HD,
though I do not get the Score Setup menu either, like Bill Gorder is
complaining of. Your 301904 file is the first I've seen like this. Maybe it's
newer and doesn't have this bug? Or somehow 1.3 or Fat Agnus killed it? (Strike
that; my floppy works fine for the menu, though both it and the HD version
crash on the way out.)
Thanks for the note about the Assign and the splash file. I am now "up"
with Bill Gorder, but am pondering why that menu wouldn't work from my HD
version, which is supposedly identical to my floppy version which does work.
The only tangible difference remaining is the "sigfile" on the floppy. Come to
think of it, why would a keydisk-less version have a sigfile on it? Now I'm
REALLY confused.
Karl
Chris,
My Deluxe Music has the same length as yours; here's the entry from my
distribution disk:
DeluxeMusic 303720 —-r-e- 09-Dec-86 11:48:21
The same length, but dated about two years before yours; I'm assuming that
your datestamp is most likely from when you copied it.
-tc
Terry,
Yeah your right about my datestamp, I did get that off the HD not the
distribution disk of DMCS. Here is the original creation dates from my master
disk.
DeluxeMusic 303720 —-r-e- 09-Dec-86 11:48:21
and from my last update.
DeluxeMusic 306784 hspar-e- 31-Mar-87 10:56:11
I would like a newer version for my HD that would not need the KEY disk to
allow the program to run. I intend to give EA a call and check this out.
chris
Chris,
That's the file name and date of the keydisk-less version that I'm running
from my HD: 306784 31 Mar 87. Maybe there was a later version. Curiouser and
curiouser.
Karl
The Non-CP version is available for $7.50 if you send your master disk to EA.
Karl,
EA says to send them 7.50 and the original disk for the unprotected keydiskless
version. I'll do it later.
chris
For what it's worth guys, here's my entry for DMCS:
DeluxMusic 306784 —-r-e- 31-Mar-87
Regards,
Allen
Allen,
That's what I got too!
DeluxeMusic 306784 —-r-e- 31-Mar-87
A quick call to EA's 800 number today yielded the following:
Send the original disk and $7.50 requesting the unprotected version to
Electronic Arts P.O. Box 7530 San Mateo, CA 94403
Then expect the disk returned in about two weeks, you'll be able to install
this on your hard disk and won't require a key disk from then on!
chris
P.S. now I have to call them again and find out about the upgrade to DPIII
concerning the bug that crops up in animations using the FAT AGNUS chip!
Hmmm… 31-Mar-87, as opposed to my 09-Dec-86…. I wonder if they fixed
anything in those four months.
-tc
Chris:
I've been following your conversation re DMCS. I have it on a hard disk, did
not copy with a copy protection system, have a 2620 card, and run it from a 2
meg ASDG vd0:. I just put my original DMCS disk in a floppy drive when I want
to run it, and let it read that for verification. (I think I did, however, use
a file zapper to change df0 to dh0 in the main program, however).
I run it from a script. Here's the script:
cd vd0:
copy dh0:Music/deluxemusic vd0:deluxemusic
assign deluxemusic: vd0:deluxemusic
copy dh0:Music/DMCSclefs vd0:DMCSclefs
assign DMCSclefs: vd0:DMCSclefs
copy dh0:Music/DMCSnotes vd0:DMCSnotes
assign DMCSnotes: vd0:DMCSnotes
copy dh0:Music/DMCSpalette vd0:DMCSpalette
assign DMCSpalette: vd0:DMCSpalette
deluxemusic
<continued>
<continuation>
Assign deluxemusic: remove
Assign DMCSclefs: remove
Assign DMCSnotes: remove
Assign DMCSpalette: remove
cd vd0:
echo "Deleting deluxemusic and associated files."
delete deluxemusic DMCSclefs DMCSnotes DMCSpalette
cd dh0:
echo "ALL DONE — BYE!"
wait 1 secs
endcli > nil:
I run this from an icon using IconX. I have never had it crash using this
approach. Maybe you would find it useful.
Ray Lewis
P.S. My instrument and music files are on my dh0:, that's why I changed the
df0: stuff to dh0:
<continued>
William,
It looks like David's done a pretty good job of answering your queries, and I
have little if anything to add. The crash-on-exit is a fairly well-known
problem, but I've never seen a crash on MIDI disable; sorry to hear YOU have!
Wish I could offer an easy solution to your remaining problems, but I don't
think there is one.
Rick
Ok, thanks Rick, David. I'll try what David has suggested and see if it works
for me. The DMCS fonts and commands in a sub-directory of DMCS: and NOT in
FONTS: and C:, never would have thought of that! 😉 I'll leave a more coherent
message later, I'm trying not to write to my hard drive since I deleted an
entire sub-directory by mistake and therefore I can't Whap! Arrggghhh! 🙂
BTW, the above instructions are what I remembered, and may not be quite what I
was told, but I do have the messages in a capture file so I can do it correctly
later. Thanks again!
Bill P.S. I mean that I can't Whap! until I undelete the files. (Which is
becoming an adventure in itself 🙂
Bill,
Just to clarify in case you really did lose the message:
(Assume that your hard disk version of DMCS is in the dh0:DMCS drawer for the
following instructions.)
1.Here is my directory dh0:DMCS
DMCS (dir)
c (dir)
splash
Music (dir)
.info Bach Fugue in g minor
Bach Fugue in g minor.info Baricades Misterieuses
Baricades Misterieuses.info Budweiser
Budweiser.info Cleopha
Cleopha.info Debussy 1st Arabesque
Debussy 1st Arabesque.info Higher
Higher.info Instant Music
Instant Music.info La Bomba
La Bomba.info Passacaglia
Passacaglia.info
Instruments (dir)
.info accordion
<continued>
<continuation>
accordion.info AhhVoice
AhhVoice.info BuzzSynth
BuzzSynth.info Clarinet
Clarinet.info ElecBass
ElecBass.info Flute
Flute.info HollowSynth
HollowSynth.info JazzGuit
JazzGuit.info Percussion
Percussion.info PhaseSynth
PhaseSynth.info Piano
Piano.info PipeOrgan
PipeOrgan.info StratSynth
StratSynth.info Strings
Strings.info Trumpet
Trumpet.info
.info DeluxeMusic
DeluxeMusic.info DeluxeMusicSS
DeluxeMusicSS.info DMCSclefs
DMCSclefs.info DMCSnotes
DMCSnotes.info DMCSpalette
DMCSpalette.info Instruments.info
Music.info
(FYI only – Note the extra copy called DeluxeMusicSS – That's the one that
invokes SoundScape when executed. It is actually the original file
<continued>
<continuation>
DeluxeMusic that has been renamed. I patched the file called DeluxeMusic so
that it doesn't invoke SoundScape when executed.)
Everything except the dmcs/c directory and the dmcs/c/splash file can be moved
to your hard disk by dragging the icons from the DMCS floppy disk. You will
have to create the dh0:dmcs/c/splash file with the following commands:
makedir dh0:dmcs/c
copy DMCS:c/splash dh0:dmcs/c/splash
2. You must move the 3 special DMCS fonts from the DMCS disk to your FONTS:
directory with the following command:
copy DMCS:fonts FONTS: ALL
(This will also copy the Topaz 11 font into your directory. It's probably
already there anyway, but, if you object to this, copy the fonts separately.)
Do not create a DH0:DMCS/FONTS directory!
3. Edit the following command into your s:startup-sequence file:
assign DMCS: dh0:dmcs
<continued>
Can you describe how you zapped DMCS to get it to ignore Soundscape? I wound
up renaming soundscape.libary so DMCS couldn't find it. — Art
Art,
**********
Disclaimer: This worked for me. I neither endorse doing this nor will I assume
any responsibility for anything that happens if anyone tries this. I just offer
the following as a statement of what I did in my situation. **********
I just did the reverse of what you did. 8) In my zapped copy of DMCS, I
searched out the words "soundscape.library" and changed the word "soundscape"
to something else, being careful to maintain the same number of letters and
used a-z characters to avoid illegal names. (Try to choose a name that nobody
else will use in a future library! 8)
What I did then was to have two copies of the program in my dh0:DMCS drawer.
One called DeluxeMusicSS, which is the unmodified version that invokes
SoundScape, and the zapped version called DeluxeMusic, which can't find a
library to open, and then proceeds normally. The other advantage is that you
don't have to play games with the soundscape.library or any programs that need
it.
David
Ahh. A simple NewZap string change. Just what I was hoping for. Thanks. —
Art
<continuation>
Sorry about you're losing your directory. I did that once myself and it was a
real bummer! Fortunately it was my System drawer and I just restored it. Since
then, I've been very careful about how I delete things from the HD. I now put
things into the trashcan first and empty the trash from the WB menu. It's a lot
safer. 8)
David
Thanks for the help David, I got most of the files (read: the important ones!)
back by using a combination of DiskX and DiskSalv. After moving the splash
file into a dmcs:c directory I do indeed have a title screen (for about .75
sec! Aren't HDs wonderful?). However, the score set-up window still will not
appear. I see that we have the same size & date for PROTECTED DMCS
executables. Hmmmm, maybe using Marauder on it was not enough. Anybody
remember how much the upgrade to the unprotected version was?
Bill
Bill,
Glad that you got things going. Yes, HD's are quick! 😉 Have you tried
inserting your original disk before starting DMCS from the hard drive and
seeing if it makes a difference. Note that this will override the ASSIGN DMCS:
dh0:DMCS statement while the disk is in the drive. This might leave you with a
problem if you take the disk out after startup, but, at least you'll be able to
see if it works with the disk in there.
I believe that it's $7.50 to get the non-CP'd version. You can question EA
directly by sending an EasyPlex to them at 76004,237.
David
Bill,
I implemented the fix that David gave you for positioning "splash"
properly, and now mine comes up too (though I measured 0.687 seconds)
But, now that you mention it, my Score Setup doesn't work either!! I've
tried everything I can think of. And I have the keydisk-less version! It's
306784 31 Mar 87
The previous one I had was
303720 09 Dec 86.
I ordered my new version pretty fast after they announced it; maybe they found
this bug later and fixed it. And maybe that's the one that David Art mentioned
at 3019whatever. Puzzling.
Karl
David,
Yep, I think I tried that… but hey… since I don't remember the results so
I'll give it another try. I think it tried to load the program from the
floppy, but I'm not sure. BTW, I'd like to thank you from your help, and ask
if you can recommend a good (preferably cheap) sequencer. Keeping in mind that
I am a rank amateur at music, of course. I bought M the other day and I'm
still trying to figure IT out. 🙂
Thanks again,
Bill
Bill,
You're quite welcome. I'm glad that I could be of help to you. 8)
RE: another sequencer program – before I make any recommendation, could I ask
what your primary interests are in the following areas?
1) Do you have or do you plan to get any MIDI equipment, or are you primarily
interested in using internal Amiga voices?
2) Are you interested in patch/sample editing or are you primarily interested
in making music with available sound samples or built-in sounds.
3) Are you planning to enter music with the computer or using an external
keyboard and then edit & patchg together the results to get complete pieces?
4) Are you planning to make music yourself or is your primary interest in
tweaking or playing back sequences available elsewhere?
5) Which packages have you looked at and did you have any impressions about
them, either positive or negative?
6) Are you the type of person that doesn't mind a steep learning curve for
something if you consider the end worthwhile, or would you prefer a 'plug and
play' type program that is easy to learn & use, but maybe less capable?
<continued>
<continuation>
7) define 'cheap' in rough terms 😉
These questions, of course, apply to the usage of your system and not just to
you personally, in case you might have other family members that might be
interested. All of them are pertinent ones to consider when trying to decide on
the best fit.
David
P.S. – I hear that M is an interesting program. I've never tried it myself, but
there is a review in the July '89 issue of "Amigo Times" magazine.
Yes William,
The price to upgrade to the non-protected version is $7.50.
Send check or money order to Electronic Arts P.O. Box 7530 San Mateo, CA 94403
chris
PS Don't forget to include your original disk too!