Short:        DES-Tracker library system
Author:       dschebek@outb.wimsey.bc.ca
Uploader:     rog outb wimsey bc ca
Type:         mus/play
Version:      2.00
Architecture: m68k-amigaos


TITLE

     DES-Tracker2.00 - Release 2.00 of the DES-Tracker library system


VERSION

     Distribution version 2.00 (released December 18, 1993)


AUTHOR

     Darren Schebek

     E-mail address: dschebek@outb.wimsey.bc.ca


DESCRIPTION

     DES-Tracker is a library system used for the playing
     of tracker song modules.  It is geared mainly towards
     use in multi-media applications, but can be used in
     virtually any type of application.  DES-Tracker is
     easy to install, easy to use, and includes lots of
     example programs (with source code) that show how to
     use the library to build applications on top of
     DES-Tracker.

     DES-Tracker works with all versions of the operating
     system.  It allocates audio channels using the audio
     device, and tries to obtain the best possible CIA
     interrupt timer.

FEATURES

     1. DES-Tracker can load, save and convert between the
        following tracker module file formats:

            NoiseTracker v2.0
            Protracker v1.1a
            SoundTracker v2.6
            DES-Tracker v1.0

     2. Forty library functions that allow you to have
        total control of the playing of a tracker module.

     3. Complete signalling system for syncing music events
        to application-related events.  The DES-Tracker
        library can signal an application whenever any of the
        following events occur:

            - A play sequence starts
            - A play sequence ends
            - The song is paused
            - The song is un-paused
            - A play sequence is aborted
            - An iteration of the song completes
            - A pattern finishes playing
            - A volume fade operation completes
            - A new song module is loaded
            - The current song module is unloaded
            - An application locks the library for
              private use
            - An application unlocks the library
            - Each minute of play time elapses
            - Each second of play time elapses

     4. Over forty ARexx functions.

     5. Allows you to specify start and end positions
        within a song module either based on song position
        or based on play time.  Utilizes tempo and command
        operand tracking to make sure that tempo is correct
        no matter where in the song you start playing from.

     6. Capable of calculating how long a song (or any part
        of a song) will take to play.  Can also calculate how
        long a volume fade will take to complete.

     7. Can load songs from disk or install songs from memory.

     8. Includes a micro-jukebox program (with source code)
        called "mJuke" that runs from the command line and can
        play all songs in a specified directory.  Can also
        parse script files.

     9. Includes a realtime scope program (with source code)
        called "LScope" that monitors the player library and
        produces a visual display with *proper* scopes, real
        peak meters and lots of realtime information about a
        playing song.

    10. Includes a tracker module info program (with source
        code) called "MODInfo" that displays all kinds of
        statistics about any given tracker module (provided the
        tracker module uses a file format that DES-Tracker
        understands).  This program is installed on the Wizard
        Online BBS so that users can get all kinds of information
        about a tracker module *before* they download (including
        how long the song takes to play).  MODInfo can also
        detect and display sampletexts stored within a tracker
        module.

    11. Includes a CLI-based commander program (with source
        code) called "DTC" that allows you to invoke almost all
        player library functions from the command line.  This
        program also allows you to use DES-Tracker from within
        Director II scripts.

    12. Comes with include files for C and assembly language.
        Also comes with pragmas and prototype files for SAS C.

    13. DES-Tracker's library base structure contains lots of
        useful information about the currently loaded song and
        its instruments, as well as tons of realtime play info.
        (Everything that the LScope program displays is done
        solely by examining the library base structure).

    14. DES-Tracker is freeware.  This means that it is freely
        distributable, but is *not* public domain.  DES-Tracker
        is copyright (c)1993 by Darren Schebek.  Conditions
        apply for use of DES-Tracker in commercial applications.
        Please read the documentation included with DES-Tracker
        for further details.

OTHER

     E-mail address for questions/bug reports:

     dschebek@outb.wimsey.bc.ca