README.htmlHTMLMOSS >-͍ eTktab README FILE

eTktab

Author: Jason Sonnenschein Homepage Email: jes_jm@yahoo.com

Please read the License for this program.

This program is used to write out guitar tablature in the typical style of ascii tab, often found around the internet. The code is based on TkTab by Giovanni Chierico. Many of the ideas for the alerations found here came from emacs tablature mode by Mark R. Rubin. Guitar icon by Sandy at Around the Pixel. Windows and Mac binaries were created with Tcl/Tk wrapper programs... Simple Tk on Mac and Freewrap on Windows.

Files may be loaded or saved using the program's own file format. Files may be exported to the ascii tablature format that appears within the window, but they may not be loaded from ascii tab format. Exported tablature will only look correct in a non-proportional font, such as Courier.

VERSION 1 USERS NOTE
The file format has changed from version 1 to version 2. eTktab version two will no longer read or write version 1 files. You can convert files with the included script, or manually via the following commands:

> mv bleh.etk bleh.et6.gz
> gzip -d bleh.et6.gz

or

> mv bleh.etb bleh.et4.gz
> gzip -d bleh.et4.gz

Version 1 files were gzipped, version 2 are not, and the extension was changed: the main differences

On Unix machines
an initial file may be loaded by putting the filename on the command line... e.g. typing

> eTktab <filename>

instead of just

> eTktab

New windows pulled up via keypress will be for the same 4/6 string mode as the one you are currenly in. The menus allow the user to create new windows of either type.

The note insertion method mimics the ideas of tab mode in emacs. In 'chord' mode, the cursor will not advance after a new note is placed, so other notes of the chord can be put above and below it. In lead mode, the cursor is advanced after each note insertion, and tablature to the right of the cursor is pushed forwards by the newly inserted tab. The base position for the 'hand' may be moved up and down the fretboard with the + and - keys, or the base fret menu, then the note is inserted with the following keys:

          STRING (guitar)                         STRING (bass)

            E A D G B E                             E A D G
          +-------------+                         +---------+
F  base+0 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 |               F  base+0 | 1 2 3 4 |
R  base+1 | q w e r t y |      OR       R  base+1 | q w e r |
E  base+2 | a s d f g h |               E  base+2 | a s d f |
T  base+3 | z x c v b n |               T  base+3 | z x c v |

So... for example, if the status bar reads that base fret is currently 5, hitting the 's' key will add to the tab a '7' on the A string.

A dialog box can be called up to alter the tuning of the strings in the tablature by pressing the Tuning button or with the ; key or the tuning button.

Note alterations, such as hammer-on and pull-off, may be added and removed from any note. All their keybindings are alt-<something>. Two modifiers are allowed on bar lines... they are left repeat and right repeat. Notes may only have one modifier, but bar lines may have both left and right modifiers simultaneously.

Cutting and pasting via keyboard is done by placing a 'mark' somewhere in the tablature, then moving the cursor to the other end of the zone you'd like to select. At that point, you cut or copy the selected tablature, move to where you want to paste and paste it. You may 'unplace' the mark with the same key you use to set a mark. The delete or backspace keys will perform a 'clear' if a mark is currently set (cut without adding to the paste buffer.) Otherwise, they have functions related to the current position in the tab.

Music held in the paste buffer may be pasted into other eTktab windows ONLY if the cut and paste window have the same number of strings in the tablature (guitar/bass), and if both windows are running in the current application. Unix users: This means you cannot paste into other eTktab sessions that were launched separately (two different processes.) Open new windows with 'open' or 'new' from the current program, instead. Due to filetype settings on MacIntosh and Windows, this should not be an issue on those systems. eTktab also puts the tablature in the system's paste buffer in human readable format (for pasting into editors, word processors, email, etc.) Again, note... when pasting into other programs, tablature only looks right in non-proportional fonts, such as Courier.

Note that mouse clicks/drags, etc. need to be within a line of tab. Clicks in the blank spaces between lines are ignored.

An 'undo/redo' feature has been added. It remembers 10 steps. Remembering more steps means using more memory. If you have the source... tune as you see fit.

The rest of the key bindings are explained in the help screen, which may be called up with the help button at the top of the window, or by hitting '?' or Control-h (Command-h on macintosh)