home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
Text File | 1993-12-12 | 38.2 KB | 1,246 lines |
-
-
-
-
-
- Notes on this text version of the CanvasMan User Manual
-
- The actual CanvasMan manual is a Word 6.0 document;
- saving it in 'MS-DOS Text with Layout' format created
- this text version. You will note that this text version
- has several formatting problems:
-
- 1--All pictures are missing. By definition, text
- files do not store graphics information.
-
- 2--DOS and Windows have different high ASCII character
- sets. Certain characters don't convert very well--
- e.g., the TM trademark symbol comes out looking like
- Ö. Similarly, the -- m-dash character comes out as _.
- The (c) copyright symbol, however, converts fairly
- well to c.
-
- 3--No page breaks
-
- 4--Bad indents
-
- I haven't made a supreme effort to format this text
- manual since most people can download or easily afford
- the real Word version. To order the 'official' manual,
- see the online help's order form.
-
-
-
- Jeff Cazel
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- CanvasManÖ
- Version 4.4
-
- Copyright c 1992-1994 Jeff Cazel
- All Rights Reserved
-
- CanvasMan, SongCanvas and the sunglassed Beethoven
- are trademarks of Jeff Cazel
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Manual Revision Date: January 1994
-
-
-
-
-
-
- License Agreement and Warranty Disclaimer
-
-
- You may make as many backup copies of CanvasMan as you
- wish, but you may not run the Registered Version
- simultaneously on more than one computer. Jeff Cazel
- MIDI strictly prohibits you from distributing your
- Registration Information to anyone.
-
- Jeff Cazel MIDI hereby disclaims any and all warranties
- relating to this software both express and implied,
- including any merchantability or fitness for a particular
- purpose. Jeff Cazel MIDI will not be liable for any
- incidental, consequential, indirect or similar damages
- due to loss of data or any other reason. The person
- using the software bears all risk as to the quality and
- performance of the software.
-
- Brands, companies and product names mentioned are
- trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective
- holders. The mentioning of these names is meant solely
- for identification purposes and is in no way meant to
- constitute an endorsement of Jeff Cazel MIDI or our
- products by these companies.
-
- Jeff Cazel MIDI has made every effort to ensure that
- CanvasMan is as clean and free of bugs as possible.
- However, no program can ever be guaranteed to be free of
- all defects.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- CanvasMan User Manual
- Table of Contents
-
-
- Overview 1
-
- Installation 3
-
- Main Window 6
-
- Menus 8
-
- File Menu 8
-
- Edit Menu 10
-
- MIDI Menu 24
-
- Setup Menu 26
-
- Help Menu 27
-
- Combos / Sounds / Drum Kits 28
-
-
-
- Appendix A Technical Support 31
-
- Appendix B MIDI Multitasking 32
-
- Appendix C Online Help 33
-
- Appendix D Spin Button 34
-
- Appendix E Command-Line Options 35
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Overview
-
- CanvasMan is the Windows 3.1 editor/librarian for
- Roland's SOUNDCanvas line of GS synthesizers (SC-55,
- SC-55mkII, SCC-1, SC-155, JV-30 and many others).
- CanvasMan provides true MIDI multitasking _ you can run
- it by itself, while you jam with Band-In-A-Box, or while
- you sequence with Cakewalk and WinJammer. The wait is
- over for an easy-to-use ed/lib that takes full advantage
- of Windows' built-in multimedia capabilities.
-
- CanvasMan can play your MIDI files as you edit _ you'll
- hear your changes instantly in the context of your own
- musical projects! It saves its patch data in standard
- binary format (also called "MIDIEX" format) so you can
- store patches with your sequences or as stand-alone
- banks. You can even create your own single- and multi-
- part sounds for easy future recall! Finally, CanvasMan
- gives you complete control over all Global, Part, and
- Drum parameters.
-
- To maximize data integrity, CanvasMan uses one-way MIDI
- communication only (from the computer to the
- SOUNDCanvas). You cannot lose data when other windows
- send extraneous data.
-
- This manual refers to any CanvasMan-supported GS sound
- module or keyboard as a "Canvas." "GS" is Roland's
- "General Standard"_a superset of the General MIDI
- standard. If you have an SCC-1, please ignore references
- to the "display" or "LCD"_it doesn't have one.
-
- CanvasMan avoids the term "patch" in its help system and
- documentation because "patch" sometimes has an ambiguous
- definition in the context of multi-timbral synthesizers.
- All users should read the Combos / Sounds / Drum Kits
- section (page 28) for a complete description of
- CanvasMan's data files.
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Overview (continued)
-
- This manual describes how to modify, save and audition
- the various parameters within the Canvas. It does not
- describe what these parameters do. For example, it
- describes how to turn Chorus On and Off, but it doesn't
- state what effect that has on the sound nor why you may
- want that effect. The online help and various Canvas
- owner's manuals will explain some of these parameters,
- however.
-
- This manual also does not explain basic Windows
- procedures and concepts such as selecting menu options
- and using scroll bars. If you are a new Windows user,
- please run the Windows Tutorial on the Program Manager's
- Help menu.
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Installation
-
- O Setup CanvasMan_On the Windows Program Manager screen,
- select File and then Run.... This will display the
- Run dialog and position your cursor at Command Line.
-
- If you have a CanvasMan diskette in drive A:, type
- A:SETUP <Enter>
-
- If you have a CanvasMan diskette in drive B:, type
- B:SETUP <Enter>
-
- If you have downloaded CanvasMan onto your hard
- drive, type the path to SETUP.EXE and press <Enter>
- (e.g., C:\TEMP\SETUP <Enter>)
-
- Follow the instructions on the screen
-
- ì Read CanvasMan's online help introduction_Double-click
- on the READ ME FIRST! icon in CanvasMan's Program
- Manager group. This will tell you whether you want to
- run CanvasMan or CanvasManII.
-
- Ä Run CanvasMan_Double-click on the CanvasMan or
- CanvasManII icon in CanvasMan's Program Manager group.
-
- Å Setup MIDI Ports_Select Setup-MIDI Ports from
- CanvasMan's menu (CanvasMan will automatically run
- this option for you the first time in). Setting up
- your MIDI ports consists of two dialog boxes: the MIDI
- Configure dialog and the Route MIDI Output dialog.
- CanvasMan disables MIDI input and output during these
- dialogs.
-
- If you configure both input and output ports, MIDI
- Thru will turn On at the end of the Route MIDI Output
- dialog.
-
- See pages 4 and 5 for complete descriptions of MIDI
- Configure and Route MIDI Output.
-
- See also the MIDI Multitasking appendix for more
- information.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Installation (continued)
-
- É MIDI Configure_MIDI Configure allows you to select as
- many output ports as you have and 0 or 1 input port.
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- Output Ports: If you have more than one output port,
- you can have CanvasMan play your MIDI files on some or
- all of them. To so do, sequence the output ports to
- match your multi-port MIDI files. Do so by moving the
- relevant ports from Available Output Ports to Output
- Ports in the desired order. If you have a single MIDI
- interface like most of us, you can simply choose your
- listed interface as output port #1.
-
- Try to avoid using the Microsoft MIDI Mapper output
- port_you cannot open it for multiple concurrent
- output. See the MIDI Multitasking appendix for more
- information.
-
- Input Port: Windows does not allow more than one
- program to use a given input port at the same time.
- Thus, if you plan to run CanvasMan at the same time as
- another MIDI program that supports MIDI Thru, you
- should not select an input port. If you run it at the
- same time as the WinJammer sequencer program, however,
- you should select an input port since CanvasMan uses
- WinJammer's MIDI input/output facility.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Installation (continued)
-
- ` Route MIDI Output_Route MIDI Output allows you to
- select which configured output ports you'll use for
- Thru, System Exclusive ("SysEx") and Local On/Off
- data.
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- Thru_specify the port to which you want your keyboard
- controller's MIDI information routed. You'll
- typically specify the same port as SysEx, since you'll
- probably want both types of MIDI information to go to
- the same port (i.e., eventually routed to the
- SOUNDCanvas). The Thru input port displays below the
- Thru combobox to remind you of the source of the Thru
- data.
-
- SysEx_specify the port to which you want CanvasMan's
- system exclusive ("sysex") data routed. You'll
- typically specify the same port as Thru, since you'll
- probably want both types of MIDI information to go to
- the same port (i.e., eventually routed to the
- SOUNDCanvas).
-
- Local_specify the port to which you want CanvasMan's
- Local On/Off information routed. This should be the
- port that connects to your controller keyboard's MIDI
- In port (perhaps through a Thru daisy chain of some
- sort).
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Main Window
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- CanvasMan's main window consists of several sections.
- From top to bottom, they are:
-
- Caption
- Menubar
- Toolbar
- Part Selectors
- Edit Controls (The picture above
- does not show any Edit Controls since
- they change based on the current Edit
- Menu selection.)
-
- The window caption states "CanvasMan" or "CanvasManII,"
- the current Edit Menu selection, and your current file
- name. It also states your SOUNDCanvas device number if
- it is not the default 17 (see the Command-Line Options
- appendix for more information).
-
- The menubar appears below the caption. The menu sections
- of this manual explain each menu option in detail. You
- may click on menu options at any time to invoke that
- function.
-
- Certain options have accelerator "hotkeys" that make
- accessing them quicker. For example, you can always
- press Ctrl+A to display the Quick Edit A screen. The
- menus list accelerators where available.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Main Window (continued)
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- The toolbar is the row of pictures ("icons") below the
- menubar. These icons duplicate some of the menu options.
- From left to right, the icons represent File-New, File-
- Open, File-Save, File-Load MIDI File, MIDI-Play/Pause,
- MIDI-Rewind, MIDI-Thru, MIDI-Local, Help-About and MIDI-
- Panic Button.
-
- In most cases, the Part selection buttons appear below
- the toolbar. However, when you've selected an edit
- window that covers multiple parts, the Part selectors
- disappear. When available, click on one of the sixteen
- radio buttons to choose your current work in process
- Part.
-
- The Edit Menu section describes the different Edit
- Control screens in detail.
-
- You may resize the window like in other programs by
- dragging its border.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- File Menu
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- Registered copies of CanvasMan automatically saves a copy
- of the GS Combo file (*.GSC) as a small MIDIEX file with
- a .SYX file extension when you File-Save or File-Save As.
- You can import these .SYX files into your sequencer or
- send them "as is" to "prime" your Canvas with various set-
- ups.
-
- See the Combos / Sounds / Drum Kits section (page 28) to
- learn how CanvasMan's data files interrelate.
-
- File-New
- This option sends a GS Reset to the Canvas and renames
- the current GS Combo file to UNTITLED. File-New will
- prompt you to save the current Combo if you've changed
- it since your last File-Save or File-Save As.
-
- File-Open
- This option displays a file open dialog for GS Combos
- (*.GSC). Once you select a valid file, CanvasMan
- sends the complete sysex data to the Canvas. File-
- Open will prompt you to save the current Combo if
- you've changed it since your last File-Save or File-
- Save As.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- File Menu (continued)
-
- File-Save
- This option saves the current GS Combo file (*.GSC).
- If the current file name is UNTITLED, File-Save
- behaves as File-Save As and displays a file save
- dialog for Combos.
-
- File-Save As
- This option displays a file save dialog for GS Combos
- (*.GSC).
-
- File-Load GS Sound
- This option displays a file open dialog for GS Sounds
- (*.GSS). Once you select a valid file, you can insert
- it into the current Combo starting on any tonal part.
-
- File-Save GS Sound
- This option allows you to select which Part(s) you
- wish to include in a GS Sound (*.GSS). Once you've
- done so and pressed the OK button, File-Save GS Sound
- displays a file save dialog for Sounds.
-
- File-Load GS Drum Kit
- This option displays a file open dialog for GS Drum
- Kits (*.GSD). Once you select a valid file, you can
- insert it into the current Combo as Drum Kit #1 or #2.
-
- File-Save GS Drum Kit
- This option displays a file save dialog for GS Drum
- Kits (*.GSD).
-
- File-Load MIDI File
- This option displays a file open dialog for MIDI
- format files ("standard MIDI files"). Once you select
- a valid file, CanvasMan starts playing it. File-Load
- MIDI File is grayed if MIDI is disabled.
-
- File-Exit
- This option exits CanvasMan. File-Exit will prompt
- you to save the current GS Combo file if you've
- changed it since your last File-Save or File-Save As.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- The Edit Menu displays a list of all of the edit dialog
- windows. CanvasMan indicates the current choice with a
- check mark to its left.
-
- When you select a new window, the size reverts to its
- default. As with most Windows programs, however, you can
- resize the CanvasMan window at any time.
-
- Each valid change you make on any edit screen sends the
- sysex data to the SOUNDCanvas immediately.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-Quick Edit A
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- This option displays basic part settings for all 16
- Parts. You can use the keyboard to change several
- parameters here. Move between parameters with the Tab
- and Shift+Tab keys; you may also single-click (steady
- hand!) on a parameter to select it.
-
- Mouse users can change values with the spin button. See
- the Spin Button appendix (page 34) for more information.
-
- To mute a MIDI Channel, set it to 0. To set random
- panning, set Pan to -64.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-Quick Edit B
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- This option displays more basic part settings for all 16
- Parts. You can use the keyboard to change several
- parameters here. Move between parameters with the Tab
- and Shift+Tab keys; you may also single-click (steady
- hand!) on a parameter to select it.
-
- Mouse users can change values with the spin button. See
- the Spin Button appendix (page 34) for more information.
-
- To mute a MIDI Channel, set it to 0.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-General Part Settings #1
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- You can change several general parameters in this window.
- To set random panning, set Part Panpot to -64.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-General Part Settings #2
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- You can change additional general parameters in this
- window.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-Receive Flags / Scale Tuning
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- This option displays the Receive Flags / Scale Tuning
- dialog. You can specify to which MIDI messages a Part
- responds and you can tune the individual chromatic notes
- for a Part here.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-Controllers-Modulation / Pitch Bend
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- This options displays the Modulation / Pitch Bend dialog.
- You can change Modulation and Pitch Bend-oriented
- parameters in this window.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-Controllers-Aftertouch
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- This option displays the Aftertouch dialog. You can
- change Aftertouch-oriented parameters in this window.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-Controllers-Continuous Controllers
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- This option displays the Continuous Controllers dialog.
- You can change Continuous Controller-oriented parameters
- in this window.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-Master
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- This options displays the Master Settings dialog. You
- can change global parameters on this screen that affect
- every Part.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-Reverb / Chorus
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- This options displays the Reverb / Chorus Settings
- dialog. You can change effects parameters on this screen
- that affect every Part.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-Tone/Rhythm / Voice Reserve
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- This option displays the Tone/Rhythm / Voice Reserve
- dialog. You can designate Parts as tonal or rhythm
- (Map #1 or #2) here, and you can reserve voices for
- Parts.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-Drum Kits
- 70% size
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- This option displays the Edit-Drum Kits dialog. The
- SOUNDCanvas stores settings for two drum kits; you can
- use the keyboard to change these settings here. Move
- between parameters with the Tab and Shift+Tab keys; you
- may also single-click (steady hand!) on a parameter to
- select it.
-
- Mouse users can change values with the spin button. See
- the Spin Button appendix (page 34) for more information.
-
- The top of the screen displays the kit names (Electronic
- and Power in the example above). The left column lists
- the sounds within the selected kit. You can select which
- of the two sound lists to display via the Instrument
- Names radio buttons in the upper left corner. For
- example, to change the list from Electronic to Power,
- click on the bottom button. If both kits are the same,
- CanvasMan disables the Instrument Names radio buttons.
-
- CanvasMan does not support the CM-64/32L set (program
- number 128).
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Edit Menu (continued)
-
- Edit-Decrement Part
- This option decreases the current Part by 1. If you
- are already on Part 1, the Part changes to 16.
-
- Edit-Increment Part
- This option increases the current Part by 1. If you
- are already on Part 16, the Part changes to 1.
-
- Edit-Next Quick Edit Screen
- This option moves forward through the Quick Edit
- screens. If you're already at the last screen, it
- takes you to the first. This option is only available
- when the Quick Edit screens are active.
-
- Edit-Prior Quick Edit Screen
- This option moves backward through the Quick Edit
- screens. If you're already at the first screen, it
- takes you to the last. This option is only available
- when the Quick Edit screens are active.
-
- Edit-Copy
- This option copies the current .SYX file into the
- Windows clipboard. You can then paste this MIDIEX-
- formatted data into a sequencer, etc.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- MIDI Menu
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- MIDI-Play/Pause
- This toggles the MIDI player On and Off. If the file
- is currently playing, the option states Pause; if
- currently paused, it states Play. If a MIDI file is
- not loaded, the option is grayed and states
- Play/Pause.
-
- MIDI-Rewind
- This option restarts playing the current MIDI file
- from the beginning.
-
- MIDI-Play From/Thru
- (See next page.)
-
- MIDI-Thru
- This option toggles MIDI Thru On and Off. MIDI-Thru
- is unavailable if you have not selected both Input and
- Output ports in Setup-MIDI Ports.
-
- MIDI-Local
- This option toggles local On and Off for your
- controller. The data transmits on the channel
- specified in Setup-MIDI Controller.
-
- MIDI-Refresh Synth
- This option retransmits the current GS Combo file's
- sysex data to the Canvas.
-
- MIDI-Panic Button
- This option stops the song (if playing) and sends "all
- notes off" and "reset all controllers" messages on
- each MIDI channel of each MIDI port.
-
-
-
-
-
-
- MIDI Menu (continued)
-
- MIDI-Play From / Thru
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- This option allows you to specify a section of the
- currently loaded MFF (shown above as MEGAJAM.MFF) to play
- in a loop. Enter the From (loop begin) and Thru (loop
- end) measures and select OK.
-
- When you load a song via File-Load MIDI File, CanvasMan
- sets the Play From/Thru time signature to 4/4. (In the
- future, CanvasMan may automatically detect the time
- signature.) Select the correct time signature if not
- 4/4; if your time signature is not listed or if you have
- multiple time signatures in the song, select Beats Only.
- When using Beats Only, remember to calculate your From
- and Thru values using quarter notes.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Setup Menu
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- Setup-Register
- This option allows you to enter your license
- information (registration codes, serial numbers,
- etc.). Entering this information opens up some of the
- enhanced features of CanvasMan.
-
- Setup-Directories
- This option allows you to specify which directories to
- use for MIDI files (labelled as MID), GS Combos (GSC),
- GS Sounds (GSS), and GS Drum Kits (GSD). Setup-
- Directories will create the directories if necessary,
- but only to one level. For example,
- C:\CANVAS\DATA\SOUNDS is invalid unless C:\CANVAS\DATA
- already exists.
-
- Setup-MIDI Controller
- This option allows you to specify which MIDI channel
- your controller keyboard is using. MIDI-Local will
- send the Local On/Off messages on this channel.
-
- Setup-MIDI Ports
- Installation pages 3-5 explain this option fully. You
- may re-run Setup-MIDI Ports as necessary.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Help Menu
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- Help-Contents
- This option displays the table of contents for
- CanvasMan's online help system.
-
- Help-Search for Help on
- This option displays the list of cross-referenced
- CanvasMan help keywords. You can search for
- information on any indexed word or phrase as listed
- here.
-
- Help-EZ Start Tutorial
- This option is only available on the Parker Adams
- Group CanvasMan Deluxe Edition. It displays a help
- file consisting of CanvasMan tutorials.
-
- Help-How to Use Help
- This option displays Windows' own 'how to use help'
- tutorial.
-
- Help-About CanvasMan
- This option displays the sunglassed Beethoven
- trademark and plays the CanvasMan fanfare. Its
- purpose is to list copyright and program version
- information.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Combos / Sounds / Drum Kits
-
- CanvasMan creates four types of data files:
-
- GS Combos *.GSC
- GS Sounds *.GSS
- GS Drum Kits *.GSD
-
- MIDIEX copies of the GS Combo files follow
- Cakewalk's standard name *.SYX. Registered copies
- of CanvasMan create a MIDIEX copy each time you save
- a Combo. Unregistered copies do not create MIDIEX
- files.
-
- CanvasMan focuses on Combo files. Combos contain data
- for the entire SOUNDCanvas. Since the SOUNDCanvas has
- sixteen Parts and two drum kits, you can think of a Combo
- file as a large band. (In this setting, capitalized
- "Combo," "Sound" or "Drum Kit" indicates CanvasMan data
- files. The non-capitalized version indicates 'normal'
- meaning; e.g., a "combo" is a band or an orchestra.)
-
- You setup one Combo for each of your songs; in effect,
- each song has a separate combo at its disposal. However,
- you will probably find that your songs often use the same
- settings for several instruments. For example, if you
- create the ultimate grand piano, you may want to use it
- in most of your songs' Combos. Similarly, if you've
- changed the reverb on certain drum instruments in drum
- kit #1, you may want that effect in all of your songs.
-
- This is where GS Sound and GS Drum Kit files come in.
- Sounds and Drum Kits are modular building blocks for your
- Combos. Sounds consist of one or more Parts on the same
- channel. Drum Kits contain note mapping and effects
- parameters for drum kits. Continuing the above example,
- assume you've created a great piano on MIDI channel 6
- using Part 8. Rather than remembering all the parameters
- you've tweaked so you can recreate them for your next
- song, simply save Part 8 as a Sound.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Combos / Sounds / Drum Kits (continued)
-
- To do so, select File-Save GS Sound. When it asks which
- Part(s) to include, click on Part 8. When you select OK,
- CanvasMan will display the save dialog and allow you to
- call your Sound GPIANO.GSS or similar. Note that you can
- have multiple Parts in a Sound file. For example, if you
- create a grunge organ by combining Organ 3 and Overdrive
- Guitar, you can save them together for use in Combos.
- After selecting File-Save GS Sound, simply check the
- appropriate Parts' checkboxes. You may not include
- rhythm Parts in a Sound, and CanvasMan prevents such
- attempts.
-
- Sounds contain all parameters that are pertinent to that
- Part. They do not contain Global settings like reserved
- voices nor the chosen Reverb Macro. Combos store that
- information.
-
- Drum Kits work similarly. After changing the reverb for
- your chosen rhythm instruments (example #1), select File-
- Save GS Drum Kit. When it asks which of the two kits to
- use, click on Kit #1. When you select OK, CanvasMan will
- display the save dialog and allow you to call your Drum
- Kit COOLRVRB.GSD or similar.
-
- When you want to use a Sound or a Drum Kit in a Combo,
- you select File-Load GS Sound or File-Load GS Drum Kit,
- respectively. Load GS Sound allows you to insert Sounds
- into the current Combo. After selecting a valid Sound
- file, you specify the destination Part and MIDI channel.
- The Part(s) and channel of the original Sound are
- irrelevant; CanvasMan provides maximum flexibility here.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Combos / Sounds / Drum Kits (continued)
-
- You may also opt whether to mute existing Parts on the
- destination MIDI channel. If you're loading Ultimate
- Grand Piano on channel 1 and channel 1 is already
- assigned to Space Echo, you will probably want to leave
- this option checked (or end up with a space echoed piano
- sound). CanvasMan loads the file into the current Combo
- and sends it to the Canvas.
-
- Load GS Sound will not overwrite Rhythm Parts with the
- Tonal information in the Sound. For example, if you load
- a 4-Part sound into Part 9 and you have previously set
- Part 10 to the Power (rhythm) Set, the GS Sound will
- overwrite Parts 9, 11, 12 and 13. Similarly, Load GS
- Sound will fail if you attempt to load a Sound that will
- not fit. For example, you cannot load a three-part sound
- starting on Part 15 or 16 because it would try to fill
- Parts 15, 16 and 17 or 16, 17 and 18. Load GS Sound's
- prompts automatically adjust for this.
-
- Load GS Drum Kit allows you to insert Drum Kits into the
- current Combo. After selecting a valid Drum Kit file,
- you specify the destination kit. There are two
- destination kits, and like Sounds, the original Kit's kit
- number is not relevant. CanvasMan loads the file into
- the current Combo and sends it to the Canvas.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Appendix A
- Technical Support
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- See the online help's Technical Support topic for current
- information on getting help. Be ready to give the
- support staff the current version of CanvasMan itself,
- MIDILIB.DLL and JJCMIDI.DLL. This information shows on
- the About screen; in the example shown above, the current
- versions are 4.3, 3.01 and 1.1, respectively.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Appendix B
- MIDI Multitasking
-
- Windows' capability of running multiple MIDI programs at
- the same time makes it vastly superior to DOS MIDI. You
- maximize this capability by using MIDI drivers that allow
- multiple concurrent output ("multi-client").
-
- Multi-client drivers, for example, allow you to change
- patch settings on your SOUNDCanvas with CanvasMan at the
- same time you play a song in Cakewalk, Band-In-A-Box, and
- others. Note that the MIDI Mapper does not allow
- multiple clients. Note also that no input drivers
- support multi-client use. This is why you should select
- <none> as CanvasMan's input port if your sequencer is
- recording.
-
- The MPU-401 driver that comes with Windows 3.1 does not
- allow multiple concurrent output, either. However,
- Twelve Tone Systems (maker of Cakewalk Professional for
- Windows) has created a better MPU-401 driver that does
- allow this. If you already run Wincake with an MPU-401,
- you should already have this driver installed. If you
- don't have the driver, you can get it in Wincake's demo
- (from probably any MIDI-oriented BBS). (On CompuServe,
- grab WDEMO.TXT and WDEMO.ZIP from library 3 in the
- MIDIAVEN forum. Be sure to read WDEMO.TXT before
- unZIPping WDEMO.ZIP.)
-
- Note finally that CanvasMan uses WinJammer's MIDI
- input/output facility (MIDILIB.DLL); for the purpose of
- this discussion, WinJammer and CanvasMan are one program.
- Thus, when running CanvasMan and WinJammer together, you
- should specify an input port.
-
- Understanding these concepts is probably the most
- confusing aspect of Windows MIDI.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Appendix C
- Online Help
-
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version)
-
-
- You can reach CanvasMan's online help at any time by
- pressing F1. Please be sure to read the Introduction
- topic.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Appendix D
- Spin Button
-
- A spin button (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text
- version) is a "custom control" (i.e., a data entry
- device not supplied as part of Windows). CanvasMan uses
- spin buttons on the Quick Edit and Drum Kit Edit screens.
-
- Spin buttons allow mouse users to increase/decrease the
- value in an edit control by clicking on up/down arrows.
- Because spin buttons are not part of Windows itself,
- different programmers design them in different ways. In
- CanvasMan's case, press the left mouse button while
- pointing at an arrow to trigger the changes; release the
- button or move away from the arrows to end the changes.
- You can also move to the other arrow to reverse
- direction.
-
- Even though there are over 100 edit controls on the Quick
- Edit and Drum Kits screens, there is only one spin
- button. The main reason for this is lack of room.
- Adding 16 spin buttons to each row of the Quick Edit
- screen (or 10 to Drums) would make the window wider than
- the standard VGA screen.
-
- Thus, the single spin button pertains to whichever edit
- control has the keyboard focus (CanvasMan places the
- blinking edit caret over it). You can move between the
- edit controls by clicking on them or pressing Tab or
- Shift+Tab.
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version) The
- upper-half of the spin button's color changes when
- increasing values.
-
- (Sorry, impossible to show picture in text version) The
- lower-half of the spin button's color changes when
- decreasing values.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
- Appendix E
- Command-Line Options
-
-
- Description
-
- CanvasMan has two optional command-line parameters
- to maximize its flexibility. Note that parameters
- are not case-sensitive (e.g., /d:17 is the same as
- /D:17) and may not contain imbedded spaces (e.g.,
- /D: 18 is invalid).
-
- CANVAS /D:n /mkII
-
- /D:n Device #--use MIDI device #"n". Leave this
- at "17" unless you have a second SOUNDCanvas.
- All characters after the /D: must be numeric.
- The minimum device# is 1 and the maximum is
- 32.
-
- /mkII CanvasManII--operate in CanvasManII mode.
- Specify /mkII if your SOUNDCanvas is an SC-
- 55mkII or future 100% compatible GS synth.
- See online help's Introduction section for
- more information.
-
- The default setting is CANVAS /D:17 In other
- words, if you run CANVAS.EXE with no /D: nor /mkII
- setting, CanvasMan will operate in 'original' mode
- on device #17.
-
-
- How To
-
- Online help's Command-Line Options section has
- detailed instructions in setting-up command-line
- options.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-