TOOLS

This chapter tells you:-

• how to view, edit and send a SYSEX file
• setup and use the MIDI3c Fader panel
• use the Registered Parameters panel, and
• use the Channel Mode panel

View/Send SYSEX File
This module lets you view, create, edit and send system-exclusive (sysex) messages.

The SYSEX Descriptor List follows the same format as the other Descriptor Lists and shows a description, location and the name of each SYSEX file.

With the Descriptor list displayed you have the following options:-

• TAB - Edit the description. Sysex Descriptors are 41 characters in length.
• DELETE - Remove the highlighted file. You will be prompted to confirm the deletion of the item from the list. You will also be asked to confirm if you wish the actual SYX file to be removed from the machine. If you do not delete the SYX file it can be re-added to the list at a later stage. If you delete the SYX file you will need to reload the file on to the Psion if you wish to add this file back to the list.
• A - Add a SYSEX file. After selecting the file to be added you will be prompted to enter a description for the new file.
• M - Merge the current SYSEX file with a MIDI3c file. You will be presented with the MIDI3c Descriptor list from which you should select the MIDI3c file to be merged. Once selected, MIDI3c will add a copy of the SYSEX file to the list and automatically assign the MIDI3c description to the file, and flag the file as merged by appending (S) to the description. If a `merged' file is played via the Session Player, MIDI3c will automatically transmit the associated SYSEX file immediately before playing the MIDI file. This mechanism allows you to preset MIDI Controllers etc on the MIDI device and thus guarantee the operational status of the MIDI device before playing a song. This method may be used as an alternative to adding a SYSEX file to the Session list.
• N - Create a new Sysex file. You will be prompted to enter a filename and a description for the new file.
• S - So send the highlighted SYSEX file.
• ENTER - View and/or edit the highlighted file.

MIDI3c automatically creates a number of standard SYSEX files at start up and will, the first time the program is run, automatically insert them in to the SYSEX Descriptor list. You may remove any or all of these from files the list if you wish but they will always remain as SYX files in the default MIDI directory.

View SYSEX File
Having selected a SYSEX file for viewing, the following, typical, SYSEX view screen is displayed.

The screen shows a 256 byte extract from the SYSEX file and shows the address of each line to the left of the screen. The SYSEX data itself is displayed in hexa-decimal format.

Currently the Sysex Viewer/Editor can handle sysex files up to a maximum size of 30,000 bytes.

The following options are available to the user:-

• UP arrow - page up through the file 256 bytes at a time
• DOWN arrow - page down through the file 256 bytes at a time
• END - jump to the end of the file
• HOME - jump to the start of the file
• DIAMOND - toggle edit mode on and off. You will be asked to confirm that you wish to enter in to edit mode.

SYSEX Edit Mode
When edit mode is selected the title line will change to reflect that you are now in edit mode.  

The following additional options are now available to the user:-

• I - insert a character at the current location
• Delete - delete the currently highlighted character
• 0-9, A-F - enter a new value for the current position
• H - edit/view Roland header details (Roland Sysex files only)

When entering a new value you should always type two hexa-decimal characters followed by <ENTER>.

If you are editing a Roland Sysex file then you can use the <H> option to call up the header details consisting of the Model ID, Device ID, Command ID and Address. Also, in this mode, MIDI3c will automatically re-calculate the Checksum character as new data is edited.

When you exit the editor you will be prompted to save any modifications that you have made. You may then save the file under a new name or discard all changes

If you edit any of the standard SYSEX files created by MIDI3c you will automatically be taken to the `Save As’ screen, as edited standard SYSEX files must be given a new name.

Creating a new SYSEX File
Creating a new Sysex file is a very straight forward process. Firstly, from the Sysex Descriptor List you must select <N> to create a new file. You will be prompted to enter a unique filename followed by a description for the file. You may then select this file to start working on it.

The Manufacture ID selector window

On entering the Sysex Viewer, MIDI3c will detect that this is a new file and bring up the Manufacturers ID dialog box. You should select the correct manufacturer from the list. If you select a manufacturer other than Roland then you will be taken directly to the edit screen where you can start inserting data.

If you select Roland as the manufacturer then you will be next presented with the Roland Header dialog box. In this box you can enter the Model ID, Device ID, Command ID and the Address.

The Roland Header Details window

Pressing <ENTER> after setting these details will let MIDI3c automatically create a basic Sysex message using the information provided including a Checksum character. You need not enter any of this information at this point . If you decide not to set any of these values then MIDI3c will automatically assign 0 to the item and create an appropriate slot in the Sysex file. You can call the Roland Header details dialog at anytime by selecting <H>.

An empty Sysex file for a Roland device

MIDI3c Faders
MIDI3c Faders allows the user to manually control a MIDI connected device through the use of up to 16 faders. Having assigned the faders to a channel and a MIDI controller, you can then adjust the controller level for each fader. In the current release of MIDI3c you can only use the MIDI3c Faders in `stand-alone’ mode i.e. use of the Faders is restricted to when MIDI3c is NOT playing. However, direct access to the Faders module is available from within any of the Descriptor Lists.

Before setting up and using the faders you must first create or select an existing Fader Set for use. Afer selecting MIDI3c Faders from the main Tools menu, you will be presented with the Faders descriptor list showing all currently defined Fader Sets.

When a new Fader Set is created, MIDI3c will assign default values and settings to each Fader as listed in the table.

On entry to the selected Fader set you will, first be prompted if you want to send all of the settings immediately to the MIDI port. Select <Y>es or <N> as required. The Fader screen will then display the current settings for the selected Fader Set.

When accessing the Faders module directly from a Descriptor List you will not be prompted for either the Fader set to use nor whether the Fader information should be sent to the connected MIDI device. Direct access will always use the last selected Fader Set (unless not yet assigned in case you will be given the Fader Descriptor List to choose from) and will go directly to the manual control mode allowing the user to adjust the various sliders immediately.

You should select a fader by pressing one of the number keys (1-4). The selected (and therefore currently active fader) will be highligthed with [ ] around the fader number and also by the highlighted Controller description to the right.

The sixteen faders are split in to four pages of four faders each. To move to another page you may either use the left/right arrow keys to scroll `off’ the current page or press <Shift><x> where x is the page number (1-4).

To edit the control settings for the currently active fader prees <P>.

You can now set the following parameters:-

• Status - This setting lets you enable or disable the fader. When disabled you will not be able to transmit any settings to the connected MIDI device via this fader control.
• Channel - defines the channel number assigned to this fader
• Controller - lets you select the controller type you wish to assign to this fader
• Preset Level - you can assign a preset level to the fader. This will be applied as soon as you exit the programming module.

Once you have assigned all of the faders you require you can then save the settings by pressing <PSION-S>.

The faders are now ready for use, simply press the <UP> or <DOWN> arrow keys to step the level setting for the currently active fader. The growbar will give you a visual indication of the relative setting for each fader. For larger step increments, hold down the <SHIFT> key. This will let you increment/decrement in steps of 8.

If the assigned Controller only supports On/Off conditions then the UP/DOWN keypresses will result in the fader assuming values of 127 and 0 respectively. Each step change will result in a MIDI message being transmitted to the MIDI device allowing for real-time control of each fader device.

A `Send All Settings' option is supported by pressing <S> allowing you to send the current status for all enabled faders.

Registered Parameters
The Registerd Parameters module lets you control Tuning (fine and coarse) and the Pitch Bend Range for the connected Midi device.

The Registered Parameters screen can be divided in to two major sections:-

1. the lower section containing the Channel selectors.
2. the upper section containing the Channel Controllers.

Channel Selectors
This section lets you determine which channels of the connected Midi device will be modified by the controllers in the upper half of the screen.

At least one channel must be active before the upper section will operate. A warning message is displayed in the top left-hand corner if no channels are active and an upper controller is activated.

In the above example, channels 1, 5, 10 and 13 are enabled with channel 13 being the currently active channel. Changing the setting of the Master Tuning control will only affect channel 13. If the channels had been locked then all 4 enabled channels would receive the Master Tuning message.

Pressing <A> will alternately toggle ALL channels ON and OFF providing quick access to all channels. Any single channel may be activated or de-activated by using the left and right arrow keys to highlight the relevant channel (indicated by the `*’ above the channel button). Once the relevant channel is selected, press <Enter> to toggle the channel On and Off.

MIDI3c will remember the current status of each channel for the life of the program.

All channels are disabled when MIDI3c is started.

A `lock mode’ is provided which, when enabled, forces ALL enabled channels to follow the settings of the currently active channel. This, effectively, provides for `across the board control’. For instance, with the `lock mode’ enabled and the Master Tuning selected as the active control. An adjustment of, say, +1 semitone on any channel will cause all enabled channels to increment by 1 semitone, thus providing a `master tuning’ control for the connected MIDI device. With the `lock mode’ disabled, only the currently active channel would have been tuned.

The status of the `lock mode’ is displayed in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen.

Registered Parameter Controls
To control a Registered Parameter you must first activate one of the three controllers. The currently active controller is indicated by the `>’ and `<‘ symbols at the extreme ends of the sliders.

You may select a controller using the following keys:-

• C - Master Transpose (Master Tuning Coarse)
• F - Master Tuning (Master Tuning Fine)
• P - Master Pitch Bend Range

When deactive, the Registered Parameter will replace the `<‘ and `>’ symbols with the appropriate controller character (C, F or P). Once the desired controller is active you may then use the left and right arrow keys to increment or decrement the controller setting. In the above example Master Tuning is currently active.

A visual indication is given of the status of each slider whilst a digital readout is shown to the right of the controllers label.

To switch back to the Channel Selector press <SPACE>, you will then need to re-select a slider using C,F or P.

Channel Controls
The Channel Controls module is similar to the Registered Parameters module but has buttons instead of sliders.

Selection of the channels is as described for the Registered Parameters. It should be noted that the channel status for the Channel Controls will be the SAME as the Registered Parameters module.

Channel Controls

The three buttons N, C and S generate the three Channel Control messages “All Notes Off”, “All Controllers Off” and “All Sounds Off” respectively. Pressing either of these three keys will result in the relevant message being transmitted. A visual indication of the process is given by the relevant button going in to a depressed state for a few moments and then returning to its rest state.

The operation of the five lower buttons is described below:-

Local Keyboard - The first time you enter this module, MIDI3c is unaware of the true status of the Local Keyboard status of the connected Midi device. This is indicated by the Local Keyboard button, which actually consist of two buttons (On and Off) both being up or off. To send a Local Keyboard On/Off command you must first press <K>, to select Local Keyboard mode, and then press either the up arrow (for Local Keyboard On) or the down arrow (for Local Keyboard Off).

Omni On/Off, Monophonic and Polyphonic modes - As for Local Keyboard mode, when you first enter this module MIDI3c does not know the correct status of these modes. The four operational modes are represented by a set of inter-locked push-buttons. Only one of these four buttons can be active at any one time. Select the desired mode button by pressing <1>, <2>, <3> or <4> as required.

If you have set MIDI3c to be GM, GS or XG compliant then MIDI3c will assume that the MIDI device is in mode 3.

General Information on the Tools modules
The Registered Parameters module, Channel Control module and the Faders module are all accessible from with the MIDI3c Player and the Session Player Descriptor Llists allowing the user to quickly adjust the connected MIDI device without having to exit and enter a multitude of menus.

The settings of all of controls are maintained for the life of MIDI3c. i.e when you exit MIDI3c it will `forget’ all of the settings which you will need to re-define the next time MIDI3c is started. The exception here, of course, is the Faders module where you can optionally save the current settings as a set.