Offline Help Manual Available!! Version .85 (final beta)

[Harbinger]

Don't worry. By making it available in various formats, all of your concerns can be addressed. There will be an official version of the OHM, then the "open-release" version which will allow others to translate it, transfer it, or redo for their own selves.

I don't think it's possible or practicable to include the latest updated OHM with the most recent MPT package, for 2 reasons. First, our devs are good at code, but it requires a separate talent to write a technical document, understandable to all, on how you changed the code. Second of all, the devs could notify me of changes before they release their latest build, but the problems with that is that it would delay the release until i wrote up the changes, and would make it seem like the build was ready. They hardly ever are.

[phoenixdolphin]

The download links don't work...

[uncloned]

I was waiting for Harbinger to post this link but seeing how he is here once a week at best I will give this out for him.

http://clones.soonlabel.com/public/modplug-manual/MPT-OHM-.85.pdf

That is the latest version.

[Harbinger]

OHM .85 BETA now available!
Thanks uncloned for hosting the upload. For those looking for previous versions, ModPlug Central's DL/UL site is down for some reason, so previous versions won't be available until that comes back online. :cry:

No i didn't forget about finishing this project. But many other things have demanded my time, plus an admitted loss of inspiration stalled the progress...

This version incorporates most changes found in the 1.18 build of MPT. Here is a list of the changes from OHM .6:

>> Reference section added. This more-than-doubled the file size of the PDF from 6 MB to 13 MB, and it's only about 90% complete. The purpose of the Reference section is to provide details of what each element of MPT does, and answer all questions that one may encounter when using MPT. The Reference is divided by chapter for the tabs, dialog boxes, menus, and a special pair of chapters which describe electronic audio production and MIDI usage. Rookies and veterans alike should have no questions left when i'm done (except for HOW MPT's code handles everything!)

>> Chapter sequence re-done. The MIDI Setup chapter was also moved to the Reference for MIDI.

>> Setup: The Player Options and Key Entry Options were summarized; the detailed descriptions of each element were moved to the Reference section for the dialog windows. The Equalizer setup and MIDI Options subchapters were also moved to the Reference. The object of this chapter was to provide new users with a quick overview of setup possibilities, so some setup details were saved for the Reference section.

>> Samples:
   A. Loops were clarified, with many new graphics for explanation. Colored text provided to more quickly distinguish Sample Loops from Sustain Loops (for those of us who read more quickly than we comprehend )
   B. Now that Sample edits can be un-done, i omitted the several warnings to this "non-Undo-ability" throughout the manual.

>> Instruments:
   A. Allusions to Soundfont instruments were omitted since they are not fully compatible with MPT, and since i got no clear insight on how they work or how to use them in MPT.
   B. The Filtering graphic was removed, as it will appear later in the Filter subchapter in the Audio Reference.
   C. The Envelope Loops section was completely revamped and provided with new graphics with a clearer differentation between the sample's loops and the instrument's envelopes. I also provided a table which logically elaborates on what happens during playback of a sample based on their respective settings. Thanks to Jojo for un-muddying the waters on this subject.

>> Patterns:
   A. Added a subsection on C&P, detailing the new paste methods.
   B. Added a table showing the Note Stops for various track formats.
   C. Added examples of how to use the instrument column in each channel.
   D. Wrote up the section on Sequences, which took me forever to understand! Thanks ToB!

>> Macros: Added mention of PCE input when using Record Params.

>> Save/Export: Added subsection on MIDI Import here. Seemed more logical.

>> Appendix A: Did NOT include any Channel FX changes brought into 1.18, because i was uncertain of the nature of the changes. The author of the history.txt for 1.18 did not specify how exactly the commands were improved -- for example, the "Set Waveform" and "Invert Loop" commands. However, i DID update the section on MPTM Parameter Control Events.

>> Appendix D: Added new keyboard shortcut descriptions.

>> Little blue notations throughout, reflecting which parts are not complete.

>> Many clarifications, corrections, and updates to the graphics or text throughout, ranging from a single word to entire paragraphs.

I still have a few more little pieces to finish, namely using the MIDI Map, and a more complete description of the science of electronic audio, and details of Compatibility issues (which only the devs can enlighten me on), plus a few other minor write-ups. Hopefully it should be done within a few months, and the next release will be non-beta. In the OHM 1.0, there will be a full glossary and linked index (the index will be easily adaptible for search feaatures in a .chm Help file).

Any errors you spot, i need to know. Any help in any of the subjects which i haven't finished, i can definitely use help on (even by providing a link on the subject). Any ideas on making the release version more functional and helpful, i'd like to hear....

[Saga Musix]

Quick skimming...
There are still some things there that I would like to be fixed.

- Sequences: You speak of using them for different parts of songs, but I'd rather extended that to different songs alltogether. For example when writing music for a game where you want to use the same instruments in all musics, you can use 10 sequences for 10 game tracks.

- Sample Editor context menu: Undo is missing.

- Sample Editor: The time stretching screenshot is outdated. It still has the "preview" checkbox, which is a bit misleading.

- Sample Editor: Editing capabilities are still not up to date (invert, unsign, dc offset removal...)


- Compat Export:

Past developers of the open source version of ModPlug Tracker altered various functions and format
track formats in an effort to incorporate desired features — the term for these modifications is "hacks."

Well, if you want to be exact, it's not only the devs of OpenMPT, but also Olivier himself.

- Setup: It would be good to have a list of the options on the General tab.

- Channel FX: Invert Loop practically works like it's described everywhere.
Waveform Types: IT format only knows continous waveform type (if in compatibility mode, which is advised - if not, it works like in XM format). S3M format only knows "reset" waveforms.

- XM Effect commands: EFx is "Set Macro", not "Invert Loop".
- S3M Effect commands: SFx is unused, not Invert Loop.
- IT Effect commands: For more details about how effect memory is shared, read up here (tests 3 and 4).
- MPTM Commands: "PC 00" does not exist and does not automate plugin 100. In OpenMPT 1.18.00.00,  plugin 100 can't be automated (which is obviously a bug). This will be possible in the next release.

[Harbinger]

- Sequences: You speak of using them for different parts of songs, but I'd rather extended that to different songs alltogether. For example when writing music for a game where you would to use the same instruments in all musics, you can use 10 sequences for 10 game tracks.

I will include that in the description, but they are still only part of one track. They are indeed "sub-songs".

- Setup: It would be good to have a list of the options on the General tab.

I thought about that, but 3 reasons together (not separately) dissuades me from doing that:
1. They are always being added with practically every new build.
2. The Help Tips that describe them suffice rather well.
3. The default setup works well enough for a new user; changes to them i'm sure they'd rather make after they've gotten some experience with MPT.

- Channel FX: Invert Loop practically works like it's described everywhere.

Please supply link or make a description here. I still don't know what it does...

- XM Effect commands: EFx is "Set Macro", not "Invert Loop".
- S3M Effect commands: SFx is unused, not Invert Loop.
- IT Effect commands: For more details about how effect memory is shared, read up here (tests 3 and 4).
- MPTM Commands: "PC 00" does not exist and does not automate plugin 100. In OpenMPT 1.18.00.00,  plugin 100 can't be automated (which is obviously a bug). This will be possible in the next release.

Good to know. Concerning IT's shared memory, i thought i understood it perfectly -- and that wiki page is one of my resources i keep. Is there something i've assumed or overlooked?

[Saga Musix]

Good to know. Concerning IT's shared memory, i thought i understood it perfectly -- and that wiki page is one of my resources i keep. Is there something i've assumed or overlooked?

As I said, I have just skimmed the page, and I saw an example with Gxx involved, so I just wanted to go sure.

Please supply link or make a description here. I still don't know what it does...

The effect needs a short looped sample to work / sound good.
EFx with x > 0 will initalize the effect with speed x on the channel. The effect ends when EF0 is reached. Basically, the effect flips (inverts) the bytes of the loop one by one. At the highest speed (EFF), one byte is flippped per tick. The effect does not only effect the sample that was playing when the effect was triggered, but any sample on that channel until EF0 is reached.
Some good examples to listen and comprehend how the effect works:
- urea geller, urethra franklin by reed.
- delicate 0ooz!, flippy introtune by emax.

[Saga Musix]

The orderlist ctx menu on page 106 is incomplete: Sequences are missing.

Oh, and as far as I can see, the tree view is not mentioned anywhere. Which is a shame really, since many improvements have been made in OpenMPT 1.18 to make it even more useful. Some things that should be mentioned:
- Context menus! A lot of functionality has been added to them.
- The "playing"/"muted" indicators (icons) for samples and instruments. If anything, it's at least fun to watch the "playing" icons.

Oh and... Why do you write that vibrato sweep is not functional? It actualyl works like this:
- In XM, 0 means no sweep. Apart from that exception, the rule is: The higher the number, the faster the full vibrato rate will be reached.
- In IT, the 0 value just means "no vibrato" (unless compatibility mode is disabled. Then, XM behaviour is used).

[Saga Musix]

- Sample Editing:

Normalize: This is like a conditional amplification. Normalizing amplifies sample points by the same amount until
the highest value of the sample (or selection) equals the highest possible value (255). This has the effect of
amplifying quiet samples a lot, but amplifying already loud samples a little.

You're trying to give too many technical details here, but nevertheless it's wrong. Neither with 8-bit nor with 16-bit samples, 255 is the highest possible value. 8-Bit sample byte range is [-128, 127], for 16-bit samples it's [-32768, 32767]. But I would actually not mention that here.

- Instrument Editor, Sample Map context menu: This is incomplete. Apart from "Map all notes to sample x", there's also "Map all notes to note y".

- XM Pattern Effects:
Again, you're trying to be too precise, which results in wrong information. The XM arpeggio is one of the weirdest effects in FT2. It is actually not possible to describe what XM arpeggio does in one sentence. Just enable compatibility mode, set the song's speed to something > 16 (for example 24), set the song tempo to something like (for example 80) load up a chip sample, and try arpeggio with it.

- S3M/IT Pattern Effects:
The Arpeggio example uses MOD effect notation (037 instead of J37).

- IT Pattern Effects:
High Offset is explained wrong. First of all, if you want to distinguish between 8-bit and 16-bit samples, you also have to distinguish between mono and stereo samples (which would double the numbers). But since you're not addressing programmers which have to know the exact amount of bytes to skip in their mixing routines, I would simply use "samples" to measure the offset effect - because the "sample" unit is always the same (just that a sample can be between 1 and 4 bytes big). The other advantage is that the sample unit is also used in the sample editor.
Anyway, what's really wrong is the effect explanation, because you forgot that Oxx actually set the offset to position xx00, so, O01 effectively jumps to sample 256. Thus, the complete sample offset with SAy and Oxx would be yxx00.

- MPTM Pattern Effects: Instrument control extensions S7D and S7E (MPTM only!) are missing.

[Saga Musix]

The new Note Cut/Fade/Off table explaning all the differences in the supported module formats is a bit misleading. There is no "XM Sample" mode, simply because XMs are always in instrument mode. What you probably mean is an instrument that has no active volume envelope.

[Harbinger]

Thanks Jojo for your eagle eye! :wink:

Currently preparing the official release, with all sections completely written up, a Glossary, an index (hopefully linked).

Anything anyone else wants to see incorporated, speak now. Everything is on the table. I'll glean thru your ideas for the really good ones and incorporate them if possible...

[Sam_Zen]

Thanks for your quality work so far, Harbinger !

I checked the chapter about export to WAV, and I noticed there was no additional info about the several WAV formats.
So also nothing about the Quad mode.
I know it's for most people a minor issue, but I happen to have the equipment for this and use it quite often.

So I'm planning to make a thorough test about this with all the possible options and ways to export the proper file.
I will do this soon and write a report. Maybe it could be added to the final release.

[Saga Musix]

Well, at the same time I wonder: Is there really the need to explain the exact difference between Mono, Stereo, Quad, 8-Bit, 16-Bit, 32-Bit etc. when it's already explained in the Soundcard setup?

[uncloned]

for someone starting out a very brief explanation - even just a table - could be very useful as a bootstrap to learn more.

[Saga Musix]

Ok, I had a look at this new chart again, and apparently there's still some misunderstandings, mostly because you don't try to understand sample loops and instrument loops as two completely different things.
So here we go...
In IT Sample mode, Note Cut cuts the sample (you got that correct).
In IT Sample mode, Note Off releases the sample's sustain loop, if there is one.
In IT Sample mode, Note Fade does absolutely nothing.
A sample loop cannot be left, and thus, there's no such thing as "Finishes sample based on Sample Loop".

The above rules also apply when in instrument mode of course, but this happens only to the sample loops, and not to the instrument loops! They are treated separately, so the IT Instrument row is also a bit misleading:
In IT Instrument mode, Note Cut cuts the sample and the instrument.
In IT Instrument mode, Note Off releases the sample's sustain loop, if there is one, and releases the instrument's sustain loop.
In IT Instrument mode, Note Fade fades the instrument out, according to the instrument's "Fade Out" value.