
            NeoTracker v1.7
             User's manual

 --------------------------------------

   INTRODUCTION

   NeoTracker is a program designed for
editing and playing music with 8-bit
samples, that utilizes up to 1MB of
extended memory and COVOX expansion.

   I wish you nice composing

                        Epi/Tristesse
                           07.07.2007


   CHANGES HISTORY

   Version 1.7 (07.2007)
- added configuration for COVOX
  registers address;
- fixed bug that causes infinite loop
  when accessing to non-existent drive
  under SpartaDOS X

   Version 1.6 (03.2006)
- *VBL jumps fixed (works now with
  DracOS)
- automatic detection of XMS-bank used
  by SDX in the installer
- clearing of memory before starting
  both tracker and installer
- volume change in sample window bug
  fixed

   Version 1.5 (12.2003)
- mixing frequency in module player
  increased to 11.75kHz
- some minor bugs fixed

   Version 1.4 (08.2003)
- mixing frequency in module player
  increased to 11.5kHz
- improved frequency tables
- improved MOD conversion
- improved XMS management
- built-in help added
- audio device selection (POKEY/COVOX)
  in installer
- portamento effect commands
- SpartaDOS subdirectories support
  added
- separate paths for modules, samples
  and patterns
- a few minor updates

   Version 1.12p (02.2003)
- same as 1.12, but works only with
  POKEY

   Version 1.12 (12.2002)
- MOD conversion improved
- some minor bugs fixed

   (...)

   Version 0.9 (09.2002)
- first public release


   SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Hardware configuration:

minimal    - ATARI 130XE
           - one disk drive

basic      - +256kB RAM
           - Covox
           - disk drive or SIO2PC

optimal    - +1MB RAM
           - Covox
           - SpartaDOS X
           - SIO2PC lub twardy dysk

Software requirements:

- MEMLO max. $2000
- memory under OS ROM not used


   INSTALLATION

   To install NeoTracker, you should
prepare about 16kB of free space on any
disk and load NEO16INS.COM (Under SDX
use X.COM). After it's load, you can
set up following features:

- Default directories for modules,
  samples and patterns. They're set up
  every time NeoTracker starts.
  Keys:        DEL - move cursor back
           RET,TAB - confirmation
               ESC - wyjcie do DOS

- Extended memory banks. There are
  number of active banks, total number
  of existing banks, and (below) codes
  of all active banks, shown. Inactive
  bank codes are replaced with '=='.
  Keys:    -,=,+,* - move cursor
               SPC - toggle bank
                     activity
           RET,TAB - confirmation
               ESC - wyjcie do DOS

- I/O Sound. Loading files through SIO
  is much more pleasant when sound is
  off.
  Keys:        SPC - toggle on/off
           RET,TAB - confirmation
               ESC - wyjcie do DOS

- Output device. With this option you
  can set up address that your COVOX is
  placed at. Available addresses are:
  $D500 (cartridge), $D600, $D700,
  $D220, $D240, $D260, and $D280.
  Either you can tell NeoTracker to use
  POKEY instead. Stereo is detected
  automatically.
  Keys:        SPC - select POKEY or
                     COVOX at specified
                     location
           RET,TAB - confirmation
               ESC - wyjcie do DOS

- Destination path (Save to:) - defines
  an existing directory name, in which
  NeoTracker with selected settings
  will be saved.
  Keys:        DEL - move cursor back
               TAB - back to default
                     directory setting
               RET - install
               ESC - exit to DOS

   The simpliest way to install
(recommended for those, who use older
DOSes and/or only disk drives), is to
press RETURN key seven times, and then
press Y.
   SpartaDOS X users should remember
to enter direct paths and disable bank
used by DOS in BANKED mode. Current
version detects and disables it
automatically, but you can do set it up
manually, of course.


   GETTING STARTED

   To run NeoTracker, load NEO.COM. In
SpartaDOS X, remember to use X.COM.
After loading, NeoTracker is depacked
and the tables are generated, and then,
the main screen appears. It's divided
into three most important parts:
pattern editor (on the left), song
editor (top-right), and the sample
window (below the song editor). You can
toggle between these windows with [TAB]
key.
   On the bottom, there are also three
smaller windows, that inform about:
initial playing speed, current octave,
and status of last operation. The last
one usually shows the number of unused
XMS banks for samples (one sample
occupies one bank) and free pattern
memory size (in bytes). Besides, below
the info about current version of
NeoTracker, there is a place for the
title of currently edited song.

   All the numbers in NeoTracker
(except for error code) are shown in
hexadecimal. Maximum number of patterns
is 128, and samples - 64, but it also
depends on the amount of free memory.
When there are no more space for
patterns or samples, an "Out Of Memory"
message is displayed. Maximum length of
each sample is limited by the size of
one bank (16kB), but there is a
possibility to use one sample (called
"long sample", which can be up to 22kB
($5800 bytes) long.
   Mixing frequency is:
- 11.75kHz when playing module
- 15.5kHz when playing pattern or
  testing sample
- ca. 13kHz when entering notes

   Note keys layout is as follows:

1st octave:
   [S] [D]     [G] [H] [J]     [L]
 [Z] [X] [C] [V] [B] [N] [M] [,] [.]

2nd octave:
   [2] [3]     [5] [6] [7]     [9]
 [Q] [W] [E] [R] [T] [Y] [U] [I] [O]

   Total range is over five octaves
(63 semitones).

   You can use following effects:
- end of pattern (S0) - moves to next
  song position AFTER the line in
  pattern, where the command is placed
- change speed (S1..SF) - immediately
  sets new playing speed
- volume slide down/up (-x, +x) -
  volume is decreased/increased at
  every frame during pattern position,
  where command is placed
- portamento down/up (Qx, Px) - the
  value is added to current period;
  unfortunately, since the mixing
  frequencies in pattern and song
  editors are different, it may be not
  so easy to tune it perfectly.

   Volume table includes 33 different
volumes, from $00 (silence) to $20
(maximum volume).

   There is also importing MODs from
other platforms (Sound Tracker format).
Converted are notes in four octaves,
and the following effects: 1,2
(portamento; parameters are NOT
recalculated), 5,6,A (volume slide),
B (jump to position), D (end of
pattern).


   PATTERN EDITOR

   On the top of the window, there is
an info about current pattern: its
number, and a '+' or '-' character,
indicating if the pattern is empty.
   Below, there are 17 of 64 lines of
pattern. Each of them looks similarly
to:

            1E:>D#2 04 20 P5
            ----------------
            aa:znnn ss vv kp

where: aa - line number
        z - tag position
      nnn - current note, or empty
            space meaning continuation
            of previous note
       ss - number of sample used to
            playing current note - if
            not shown, means
            continuation of previously
            used sample
       vv - volume change
       kp - effect command with
            parameter

   Keys: (^ = [CTRL], ! = [SHIFT])

note keys - enter notes
[-][=] - move cursor one line up/down
![INS] - insert empty line
![DEL] - delete line
[DEL]  - move tagged position
^[Z]   - set tag
![P]   - jump to beginning of pattern
^[P]   - jump to tag

![-][=] - select octave
^[-][=] - select sample
 [+][*] - jump to previous/next pattern
^[Q]    - jump to any pattern

 ![<]  - clear pattern
 ^[<]  - move pattern to buffer
 ^[>]  - copy buffer to pattern
!^[>]  - overlay buffer on pattern
 ^[L]  - load pattern
 ^[S]  - save pattern
 [RET] - play pattern
![RET] - play from the beginning
^[RET] - play from tag position
         ([SPC] - stop)

 ^[C]    - set volume in current line
 ![+][*] - increase/decrease volume
 ^[,][.] - set effect command
 ^[+][*] - set effect parameter
 ![SPC]  - remove effect command
 ^[SPC]  - remove sample number
 ^[N]    - edit song title
!^[-][=] - change initial speed

   Following four options should be run
with [CTRL] (edit sample number), or
[SHIFT] (edit parameter, except [D]).
[+] and [*] keys are for selecting
currently entered value (hexadecimal),
[RET] confirms, and [ESC] quits without
making any changes.

[T] - transpose - parameter means the
      number of semitones
[X] - change sample no. - parameter
      defines target sample number
[V] - change volume - parameter is
      multiplied by the volume on each
      position in pattern. $40 is
      multiplication by 2, $20 - *1,
      $10 - *0.5, and so on.
[D] - delete notes - clear all lines,
      where selected sample is used

  [TAB] - move to song editor
 [HELP] - help
!^[ESC] - exit to DOS


   SAMPLE WINDOW

   Shows the list of loaded samples.
Each line looks similarly to:

        >+04:!MINOR CHORD [L]
        ----------------------
        zuaa:lnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

where: z - tag indicating current
           sample
       u - a '+' character in this
           place means that sample is
           used in current pattern
      aa - sample number
       l - a '!' character means long
           sample
  nnn... - sample name

   On the right, there is a narrow
column, where the following information
is shown:
SMP - sample number
VOL - default volume
LEN - sample length in bytes
REP - loop start position

   Keys in sample window:

 [-][=] - select previous/next sample
^[Q]    - select any sampla
![-][=] - select octave
 [RET]  - test sample (use note keys,
          [SPC] - stop)
^[V]    - edit default volume
![+][*] - change default volume
^[S]    - save .NSF sample
^[L]    - load .NSF sample
^[R]    - load .SMP sample (from
          ProTracker by MadTeam)
^[D]    - remove sample
^[N]    - rename sample

  [TAB] - move to pattern editor
 [HELP] - help
!^[ESC] - exit to DOS


   SONG EDITOR

   On the top of the window, there are
track numbers and states: if the track
name is underlined, the track is on.
   Below, there are 8 lines of song
that looks like the following:

       01 1E:00 1E:0C 04:00 0A:FE
       --------------------------
       aa p1:t1 p2:t2 p3:t3 p4:t4

where: aa - line number
       px - pattern number on track x
       tx - pattern transposition on
            track x

   Keys in song editor:

[-][=][+][*] - move cursor
 ^[Q]    - jump to any position
  [0..F] - editing values
 ![1..4] - toggle track on/off
!^[-][=] - change initial speed
  [RET]  - play module
 ![RET]  - play module from the
           beginning
 ^[SPC]  - clear value under cursor
 ^[N]    - edit song title
 ^[L]    - load .NEO module
 ^[R]    - import .MOD
 ^[S]    - save .NEO module
!^[CLR]  - clear all data

  [TAB] - move to pattern editor
 [HELP] - help
!^[ESC] - exit to DOS


   FILE SELECTOR

   Each I/O operation starts in file
selector. On the bottom of the screen,
the current path appears, and in the
pattern window, the contents of the
directory is visible. MyDOS and
SpartaDOS subdirectories are supported.
If the directory is empty, there is
only 'no files' printed. '..' means
the up-directory.

Keys when loading file:

  [-][=] - move cursor
   [RET] - enter subdirectory / load
           file
!^[1..8] - jump to root directory of
           selected drive

Keys when saving file:

[A..Z][0..9][_] - edit name
   [DEL] - back space
  [-][=] - move cursor
   [RET] - enter subdirectory
  ![RET] - save file
  ^[RET] - make subdirectory
  ![DEL] - remove subdirectory (only
           MyDOS) or file
!^[1..8] - jump to root directory of
           selected drive

   If any error during I/O occurs, then
the appropriate message is shown. 'I/O
Error- nnn!' means transmission error
number nnn, and 'Bad file type' means
that file format wasn't correctly
recognized.


   CREDITS

   The following people created
NeoTracker:

- idea, design, code, testing,
  documentation:
   Epi/Tristesse^O.S.

- idea, testing:
   Pinokio/Tristesse

- XMS-detecting routine:
   Fox/Taquart

   Special thanks to Voy/SSG^DIAL for
plenty of inspiring information about
trackers from other platforms, and the
constant support. :) Thanks also to
Draco for testing with DracOS.

   NeoTracker v1.7 is free/postcard/
ware, which means that:
- you use it at your own responsibility
- you may distribute it as long as you
  don't change anything in the archive
  and don't get any payment for it
- you don't pay for it, but if you like
  it, you have to send a postcard from
  your location to the author

   Send comments, suggestions and
postcards to:

        snail: Adrian Matoga
               ul. Jedziecka 11
               30-698 Krakw
       e-mail: epi@atari.pl
          gsm: +48505713863
    gadu-gadu: 2806925
       jabber: epi@student.agh.edu.pl
          irc: #atari8 (IRCNet)

 --------------------------------------

       (c) 2002-2007 Tristesse

