Compiling large programs
Bo Hanson
A problem I have often come across is the '! No room' error
while using the AMPLE Toolbox compiler with very large programs.
After finishing a tune and adding a title screen and a page
or two of 'info' (blurb, waffle etc), there is sufficient memory for the
program to run but not enough for the compiler to work, even after deleting all
unnecessary modules and words and compacting the program. A full screen title
page takes about 1.1K and the compiler needs about 2.2K workspace to knock this
down to 0.9K. This may not seem a big saving, but 2K or more can be removed
from a large program of 10K or more and this could be enough for the Mixing
Desk module to be used. The method below describes how to get around the '! No
room' problem. It works, although it is a bit messy.
It is necessary to save the complete song to disc (just in
case!), then to split the program into two parts: all the words that are
concerned with the music itself in one part and the fancy bits in the other.
*SPOOL the title page(s), info page(s) and RUN to a separate
file on disc. Any words that are used by these words must also be included.
For example, if you have two 'info' words, a word to wait
for a key press between the 'info' screens, and a title screen word:
"RUN" [ 12#OUT title
"123etc-abc-etc"PLAY ]
"123etc-abc-etc"PLAY ]
"info" [ %blurb...
rtn info2 ]
rtn info2 ]
"info2" [ %more blurb... ]
"title" [ "title information"$OUTNL ]
"rtn" [ REP(#IN13#=)UNTIL()REP ]
These will need to be *SPOOLed to the new file taking care
that words which are used in other words are done first (so that they are found
when read back in). For example,
*SPOOL newfile
"rtn" TYPE
...
"info2" TYPE
...
"info" TYPE
...
"title" TYPE
...
"RUN" TYPE
...
*SPOOL
"rtn" TYPE
...
"info2" TYPE
...
"info" TYPE
...
"title" TYPE
...
"RUN" TYPE
...
*SPOOL
After these words have been *SPOOLed, they should be DELETEd
from the program:
"RUN" DELETE
"title" DELETE
"info" DELETE
"info2" DELETE
"rtn" DELETE
"title" DELETE
"info" DELETE
"info2" DELETE
"rtn" DELETE
leaving just the music score, mix(es) and instruments in
full.
These are then compiled and *SPOOLed to yet another file on
disc:
*SPOOL newfile2
WRITE
...
*SPOOL
WRITE
...
*SPOOL
Type NEW and *EXEC the file with the title, RUN and info
words and then compile these too. Then, the file with the compiled music words
can be *EXECed back to give a complete compiled program.
The reason I use *SPOOL and *EXEC rather than using the
AMPLE Toolbox MERGE facility is that MERGE will duplicate any existing word
names which can create untold hassles when trying to DELETE the unwanted definition
of two. Using *SPOOL and *EXEC does away with this problem. Also, it is the
easiest way to save just part of a program.
Finally, save the compiled program (I prefix my compiled
filenames with a 'C.') and delete the two part files from the disc.
Happy compiling and many saved returns!
Using the Recorder over MIDI
Bernie Dawson
1) The Music 2000 manual does not seem to state that the
Recorder works over MIDI provided you put 9 in front of the section letter you
allocate.
2) When using MIDI instruments and the Recorder you
sometimes want the part you are practising to sound louder than the backing you
may have already built up. A convenient way of doing this is to put xxx VEL on
the instrument line where xxx is a number up to 127.
Published in AMPLINEX 026, May 1992
