Printing out AMPLINEX information

There are three ways to print out the information seen in AMPLINEX.

You can print out an AMPLINEX file as it is displayed on the screen from within AMPLINEX; you can print the files themselves as you would any other text file; or you can load the files into your own word processor and re-format them as required before printing.

1) To print a file from within AMPLINEX choose the 'SET PRINT ON/OFF' option from the Introduction menu. This allows you to toggle a software 'print switch' on or off. If the switch is set ON then any AMPLINEX file which is displayed on the screen will be sent to the printer. This will continue until you set the switch off again using the same Introduction option. An asterisk is displayed at the top of the screen next to the issue number when the print option is ON and the print status is shown at the bottom right of the screen as text is displayed within AMPLINEX.

It is now also possible to print out part of a file from within AMPLINEX. There are two ways to do this:

a) To print a single page of an AMPLINEX file, make sure the 'print switch' is OFF and then select the menu option which displays the file. When the page you wish to print is displayed, and the 'Press RETURN to continue' prompt is showing at the bottom of the screen, press the letter 'P' on the keyboard. The page being displayed will then be sent to the printer. Pressing RETURN will then continue to display the file without printing.

b) To start printing part-way through a file, you can turn on the 'print switch' by pressing the CTRL and 'P' keys together when the 'Press RETURN to continue' prompt is displayed. Subsequent pages which are displayed will then be sent to the printer. The 'print switch' can be turned off again in the same way.

2) If you prefer to print the parts you require outside of AMPLINEX - all the data is held in files on the AMPLINEX disc. The files are in directories named according to the sections in which they appear and the file names can be seen at the foot of the screen as they are displayed in AMPLINEX so you can make a note of the ones you require.

The file directories allocated to each section of AMPLINEX are as follows:

$. for Music

A. for the Introduction and Adverts

F. for Features

H. for Hints and Tips

I. for Instruments

N. for News and Reviews

Q. for Questions and Answers

U. for Utilities

In addition to the text files, the AMPLE instrument definitions can also be printed directly from within AMPLINEX. Music and utility programs written in AMPLE can only be printed by LOADing the programs into the Studio 5000 and using the WRITE command (see Studio 5000 User Guide page 100).

3) If you wish to re-format the text before printing you should load the files into your word processor. The files contain unjustified text restricted to 38 columns width. The files contain only printable ASCII characters except for a control code (ASCII 11) which marks the screen page breaks. View treats these as left margin tabs and if necessary they can be removed with a C/^L// command.

Two utilities have been published in AMPLINEX to aid with the re-formatting of text files:

In AMPLINEX 003 'Hints and Tips' (H.ints003) there were instructions for a Wordwise segment program to automatically format AMPLINEX text files. The segment itself was included in AMPLINEX 004 (H.WWconv).

In AMPLINEX 005 there was a utility to print formatted 80-column text direct from an AMPLINEX text file. The instructions (U.print/i) and the BASIC program (U.print80) are both within the 'Utilities' section. A modification to this program (to provide a wider margin) was included in the 'Hints and Tips' section of AMPLINEX 006. See also the Update section of AMPLINEX 008 for a note concerning BASIC 1 users.

Published in AMPLINEX 010, March 1989

Next issue news

The next issue of AMPLINEX is planned for release at the end of May 1989. This means that all applications for a FREE copy (i.e. those with discs containing contributions) must be received by MONDAY 1ST MAY. Anyone paying the £2.00 fee should apply by Friday 27th May.

The next issue is expected to include a feature on unmixes, a review of the new Music 5000 Junior, and a powerful utility for managing AMPLE text files (instruments, utilities and more).

Published in AMPLINEX 010, March 1989

How to contribute to AMPLINEX

To receive your next issue of AMPLINEX free of charge you must send a contribution of your own.

This could be an AMPLE music program, an instrument definition, a question or an article about some aspect of the AMPLE language or Hybrid Music System hardware or software, an AMPLE utility, a useful hint about AMPLE, or an answer to another member's question.

Under copyright law we cannot publish programs or music unless we have the permission of the copyright owners or their licensing agent. It is important to realise that in the case of an AMPLE music program, copyright exists in both the program itself and the music it represents. There may even be a separate copyright in the arrangement. If you wish to contribute transcriptions into AMPLE of someone else's music you must credit the copyright owner(s) of the music, the arrangement (if applicable) and lyrics (if included). We can then try to obtain permission to publish.

To protect ourselves from copyright actions we must ask you to sign the copyright declaration on the 'next issue request form' which was sent to you with this issue of AMPLINEX. All submissions made to AMPLINEX will be regarded as permission to publish within the AMPLINEX membership. Beyond this, the submission remains the property of the author.

As part of an exchange arrangement, we may wish to pass on your address if any of your contributions are of interest to other software publishers such as Hybrid Technology, Micronet or CEEFAX.

If you do NOT wish your contributions to be considered for publication elsewhere (and thus your address not to be passed to anyone else) please indicate this on the request form in the place provided.

You can also use your return disc to pass on questions which you would like answered on any issue relating to the Hybrid Music System or AMPLE language. We will do our best to answer them (or will pass them over to the other members for help) and publish the results in the Questions and Answers section of AMPLINEX.

You can also use AMPLINEX to advertise any (un)wanted items or to make contact with other members. Just put the details of your advertisement on to the return disc and we will try to include it in the next issue.

The 'Feedback' section of AMPLINEX contains a utility to allow a note to be written on the screen which can then be saved to disc. This 'note' file can then be included on your disc sent for the next issue of AMPLINEX.

'Feedback' notes can be used to make contributions to any of the text-based sections of AMPLINEX as well as to make comments or suggestions on AMPLINEX itself.

Send all contributions, on a standard DFS format disc (40 or 80 track).

40-track disc users please note:

The AMPLINEX magazine is designed to fit on to one side of an 80 track disc. If you use 40 track discs you should send one double-sided or two single-sided discs.

It is not necessary to send printed copies of your contributions - any copies required are printed locally to minimize postage costs.

Suggested file formats are:

a) AMPLE Music programs - save these in normal Studio 5000 format (e.g. by selecting 'Save program' from the Studio 5000 Main menu). Since many members do not have the Music 4000 keyboard please ensure that your program has no M.M4 or M.KFX module words present. To make sure, try loading the program using your Studio 5000 System disc.

Please include some comments about the music - how or why it was written, how it could be changed - and put them into a word as comments following a DISPLAY statement. Use of the word 'info' to contain such text is common practice and we would suggest that it is NOT displayed automatically every time the music is played.

b) AMPLE instruments - save these in text form via *SPOOL using the AMPLE 'TYPE' command to save the word(s) you want.

Some description of the sound itself and hints on its use (e.g. which parameters could be changed, which are the most suitable octave settings) would make it more useful. This can be done using comments within the instrument definition itself (by preceding them with a '%').

c) Text (hints, questions etc.) - use the 'Feedback' note facility for short contributions. For longer pieces use View, Wordwise or other word processor (without embedded format codes or commands). Do not right justify the text.

You can help us operate AMPLINEX more efficiently by careful naming of the files which you send us. Receiving several files called 'hint' or 'quest' can cause us problems in trying to keep track of which contribution came from which member.

Wherever possible, please try and make the filenames of your contributions unique especially where they are for a regular section of the magazine.

Putting a combination of your name or initials and the section for which the contribution is destined is one way of doing this. So if your name is Fred Bloggs you could use FBquest or BlogH&T for contributions to the Questions and Answers or Hints and Tips sections.

Whatever filenames you use, please remember to include your name somewhere in the contribution - this can save us many hours annotating lists and cross-referencing filenames with contributors.

Ensure that your disc is well packed as we will be using the same packaging to return it to you.

Make sure you enclose a return address label and postage and that both the packaging and the disc are marked with your name and address.

Send it to:

AMPLINEX
26 Arbor Lane
Winnersh
Berks.
RG11 5JD

to arrive by the date specified in the 'Next issue' section.

We look forward to reading and hearing your contributions.

Published in AMPLINEX 010, March 1989

Update – changes/corrections/comments

This section is a focus for news about the workings of AMPLINEX, corrections to items in previous issues, and other small items of information which might otherwise be missed amongst the details of each issue.

AMPLINEX features

Some of the responses to our survey in AMPLINEX issue 007 suggested to us that it may be worth mentioning a few of the minor features of AMPLINEX which have been added during its development but which are not mentioned in each issue.

One of these is the ability to speed up the operation of the AMPLINEX title screen by holding down the CTRL key. Another is the use of the ESCAPE key to stop the display of a text file in order to return the previous menu.

A final point is the importance of using the Exit from AMPLINEX option on the main menu when you have finished. AMPLINEX redefines certain keys (such as ESCAPE and TAB) and loading in another program without going via this menu option could cause difficulties with these keys.

Music 2000 files

We have received an interesting letter from Michael Mellor on the subject of music files written for use with the Music 2000 MIDI interface.

He writes:

As more persons compose or arrange pieces using an AMPLE-controlled MIDI instrument, even if that is merely a drum machine, this will eventually lead to the difficulty of circulating such files without some adaptation by the receiving individual for his own equipment. Even under these circumstances the piece would not be as the composer/arranger intended.

Will the solution be:

(a) To require contributors using AMPLE/MIDI software to provide a cassette tape recording either on request by a member, or via AMPLINEX which, in the final analysis, I am certain you would not wish to do;

(b) To only accept files which are entirely Music 5000;

(c) To provide some sort of register of available AMPLE/MIDI files with details of the person who can be contacted for a copy outside of AMPLINEX?

We would like to hear the thoughts of other members on this subject whether or not they are Music 2000 users. The options outlined above are not exhaustive, and different suggestions are as welcome as comments on those outlined above.

One small note of caution to those submitting ideas for the development of AMPLINEX. Although we are always keen to consider new ventures (such as the cassette tape option mentioned above) our resources are already stretched by the operation of AMPLINEX in its current form.

We would ask, therefore, that contributors consider the likely effort involved in any new activities and, even better, whether they would be willing to take them on! We would like AMPLINEX to expand but we cannot allow new activities to adversely affect the operation of the current AMPLINEX magazine.

The operation of AMPLINEX

We have received a couple of queries about the operation of AMPLINEX which may be of interest to other members.

The first comes from Allan M Gardner who asks:

If a member submits several items on one disc, and these are included in different issues of AMPLINEX, does the member have his two pounds returned every time he has something included on the AMPLINEX disc?

In response, the first point to make clear is that it is contribution not publication which entitles members to a free issue. The second point is that this works on an issue by issue basis. It is administratively too difficult to try and keep track of the number of items contributed versus the number of discs issued. We realise that members may be able to contribute several items to one issue, but nothing to the next. If this is the case, we do not object if you split up your contributions over several issues.

In short, we operate the two pound fee in order to encourage contribution, and we need to administer this in the simplest way possible.

The second query comes from Jim Redfarn who asks:

Is it really necessary to send a release form on paper with every disc issue of AMPLINEX? Surely a form similar to the one used for the survey could be included on the disc. An initial 'once and for all' signature could be obtained when someone first joins.

Although including the release form in disc format would be possible, there are a few reasons why we prefer to work on paper. Firstly, the legal status of a 'once and for all' signature is not clear. It is also easier to administer the dozens of discs and files with some tangible lists to hand - putting the information on disc would probably just mean printing it once it arrived at AMPLINEX. Finally, the fact that disc space is usually a constraint on what goes into each disc means that we would prefer to avoid adding another disc-based utility.

Can you help?

AMPLINEX is looking for someone to help in the preparation of material for the disc magazine. The work will initially cover the Utilities section of the magazine and will involve the testing, editing and preparation of contributions within the style guidelines of the magazine. The work will probably take between ten and twenty hours per issue (ie, every two months) and meeting publication deadlines will be essential.

You would need to have a thorough understanding of AMPLE and a reasonable knowledge of the BBC computer's hardware. A working knowledge of BASIC or assembler would be useful. Access to common peripherals such as Sideways RAM, Shadow RAM, a joystick or mouse, as well as Hybrid Music System components such as the Music 4000 keyboard or Music 2000 MIDI interface would also be an advantage.

The ability to write clear, grammatical English is essential as some sub-editing of instructions and program information will be required. You must be available by phone (evenings/weekends) and have access to a printer.

Any necessary expenses (e.g. telephone calls, postage) will, of course, be covered by AMPLINEX, but other than that the work is voluntary and unpaid. You would, however, be credited within the magazine and have the satisfaction of contributing to the best computer users' magazine around!

If you think you can help, please get in touch with AMPLINEX.

We always welcome suggestions for improvements in the workings or contents of AMPLINEX - most of the changes made to date have originated from members' suggestions. So, if you have an idea to improve AMPLINEX, let us know.

Also, please let us know if you spot an error or omission in the contents of AMPLINEX - you may be the first one who has noticed.

Published in AMPLINEX 010, March 1989

Welcome to AMPLINEX 010

Kevin Doyle, Roy Follett and Jackie Follett

In this issue we have several features which continue or complement those in earlier issues.

We have the results of our Question and Answer session with Hybrid Technology, the concluding part of the feature on mixes begun in AMPLINEX 009, and details of the responses to our membership survey.

We have another excellent index from Patrick Black, this time covering AMPLINEX issues 007-009 and a review of a MIDI instrument which may be of interest to those contemplating the purchase of the Music 2000 MIDI interface.

That just leaves us space for the regular items such as 'Questions and Answers' and 'Hints and Tips' and for another selection of the best in AMPLE music. Please keep it coming!

Published in AMPLINEX 010, March 1989

AMPLINEX M09

AMPLINEX issue M09 was published in January 1989. Each AMPLINEX magazine is stored as a 200K single-sided 80-track disk image file (.ssd file type). The image can be used to create disks for a BBC Micro or can be loaded into a BBC emulator. For the disks to run, the BBC (real or emulated) must have an AMPLE Nucleus ROM installed and be running the Hybrid Music System.

The Underworld Procession

by Les Pearce

As a newcomer to the AMPLE environment this is my first attempt at bringing together the "building blocks" of the language to form a complete self-written piece.

I hope that it will be well received by both other beginners and those more proficient.

Programmed and edited via Notepad on a Music 5000/BBC B, after my initial "inspiration" brought about arpeggios on the Music 4000 keyboard.

Thanks to Pilgrim Beart for 'susped' and other very useful AMPLE ideas.

Source: AMPLINEX M09 disk, file $.UNDPROC

Published in AMPLINEX M09, January 1989

Three Year Song

by Paul Hibbert

Source: AMPLINEX M09 disk, file $.3YEAR

Published in AMPLINEX M09, January 1989

Theme

by Bruce Goatly

The melody for this dates back to 1964, the piano arrangement to Feb. 1970. Being only a very inaccurate pianist, when I bought a Music 500 system I leapt at the chance to translate this, one of my favourite own pieces, into a form I could listen to without having to suffer my own errors and dragooning someone else into playing the solo part. Upgrading it for the Studio 5000 was a problem because I had defined a very pleasant "soft piano" instrument that I couldn't find a way of making on the 5000. So I settled for good ol' Upright. But "mix1" is fun.

Source: AMPLINEX M09 disk, file $.THEME

Published in AMPLINEX M09, January 1989

Song of a Dreamer

by Philip Wormall

Source: AMPLINEX M09 disk, file $.DREAMER

Published in AMPLINEX M09, January 1989