[PROJECT] ProTracker v2.3D clone for modern platforms

[8bitbubsy]

Originally Posted by no9

Ok, but there is a catch. By design Protracker didn't load samples longer than 64kB but there was a way to fool it to do so by packing samples with PowerPacker and eventually load and use them. There is not many such modules because the trick wasn't popular and probably wasn't compatible with some of the players but Protracker and Hippoplayer had no issue with that, as far I remember.

I see, but I'm not really going to support that. $FFFE (65534) is the intended limit in ProTracker 1.x/2.x, and if it overflows then that's a really nasty bug that should be fixed. The UI is not designed for this at all.

Originally Posted by no9

Btw. I also have much older version of your PT clone and it also loads it fine.

Yes, earlier PT2 clone versions supported 128kB samples by adding another digit to the sample length in the UI, but I eventually reverted this because I want the PT2 clone to really be a PT2.3D clone. PT2.3E/PT2.3F for Amiga added full 128kB support, because that is a continuation of the PT2 series.

[no9]

Yes. It is one of those bugs that became feature for some of musicians.

HeartTracker handles it this way
[ Show youtube player ]

The same goes for Protracker 2.3b.

Of course it is better not to touch such samaples, not edit it in sample editor etc, because anything can fall.

Sorry, I don't like this idea. I tend to add new features to protracker.ini, and I want most people to see them and use them. Most people are probably not changing too much in protracker.ini anyway. Just copy over the EXE and DLL if you only want to overwrite the program.

protracker.ini can be updated partially if there is lack of some configuration strings required for new versions. On the other hand you expect that user will determine which files from zip package are crucial for update. I just copy the whole zip file into old folder. Ok, I can remember this for now, but I feel the story will repeat itself if I get back to this after a couple of months of break. Simply it is not the first time I lost my config. Fortunately there is not much to setup, so it is easy to bring it back, but it is just a little annoying.

[daxb]

The use of sampels >64k is really seldom (I guess I used it in only two mods). You just have to live/handle with incompatibilities.

[no9]

Yeah, and it's better to know what changed and what wasn't translated to the clone.

[TDK]

Couple of questions, 8bitbubsy. Is there anyway to turn CIA timing off?

The numberic keyboard on my PC, as well as choosing samples also appears to be functioning as cursor controls so 4 is left, 6 is right, 8 is up and 2 is down.... can this be turned off?

Thanks,

Mark.

[8bitbubsy]

To toggle between CIA/VBLANK you press CTRL+F12. This mode is not remembered, and it will be reset to CIA if you load a new song or restart the program. I recommend that you read "keybindings.txt" (which is in the PT2 clone release zip). Please make as few VBLANK-based MODs as possible if you are going to release them to the public, as there is no proper way to detect if you should play a .MOD in CIA or VBLANK. This makes it harder for people to play your songs as intended.

Regarding numpad keys, you need to press Num Lock to toggle between numbers and cursor keys. When the numlock LED is on, the numpad will be used for numbers only. This is how the numpad works in general. Please note that Num Lock is the key that would select sample 1, so every time you press it you also change the numpad cursorkey mode on/off. I never found a proper way to fix this... This makes the whole thing a bit unusable. Also, I really recommend that you use the latest PT2 clone version because of all the bugfixes.

[daxb]

About the Num Lock key function. I would search for a program or OS switch that activates it permanent. My guess is that the chance is not bad that this is possible.

[8bitbubsy]

I used to have some win32 code that "took over" Num Lock presses when the program was in focus. It almost worked, but there was some issue with it that made it not worth it.

[TDK]

Originally Posted by 8bitbubsy

To toggle between CIA/VBLANK you press CTRL+F12. This mode is not remembered, and it will be reset to CIA if you load a new song or restart the program. I recommend that you read "keybindings.txt" (which is in the PT2 clone release zip). Please make as few VBLANK-based MODs as possible if you are going to release them to the public, as there is no proper way to detect if you should play a .MOD in CIA or VBLANK. This makes it harder for people to play your songs as intended.

Regarding numpad keys, you need to press Num Lock to toggle between numbers and cursor keys. When the numlock LED is on, the numpad will be used for numbers only. This is how the numpad works in general. Please note that Num Lock is the key that would select sample 1, so every time you press it you also change the numpad cursorkey mode on/off. I never found a proper way to fix this... This makes the whole thing a bit unusable. Also, I really recommend that you use the latest PT2 clone version because of all the bugfixes.

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly!

Looks like its a muscle memory thing with the numeric lock. Wish I had a keypad without it... maybe I'll just get the 1200 down from storage instead

[8bitbubsy]

Originally Posted by TDK

maybe I'll just get the 1200 down from storage instead

Oh well. Maybe you want to give ProTracker 2.3F a try then, a bugfixed version of PT2.3D. If you want the PT2.x experience, that is.

https://16-bits.org/PT23F.LHA

[TDK]

Thanks... to be honest.. I'm getting quite used to it already... Great on a 27" screen!

One more thing. I'm finding the caps lock / key repeat function isn't working. I've checked my OS settings, all good, but there's no change whether caps lock is on or off.

[8bitbubsy]

Weird, keyrepeat (Caps Lock) works fine here on Windows 10.

[TDK]

Ahhh, figured out the issue... it's not working with the cursor keys... that's what's throwing me. Any change of getting cursor keys to respond the same way?

[8bitbubsy]

I recently removed that feature because it's not present in PT. To get the up/down cursor key to act faster in the pattern, you hold down left shift (fast) or left alt (faster). Like on PT on Amiga.

[TDK]

My issue is the opposite.. in that my individual key strokes are just slightly longer than they should be, and with the cursor and I keep 'moving one step too far'. I don't recall this being an issue on the Amiga.

[8bitbubsy]

Can't say I've had that issue... Then again my tracker clones have only been properly tested on Windows on 60Hz monitors.

[TDK]

Mines 60hz too. 27” Dell.

Just wondering, since you used to do it, couldn’t this be set in the options ini file rather than just getting rid of it? Then we have the choice. If it enhances productivity then it’s a good thing? I will make a donation if I end up making this my tracker of choice... and it’s pretty damn close.....

[TDK]

Mmm, on another PC, this isn't an issue. I wonder why it is on my main audio PC.

[8bitbubsy]

Do you use more than one monitor? My tracker clones have severe bugs with that, especially when moving one window to another monitor then fullscreening it, or if both monitors don't run on the same refresh rate. Also, not having a refresh rate of 60Hz means that it will not use vsync (it will use high precision timers instead to sync to 60Hz). If something goes wrong there, the speed of the UI may be way too fast.

Btw, I'm not going to add in the old keyrepeat on cursorkeys stuff, as it was just silly. Also I'm pretty sure it's not related to your issue at all.

[TDK]

Ahhh, yes dual 27" 2560x1440. I've not tried moving it between monitors or fullscreening, just running at 5x res. They're both 60hz.