@DATABASE OctaMED Soundstudio Help

@REM Main contents pages
@REM Delayed, delayed, delayyyyawnnnn!
@REM Link Mistakes repaired by Ray Burt-Frost ( 2am 26-07-96 ) yawn!! ;(

@$VER: 2.0 (24.07.96) for Soundstudio V1.01
@AUTHOR Ed Wiles (e.d.wiles@dur.ac.uk)
@HELP OctaMED.guide/Help


@NODE Main "Help Contents               (revision 2.0)"

       Welcome to the all-new OctaMED Soundstudio help system!

  * @{" If you're new to this help system, please click inside this box " LINK Help} *


Quick Guide

                       @{"            Menus            " LINK m}
                       @{"           Windows           " LINK w}
                       @{"       Player commands       " LINK c}
                       @{"     Keyboard shortcuts      " LINK key}
                       @{"         Appendices          " LINK app}

Features Guide

      @{"  Writing a song  " LINK f1}   @{"   Instruments    " LINK f2}  @{"    Playback     " LINK f3}
      @{"  Loading, saving, printing  " LINK f4} @{"     Controlling OctaMED     " LINK f5}
      @{"            MIDI             " LINK f6} @{"            ARexx            " LINK f7}
      @{"              Memory, display options, information          " LINK f8}
@ENDNODE


@REM Quick Guide contents


@NODE m "OctaMED Menus"
Select a menu for information on each of its items.

    @{"     Project     " LINK Qa.guide/m_pr}
    @{"     Display     " LINK Qa.guide/m_di}
    @{"      Song       " LINK Qa.guide/m_so}
    @{"      Block      " LINK Qa.guide/m_bl}
    @{"      Track      " LINK Qa.guide/m_tr}
    @{"      Instr      " LINK Qa.guide/m_in}
    @{"      Edit       " LINK Qa.guide/m_ed}
    @{"      MIDI       " LINK Qa.guide/m_mi}
    @{"    Settings     " LINK Qa.guide/m_se}
@ENDNODE


@NODE w "OctaMED Windows"
Select a window for more information on it.

(All main windows can be opened through the main menu strip, so windows are
 categorised by menu.)

   Project menu                Block menu

   @{" New?                       " LINK Qa.guide/w_ne}       @{" Block Properties       " LINK Qb.guide/w_blpr}
   @{" Save Options               " LINK Qa.guide/w_saop}       @{" Block List             " LINK Qb.guide/w_blli}
   @{" PowerPacker Settings       " LINK Qa.guide/w_pose}       @{" Highlight Options      " LINK Qb.guide/w_hiop}
   @{" XPK Settings               " LINK Qa.guide/w_xpse}       @{" Expand/Shrink Block    " LINK Qb.guide/w_exbl}
   @{" Save Timer                 " LINK Qa.guide/w_sati}
   @{" Print Options              " LINK Qa.guide/w_prop}        Instr menu
   @{" OctaMED Command Shell      " LINK Qa.guide/w_occosh}

                                           @{" Instrument List        " LINK Qb.guide/w_inli}
   Display menu                            @{" Instrument Type        " LINK Qb.guide/w_inty}
                                           @{" Instrument Properties  " LINK Qc.guide/w_inpr}
                                           @{" Instrument Load        " LINK Qc.guide/w_inlo}

   @{" Tracker editor             " LINK Qa.guide/w_tred}
   @{" Notation editor            " LINK Qa.guide/w_noed}
   @{" Print Notation             " LINK Qa.guide/w_prno}        Edit menu
   @{" Assign Tracks              " LINK Qa.guide/w_astr}
   @{" Staff Setup Window         " LINK Qa.guide/w_stse}         @{" Transpose              " LINK Qc.guide/w_tr}
   @{" Signatures                 " LINK Qa.guide/w_si}         @{" Replace Notes          " LINK Qc.guide/w_reno}
   @{" Tools                      " LINK Qa.guide/w_to}         @{" Spread Notes           " LINK Qc.guide/w_spno}
   @{" Notation Display Setup     " LINK Qa.guide/w_nodise}         @{" Note Echo              " LINK Qc.guide/w_noec}
   @{" Main Control               " LINK Qa.guide/w_maco}
   @{" Information                " LINK Qa.guide/w_in}        MIDI menu
   @{" Tempo                      " LINK Qa.guide/w_te}
   @{" Tempo Operations           " LINK Qa.guide/w_teop}       @{" Input Channel          " LINK Qc.guide/w_inch}
   @{" Synthetic Sound Editor     " LINK Qa.guide/w_sysoed}       @{" SMF Load Options       " LINK Qc.guide/w_smloop}
   @{" Synthsound Volume          " LINK Qa.guide/w_syvo}       @{" MIDI Controllers       " LINK Qc.guide/w_mico}
   @{" Synthsound Stretch         " LINK Qa.guide/w_syst}
   @{" SynthEd Script             " LINK Qa.guide/w_sysc}        Settings menu
   @{" Sample Editor              " LINK Qb.guide/w_saed}
   @{" Toccata Capture            " LINK Qb.guide/w_toca}       @{" Mouse Options          " LINK Qc.guide/w_moop}
   @{" Adjust Y                   " LINK Qb.guide/w_ady}       @{" Keyboard Options       " LINK Qc.guide/w_keop}
   @{" Add Workspace              " LINK Qb.guide/w_adwo}       @{" Programmable Keys      " LINK Qc.guide/w_prke}
   @{" Change Volume              " LINK Qb.guide/w_chvo}       @{" Keyboard Shortcuts     " LINK Qc.guide/w_kesh}
   @{" Change Pitch               " LINK Qb.guide/w_chpi}       @{" Mixing Settings        " LINK Qc.guide/w_mise}
   @{" Mix                        " LINK Qb.guide/w_mi}       @{" FastMemPlay            " LINK Qc.guide/w_fa}
   @{" Filter/Boost               " LINK Qb.guide/w_fi}       @{" Aura Sampler Options   " LINK Qc.guide/w_ausaop}
   @{" Echo                       " LINK Qb.guide/w_ec}       @{" Miscellaneous Options  " LINK Qc.guide/w_miop}
   @{" Noise                      " LINK Qb.guide/w_no}       @{" Palette                " LINK Qc.guide/w_pa}
   @{" Chord Creation             " LINK Qb.guide/w_chcr}       @{" Font                   " LINK Qc.guide/w_fo}
   @{" SampleEd Disp Settings     " LINK Qb.guide/w_sadise}
   @{" Sample List Editor         " LINK Qb.guide/w_salied}
   @{" MIDI Message Editor        " LINK Qb.guide/w_mimeed}
   @{" Input Map Editor           " LINK Qb.guide/w_inmaed}
   @{" ARexx Trigger Setup        " LINK Qb.guide/w_artrsewi}

   Song menu

   @{" Song Selector              " LINK Qb.guide/w_sose}
   @{" Playing Sequence           " LINK Qb.guide/w_plse}
   @{" Section List               " LINK Qb.guide/w_seli}
   @{" Song Options               " LINK Qb.guide/w_soop}
   @{" Relative Track Volumes     " LINK Qb.guide/w_retrvo}
   @{" Song Annotation            " LINK Qb.guide/w_soan}
@ENDNODE


@NODE c "Player Commands"
Select a player command category.

    @{"  Normal commands  " LINK PCKS.guide/c_no}
    @{"   MIDI commands   " LINK PCKS.guide/c_mi}
    @{" Mix mode commands " LINK PCKS.guide/c_mimo}

NOTES
* For full details on player commands, see Appendix A in the
  printed manual.
* In the topics, Level 1 or 2 means the 1st or 2nd command level
  digit.
@ENDNODE


@NODE key "Keyboard Shortcuts"
These topics list the standard keyboard shortcuts provided with the
Soundstudio. To add more, use the Keyboard Shortcuts window.

    @{"     Editing Shortcuts     " LINK PCKS.guide/key_ed}

    @{" Cursor Movement Shortcuts " LINK PCKS.guide/key_cumo}

    @{"      Other Shortcuts      " LINK PCKS.guide/key_ot}
@ENDNODE


@NODE app "Quick Guide Appendices"
Select an appendix.

    @{"  OctaMED ARexx commands  " LINK App.guide/app_ocarco}
    @{"       File formats       " LINK App.guide/app_fifo}
    @{"    The settings file     " LINK App.guide/app_thsefi}
    @{" Synthetic sound commands " LINK App.guide/app_sysoco}
    @{"    Hexadecimal values    " LINK App.guide/app_heva}
    @{"      Raw-key codes       " LINK App.guide/app_reco}
@ENDNODE


@REM Features Guide contents


@NODE f1 "Writing a Song"
Select a topic for information and `how-to' guides.

* Tracker editor
    @{"  Tracker editor control   " LINK F1a.guide/f1_tredco}   @{" The programmable keys  " LINK f1_thprke}
    @{"      Marking a range      " LINK F1a.guide/f1_maara}    @{" Other editing features " LINK f1_otedfe}
    @{" Rearranging blocks/tracks " LINK F1a.guide/f1_rebl}     @{"    Player commands     " LINK f1_plco}
    @{" Transposing and changing  " LINK F1a.guide/f1_tranch}   @{"  Real-time recording   " LINK f1_rere}

* Notation editor
    @{" Display " LINK F1b.guide/f1_di}
    @{" Editing " LINK F1b.guide/f1_ed}

* Blocks
    @{"      Block management      " LINK F1b.guide/f1_blma}
    @{" Block names and dimensions " LINK F1b.guide/f1_blnaandi}

* Overall song
    @{" Song arrangement " LINK F1b.guide/f1_soar}
    @{"  Multi-modules   " LINK F1b.guide/f1_mu}
@ENDNODE


@NODE f2 "Instruments"
Select a topic for information and `how-to' guides.

    @{" Instrument management " LINK F2a.guide/f2_inma}

* Samples
    @{" Digitizing " LINK F2a.guide/f2_di}          @{" Stereo " LINK f2_st}
    @{"   Loops    " LINK F2a.guide/f2_lo}          @{" 16-bit " LINK f2_16}

* Sample editor
    @{"  Waveform display  " LINK F2b.guide/f2_wadi}        @{" Rearrangement and removal " LINK f2_reanre}
    @{" Zooming in and out " LINK F2b.guide/f2_zoinanou}       @{"       Adding effects      " LINK f2_adef}
    @{"  Marking a range   " LINK F2b.guide/f2_maara}        @{"     Copy buffer tools     " LINK f2_cobuto}

* Synthetic sounds
    @{"    Creation     " LINK F2c.guide/f2_cr}         @{"      Multiple waveforms       " LINK f2_muwa}
    @{" Range affectors " LINK F2c.guide/f2_raaf}         @{" Scripts (formerly Programs) " LINK f2_sc}

ALSO SEE
    @{" Playback: Instruments " LINK F3.guide/f3_in}

(+ Digitizing is also called sampling, recording or capturing.)
@ENDNODE


@NODE f3 "Playback"
Select a topic for information and `how-to' guides.

* Playback control

    @{"    Songs    " LINK F3.guide/f3_so}
    @{" Instruments " LINK F3.guide/f3_in}

* Playing modes

    @{" Playing modes " LINK F3.guide/f3_plmo}

ALSO SEE
    @{" Instruments " LINK f2}
@ENDNODE


@NODE f4 "Loading, Saving, Printing"
Select a topic for information and `how-to' guides.

    @{" Working with files " LINK F4.guide/f4_wowifi}

* Loading and saving
    @{"    Songs    " LINK F4.guide/f4_so}
    @{" Instruments " LINK F4.guide/f4_in}
    @{"  Settings   " LINK F4.guide/f4_se}

* Printing
    @{" Printing a song " LINK F4.guide/f4_praso}
@ENDNODE


@NODE f5 "Controlling OctaMED"
Select a topic for information and `how-to' guides.

    @{" Starting and finishing " LINK F5.guide/f5_stafi}

* User interface
    @{"       Menus        " LINK F5.guide/f5_me}
    @{"      Windows       " LINK F5.guide/f5_wi}
    @{" Gadgets in windows " LINK F5.guide/f5_gainwi}

* Control methods
    @{"  Using the mouse   " LINK F5.guide/f5_usthmo}
    @{" Using the keyboard " LINK F5.guide/f5_usthke}
@ENDNODE


@NODE f6 "Using MIDI with OctaMED"
Select a topic for information and `how-to' guides.

    @{" Writing a MIDI song " LINK F6.guide/f6_wramiso}

    @{"    MIDI features    " LINK F6.guide/f6_mife}

    @{"    MIDI settings    " LINK F6.guide/f6_mise}

NOTE
This system, of course, provides help on OctaMED. So in these
pages, you'll find plenty on how to use MIDI with OctaMED, but very
little on what MIDI is all about (apart from some very basic
information).

There are several good books on MIDI about. Especially watch out
for the prolific author R. A. Penfold.
@ENDNODE


@NODE f7 "Using ARexx with OctaMED"
Select a topic for information and `how-to' guides.

    @{" ARexx tutorial " LINK F7.guide/f7_artu}

    @{" ARexx features " LINK F7.guide/f7_arfe}

NOTE
For more details on using ARexx with OctaMED, please read the
programmer's own documention, OctaMED_ARexx.doc.

General information on ARexx itself is outside the scope of the
OctaMED documentation. There are several good books on ARexx
around. You could also try to get hold of the shareware ARexxGuide
by Robin Evans.
@ENDNODE


@NODE f8 "Memory, Display Options, Information"
Select a topic for information and `how-to' guides.

* Memory
    @{" Memory types (Chip/Fast) " LINK F8.guide/f8_mety}
    @{"      Freeing memory      " LINK F8.guide/f8_frme}

* Display options
    @{" Display options " LINK F8.guide/f8_diop}

* Information
    @{" Program information " LINK F8.guide/f8_prin}
@ENDNODE


@NODE Help "Help for newcomers to the Soundstudio help pages"
Welcome to the OctaMED Soundstudio help system! These pages use the
`AmigaGuide' viewer. @{" Please click here " LINK GuideHelp}, if necessary, to learn how to use
AmigaGuide before continuing with this introduction.

The Soundstudio help is split into two sections.

Quick Guide:    A brief description of menus and their items, windows and
        their gadgets, player commands, default keyboard shortcuts
        and one or two appendices.

Features Guide: A much fuller description of OctaMED's facilities, grouped
        according to feature rather than appearance in a menu or
        window.

If you want to know what a particular menu item or window does, use the
Quick Guide. If you need information on a particular feature or a broad
aspect of OctaMED, try the Features Guide.

There are many `links' between the two guides - that is, many buttons to
click to transfer you between the two systems. Most of them appear down the
right-hand side of the display, complimenting the main text with `More',
`How?', `Where?' and so on. In this way, OctaMED tries to deal with any
questions you have as you read the information.

A good way to find all information on a particular window gadget is to find
it in the Quick Guide, then click on the `More' button that invariably
appears beside it. This takes you to the relevant part of the Features
Guide. If a whole window is covered in the Features Guide, a More button
will appear to the right of the window's PURPOSE heading in the Quick
Guide.

You'll soon notice that most pages in each guide stick to a particular
format. In the case of the Quick Guide's window pages, different symbols
are used to convey different meaning. For example, * means a broad section,
> means a gadget name, + means a comment, - means an option, and so on.

Honestly - the whole thing is much easier in practice! Spend some time
experimenting with the guide, and you'll soon be rewarded.
@ENDNODE


@NODE GuideHelp "Help on AmigaGuide"
AmigaGuide documents are split up into subject areas known as `topics'. To
display a particular topic, click on any text which is surrounded by a box.

It is unlikely that the whole of a topic will be able to fit on the screen
at the same time. The amount of the topic which is currently on the screen
is shown by the white rectangular `scroll bar' on the far right of the
screen. You can reveal more of the topic either by dragging this scroll bar
or by clicking the up and down arrows below the scroll bar (try it now!).

Above the topic's text are six `buttons' which do various things when
clicked. These functions are:

    Contents -  Selects the contents page.

    (Index   -  Unused by any documents on this disk)

    Help     -  Selects these help pages.

    Retrace  -  Selects the topic previously chosen. Repeated clicking of
        this button `retraces' the topics you have chosen so far.

    Browse   -  These two buttons select the previous and next topic in the
        document you are reading respectively.

When any of these buttons appear checkered, they cannot be selected. (This
checkering is known as `ghosting'.) If you've just loaded the help system,
you'll notice that all buttons in this window are currently ghosted except
for `Browse >'.

As with any other window, close the help system window by clicking its
close gadget (the small gadget on the far upper left of the window).


Using the keyboard
ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ
This section describes the keyboard equivalents to the mouse operations
described above. It is likely that you'll wish to mix mouse and keyboard
use when using a document, for maximum speed.

In this list: <up>, <down>, <left> and <right> refer to respective arrow
keys; and (for example) "Shift - <up>" means hold down the Shift key and
press the up arrow key.

    Return      Selects the topic highlighted in blue.

    (Shift)-Tab Cycles through each topic box currently on the
            screen, highlighting them in blue.

    <up>/<down> Scrolls the topic upwards or downwards.

    Shift+<up>  Moves the topic a page upwards.

    Shift+<down>    Moves the topic a page downwards.

    Alt+<up>    Moves the topic to the very top.

    Alt+<down>  Moves the topic to the very bottom.

    Space bar   Scroll forwards

    Backspace   Scroll backwards

Holding down any of these keys repeats the function continuously.

Alternatively, the various numeric keypad keys (A600 excluded) - Home, End,
Pg Up, Pg Dn, the arrows - can be used to move around a topic.

Each of the six buttons at the top of the screen have an underlined letter
or symbol. Press this key as an alternative to clicking the button. For
example, to select `Retrace' press the R key; Browse >, the > key.
@ENDNODE

