 

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

                        Tutorial for the GenEdit ST
                      Letter Display Editor/Librarian
                                  v1.06

                            November 20, 2005

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



------------------ 
Instrument support
------------------

This version of the Letter Display Editor/Librarian works with the
following instruments:

1. All Yamaha XG sound modules such as the MU80, MU100R and any other
   XG instruments that support the Letter Display protocol.  
2. Any Roland Sound Canvas such as the SC88 (Pro?) that supports the
   Letter Display protocol.
3. The Korg NS5R and NX5R sound modules.  
4. The Yamaha TG300 sound module.



-------------------------
Editor/Librarian Features 
-------------------------

Major features of the Letter Display Editor/Librarian Template include:

1. Ease of use.  
2. The ability to convert a "Frame" (single Letter Display) to the
   Standard MIDI File format.
3. Grouping of multiple Letter Display files in a "Set" and save as a SMF.
4. Easily exchange files between different manufacturer's formats. 
5. Create "Libraries" to store files for future use or modification.



--------------------------
A "One-of-a-Kind" Template
--------------------------

The Letter Display Editor is a unique GenEdit Template. A creative
approach was necessary to meet the design requirements noted above and to
also include checksums for GS and TG300 files. Designing the Template
required an unconventional approach, away from how templates and
configurations are normally constructed (and used) in GenEdit.


1. The patch name is part of the Template's edit buffer.  
   
   Since GenEdit does not support typing text from the keyboard within
   it's Editors, the Template was designed so that the "Patch Name" and
   the "editable data" (text), are one and the same.  The keyboard can be
   used to type the text message (data) in the "Name Patch" dialog.  You
   then enter the Editor to view how the message will display on your
   instrument's front panel.  Writing a patch name in GenEdit is very much
   like using a standard text editor.


2. The sysex header is part of the Template's edit buffer. 
   
   In addition to the text, the sysex header (F0), the manufacturer's ID,
   the device number, and End of Exclusive (EOX) are also included as
   parameters in the Template's "Edit Buffer Definition Table" (EBDT).
   This allows the complete sysex string to be saved in the Letter Display
   file, which is essential for conversion to a SMF.  While the text,
   device # and checksum can be edited, instrument-specific sysex
   information is hard-coded in each of the 4 Templates as fixed values
   that must be initialized or "Jogged" the first time you enter the
   Editor for a newly created Letter Display.


3. The checksum is part of the Template's edit buffer.  
   
   The necessity of including a checksum (cs) value for the Roland GS and
   Yamaha TG300 MIDI data formats must be done manually in the Editor
   rather than by the configuration file. This is accomplished with a
   special parameter in the Editor named "Find Checksum". The cs is
   determined by scrolling through values between 0 and 127 using a
   control-knob until the text message displays correctly on the
   instrument's front panel. Though this is not the most desirable way of
   calculating the cs, it is not difficult, and is the only way it can be
   saved in the Letter Display file. Fortunately, the XG instruments and
   the Korg NS5R/NX5R do not require checksums in their MIDI data formats.

   Note: The cs is normally calculated by CNX code in the Configuration
   file during a "Send Edit" transmission to the instrument and is not
   saved in the file.  



-------------------------------------------
How The Letter Display Package Is Organized
-------------------------------------------

The Letter Display Editor/Librarian includes the following files:
 
    1. Initialized "Frames" (a single Letter Display file) 
    2. Initialized "Sets" (muliple Letter Displays, grouped in a
       single file).
    3. Initialized "Libraries" (used to store multiple Letter Displays).
    4. A Letter Display demo (a Standard MIDI File).
    5. A sample "Set" ready to convert to a SMF.
    6. Templates for the 4 file formats listed above.
    7. Configuration files that go with each of the 4 Templates.
    8. The MEX2MID Program by Martin Tarenskeen (used to convert Letter
       Display files to the Standard MIDI file format).
 


------------
Installation
------------

To use the Letter Display Editor you must install the Template (or
Templates) for your instrument(s). You do not need to install the
configuations unless you wish to modify Libraries or Sets.

The data folders are organized by instrument type. They should be copied
to where you normally keep your data files for GenEdit.



-------------------------------------------------
Conventions Used With The Letter Display Template
-------------------------------------------------

"Frames"
   These files are named XG_1.LET, GS_1.LET, TG_1.LET and N5_1.LET. They
   are used to create a single 32 character ASCII text message that can be
   saved, sent to your instrument using GenEdit or SysXpress, and
   converted to a SMF.

"Sets"
   Sets are small libraries (groups of 2 to 20 displays) used to create
   multiple 32 character text messages that will be converted to a single
   SMF.

"Libraries"
   Libraries are intended to store text messages for future use, reference
   or modification.  Libraries can hold 32 or 64 Letter Displays each.
   Displays can be copied between Frames, Sets and Libraries.

The "MEX" Folder 
   These files are completed "Sets" of Letter Displays ready to be
   converted to Standard MIDI File format.

The "MID" Folder
   These files are Standard MIDI Files that were created from the files
   in the "SETS" folder.

File Format Exchange:
   Letter Displays may be freely copied between the 4 file formats
   supported. For example, you can load an XG Library into the Right
   Window, and a GS, N5 or TG Frame, Set, or Library into the Left
   Window and copy files between Windows.

Finding a Checksum:  
   As described above, checksums for the TG300 and Roland Sound Canvas
   must be written manually in the Editor. When you first enter the
   Editor, the cs will default to a value of 0 or 127. You must increment
   or decrement by a value of 1 using the mouse until the text message
   displays correctly on your instrument. Finding the checksum will also
   "Jog" all instrument-specific (non-editable) file format parameters
   imbedded in the Template's EBDT, therefore a Jog button is not included
   in the TG and GS Editors. Once you have found the cs, be sure to save
   your changes when leaving the Editor.

Checksum conversion from Roland to Yamaha:       (GS to TG)
Add a value of 9 to the Roland cs for TG300 text.   (+9)

Checksum conversion from Yamaha to Roland:                    (TG to GS)
Subtract a value of 9 from the TG300 cs for Sound Canvas text.   (-9)

Note: When incrementing and decrementing cs values, you must "roll-over"
the number when you reach a value of either "0" or "127".

Example:
Incrementing up 9 from a cs value of 124 in a GS letter display, would
convert to a value of 5 for the same text in a TG300 letter display.
(124)... 125, 126, 127, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5). (124 + 9 = 5)

Decrementing down 9 from a cs value of 2 in a TG300 Letter display, would
convert to a value of 121 for the same text in a GS letter display.
(2)...  1, 0, 127, 126, 125, 124, 123 122 121. (2 - 9 = 121)



--------------------------
Using the Editor/Librarian
--------------------------

Loading files in a GenEdit Window:
   To load a new Frame, Set or Library, drag the Disk Icon to one of the
   GenEdit Windows. The file selector will appear, click on a file and
   then click Ok. The file name will show at the top of the Window and
   dashes will appear in the Window where the Patch Names normally go.
 


-------------------------------------
Writing a Letter Display text message
-------------------------------------

There are 4 ways to write a text message:
1. Use the control-knobs while in the Editor
2. R/L-click on the individual characters while in the Editor
3. Shift-click on the individual characters while in the Editor
4. Use the "Name Patch" dialog from the main GenEdit screen.

The last method is the easiest and most intuitive way to write a text
message. The procedure for doing this is as follows:

1. Select a Patch (Frame) in the Window by a single Left-click
2. Press the "N" key to enter the "Name Patch" dialog
3. Press "Esc" to cursor hard-left or use the "Backspace" key
4. Type your message just as you would using a text editor, the arrow
   keys can be used to position the cursor if you want to move text with
   the Backspace, Spacebar or Delete keys.

   Note: The text is displayed in the Editor and on your instrument as 2
   lines of text with 16 characters each, while the text in the Patch Name
   dialog is seen and written as a single line, made up of 32 ASCII
   characters.  As points of reference, the end of line 1 (character #16
   in the Editor) is positioned just below the "c" of the word "patch" at
   the top of the dialog. The beginning of line 2, (character #17 in the
   Editor) is positioned just below the letter "h" of the word "patch" at
   the top of the dialog. Once you have written a couple of Displays using
   the Name Patch dialog it becomes easy to position text for each line.

5. To exit the Name Patch dialog, press the "Return" key.
6. To enter the Editor to view your Letter Display as it would be seen
   on the front panel of your instrument, press the "E" key while the
   Patch name is still highlighted (inverted).

Upon entering the Editor, you will see the text message displayed in the
Editor, and GenEdit will also transmit the Letter Display to your
instrument. If you are working in the XG or NS5R Editors, the text will
display on your instrument right away if the device # is set to match that
of your instrument. When working in the TG or GS Editors, you will see a
checksum error message displayed on your instrument and you will have to
"Find" the checksum before it will display correctly on your instrument's
front panel.

Note: 
With the TG300, you must manually press the "OK/YES" button on the
instrument's front panel each time you click on the Find Checksum
control-knob in the Editor.  If you own both a TG300 and an XG sound
module such as the MU100R, it is easier to do this operation by setting
your XG instrument to the TG300B Mode.  Code has been written into the
configuration file that clears the "cs error" message on the MU screen
when scrolling through cs values, making it unneccesary to manully clear
the screen on the your XG instrument.

Reminder: 
For XG and NS5R Editors, you must "Jog" your Patch if you do not make any
changes to the text or device #.



------------------
Creating a Library
------------------

Once you have loaded a new Library, you can create or copy up to 64
Displays that you can archive for future reference or use.



--------------
Creating a Set
--------------

When creating a multiple Letter Display file that will later be converted
to a Standard MIDI File, it is recommended that you start with the Set
that holds 20 Displays (XG_20.LET, GS_20.LET, etc) unless you know for
sure exactly how many Displays you will be writing. Once you have created
a number of Displays, you can copy them to an initialized Set that
contains that EXACT number of Displays you have written, and then save the
Set.  Once you have finished your Set, you should also save your new
Displays in a Library as the method for storing them for future reference.

  Example:
  1. Load the 20-file "Set" (XX_20.LET) in the Right Window
  2. Create 3 Displays (for this example)
  3. Load the XX_3.LET file into the Left Window
  4. While holding down the Shift Key, select the 3 Patches in Right Window
     then drag the Displays to the Left Window
  5. Right-click at the top of the Left Window to name your new Set before
     saving to disk
  6. Your saved Set can now be converted to a SMF using the MEX2MID program

Note: If you wish to create a Set with more than 20 Displays, refer to the
CONFIG.TXT in the DOC folder on how you can modify the configuration files
to create initialized Sets with the specific number of Displays that you
may need.



----------------------------
Copying between file formats
----------------------------

1. When copying Displays between manufacturer's formats, each Display must
   be "Jogged" to the new format by entering the Editor. To Jog an XG or
   NS5R Letter Display, click on the "Jog Button" at the top-left corner
   of the Editor. For the GS and TG formats, using the "Find Checksum"
   parameter will perform the Jog. Please note that in most cases when
   copying a Patch from one format to another, you may also need to edit
   the device # before leaving the Editor. Once you have saved your
   changes, the device number and checksum value are embedded in the Patch
   and will not have to be set again.

2. When you Right-click on the Patch to enter the Editor for the first
   time, you will see a dialog box appear that states: "Template and Edit
   Buffer Don't Match"...  and you will also see a message at the top of
   the GenEdit screen showing non-matching parameters. This is normal and
   may be ignored.  Click OK and enter the Editor. Once in the Editor you
   can Jog the parameter values as described above and save your changes.



--------------------------------------------------------
Converting a Letter Display File to a Standard MIDI File
--------------------------------------------------------

To convert a "Frame" or a "Set" of Letter Displays to a Standard MIDI
File, follow the instructions in the CONVERT.TXT located in the DOC
folder.

A special thanks goes to Martin Tarenskeen for allowing me to include his
MEX2MID program as part of this GenEdit Letter Display Editor/Librarian
package.



----------
Disclaimer
----------

The Letter Display Editor/Librarian is freeware and comes "as is" with no
warranty. This package may be distributed freely, but must include all
files contained herein in their original unaltered form.

Suggestions and comments regarding the operation of this editor should be
sent to: jhlifka@yahoo.com


Cheers,

Joe Hlifka
Albuquerque, New Mexico
USA


