Adlib Tracker II - the official website

@Pulselooper: It's strange, there are quite many Libretto 70CT users, so I don't suppose all of them are having only the 32MB model. I can't help you more over this message board, as I don't have this notebook so can't remotely analyze your setup. If you have Facebook account, I would recommend you to join the AT2 User Group (web-link is in the Contact & Links section) and raise a question there. I'm quite sure somebody there will be able to help you.

still gives me insufficient memory :/

@Pulselooper: Hit F5 upon displaying "Starting MS-DOS..."

Any idea how to get back to ms-dos? Is there a "safe mode"? The thing's freezing on "starting ms-dos" :/

@Pulselooper: Ok, try with just changing "RAM" option to "NOEMS" for EMM386 and putting "DOS=HIGH,UMB" in your former config.sys file then.

Oh shit. Now the Libretto freezes on "starting ms-dos". :(

@Pulselooper: Conventional memory is absolutely fine (620k is perfect), but as supposed, you have some problem with upper memory. Please try to modify your CONFIG.SYS like described below and let me know:
[Replace first 2 lines with following]
DEVICE=C:\DOS\HIMEM.SYS /testmem:off
DEVICE=C:\DOS\EMM386.EXE noems d=64 x=a000-c7ff i=c800-f7ff x=f800-ffff
DOS=HIGH,UMB
[Delete "DOS=HIGH" and "DOS=UMB" in all subsequent lines of your CONFIG.SYS file]

Hi subz3ro, thanks for the reply.

Well, hit mem /f and here we go (my ms-dos is in portuguese, I´ll do my best to translate the log into english -- please don´t laugh):

Conventional Memory Avaliable:

Segment Total
0050A 0K
00520 0K
00526 87K
01AE0 532K

Total avaliable: 620K

Avaliable upper memory:

Region Biggest avaliable Total avaliable Total size
1 28K 28K 75K

autoexec.bat: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7825XgyjI9BNmtWX191SzY5em8/view?usp=sharing

config.sys: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7825XgyjI9BMVZCZS01TTduYm8/view?usp=sharing

Hope that helps!

@Pulselooper: 16MB RAM should be enough, however, it depends how much you have conventional memory (available for DOS) and how much of upper memory (available for AT2's DOS extender). Best would be if you check this info with "mem /f" command, because comparing the requirements of new versions with the very old one version 2.0.27 is not even possible (as it was yet 16bit application with much less functionality). I presume, that you just don't have the correct memory configuration set in config.sys/autoexec.bat.

Hi, I always used an old version of AT2 (2.27 I guess) without a problem on my Libretto (except for the keyboard-freezing issue, which a friend of mine said was fixed on this new version).

So, I just installed the new version (2.3.52) but it won't even run. DOS gives me the following message:

ERROR(1) - Insufficient memory!

Any help on this? I'm using a Toshiba Libretto 70 w/ 16mb RAM and MS-DOS 6.22

Thanks!

Officially added IN_ADT2 plugin to Downloads section. Thanks for your contribution, insane/Altair! :)

@subz3ro Toshiba Portege 300ct

@Ivan: You're welcome. Just out of curiosity, what kind of computer do you run AT2 on?

@subz3ro Thanks this one works great!

I updated to 2.3.52 from an older version. I don't remember which one exactly.

ADT2plugin for Winamp v0.97: http://dawork.synchronus.de/
Update includes the newest replay routine as well as ymf262 emulation taken directly from adt2/sdl
Plays a2m,a2t,amd,cff,dfm,fmk,hsc,mtk,rad,s3m,sa2,sat,xms
Please report bugs to my email address (on the webpage)

@Ivan: Ok, so you say with version 2.3.51 you didn't encounter it, and with version 2.3.52 you do - is that correct? Can you be more specific when you do actually get keyboard "stuck"? If it's still in the Pattern Editor, when you are putting down notes in MBoard mode, then this is weird, because there has been no change in version 2.3.52 regarding the keyboard routine which waits for key to be released (this was the problematic part for some notebook models back then). Anyway, this is going to be completely changed again in next version due to enhancement of Note Recorder mode - there won't be any waiting for key release anymore - so just in case this was the root cause of your issues, please try with this beta version 2.3.53 and let me know if it happens there too:
http://adlibtracker.net/files/adt2beta.zip

Sorry ;) There was a bug in the dos version where the keyboard got unresponsive - https://code.google.com/p/at2/issues/detail?id=8 And Im having this issue again in the new version. Im talking about 2.3.52 for dos

@Ivan: Be more specific - what "new" version? DOS 2.3.52, SDL/Win32 resp. SDL/Linux 2.4.19?

Hey, the keyboard gets stuck in the new version again ;/

Really great!
Last played all those fm modules over 10 years ago on my 386 pc.
Now able to listen to them again on my netbook running ubuntu..!

Finally added for download SDL/Linux version 2.4.19 today. Thank you insane/Altair! You can expect also numerous Linux-specific bugfixes this time :)

Today updated SDL 2.4.19 version due to bugfix. Not something critical, though, but if you are using sdl_screen_mode=2 option, I recommend to download it ;)

@mad: Great to see you here! Thanks for your input :)
One (for me especially) annoying thing with DosBox's emulation is that it performs volume shift (SHL bitwise) to be 2 times louder, which sometimes makes crap out of it (e.g. OS_GALAX pattern 08).
@arfy: It's hard for me to evaluate DosBox Team's involvement in modifying the MAME's emulation core - sure they did some good job with improving envelope table stuff - but I rather decided to stick with the "old" core and tried to fix some of the bugs I was able to find on my own. As result, I think the updated YMF262 emulation from Jarek which I'm using in SDL version seems to be overall better than the DBOPL emulation core used in DosBox.
As the Winamp plugin - it's planned to have it updated too, just the time schedule is not known :)

Dosbox indeed has issues in its OPL3 emulation, it's just that the modules I did use pretty much every OPL3 feature except drum mode, so it kindof exposes emulation bugs.

BONUS: Oskari the Heimfanker (was in FM FUNK MADNESS), source file:
http://iiichan.net/boards/music/src/FANK5.A2M

Hi all! Just a quick question, I noticed that dosbox plays some of the modules by madbrain a little incorrectly, drums sound like they get stuck, or something, with snares in particular seeming to stick. The SDL version plays these just fine. Is this just a dosbox emulation issue?

Also, would someone want to update the old in_adt2 winamp plugin with the updated libraries?

@Fede: Nice report. I'm sure it will help somebody :)

Alright, I managed to run at2 on dosemu in linux. All you have to do is tweak your dosemu.conf something like this http://pastebin.ca/2845119 also, add "vm.mmap_min_addr = 0" to your sysctl.conf and run dosemu as root with the -s flag: # dosemu -s

The sound blaster 16 drivers are not installable under dosemu, it won't detect the dmas. I had to copy part of the autoexec.bat from win98 and copy the driver files.

Add this http://pastebin.ca/2845119 to the autoexec.bat (remember it has to be under root's dosemu profile, so this will probably be /root/.dosemu/drive_c/autoexec.bat Also remember to tweak this file to your sb16 settings (I have my card set to address 280, yours will probably be 220).

Afterwards, download this http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=83719480866977298370 and untar it to dosemu's drive C:

This should be about it. Take into account I uploaded the files of my personal setup. They are ment to run on a pentium II 266MHz on debian wheezy. Other setups will require config files customization.

It's worth mentioning I run dosemu from the ttys, not from X. Also, there is no need to load the linux snd_sb16 driver, since dosemu will be handling the hardware directly.

On this setup, adlib tracker II runs like a charm, just like it does on MS-DOS.

I hope this is useful to someone

Nevermind. I have already installed a copy of win98se alongside linux for the time being.
I'll dig into freedos later and report back. If it works it would be great. Having a free modern console in dos sounds good.

Thanks again, you made my piece of junk into an instrument.

@Fede: Sorry, I have no experience with FreeDos... but if it's compatible with MS-DOS 6.xx, it *SHOULD* be possible to run AT2 under it. As for your question of hardware OPL3 support - I assume you are referring to OPL3 passthrough => this is only possible for Windows, at least I don't know if there is something like PortTalk drivers for Linux, though.

Hi, I have a few uninformed questions. I've always been interested in trackers, and last week I picked up a pii 333mhz from the garbage which happened to run and has a sb16 in it. The gods finally sent me my free FM synth. Hail.
It's already running slackware 14.1, and I've been able to play midi files with the opl3.
Does the linux AT2 version work with the hardware opl3?
Does AT2 work on freedos?
Is there any documentation on getting AT2 to run on (free)dos?

I'm not old enough to have tinkered with MS-DOS, and I feel afraid it might be a hassle to deal with drivers. On the other hand, running a single tasking OS sounds more stable to me.

Thanks for both the program and taking the time to read me.

@jurrasic lard: Have you already tried some other DOS-programs with OPL2/OPL3 sound, if there is some sound output under Windows with them?

Hi,I open the adlib tracker II in my toshiba satellite (with opl3 and windows) with ms dos and everything is ok but it doesn´t sound anything.I need some help,thanks a lot!!

@Spencer: I assume this is due to using floating-point operations with a 32bit programming language. I never hunted for that one, as this is no special requirement check from AT2. It must be internally checked by TMT-Pascal Runtime Portions. However, all processors since i386/i486SX *DO HAVE* a FPU, so what's the point anyway? :-) If you try to use AT2 on some very very (...) old computer, use version 2.0.27 instead - this one is only featuring OPL2, but it runs in real-mode, so it will run on computers without FPU too.

Hi, I have question: why AT2 requires FPU?

Recently released versions (DOS/2.3.50 and SDL/2.4.17) were updated today with a bugfix for missing usage of non-NUMPAD -/+ keys. In case you have already downloaded them, please re-d/l. Thanks.

Hi, Subz3ro.
Thank you very much for your answer.
I appreciate every little advance you make in developing AD2. Specially because you are the only one doing it!
I started to see the source code and building an old computer in order to develop the midi part. It will take time, I just started.
You are right, old school rules. AD2 reminds me to Modedit, the one that I used before Scream Tracker.
Keep in touch and all the best!

@MarianoMart: Thanks for nice feedback. I don't exclude idea to have full MIDI support sometime in the future, but my former thought of the tracker was to keep it rather oldskool-way and more focus on it's special features (e.g. macro system). Apart from that, there are (at least) 2 different camps of users (DOS vs. SDL) with contradictory expectations, and it's really not possible for one coder to fulfill them all. I don't have time anymore for such very intensive development of new features like it was 10-15 years ago, this was also the main reason why I started the Open Source Project, so people can do the adaptations on their own (when they have skills for it). Bad luck, there weren't really many of them (in fact, I don't know about any other than this MidiSynth feature done by Cecill, which is not much appreciated by the users who use MIDI keyboard on synthesizer for their work).
Anyway, I can maybe please you regarding ease of tracking notes in AT2... There will be one important new feature in next release, which makes this stuff much much better than it was till now. It's already being tried by Diode MA, so if he has no major objections or won't find any serious bugs in there, you can expect it to be released next week :-)

Hi, I'm using AT2.

Thank you for this useful tool.
Have you in mind some MIDI-USB support? Or any strong MIDI support?
In my opinion that would be the door to make AT2 the best. Specially if you can sync via MIDI with other devices.
Thank you very much for all your effort!

Today updated recently released DOS version 2.3.49 to correctly play modules with *tricky* usage of FM-register macro, which was correctly played under OPL3-emulation, but not on real hardware.
Also ordinary DOSBox package is removed/discontinued, so only DOSBox-HW version will be maintained (as current OPL3 emulation in SDL-versions is already beyond the quality of the one in DOSBox 0.74, I don't see much sense to further support it).

@spn3t: What emulating x86 do you mean? Native SDL Win32 has NO EMULATION EXCEPT FOR OPL3, and it is really light on CPU. Of course, with the slower system bus and harddisk access, there can occur some sound lacks when recording to WAV (which DO NOT have any influence on the quality of WAV, only affect playback itself). As for the hardware OPL3 access - this is so far possible only with DOSBOX-HW version package (i.e. AT2 G3 R48 running in DOSBOX MEGABUILD environment). There is still chance for upgrading to real HW output in SDL version, but do not expect this soon, there are some more required features to be done prior to it. It would be better for you to consider buying computer with faster CPU than PIII, though :)

Hi!

Any chance to AdT2 for Windows with hardware OPL access? My PIII can't into recording sound and emulating x86 at the same time without slowdowns :)

@max: Nope, there is currently no other way to record sound data than *on air* recording.

i have yet another question: is there a way to disable channels and then save the audio of every single channel to a separate file? (searching for a method that doesn't require having to record the output but more of a method that directly saves everything)

@Pawel: Please be aware that there is no official support for MIDI in AdT2, only customized Midisynth mode for making very simplified output to the synthesizer, so better do not expect much from this feature as many people do (resp. read paragraph VIII. MIDI SYNTH MODE in the adtrack2.doc file). As the autodection of UART interface, the only thing for making this work should be to set option "mpu_port=330" or whatever is the configured address of your MPU-401 port. If the autodetection fails, there is probably some problem with configuration of your sound card driver.

Hi, I'm having a difficulty setting up MIDI with adlib. I'm using midi-to-serial port cable (on old sony vaio pcg-f403). I know the IRQ and address of the com1 port and I set the correct address in the adtrack2.ini file, but the midi fails to initialise. I tested both in win98se and under DOS. Can you suggest anything to troubleshoot the problem?

Thanks a lot!
Pawel

P.S. To update on my old post from March - I gave up trying to run adlib under 64bit linux, I had an old laptop that just happens to have an OPL3 chip so I'm using that instead under DOS/WIN98SE.