Conference hydra::amiga_v1

    Not Running from a hard drive ???
    
    I am running DMCS from a Quantum 105 & Hardframe 2000 under 1.3 with no
    hitches. Please elaborate.
    
    Regards,
    Murray
    

	A day late and a dollar short.  Bars and Pipes took it.
	DMCS would have to be much better, support MIDI files, not crash,
	be capable of sharing the machine, etc., and be <$150 list.
	I have crashed it perfectly well from RAM:, so it must crash 
	well from hard drive.  ;-)
	I have written a chintzy DMCS/SMUS-MIDI file converter, so it stands to
	reason that DMCS would after all this time, be upgraded to
	use standard MIDI files (I have no information on this though).
	Tom

Some one wrote a patch for DMCS that allows it to use the ARP requester
and thus 'fixed' the >64 file in a directory crash.

Its on tape:: FIXDMCS10.LZH.  

DMCS still has a problem with WB 1.3 and the serial port when you select 
MIDI.  DMCS crashes when you try to exit.  Under WB 1.2 its pretty stable.
Yuop can get a non copy protected version from EA.  Or atleast you could
a few years back.


I wrote to EA recently asking about WB2.0 compatibility with DMCS and 
Deluxe Photo Lab.  They sent me an ad for Dpaint IV, no letter just the ad.

    As far as why mine crashes from my A590 drive, all I know is it does,
    and I have tried most of the known workarounds. I was just hoping EA
    was actually doing something to enhance DMCS....who knows.......

    Re .several:
    
    I have DMCS and an A500 with a A590 drive from which I load it.  (I
    bought it off the Memory Location's consignment shelf, so I could have
    received the unprotected version.)
    
    DMCS makes heavy use of CHIP RAM (I don't have the 1MB Fatter Agnus)
    and it doesn't quit very gracefully.  I've been visited by the GURU on
    a number of such occasions.  On the other hand, it consistently loads
    and runs up to that point.
    
    My understanding is that EA plans NO ENHANCEMENTS to DMCS.  That's
    unfortunate but not a tragedy.  Serious MIDI users have all of Dr T's
    products and the Bars & Pipes family to choose from.

    As noted earlier, DMCS does not handle mouse events very well while it
    is exiting.  Try letting your mouse sit perfectly still until it dies
    completely.  It might not guru then.  As far as unprotected copies, it
    says so right on the disk.
    
    Tony

    I use DMCS fairly well on AmigaDOS 2.0 with 1 MB of chip and 2MB of
    Fast without problems, though I haven't had time to try the MIDI part
    yet.
    

    The difference between running DMCS from the original disk and a copy
    on your hard disk is as follows:
    
    In the c directory of the original disk you should find a file called
    splash. It seems that the program uses this file in some way and if it
    can't be found, a Guru will result.
    
    After spending an evening trying to narrow down DMCS hard disk Gurus,
    I've found that either of two ways will work;
    
    	1 Copy the file "splash" to the c directory of your SYS: partition
    
    	2 Leave the file in the c subdirectory of your DMCS directory and
    assign c to that subdirectory in a CLICK_FIRST! xicon script inside the
    DMCS drawer.
    
    Either way should drastically reduce the number of Gurus you see when
    using this program.
    
    Regards,
    
    Murray
    

    I copied Splash into the C directory.  It did not make a differance on
    the MIDI crash.  All you have to do is Activate the MIDI then
    Deactivate it, Instant illegal instruction GURU.  But even this has a
    work around for 1.3 users.  Copy a 1.2 version of Serial.Device into
    DEVS:  Run DMCS it seems to be happy with that.  Then after you are
    done copy the 1.3 version of Serial.device back.
    
    Other than the Midi problem I have not had any trouble with DMCS on the
    hard disk.  Amiga 2000 Pal or NTSC 68000 or 68020 or my A500 68010.  On
    the A500 I have loaded it through the Parallel port NET: device.
    
    The only differance I have seen is on the Hard disk the intro screen
    does not appear.  Probably a file somewhere I have missed.
    
    But mostly now I use MED, but I cannot carry a tune in a bucket.  DMCS
    was real useful in convincing my wife (the musical one) that the Amiga
    was a good computer.  So for me it servered its purpose.   Its still
    fun to mess around with.  If you are into Amiga Music in a serious way
    save your money for the more professional packages.
    
    
    The last bit was just my opinion
    Alan
    
    

DMCS will crash because the midi driver (in DMCS, not Amiga OS) has a
problem with how it handles unit numbers. 1.3.2 and later have a
"serial.device" that looks at that field (to support the A2232
multi-serial card). If you use the 1.2 or the original 1.3 serial
device the problem should go away. I have not tried this with 2.0x
yet and do not know if the 1.3 serial driver will work with this
versoin of the OS.

That simple.

	-SES

    I just got a letter in the mail from Electronic Arts.  Apparently there
    is a Deluxe Music Construction Set upgrade offer. The New Version
    "fully supports Workbench 2.0 and the Amiga 3000".  (Notice the quotes
    its their words not mine).  No technical details were included so I do
    not know what all was done until I get my copy.
    
    
    To get the upgrade it will cost $7.50 check or money order and a letter 
    requesting the new version along with your original floppy.  If you have 
    purchased DMCS within 90 days limited warrenty period the upgrade is free 
    with proof of purchase and the original floppy.
    
    Send the revision request to:
    
    	Electronic Arts Customer Warranty
    	P.O. Box 7578
    	San Mateo, California 94403-7578
    
    
    
    
    

    thanks for the research.  I will send in my "Not copy protected"
    version in the hope that they will reply in kind.
    
    Tony

    I received my "updated" version today.  Guess what it is identical to
    the Not Copy Protected version that I sent them.  It still has the
    MIDI and 1.3 serial.device illegal instructiuon crash as before.  It
    still crashes if you read a directory over 64 files.  On the sheet that
    came with the floppy they mention not to use a directory with over 48
    files in it.  The file date on the DeluxeMusic file was 08-APR-87 the
    same as the working copy I made of the Disk that I sent them.
    
    I called their Customer Support and was told that the Non Copy
    Protected Version is the WB 2.0 compatable version that is a little
    strange since I received my Non copy protected version way back when
    1.3 was just released.  Well over two years ago.    
    
    I just wrote a nice letter to a E.A's Customer support requesting either 
    an updated version, or my original to be sent back and my check for $7.50.
    
    I guess there is a reasonable explanation.  EA has acheived time travel
    they went forward to 1992 got a copy of WB 2.0 went back to 1987 and wrote
    DMCS to work under 2.0.  That would explain why it is so flakey under
    1.3.
    
    I am hoping it was just a mixup and the wrong floppy was mailed to me. 
    But their customer support was definate that the Non Copy Protected
    Version and the WB2.0 compatable version are one in the same.
    
    

    
    That bites the big one.  I sent my non-copy protected version back last
    week also.   Let me know how they deal with the refund issue.
    
    Good Luck!
    

    If you sent yours in it should be coming soon mine, took 10 days.  If
    yours is newer could you let me know.  Just on the off chance I was
    sent the wrong one and the customer support person was misinformed.
    
    Alan
    
    

    
    I'll let you know what EA sends.  I noticed the file date on the one
    I returned was also 8-April-87.
    
    One more comment - Back in .8 or .9 there was a discussion of perhaps
    "splash" not being on your hard disk as a contributor to the problem.
    I disagree.  Splash is simply a 320x200, 8-color IFF file the program
    throws up on the screen as a pretty display until the program loads.
    If you load from floppy it's there for a while if you load from HD it's
    there for only a fraction of a second.  I've never had a copy of the
    file on HD.  IMO, DMCS is simply buggy.  Sometimes they bite,
    sometimes they don't.  
    
    I don't know if I mentioned it in another note but I ran into bad
    problems after patching in that ARP file requestor that's on the net.
    With the patch installed, my copy of DMCS went from "almost never
    crashes" to "almost always crashes", do I fell back to the original.
    
    Frank
    
    
      

    I'm glad folks are still responding to this note, but the stories about
    the '87 vintage files are disturbing......I will keep watching for news
    here...........thanks for all responses about your experiences.

    I had no problems with the ARP patch.  I also sent the "upgrade" back
    to them registered.  I moved splash over it made no differance pro or
    con on how the program runs off of the hard disk.
    
    From the letter I got from E.A..
    
    Begin quote:
    
    We are pleased to inform you that a revised version on Deluxe Music
    Construction Set is now available.  This new version fuly supports
    Workbench 2.0 and the Amiga 3000.
    
    End quote:
    
    "is now available" I guess does not mean it was just made available,
    and no whare does it say it is a recent update.  
    
    I just assumed it was a recent update, silly me.
    
    Alan
    
    
     

    E.A. Finnally got back to me.  The Customer Support person I talked to
    was wrong.  There is a WB2.0 compatible version.  I was sent the wrong
    floppy.  The file size of the correct program is 302608 and the file
    date is 08-Mar-91.  Program versions would be a lot easier to handle.  
    Another way to ID it is the Floppy does not have the NON Copy Protected
    banner on it.  But it is not Copy Protected.
    
    They did fix the problem with the 1.3.2 Serial.Device and deactivating
    the MIDI.  I do not have 2.0 yet so I cannot tell you how it operates
    there.  They still have the >64 file crash problem.  Actually the
    Manual Addendum that you get with the update tells you not to exceed 48
    files in a directory.  Also FixDMCS dosent like this particular image
    and will not patch it for using the ARP library.  You win some and lose
    some.
    
    I attempted to compare an older version of DMCS with its patched image. 
    I was able to compile a listing of the changed locations.  But when I
    inserted the changes by hand in the old image the program crashes when 
    you try load a file.  Yet both files are identical according to my DIFF 
    program.  I will harvest a better Diff program to make shure the one I
    have is not lying to me.
    
    
    Alan
                                        
    

    I got the version you mention and it seems to work under WB2.0.  But,
    then, I haven't exercised it extensively.
    
    Tony

    
    .Re last couple .....
    
    You guys are lucky.  I paid my money and my DMCS update got lost in
    the mail.   According to EA, they mailed it to me on Sept-15 and I
    never got it.
    
    I have to say, the warranty folks at EA were very nice and said they
    would send another copy out today.  I had visons of having to battle
    to recover my original. 
    
    Frank 
    
    
     

    Well, I just sent in my floppy and a letter requesting the new
    version..wonder how long it will take now.......stay tuned.
    
    Thanks for the info and responses..	Ray Curtis

    
    Re -1
    
    I wish YOU luck Ray.  As I mentioned a couple replies ago, I've been
    waiting 2 months for my update.  First one got lost, second one 
    arrived today and guess what .... I now own DMCS for a MACINTOSH!!!
    Unbelievable bunch of turkeys at EA.   Oh well, 3rd time never
    fails (I hope).
    
    Frank
    

    Well, I just got my update floppy a couple days ago, surprise,
    surprise. I will be testing it to see what happens. I know DMCS is not
    the greatest package for most pros, but for me, it is fine. Anyone else
    out still making use of it ? Would anyone like to swap files or trade
    ideas ? I use mine with an MT32 and am always looking for good
    arrangements for it. Thanks for any responses.
    
    						Ray