[Coco] New Release "UltiMusE III v 10.11.3A"

[Bill Pierce]

Gene,
The newer c.prep.19b runs out of memory (or line space? can't remember) on 75% of the 120 or so files that make up the Umuse3 sources. I had to revert back to the MW version which works. If it can be set to have more memory (internally), it would be more usable to me.
The real problem is that every module of Ultimuse sits on the edge of it's memory limits. The code has been optimized many times and code was "fragged" out to submodules. These submodules share the same globals as the main so that routines from the main can be directly called from the subs using pointers. The main cannot exceed $9E00 bytes in size and $2000 in data size. The subs load into the remaining 8k space and share the same globals which is a trick in itself. The subs cannot exceed $2000 bytes in size.
Then all screen, graphics, and text are handled by a 2nd (forked) process in it's own workspace connected by pipes. The whole process is ingenious using 2 64k workspaces (128k) and a 256k score buffer. Mike had pushed that code to it's limits and then some. I really had a time working in the variables I needed for the DW4 code and adding 2 new modules. The only way is to keep them local to the sub within the $2000 byte limit. The only way to free up some global data space is to eliminate a feature. In analyzing all the features, the most least used on a modern Coco system would be either the "Hardcopy" or "Keypad" features.

So far, the hardcopy routine and variables are still there, just broken. I just can't compile them properly until I figure out how Mike got around the memory limits of c.comp. He may have compiled his own version of c.comp with more memory as the sources were converted from OSk (all in the archives somewhere). I wondered if it was a problem inherent to the system mem loss in Nitros9 but I also tried stock OS9 and got the same results. I'll get it all figured out soon. But for now, the new DW4 Edition of UltiMusE III is up and running :-)

Bill Pierce
My Music from the Tandy/Radio Shack Color Computer 2 & 3
https://sites.google.com/site/dabarnstudio/
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-----Original Message-----
From: Gene Heskett <gheskett at wdtv.com>
To: coco <coco at maltedmedia.com>
Sent: Sun, Nov 17, 2013 6:47 pm
Subject: Re: [Coco] New Release "UltiMusE III v 10.11.3A"


It figures that Mike would play with the compiler.  So a couple questions:

1. Are you using the most recent c.prep-19b from Willard?  That might help.

2. Have you syntax checked it with a build of cntx you can get from my 
server?  It may also be on rtsi, but that copy is a previous version I have 
expanded on at least 2 times now.
> 
> notey = drindiv((slot==INSTR) ? DINS : ((slot==LEVEL) ? DXLV :
> ((slot==MCHOP) ? DMCH : DPEV) ) ), notex, evp->show.PARTNO,
> ((slot==IPEVT) ? -1 : evp->show.PARAM1);

I have forgotten how big the line buffer is, but that looks long to me.