[comp.sys.cbm] Looking for Sid Editor

ejf@nvuxl.UUCP (Ed Flaherty) (01/16/91)

Does anybody know how I can get a copy of Compute's Sid Editor,
or for that matter any other editor to compile music into the
SidPlayer (.mus) format?  I haven't found anything in Qlink to
make sid files (scads of players, but no editors).  Also haven't 
found anything in Milton or Tolsun.  Qlink gives an 800 number
for Compute books to order something called "Compute!'s Music
System for the Commodore 128 and 64," but I tried this number
and it's been taken out of service.  It's very hard to find
C64 books anywhere any more.

If the Sid Editor is no longer available, I would settle for a
description of the semantics of its three-letter opcodes (e.g.,
RES, AUT, P-S, F-S).  Qlink has a couple of files that discuss
the syntax of these opcodes, but in most cases give no clue as to
what they do.  Some of them I have been able to figure out for
myself (e.g., HED and TAL seem to define the beginning and end of 
a loop), but others (AUT, POR, RES, ...) I can't make any sense of.

It seems obvious to me that Qlink does not allow Sid Editors to be
posted, in order to force you to buy Compute's product.  But it
seems a little ridiculous to be so paranoid now that the number
of Commodore 8-bit users has dwindled down to us diehards.

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Ed Flaherty
Bellcore

kentsu@microsoft.UUCP (Kent SULLIVAN) (01/22/91)

In article <786@nvuxl.UUCP>, ejf@nvuxl.UUCP (Ed Flaherty) writes:
 
> Does anybody know how I can get a copy of Compute's Sid Editor,
> or for that matter any other editor to compile music into the
> SidPlayer (.mus) format?  I haven't found anything in Qlink to
> make sid files (scads of players, but no editors).  Also haven't 
> found anything in Milton or Tolsun.  Qlink gives an 800 number
> for Compute books to order something called "Compute!'s Music
> System for the Commodore 128 and 64," but I tried this number
> and it's been taken out of service.  It's very hard to find
> C64 books anywhere any more.

You can order from Chilton Book Co., the part of ABC that is (currently)
distributing Compute!'s stuff.  Or (recommended), order it from
Creative Micro Designs (CMD): 800.638.3263.  They recently bought Dr.
Evil Labs' SID Symphony cartridge operations and will be carrying the
Enhanced Sidplayer (as Dr. Evil did) as a value-added item.  CMD accepts
most major credit cards and they are a bit cheaper than Chilton: $22.95
(plus S/H) vs. $24.95 (plus S/H).
 
> It seems obvious to me that Qlink does not allow Sid Editors to be
> posted, in order to force you to buy Compute's product.  But it
> seems a little ridiculous to be so paranoid now that the number
> of Commodore 8-bit users has dwindled down to us diehards.

It's not paranoid at all considering the author of the Enhanced Sidplayer,
Craig Chamberlain, is still entitled to receive royalties on any books that
are sold.  Craig has been great to release public domain players and even
MIDI extensions but his responsibility ends there.  He spent several *years*
in development time on Sidplayer-related stuff and I feel he's entitled to
every penny he can collect.

You can of course use the public domain Stereo Editor, but it requires a
driver from the Enhanced Sidplayer disk (the author, Robert Stoerrle,
felt that Craig was entitled to his money! :-).

Kent Sullivan
Microsoft Corporation

The opinions expressed in this article are my own and do not necessarily
reflect those of my employer.