Technical Notes (Panel Edit)

This information has been placed at the beginning because it is very important to the programs operation! It also contains important information which does not fit easily into other sections of the manual. Keep all of these points in mind as Panel Edit is used.

1. It is necessary to provide offset values to the editor so that the correct value can be retrieved and stored in the SysEx. These values must be relative to the header of the SysEx. Rephrased, Midi Quest automatically advances its internal data pointer by the "HeaderSize" value set in the SysEx's driver.

2. Midi Quest performs NO range checking. If you enter an offset beyond the actual range of the SysEx, this location will be edited potentially corrupting your computer's memory.

3. Offsets are in the range of 0 -> byte size - 1

4. Byte references into the SysEx start with byte 0, so the first byte is 0, the second byte 1, and so on.

5. Parameter values can be stored in SysEx in various formats (see the Driver Format parameter in a Midi Quest driver). Midi Quest AUTOMATICALLY compensates for the various formats so that the correct byte is read. For example, some SysEx is transmitted in a nibblized format where one byte of data as stored in the instrument is sent in two bytes of SysEx via MIDI. Providing that the correct  format is selected in the driver, Midi Quest will automatically recombine the two bytes into one.

6. Many of the examples in this manual are generalized. No matter which instrument is chosen as an example, someone will not own it.

8. Much of this section is centered around creating a control. Remember it is always easier to create one control and then make copies of it using the copy or duplicate function than it is to make another control from scratch.

9. Along with the 4 temporary macro variables: W, X, Y,and Z, each Template has 50 permanent long word variables V0 - V49. These 50 variables retain their value until changed by a template macro command. The temporary variables only maintain their value while in the macro.

10. Remember to test all of your editing control for the correct storage location in the SysEx dump and the correct editing transmission message! Sound Quest has found that the SysEx implementation charts found in manufacturer's manuals are often riddled with errors. We have also found that manufacturers are typically of no help sorting the problems out.

11. The link between a driver and a template. How does Midi Quest find a template for the SysEx loaded by a particular driver? In the Driver Creator window, there is a parameter called 'Defn' in the upper left portion of the window. This parameter must hold the path and file name for the file referenced from the Instruments directory.

12. Ensure that the 'Header Size' parameter in the Driver used with the template under development is properly set. If this parameter is not set, each editing control in the template will not be referencing the correct byte in the SysEx dump.

13. SAVE YOU TEMPLATE TO DISK REGULARLY AS IT IS BEING DEVELOPED. IF PARAMETERS ARE ENTERED INCORRECTLY IT IS POSSIBLE TO CORRUPT YOUR COMPUTER'S MEMORY!!!!!!

14. When new editors are added, Midi Quest creates a "Keys.ini" file in the root data folder (~/Documents/Sound Quest/MidiQuestPro). This file stores a unique access key for each editor which allows the editors to be modified with the panel editor. If the editor is given to another Midi Quest license holder, they would be able to open it as an editor but the Panel Edit option is disabled. If custom editors are moved to a different location (ie a different data folder for a different OS installion), the Keys.ini file must also be moved in order to be able to place the editor in panel edit mode.

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