Release notes for QTM v1.49            © Steve Harrison (Quantum), 1993-2023
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             >>>>>> QTheMusic (QTM) v1.49, 13th May 2023 <<<<<<


Welcome to QTheMusic (QTM), the ProTracker / FastTracker / StarTrekker music
module player for RISC OS computers.

QTM will play music from any 4, 6 or 8 channel ProTracker/FastTracker
compatible music module, in the background, while you use RISC OS. To use,
simply load !QTMmini, or double click a ProTracker/StarTrekker file (filetype
should be set to &CB6).

QTM v1.49 builds on the last full release of QTM, v1.45 back in 2013, with
many more programmer features/improvements, bug fixes and full ProTracker
2.3d compatibilty. With v1.49, the desktop app !QTMmini has been updated to
play directories of music tracks in a "juke box" style, as well as individual
tracks. To play a directoy, just drag the directory onto !QTMmini's iconbar
icon. A simple BASIC "juke box" routine is also included in the "Extras"
directory, called "AutoPlay".

QTM v1.49 weighs in at under 26kb, less than half the size of QTM v1.45!
This is possible because QTM now builds speed-optimised unrolled loops of
code for ARM2/ARM250 computers upon loading, rather than using up disc space.

Thanks to everyone who tested v1.49b "beta test" last month, QTM v1.49 should
now have been tested successfully across most of the range of RISC OS
hardware now available. Although, if you do experience any problems with QTM
v1.49 (sound issues or tracks not playing back as intended) please let me
know (see Contacts file), providing as much information as possible on the
issue and how to recreate the problem, including the hardware you're running.

See the file 'Links' for web links to sources of ProTracker/FastTrekker
compatible music tracks (often also called 'MODs' or 'modules' on the Amiga).
If you download from these sources, just make sure the music module has its
RISC OS 'FileType' set to 'STModule' (or &CB6) by selecting 'Set Type' from
the filer menu (or using "*Settype <filename> CB6" from the command line),
before double-clicking the music file to play in QTM.

For programmers, QTM contains a full API for use playing music and sound
effects in games/apps. See the file 'SWIs' in 'Documents' for more
information.


A brief reminder of where it all came from...
---------------------------------------------

QTM was originally written (in 1993) to faithfully reproduce Protracker 2.3d
music (created on the Amiga) - under RISC OS. It succeeded in doing so, its
play routines accurately reproduced even the trickiest of effects
combinations used on the Amiga, which often confused other RISC OS Protracker
players (and even confused later Amiga players).

With this aim completed, QTM was repeatedly optimised - and succeeded in
becoming one of the fastest music play-routines for RISC OS computers. This
furthered its use in graphics demos, such as Quantum's 'Liquid Dreams', where
it allowed the maximum possible processor time to be used by the demo code.

But at the heart of QTM lies it's compatibility - it should run successfully
on all RISC OS-based computers, from the first 512 kb, 8MHz, Arthur 0.30
A305, back in 1987, to the latest Raspberry PIs, PandaBoards, etc.


How to contact us
-----------------

If you wish to contact the current maintainer for any reason, see the
'Contact' help file supplied with this release of QTM.

Find the latest QTM here: www.pi-star.co.uk/qtm


Credits for QTM, Q The Music
----------------------------

Q The Music (QTM), was written by Steve Harrison, aka Phoenix.

The QTM module (QTMTracker) and applications !QTMmini and !MiniVUBrs are
copyright © Steve Harrison, 1993-2023

QTM v1.41 and later are 32 bit RISC OS compatible thanks to the development
and work of Jeffrey Lee. Jeffrey also hosts the latest release on his website
www.phlamethrower.co.uk/riscos/qtm.php


****************************************************************************
**** Special thanks and greets to Kieran/Bitshifters for using QTM in   ****
**** some awesome demos and finding music mods which push QTM to the    ****
**** limit and beyond, Xavier T for all the encouragement, Jeffrey Lee  ****
**** for updating QTM to 32bit while I was away from the Acorn/RISC OS  ****
**** scene, Sarah W for Arculator and everyone on stardot.org for       ****
**** keeping the dream alive.                                           ****
****************************************************************************

...hope you enjoy listening!                       Steve Harrison, 13/5/2023