This file comes from "MOD15V12.ZIP", a pack containing the following files : file_id.diz -> description (text) tfl-tdv.nfo -> The FLamoots AND The Dark Vision group info file (text) tfl-tdv.app -> application form for TFL-TDV distsites (text) crossing.txt -> advertising for Tetsuo BBS (text) 1531.exe -> module converter : SoundTracker to NoiseTracker/ProTracker 3115.exe -> module converter : NoiseTracker/ProTracker to SoundTracker 1531.doc -> 1531.EXE & 3115.EXE user information (text) 3115.doc -> 1531.EXE & 3115.EXE user information (text) mod_id.inf -> Some infos about id strings in mod, by Type One /TFL-TDV (text) modfile.txt -> Unofficial description of mod formats by Lars Hamre, included without his permission (text) 1531.c -> 1531.exe source code (c) 3115.c -> 3115.exe source code (c) Executable files are for PC. ============= H I S T O R Y ============= The first file format for digital tracked music appeared on Amiga in the 80s, with the editor Sound Tracker. It was called "module" and allowed only 15 instruments. The only *official* doc you can find on it is a legendary edition of "ST-magazine" (that Atari freaks should know), around summer 1990. While coding NoiseTracker for Amiga (Atari ST version coded by Dr. Satan), their authors, Mahoney and Kaktus, extended that format to 31 instruments. The latest updates, mostly due to FastTracker I & II on PC, but also Octalyzer on STe, or some trackers on Falcon, Archimedes, etc, allowing more channels (everyone knows that Amiga formats allow only 4 channels), are based on the M.K. (Mahoney and Kaktus) model. NOTE: The present Amiga ProTracker uses the same format than Noise Tracker : it just uses some features that weren't used yet by Mahoney and Kaktus. About extensions ================ Now, you PC dudes, are used to name files of all those formats with the exten- sion "MOD". But you should know that on Amiga, there are no filename extension. So, only when SoundTracker modules were transfered from Amiga to ST, then on Archimede, then -lately- on PC, they have been given the extension "MOD". When NoiseTracker came, NoiseTracker files have got the extension "NST". Now they're mostly called MOD too... So "MOD" can in fact mean a lot of formats, all based on the NoiseTracker one (NST), wich is based on the early Sound Tracker one. At the position 1080 (in bytes) in the file, is a string of 4 characters that identify the format ("M.K." for NoiseTracker or ProTracker files - common 31 samples & 4 channels module), except if the file is a Sound Tracker module (15 samples). That early Sound Tracker format is impossible to identify (just load it and see if it is music ;) ). ============================ What are doing those utils ? ============================ Syntax: 1531 or 3115 ("filename" is the name of the module to convert) 1531.EXE transforms a 15-samples (Sound Tracker) module into a 31samples (Noise Tracker or ProTracker) module. The output files gets ".NST" as extension, but can be renamed as "*.MOD" without any problem. Actually, it just adds 16 fake sample names and parameters (the size of each sample is 0 bytes, of course), and the flag "M.K.", to the file. 3115.EXE transform a Noise Tracker / ProTracker module into a Sound Tracker compatible (15 samples) module. Actually, it removes 16 samplenames & sample parameters and the flag "M.K.". But it doesn't actually remove the samples. So if there are sampledata behind sample #15, it will be lost, but the memory used by it will keep wasted. Anyway, this is quite a stupid and unuseful util... Moreover, it could allow you to create a Sound Tracker file with Pro Tracker commands in the pattern ! I've made it only because it was so easy to make after 1531.exe... If the filename is *.NST, the output filename will be *.MOD. If the filename is already *.MOD, the output filename will be _*.* . This is to avoid overwriting. ========= WARNINGS: ========= Note that those utils can only convert 4-channels modules. They works "as a blind", without testing what you give to convert, even if it's your command.com ! I coded these softs in 1 hour. So there isn't any file format test: you could convert a 15instr into 15instr AGAIN, a 8 channels MOD into 15instr. 8ch. (that doesn't exist!), or even a text file or your autoexec.bat ! Sorry but I was too lazy to detect flags. Please always listen to the converted file before dele- ting the source ! There is no control on filename. You should always enter .MOD or .NST names. With extension shorter than 3 characters, the behaviour is unpredictable. If the total length of filename is less than 3 characters, it could even crash. Sorry for that, but you must enter correct command line... I advise you against using them on diskettes, because they don't test if there is enough place left on disk before writing on it (I coded that but it didn't work immediately so I got angry and I just deleted the function). Actually, I really don't know what happens if you want them to output a file on a full disk ! =========== LEGAL STUFF =========== Those utils are shareware. You can copy and spread them without permission, but only freely. Note that this doesn't allow you to put them on commercial CD-Roms or other medias... They are their author's (Frederic Scalliet) proper- ty. If you modify them, you *must* change the name of the pack and still mention my name in it... etc... etc... etc... Anyway nobody cares of this... ================= A N Y W A Y . . . ================= You can contact me at: llardin@is1.vub.ac.be (That's Type One's e-mail, actually, but he let me use it :) Or you can send me a postcard from your country to : Fr‚d‚ric Scalliet 53 Dieweg 1180 Brussels Belgium Enjoy those utils, have a good tracking, listening, playing, ripping, or whatever... Magic Fred / TFL-TDV T H E F L A M O O T S A N D T H E D A R K V I S I O N