Amiga

Tracker 4.44

### 4.5.2: Amiga

There is currently one Amiga version running under AmigaDos. An adaptation of the Linux/FreeBSD version to run under Amiga Linux or Amiga netbsd would probably be reasonably simple, the most difficult part being to get a working audio device.

The status of the current version is experimental. I most often work on a Sparc in my school, and can't check on my Amiga except during vacations.

Version 4.36 compiles cleanly with SAS/C and smake. It probably doesn't compete with HippoPlayer or Delitracker. Its only advantages are in terms of compatibility. I've taken steps to be dead sure that tracker uses the system and only the system, isn't a CPU-hog and works with terminal programs (and any weird hardware that hooks on the CIAs for that matter). Also, tracker probably will still run with new Amigas with PA-Riscs or something, since all the code is in C.

You will need to install KingCon on your machine. It is also a good idea to replace the standard queue-handler with the one bundled with HWRCS unless you don't intend to use compressed modules.

See the Amiga version as an unobtrusive module player without bells and whistles, a quick way for me to check that everything sounds as it should.

There might still be memory bugs lurking, so if tracker crashes, get a more reliable module player, or hack the source.

Some known problems

The user interface doesn't seem responsive at the end of modules
  Due to the asynchronous nature of tracker implementation. Computations for the current song are actually finished. The interface is locked waiting for the song to end in order to be able to release the memory used for sound samples. I will need to add much smarter code to handle that: the player sits at a point where it has the last song loaded, is ready to unload it and load the next one. Just loading the next one before unloading the current one is not a good idea, since it consumes too much memory.
The scroll window doesn't open when I ask for it
  Performance reasons and implementation hack. Scrolling information is only computed when you ask for the scroll window, and the scroll window opens magically when some scrolling information is ready. Since the sound is buffered, you first have to listen to all the buffered sound before the scroll window appears.
I have 1.3 and tracker doesn't run
  Upgrade...
I'm confused about the menu speed items
  Their state doesn't accurately reflect what's going on, but PAL and NTSC work (once again, since the sound is buffered, there's some delay). Custom is just a provision for the future.
The sound filter is always off
  Not implemented yet, even for the amiga!!!
Tracker doesn't understand powerpacked modules
  It doesn't need to. Install xpk and xfh and it'll work.
Tracker is much bigger than some other players and takes up more memory.
  But it should work on every amiga, is CPU-efficient, and supports some unique features.
  - plays lha modules
  - transpose modules
  - scroll-window, somewhat more readable than just plain ciphers.
  It is also portable.
The Invert loop effect sounds weird
  too difficult to implement properly (call back...) right now
Tracker loses some memory sometimes
  There seems to be a bug with the `CON:.../AUTO/WAIT` windows that stay around forever under the 3.1 beta I've got on my system. I haven't been able to check whether the problem stays under other system versions. As I said, the current release is experimental.