From: Shawn Hargreaves <Shawn AT talula DOT demon DOT co DOT uk>
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.djgpp
Subject: Re: Allegro MIDI looping
Date: Sun, 9 Mar 1997 11:17:12 +0000
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Paul Derbyshire writes:
>I have an idea for an additional MIDI option: a function like this:
>
>void trail_midi (MIDI *trailer, MIDI *main_midi)
>
>Plays the midi structure trailer, then loops main_midi until a stop_midi
>is sent or sound_exit or allegro_exit or exit is called.

This is a good idea, but I think a bit too limited in the form you
describe. If it's worth doing, it's worth doing in a properly generic
manner. I think a better approach would be to 'annotate' a single MIDI
file with information about the loop points, possibly as a seperate data
structure, or maybe better by using custom controller messages embedded
in the MIDI stream. This would allow a simple intro+loop like you
describe, but would also permit more complicated control flow (eg. play
bars 1-8, repeat bars 9-16 four times, play through to bar 64, and jump
back to bar 9).

Thanks for the suggestion: it's going on the todo list...


/*
 *  Shawn Hargreaves - shawn AT talula DOT demon DOT co DOT uk - http://www.talula.demon.co.uk/
 *  Beauty is a French phonetic corruption of a short cloth neck ornament.
 */