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Topic: MIDI conversion error with NWC2, but not with Player 1.75b (Read 6395 times) previous topic - next topic

MIDI conversion error with NWC2, but not with Player 1.75b

Hello,

    This is my first message. I'm using NWC2. Reading MIDI-files was no problem so far, but I now tried to convert one, that gave errors. It can be found on http://wso.williams.edu/cpdl/sound/rach-che.mid
The strange thing is, that the NW Player 1.75b does not give any message. Is the MIDI file wrong?

Thanks, Gert Leerdam

Re: MIDI conversion error with NWC2, but not with Player 1.75b

Reply #1 –
Hi Geert,

To me, it seems that Noteworthy 1.75 ignores the errors while 2.0 detects them and shows error messages.
After import, there is a strange tempo mismatch between the staves, so that is where the error must be.
The Van Basco Karaoke Player plays correctly, so this Midi-file can be interpreted "correctly".
This means that there is a combination of unusual behaviour (on the side of the one who produced the Midi file) and the import process that maybe does assumptions that do not always hold.
I do not have a copy of Cakewalk or anything like that: I wonder what would happen when someone imported this file into Cakewalk and then exported it again. The result should be fit for Noteworthy.

"...they set him conundrums to guess..."

cheers,
Rob den Heijer, Maarssen, Netherlands.

Re: MIDI conversion error with NWC2, but not with Player 1.75b

Reply #2 –
On tracks: Ten1 and Bass1, a Meta Track Name is followed by a Volume Controller Message.  Running status is assumed on the Volume Controller message. This is not allowed by many MIDI parsers (including NWC's). If you use MF2T.exe and T2MF.exe (link available here) to convert the file to text and then back to MIDI, the problem will be corrected.

Or, if you e-mail me, I will attach a corrected file (fixed.mid) to a reply.

You can read about running status <here>.
Edit: fixed link
Registered user since 1996

Re: MIDI conversion error with NWC2, but not with Player 1.75b

Reply #3 –
Well Gert, the author of the Midi to text and back-utilities is a fellow Dutchman! How about that?
Hat off to the man (and to Rick, one of our worthy technicians)
cheers,
Rob.

Re: MIDI conversion error with NWC2, but not with Player 1.75b

Reply #4 –
And what a fantastic answer! It worked straight away. Now also there are only 8 staves, which is exactly how it should be! And that university is only a few miles away from where I work. And Maarssen is not very much further. So *thanks* Rick, Rob (and Piet :-) for the great answer!
Gert Leerdam, Nieuwegein, The Netherlands

Re: MIDI conversion error with NWC2, but not with Player 1.75b

Reply #5 –
In playing around with rach-che.mid (and others), I see that NWC (Composer) doesn't display any errors. It just imports it badly. NWC2 pops up an error window (with generally useless content) and prompts before importing it badly.

I wonder how many users have had this problem and simply assumed that the file was damaged or deliberately made unimportable? If this is common, perhaps Noteworthy should modify its import routine to retain the running status across a Meta message.  Failing that, a User Tip or FAQ entry might be in order.

Any thoughts from others?
Registered user since 1996

Re: MIDI conversion error with NWC2, but not with Player 1.75b

Reply #6 –
I would vote for a change in the import routine. An entry in the FAQ would do for now, but it's not the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything.
Also, a warning error (an legible one) would be in place.

cheers from Nieuwegein, my work address (and a nice day for biking it is - no car or tailbacks for me!)
Rob.

Re: MIDI conversion error with NWC2, but not with Player 1.75b

Reply #7 –
Quote from: RobdenHeijer –
I would vote for a change in the import routine. An entry in the FAQ would do for now, but it's not the answer to Life, the Universe, and Everything.
Also, a warning error (an legible one) would be in place.

I concur
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: MIDI conversion error with NWC2, but not with Player 1.75b

Reply #8 –
Yes Rick, I also have recently run into the Error message and didn't know what to make of it so I shut everything down and ran away! I'm very afraid of things that I don't understand in the pc realm. So when the message comes up asking continue?, there is no harm in saying OK?

Re: MIDI conversion error with NWC2, but not with Player 1.75b

Reply #9 –
Quote from: fitzclan –
So when the message comes up asking continue?, there is no harm in saying OK?
None that I can imagine. Worst case is that parts of the import will be incorrect.

Better to fix the file so that it runs without error.

Programs generating MIDI files should not use running status across a Meta Event.  If a programmer relies only on the real-time MIDI docs it is easy to make this mistake. The SMF docs are fairly clear that this is a no-no.

IMO, programs reading MIDI files should allow for this error.
Registered user since 1996