Using EMX to make/load Samples.*

(For the Emax and Emax II Samplers.)

Prologue
There are some rules you should know before proceeding with using EMX.
    1:    EMX is a DOS based program but will run in Windows 95/98 in a dos window.
    2:    When you use it you must keep the window selected at all times during any function or it will halt in mid copy/write etc, till you click back in the window. This has been known to cause an error on your floppy and having to start over.
    3:    You must use 2 Sided DOUBLE density disks, High density disks are not compatible with your Emax.
    4:    EMX has the ability to Format and copy the operating system to your floppies, but I haven't had much success with this working consistently. So I recommend formatting your floppies on your Emax, the copying and new operating system you get off the web onto the already formatted disk.
    5:    DO NOT use cheap floppies, they suck. if you use them you will encounter tons of errors down the road. spend the extra buck and get a good one.
    6:    All files you work with must be in the same folder as the EMX program file. Not in a sub folder of it, in the same folder.
    7:    The people who worked on this program created some very nice file designations to identify all the file types you will be dealing with when using EMX. Files ending in .em1 are files created on the Original Emax. files with .em2 are for the Emax 2. files ending in .emx are usually operating system files.
    8:    Enjoy!

Formatting a floppy on your PC for the Emax

EMX has the ability to Format and install the operating system for your Emax on your PC. This is sometimes faster than doing it on your Emax, though not always as trouble free. The advantage of doing this however is that you can get the latest operating system if you don't already have it, and put it on your floppies. to do this you will have to have a copy of your Emax's operating system in the EMX folder. If you don't have one from the web you can read it off one of the floppies you have made on your Emax.

    1:    First off Place a 2 sided Double Density Floppy in your computers floppy drive. High Density disks will not work for this.
    2:    Next Start EMX. You will come up in the Main menu screen in a DOS window.
    3:    Hit the "F" key on your keyboard to get to the formatting screen. it will then tell you
    4:    Next it will tell you to insert a floppy in the drive and hit enter. Do So. A progress bar will popup showing the percentage of the Format. It will go through the format session, in percentages, then when it is done it will start copying the operating system from your EMX folder, usually named emaxos.emx. Once completed you have an Emax Floppy ready to accept Bank files. "This step is where i encounter a lot of problems. it will go through the format then tell me it cant read an address on the floppy when it tries to load the operating system on it. haven't figured it out yet, on some computers I have this works every time on other it never works."

Making A copy of your Floppy for Upload

Ok first off, Create a directory/folder and place your extracted EMX files in this. This folder will be the working point for all of your Emax and Emax 2 program bank files. Any files you want to put onto or take off of a floppy will have to be in this folder to work properly. Once that is done its time to make our first EM1 or EM2 file.

    1:    Place the floppy with the bank files you want to copy in the computers floppy drive.
    2:    Hit the "R" Key on the keyboard.
    3:    It will ask for the drive letter of your Floppy, Hit the letter for that drive. "A" in most cases.
    4:    It will then ask for your DOS filename. This is important. Enter what you want the name of the bank you are copying to be. Like if your uploading a disk full of Strings you might name it highstrg.em1 if its for an EMAX, and highstrg.em2 if its for an Emax 2. using the .em1 and .em2 designations help those that get your file know which boards it was designed for. Keep the Filename itself before the .em* to a limit of 8 characters. Hit Enter to proceed.
    5: Next it will tell you to insert a floppy in the drive and hit enter. Do So. A progress bar will popup showing the percentage of the upload. This thing doesn't always work right, so just wait till the floppy stops to proceed.
    6:    Once it is completed you will be taken back to the Main Menu screen. Your copy is done.
    7:    If you look in the Folder where EMX is stored, you will find the file you just made. To make it ready for upload to the web , just ZIP it up using a program like WIN ZIP , using the same name of your bank file as the zip folder. Its now ready for other Emax owners to enjoy with you. I sometimes include a text file with my Sample banks telling what on them.

Creating a Floppy Bank Disk from a downloaded File

This section covers taking a Bank file you downloaded from he web and making it into a usable floppy for your Emax.

    1:   First, extract the bank file from the zip file you downloaded into the folder containing the EMX program file. i.e.. you downloaded arcostrg.zip from the web. Extract the arcostrg.em1 or .em2 file from this into the folder. It must be in this folder to work. Write down this file name exactly as it appears in the EMX folder, extension and all. If you don't see an either .em1 or .em2 extension in your explorer window you need to go to your file browser options and uncheck the box that says Hide registered file types.
    2:    Next start EMX. In the Main Menu screen hit the "W" key on your keyboard to Write an Emax disk bank.
    3:    Now it will ask you to enter the DOS filename, enter what you wrote down in step 1. Hit Enter.
    4:    It will now ask you to put in a floppy and hit any key to continue. Do So.
    5:    If you entered the filename right it will show a percentage bar and a readout showing the progress. When it is done you have a usable emax disk to put in your emax and upload and play.

Grabbing the Operating system off of one of your Floppies

This is how to make a copy of your operating system from a floppy.
WARNING: if you already have a newer version of the EMax operating system in your EMX folder, this will over write it. So its best to have a copy of the newest operating system backed up somewhere.

    1:    Insert on of your emax floppies that has the operating system on it.
    2:    Start EMX, and select "G" from the main Menu.
    3:    It will ask for a DOS filename. the standard name is emaxos.emx . Next it will tell you to insert a disk into your floppy drive, and hit a key to continue. Do So.
    4:    Next a screen will pop up showing the percentages of the upload. When done you will have a copy of your operating system in the EMX folder.

Writing the Emax operating system to a floppy.

This explains how to write the operating system to an Emax floppy to make sure it is bootable on your emax, or to update to a newer Emax operating system version. You must have a copy of the emax operating system file in the EMX folder for this to work.

    1:    Insert a Formatted Emax floppy into your floppy drive.
    2:    Start EMX and hit the "P" key. A screen will popup telling you to enter your floppy drive letter, Do so.
    3:    Next it will ask for the DOS filename, enter this. Usually it is emaxos.emx. Hit Enter.
    4:    It will again tell you to put in a floppy and hit a key to proceed. Do So. A progress indicator will popup showing the percentage of the copy process, when your done you should have a new operating system on the floppy. To check it out try booting up your Emax with it.

*This is an unauthorized help file for using the Software program EMX created by Mike Prudence. I hold no claims to this software and am providing this information only to try and help those who want to be able to trade samples for the Emax line of samplers be able to do so. I assume no responsibility for an direct or indirect damage caused by using this information.For more information on this program read the emx.txt file included with the software.

I am working on a way to take the basic code of this program and make it into a Widnows interface with a few options added, if I can get it to work. This may take a while though.

Last updated 4/14/2000

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