Play a disk full of songs without pressing a single key with this handy player program from the creator of AMP, the Antic Music Processor. This BASIC type-in creates a fast, machine language jukebox that automatically plays all the AMP songs on your disk.

First published in our December 1988 issue, the Antic Music Processor (AMP) quickly became one of ANTIC's most popular programs ever. Users enjoyed playing tunes provided on disk, and many entered their own songs. Many readers sent in songs, both as part of our AMP Song Contest (June, 1989) and to share their efforts with other 8-bit Atari users. With all these songs and disks in our offices, we came to realize that what we really needed was a way to play a group of songs, not just one at a time. The suggestion was passed on to AMP programmer Steven Lashower, and the AMP jukebox was born.

Getting Started
Simply type in Listing 1, JUKEBOX.BAS, check it with TYPO II, and he sure to SAVE a copy to disk before you RUN the program. (You should have a separate disk, freshly formatted with DOS 2.0 or 2.5 on it, ready for the jukebox.) When RUN, this program will create a new file ca1Ied JUKEBOX.EXE, and save it on your disk. JUKEBOX.EXE is the actual executable machine language program for the AMP Jukebox.

To run the program, turn your computer off, then on again, without BASIC (XL/XE users hold down [OPTION]). From DOS, use option L (Binary Load) to load JUKEBOX.EXE, and the program will run. To make AMP Jukebox load and run automatically when you turn the computer on, use DOS option F to rename JUKEBBOX.EXE to AUTORUN.SYS. Put the disk in drive one, and turn your computer off and on again, without BASIC. The jukebox will load and run automatically - but first you need some songs for it to play.

When you run the jukebox, it looks on the disk in Drive 1 for any files with ".AMP" extenders on their filenames. (If necessary, use DOS command F to rename your AMP files.) The program automatically plays all the songs on the disk, one after another. Press [START] while any song is playing to skip to the next song. Press [OPTION] while a song is playing to change to a different disk or drive. When the loading window appears, press the number (1-8) of the drive.

Just copy your favorite AMP song files to one disk with the Jukebox on it, and the program will find them automatically and play them over and over for you. You can collect disks full of certain types of songs, and use them for background music or long-running demos.

Getting AMP Songs
You can still get ANTIC back issues and disks featuring AMP programs and songs. (See our ads in recent issues, or call (800) 231-7001 to order.) The original AMP appeared on the December 1988 disk, with instructions printed in the magazine. Also on disk is CONVERT.BAS, a program that converts songs from the popular Advanced Music System II (AMS II) into AMP file format. Modem users will find AMS II files on many bulletin boards and online services with Atari 8-hit sections.

The first version of AMP could play lyrics, but there was no way to enter them. Version 2.0 appeared on the June 1989 disk, and added a lyric editor to AMP's many capabilities. Instructions on entering lyrics were printed in the magazine, while the music editor instructions were put on disk. A slightly modified version 2.1 of AMP appeared on the August 1989 disk without instructions, but fixes some minor hugs.

Songs have appeared on a number of Antic Monthly Disks. In addition to the three songs on the December 1988 disk, we ran a collection of 10 Christmas carols and two classical pieces on the January 1989 disk. 12 contest winners appeared on the June 1989 disk, five songs on the July 1989 disk, and four on the August 1989 disk. The June/July 1990 disk had three popular songs plus Ravel's Bolero.

Steven Lashower studies Communications and computer Science at California State University, Fullerton.

Disk image with executable and source code: JUKEBOX.XFD Download

In April 2002, Mr. Lashower released the source code for AMP Jukebox. Here are his notes about that program.

Here's the DOC file I submitted along with the Jukebox software 
(JUKEBOX.DOC) on the .ATR image:
  ***Program Submission***
Steven Lashower
<< Home Address Deleted >>

The Antic Music Processor 
Jukebox 
(C) 1990 ArgoSoft Productions

The Antic Music Processor has quickly become one of the most popular 
programs that Antic has ever published.  The latest addition to the AMP 
System, the Antic Music Processor Jukebox, is proof that the AMP system is 
constantly being enhanced and upgraded.

Loading the Program

Like AMP Version 2.0, the Jukebox can be loaded directly from DOS.  Use the 
DOS command L (Binary Load) and type in the filename, 'JUKEBOX.EXE'.  If 
you'd like the Jukebox to load automatically every time you boot the disk, 
use DOS command E to rename 'JUKEBOX.EXE' to 'AUTORUN.SYS'  The Jukebox has 
been designed to work with DOS 2.0 or 2.5.  The Jukebox also requires at 
least 48K of free RAM, so make sure all cartridges are removed from the 
computer before loading the program.  If you're using an XL or XE, hold 
down the [OPTION] key while you turn on the computer.

The Antic Music Processor Jukebox has been designed to work with AMP files 
that have a '.AMP' extender in their filename.  Before you run the program, 
you need to go through all of your AMP music files and add a '.AMP' 
extender to each filename.  To do this, use the DOS command E.

Using the Jukebox

Once the program has loaded, each AMP filename found on drive #1 will be 
displayed on the screen.  Up to sixty-four filenames can be displayed (four 
columns of 16 files each).  The jukebox recognizes an AMP file from the 
'.AMP' extender.  A cursor, represented by a '>' character, will appear by 
the first filename in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.  If no 
music files are found, the Jukebox will prompt for another disk.

Picking Selections

[DOWN ARROW] - Moves the cursor down one filename.  If the cursor is at the 
bottom of the screen and there is more than one column of filenames 
displayed, the cursor will automatically wrap-around to the adjacent right 
column.

[UP ARROW] - Moves the cursor up one filename.  If the cursor is at the top 
of the screen and there is more than one column of filenames displayed, the 
cursor will automatically wrap-around to the adjacent left column.

[RIGHT ARROW] - If there is more than one column of filenames displayed, 
use the [RIGHT ARROW] to jump to the adjacent right column.

[LEFT ARROW] - If there is more than one column of filenames displayed, use 
the [LEFT ARROW] to jump to the adjacent left column.

[RETURN] - Use [RETURN] to select the music file being pointed to by the 
cursor.  An asterisk '*' will appear by a selected filename.  Use [RETURN] 
again on the same file to de-select the filename.

[SPACE BAR] - Use the [SPACE BAR] to play all of the selected files.  The 
Jukebox will continue to cycle through the files indefinitely or until 
[OPTION] or [SYSTEM RESET] is pressed.

[START] - When a song is playing, use the [START] key to skip to the next song.

[OPTION] - When a song is playing, use the [OPTION] key to return to the 
file selection screen.  Now, you can change your selections.

[SYSTEM RESET] - Use [SYSTEM RESET] at any time to restart the 
program.  When [SYSTEM RESET] is pressed, any previous selections made are 
not remembered by the Jukebox.

Files can be selected from drives other than #1.  While in the file 
selection screen, type any number from [1] to [8] to display the directory 
of music files on that drive.