Technical questions for the MPC2000xl and the MPC2000
By joeswitch Mon Jun 26, 2006 2:55 am
I'm using MPC Editor to create programs on my PC. I exported each Program with the sounds to a seperate folder on a ZIP disk. When I put the disk in the MPC, it reads it fine, but when I go to load a program it tells me "Can't Find File". I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.

I did some troubleshooting and found that I CAN load the same programs from the ZIP disk, ONLY if I put all the files in the root directory. This is incredibly disorganized and messy, and it would pain me to have to rock it that way. All I want is to be able to put each Program and its respective sounds into seperate folders.

Does anyone know any workarounds for this issue?
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By Lampdog Mon Jun 26, 2006 4:12 am
2k classic - you need the samples AND programs in the root directory, 2k cannot read folders.

2kxl - you need the samples AND programs in the SAME folder.

On BOTH machines, your samples on the pc need to follow the 8.3 convention. Meaning, filenames NO longer thatn 8 characters.

If you have them longer than 8 characters and you place them in mpc editor, mpc editor will truncate (cut off) the filename to equal a length of 8 characters. Your program file from mpc editor that you load into your mpc will remember and still be looking for those long filenames, which you don't have anymore.

FILE NOT FOUND on your mpc is what you might see.

I had this problem long time ago when I first got mpc editor, just rename all your files to 8 or less characters BEFORE you begin making programs and you'll be fine afterwards.
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By Kalou Fri Jun 29, 2012 7:53 pm
Sorry to bump (is it really a cardinal sin?) but I have this problem to with sounds from the Akai released Sample CD for the 2KXL. I copy the files the disc to my CF card through my computer but when I try and load up programs on the MPC I get the "Can't find file".

I noticed some of the Akai sample names are longer than 8 characters which would ring tur with Lampdog's theory, but why would Akai mass-produce a sample disc with this problem? Is it just me with an MPC that has trouble loading some of the files. Perhaps it works if you load the files with a SCSI CD Drive?

Just in case you're unsure of the disc I'm referring to, it's this one:

Image
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By Lampdog Fri Jun 29, 2012 8:38 pm
When I bought the my 2kxlse2 I got the same cd.
I also have a scsi cdrom. When the cd is loaded into the scsi cdrom it works perfectly.
You have to remember the samples weren't made with windows in mind. It was made with the mpc in mind. And the 2kxl is very old technology.

Any files over 8 characters that touch windows/mac may get shortened, you'd get the can't find file error and/or your pgms will no longer load the file it's looking for because the filename was shortened. If you want to load the cd as it was intended you should get a scsi cdrom. If not, you just gotta deal with renaming stuff, pgms that will have to loaded and resaved and all sorts of stuff that come with attempting to load old technology into new technology. It's not a problem with the 2kxl or the cd. It's the technology (formats and filenames).
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By Kalou Fri Jun 29, 2012 9:02 pm
Yeah, that's what I assumed. It would be a bit long renaming and recreating all the programs. If only there were a small app that could truncate the file names and resave the programme to know where to look for them. Alas it's not a big deal. Maybe I'll come across a SCSI CD Drive in Goodwill or the like. Thanks for the confirmation.
Last edited by Kalou on Fri Jun 29, 2012 9:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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By Lampdog Fri Jun 29, 2012 9:26 pm
I don't use my 2kxl external scsi cd drive, it just sits there in the closet along with my 2kxl 9gb external scsi hdd.

I use to use both alot, haven't for years now. I'd let them go to a good foster parent?!

You want em, paypal, what, what's up?
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By Lampdog Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:06 pm
I don't even remember that part of it to be honest. I can remember using lots of data cd's. I'd have to plug it all up and find out.