Open and view the objects from the Kurzweil PC3/Forte series files.
- File types : .PC3 .P3K .P3A .PLE .FOR .NFO (PC3 only)
- Export : Excel, XML, JSON, CSV & SQL file formats
NOTE : Limited PC3LE support
These instructions will get you a copy of ObjectView (version 0.97) up and running on your desktop computer.
You will need a good modern desktop browser like Chrome, FireFox or Safari.
- Download the ZIP to your computer.
- Unzip the contents and open the index.html file in your desktop browser.
The top navigation bar has two buttons for loading files, called "NFO" & "Browse". To open and view a PC3 or Forte file, select the "Browse button".
- Click the Browse button.
- Find the file (must have either a .PC3 .P3K .P3A .PLE .FOR file extension)
- Click Open.
Kurzweil use NFO files to export all the controller information for Programs and Effects Chains from "Storage Mode". NFO files are exported currently only from the PC3 series.
A NFO file is best thought of as Kurzweils fancy name for a CSV file, which you would commonly use in software like Microsoft EXCEL. It is simply a text file with a pipe delimiter. You can in fact load the NFO file with a program like EXCEL. I have provided it in ObjectView for quick and easy viewing
To open and view a NFO file with ObjectView, select the "NFO" button and then open either an INFO.NFO or INFOFX.NFO file. You must never rename these files as ObjectView is expecting one of those named files.
When ObjectView scans a file, it looks at the objects within that file and then searches to find if those objects are dependents of other objects. For example, a Program may be found, which uses an algorithm, keymap or effect chain. Those objects are dependents for the Program. So if you only loaded that Program and not the algorithm, keymap, effect chain, it would not sound the same or not sound at all.
The tabs across the top are the heart of ObjectView. At the very minimum, there is always at least one tab which is the file name. It contains the main table that shows all the objects found found in the file and the order it was saved in. The table lists the object type, object ID, object name and object hash. The contents of this table can be exported in variety of formats and used to document the file.
Any object tabs shown on the top line are object types found within the file that have dependents.
NOTE : Forte currently shows a limited amount of object tabs.
The table in ObjectView can be filtered by object types. The selection "ALL OBJECTS" is selected by default.
The table can be exported into a variety of text formats. Export types are JSON, XML, CSV, TXT, SQL and MS EXCEL. Exported is the object type, object ID, object name and object hash.
The object table can be sortable in variety of ways. You can sort by object type, object ID, object name or object hash.
The object hash is a unique feature on ObjectView that takes an object and creates a mathematical number based on the contents of the object minus the objects name and ID. So with this number its possible to compare, find objects that are the same.
An example is an effect chain may be called "1025 Brian1" and another effect chain called "1034 Brian2", if the numbers are the same, then objects are exactly the same except they have been renamed. This is very handy to find duplicate objects.
(This technique is commonly used to download ZIP files and make sure that no-one has tampered with the contents).
If any objects are found, ObjectView will try to find any links a particular object has to another object in that file and display it as a list of tabs. This makes it easy for you to find what objects are connected to other objects by selecting that objects tab. If a particular object (eg. Effect Chain 1026 MYEFFECT) is shown in the object sortable table, but does not appear as either a tab, or in the tab list, then the object is not been used by anything.
An example of dependents is Setups are made up of Programs, effects chain, velocity patterns, shift patterns and Riffs. If ObjectView finds links then they will appear underneath the "Setup" tab.
NOTE : Only objects from the file are shown. If an Object links to objects in your Kurzweil instruments ROM, those objects are not indicated or shown under the objects dependents tab. Always remember ObjectView is scanning for objects and links within the file you have just opened.
A unique feature of ObjectView is it will attempt to find objects that may be duplicates of each other. The "Duplicates" tab will only appear if a duplicate has been detected. By using the hash ID, ObjectView will scan and indicate if it has found anything it believes to be duplicate object.
If you own a Kurzweil, then there is a good chance you have many duplicate objects. Many occasions its just the name has changed and the contents are the same.
KB3 Programs are special programs that are of Kurzweils organ modelling of the famous vintage Hammond B3. The sortable object table will clearly highlight them a light green for easy indication.
Kurzweil has two types of samples. One is a modified ROM sample that has been edited by a user. This is found in all Kurzweil instruments ObjectView can open. The other type of sample is a RAM sample which can only be used by the PC3K and Forte series.
To clearly indicate RAM samples the sortable object table will clearly highlight them a purple color.
While not necessary in ObjectView, I've included the ability to see what INFO is stored in a particular Program. You can quickly see the controllers used, what its been applied to along with and dependent insert/aux1/aux2 effects chains.
Click anywhere in the sortable object view table to activate it. Then simply hover over any Program and the INFo will be shown in a pop up window.
NOTE : Not currently supported on the Forte.
The Setup Information view is similar to the Program INFO view where it can quickly show you a few important parameters to a particular Setup. Zone Program ID, zone MIDI Channels, zone status, zone Riff, zone shift/velocity pattern and if FX are loaded on that channel. As well as any aux1/aux2 effects chains if they are override. The aux FX channel as well as the KB3 channel.
All zones are shown and all Program IDs, even if that Program ID is not found in that file! In most cases these will be IDs linked to ROM Program IDs. If it isn't, then you could possibly have found out why something isn't working properly.
NOTE : Not currently supported on the Forte.
- JQuery - navigation
- Bootstrap 3 - front end framework
- Awesome Functions - table generation and file exports
- Papa Parse - parsing NFO files
- Brian Cowell - CUNKA
- Mastering VAST Forum subscribers Thanks for testing and helping it too work better!
- Kurzweil R&D & Tech Support
"Kurzweil", "V.A.S.T.", "PC3", "PC3K", "PC3A", "PC3LE", "Forte", "Forte 7", "ForteSE" are registered Trademarks of Young Chang.