How can I playback in X2 a sysex Banks midi file to update my pcr 300 keyboard? I can't load it into the sysex manager because it's not a sysex file extension. If I import it as a midi clip (which it is) X2 is not outputting the sysex banks. I've tried changing the settings in Preferences>Midi but nothing I've tried is working. Any suggestions? Thanks

Try opening it as a normal MIDI file. That is don't import it. It should have a dialog pop up for sending the sysex but if it doesn't open the Sysex View and send it manually. You need to set the right port though for the sysex. You should not need to load it into the sysex bank Sonar will do this for you.

If I understand your post, you have banks of sysex to transmit, but cannot load into Sysx View due to the extension name of the files.

So, what kind of file extension is on the file in question?

How were these files created?  Have you tried copying one to a .syx extension and seeing of that worked?

Could the banks be created from source to have the correct extension?

I have no trouble loading up and sending banks of .syx data through Sonar's Sysx View.

Bob Bone

I'll bet they are standard MIDI files with the mid extension. One should not have to load them into the sysex bank manager. Sonar should do it automatically. Than all the user needs to do is make sure the right port is selected and play it.

There is one issue with some hardware MIDI devices that the tempo may be too fast for the device to handle. Often times cutting the tempo in half with do the trick.  

Hi John, thanks. seems to be transmitting the banks now but no recognition by the pcr 300. Can't find any info anywhere about how to update the firmware. Tried setting pcr to receive or bulk but I'm shooting in the dark and missing. It's quite a crucial update because the rotaries etc don't transmit smoothly as is.

BTW transmit midi on startup.: are you sure that is Sonar? I remember it in Logic! :)

Yes its also in Sonar. Sonar has a Sysex bank manager that is one of the very best. 

The below is from the manual
Auto option for System Exclusive banks. Banks that are marked
Auto are transmitted automatically by SONAR when it loads the project file they are stored in. Use
the Sysx meta-event only when you need to send a Sysx Bank during the middle

of the project. 


Settings menu
• Auto Send on/off. Automatically transmit the selected bank every time SONAR loads the
project file. You might use this option for banks that contain System Exclusive messages that load
a set of sounds for a synthesizer at or before the start of a project.
Before transmitting, SONAR asks your permission. This is a safety feature for loading a file you
have received from someone else; if it happens to contain data for your synthesizer(s), you might
lose your patches and configuration information. However, if you don’t want to be asked, go to
Edit > Preferences > File - Advanced and clear the Ask Before Sending System Exclusive
(When Opening Projects) check box.
• Output. Specify the MIDI output port to transmit the selected Sysx bank on.



To send Sysx banks at startup
1. In the Sysx view, select a bank that you want to send to an instrument when you open the current
project.
SONAR highlights the bank you select.
2. Click the Sysx view Settings menu and choose Auto Send on/off.
A checkmark appears next to the bank name in the Auto column to show that the bank is
marked for auto-sending.
3. While the bank is still highlighted, click the Settings menu and choose Output to open the Sysx
Bank Output dialog box.
4. Enter the number of the output you want to send this bank out through, and click OK.
The output number you entered appears next to the selected bank in the Output column.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for each bank you want to send, and save your project.
The next time you open a project, SONAR asks you if you want to send any Sysx banks in the
project that are marked for auto-sending. If you click OK, SONAR sends the bank(s).
If you want SONAR to send auto-send banks every time you open a project without asking you,
uncheck the check box in the Auto-Send Sysx dialog box that says Ask this question every time.
If you decide later that you want to be asked, go to Edit > Preferences > File - Advanced and
select the Ask Before Sending System Exclusive (When Opening Projects) check box.



More information can be found on page 1141 onward. 

A caution! You need to do this right. Its possible to screw up your device if not. 

Also as I said you may need to slow the tempo because your device may not be able to keep up. Sysex can be a massive amount of data for MIDI anyway. So be careful. Now there should be a way to set your device up to receive the data. You should go to its manual to find out how. The firmware update should have a PDF file to tell you how to set the PCR 300 up to receive sysex. 

If not http://lib.roland.co.jp/support/en/downloads/res/1812363/PCR_Ver105_Readme_e.pdf you can fine it there.

John thanks for all the above. Your link was very helpful. When I downloaded the firmware update .zip the readme files were blank! Having followed the instructions from your link I was very hopeful but unfortunately it has not worked.

I've slowed X2 to 30bpm. Actually if X2 stops working when a tried a second playback.

Roland recommend a midi file playback prog. I'll try it on my xp office computer

Ah! Went to try it on my XP computer and guess what - device won't power up. I think X2 stalling on the 2nd pass must have caused the problem but having said that I didn't get and "End" message from the first pass or any kind of indication that anything was  or had happened.

Does mention in the installation file that in the "unlikely" event of the keyboard not powering up Roland can bring it back to life

I think many keyboards have some sort of key combination thing to reset the internals to factory settings.  I had to do so with an E-MU controller I had - it was like 'hold these 2 buttons and jump on your head whilst singing show tunes', but it worked for me.

There might be doc in the manual for performing such a reset - if your keyboard really did get jacked up to the point of not being functional.

Just a thought - I will do some digging and post if I come up with any concrete info.

Bob Bone