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Messages - Alan_J

1
General Discussion / Re: Solfège note name tool
Thanks, works beautifully now.  Did all that and  kept getting different oddball errors, even when copying and pasting the same exact line.  The script file also did not like being renamed all lowercase letters, even if it was also all lowercase in the command line.  Apparently that also mattered in addition to everything else.
2
General Discussion / Re: Solfège note name tool
Oops, I meant this:

Wscript "C:\Program%20Files%20(x86)\Noteworthy%20Software\NoteWorthy%20Composer%202\Scripts\" ognotenames.js <PROMPT:Act upon:=|All_Staffs|Visible_Staffs|Active_Staff|Help> <PROMPT:NoteNames:=|A_B_C_...|do_re_mi...> <PROMPT:Insert as:=|Lyrics|Text|>

Well, that almost got it.  Now I have a "Execution of the Windows script host failed: not enough storage is available to complete this operation."  That doesn't figure.... I have plenty of space.  hmm., weird.
3
General Discussion / Re: Solfège note name tool
You mean this?

Wscript "C:\Program%20Files%20(x86)\Noteworthy%20Software\NoteWorthy%20Composer%202\Scripts\ognotenames.js" <PROMPT:Act upon:=|All_Staffs|Visible_Staffs|Active_Staff|Help> <PROMPT:NoteNames:=|A_B_C_...|do_re_mi...> <PROMPT:Insert as:=|Lyrics|Text|>
4
General Discussion / Re: Solfège note name tool
I may be doing something stupid and can't see the obvious....

It returns this error: There is no file extension in "C:\Program"
I have this as my command line:

Wscript C:\Program Files (x86)\Noteworthy Software\NoteWorthy Composer 2\Scripts\ognotenames.js <PROMPT:Act upon:=|All_Staffs|Visible_Staffs|Active_Staff|Help> <PROMPT:NoteNames:=|A_B_C_...|do_re_mi...> <PROMPT:Insert as:=|Lyrics|Text|>
5
General Discussion / Solfège note name tool
It might be interesting if the "note name tool" in the Noteworthy 2 resources and tools section (or better yet, an off-line user tool) could also create a corresponding lyric line of the solfège syllables (do-re-mi), either with or without the semi-tone names.  Since there is already a user tool for 7-shape shape notes which has the whole relative versus absolute pitch thing all figured out, would it take much more code to create a lyric line from the corresponding shaped noteheads?  I'm probably underestimating the situation by thinking it would "only" require a couple additional steps or modules.

Another observation... I didn't see it addressed anywhere, but I may have just missed it... but regarding the conversion from round noteheads to shaped noteheads:, if you have a shared note (that is, both an up and down stem) in which the pitch corresponds to shape4 (fa), after conversion, you have two joined triangular-shaped noteheads, which together have the appearance of shape 6 (la) if the interior is blacked out.  If it is a half note, it looks like a square with a diagonal line through it, which I kinda like even if it is wrong, but for a quarter note, it should not look like a blackened out square.  Now if you remember and are expecting that behavior, you can manually fix one at a time by right-clicking and choosing the notehead for either shape 4 (fa) -or- shape 4 (fa) ALT, depending on which stave you're in....  but that is a really poor solution.

I just noticed that if I manually select the notehead for shape 5 (so/sol) it is an ovoid shape which slants down, but if I use the user tool for shape note conversion, it correctly slants up.  Maybe there should be a "shape 5 (so) alt" like there is an "alt" selection for shape 4?

A few years ago I talked with one of the members here about tinkering with the shapes of the shape noteheads.  I later discovered that in cases where you have a chord composed of blacked out notes fa-la-do , (shapes 6, 4, and 1) together, they have an unpleasant uni-blob appearance.  I thought if I shaved a little off the top and bottom of shape 6 (la) to make it more rectangular and less squarish, that would provide a little gap between the notes and make the separation more distinct.  There was just one problem: the stem line is parallel to the edge of the square shape (as opposed to sharing the same line segment) and goes all the way to the far end.  So, if you were to make the shape more rectangular, you're left with the stem poking out too far.  Maybe there is a way to make the stem line share the outside vertical line segment of the square.... and stop at the mid-point?

I didn't know which was best: add three topics, or cram everything in with one whack.  Anyway, even if this program never gets another update, it has easily been the best money I've spent on a single piece of software, and I'd gladly do it again to help keep it alive.  I've done something with it every day for several years now, and I've never needed it for a task that It wasn't able to handle.  The thought of having to use one of those unwieldy other programs out there is a prescription for panic.
6
General Discussion / Re: Need to put one verse in italics - any ideas?
If you're printing them to a pdf file, you could do it with two files.  Print the first nwc file to pdf with normal font.  The second nwc file, an duplicate copy of the first -- except remove all the text with the normal font and put the italicized text where it belongs.  Then print the second file using the pdf created by the first nwc file as an overlay.  File > Printer Setup > Properties > Overlay.   I'm using NovaPDF Pro v7 as my print driver, which I only mention because the overlay function may not be available with other drivers.  I discovered the property quite by accident, and it has been happily useful for doing such things as printing two short tunes onto one page.
7
General Discussion / Re: Easy Search-Replace for 1 shape in a 7-shape shape-note score?
In a way, I kinda did make an option to revert back.  In case I botched it, I copied the php tool to another folder, edited it, and renamed it to "nwsw_ShapeNotesSkipSOL.php."  Then copied it back to the script folder and made a new command/link to run it.  If I'd run into problems, I still had a backup.  But, it worked out so I have either as an option now.

That is more efficient than the "brute force" change that I mocked up here. (I didn't realize that the "o" note shape had the same effect as a blank one).

Rick's change will make the tool always leave "sol" notes unchanged. One could instead add another item to the $AllShapeNotes array,  called "7-shape-no-sol" for example, so that the user can choose either behavior. (The command line options would also need to be updated to allow the addition prompt drop down).
8
General Discussion / Re: Easy Search-Replace for 1 shape in a 7-shape shape-note score?
Thanks!!!  I tried a little trial-and-error with the command line, which didn't work out too well.

Did what you suggested, which perfectly addressed the main issue that was perplexing me. 

I have noticed that where there are courtesy accidentals, the script turns those notes into ties in the conversion process.  Maybe there is a place on here to submit suggestions for fixes, but I've lost track of it if there was.


Down around line 40 you will see this:
Code: (php) [Select · Download]
$AllShapeNotes = array("4-shape" => "dfgdfgc", "7-shape" => "abcdfgh");
I suggest a change to:
Code: (php) [Select · Download]
$AllShapeNotes = array("4-shape" => "dogdogc", "7-shape" => "abcdogh");
Since you have been brave enough to look at the code, this should not be too shocking  :)

9
General Discussion / Re: Easy Search-Replace for 1 shape in a 7-shape shape-note score?
I've always understood it to be SOL as well, but read recently that for pronunciation sake schools that use the fasola teaching method are now dropping the "L." 

Anyway, I used the insert text functiion/char map and can see the shapes.... (the microsoft font viewer didn't show me down that far in the list) so it does appear editable.

Just peeked into the nwsw_ShapeNotes.php file using notepad and I noticed this little thing:

"/skip=<PROMPT:Skip:=*xXzy>"
   Defines the existing note heads that should be ignored during shape assignment

I don't understand PHP and the usage is unclear to me, but it would appear I should be able to convert standard to shape noteheads and make the tool just leave off converting one of the notes.  Am I reading that correctly?  If so, that might simplify things a great deal to just leave SOL out of the conversion altogether.
10
General Discussion / Easy Search-Replace for 1 shape in a 7-shape shape-note score?
I use the tool for replacing the standard noteheads with shape notes A LOT lately in my current project.  However, I would like to keep the standard notehead for shape 5 (SO, or SOL).  The tilted oval shape is wider, with thicker lines along the flattened "sides," more aesthetic, and distincter than the small faint circular shape rendered by the user tool.  I want to keep the clefs and other symbols in the standard notation typeface (nwc2stada) as well.  So, I've been running the shape note tool, then manually replacing all the shape 5 noteheads.  It is a wearisome process and I'm afraid I will overlook some notes.

How would I go about creating a tool to replace all instances of one shape (shape 5) with the standard shape noteheads?  This is possible, yes?

At some point in the future, I would also like to make alterations to all of those 7-shape noteheads, (as well as to other symbols such as the "flags" for eighth, sixteenth notes, etc.)  but I believe I recall reading somewhere in the forum that those shapes aren't produced like other fonts and a font editor would not be of use?

***The line thickness of the shaped noteheads in the NWC2MusikDingsSans metric is actually what would be satisfying for my present need, but only with the standard notehead shape substituted for SOL (shape 5), while at the same time keeping the NWC2STADA clefs, time sigs and other accompanying symbols.  Wish there were options for mix and match along this line.  There are parts I want to use from one set, without giving up what is best found in another.

Are there any users knowlegable in this area that can point me to resources for creating a new set of symbols, or symbol fonts that the noteworthy program can be made to recognize?
11
General Discussion / Re: Spacing between lyric lines - Revisited
Without knowing what prior discussion from 18 yrs ago, this is the only method I'm aware of:

Page Setup > Fonts > Staff Metrics > Change >

Uncheck the box "proportionally scale other staff font sizes" before increasing the staff size. 

-or-

Only decrease the lyric font size.

Either way will mess with the vertical space between staff and lyrics and your margins will have to be adjusted as well.
Probably not what you're looking for, but I see no other way presently.  Changing the font entirely might also make a difference.

Is there any way to increase the spacing between lyric lines?  The only previous discussion that I found on the boards was from 18 years ago and further back in time.  NWC has evolved since then and maybe something new has come up which I am not aware of.  Work-arounds with layering or using alternate lines are not quite suitable IMHO.
12
General Discussion / Re: Are multiple margin settings within a page possible?
Thank you, thank you, thank you both.  I had played with the boundary changes feature earlier but did not recall seeing the gap tick-box, and wouldn't have known what it meant without observing it in action anyway.  The only problem I encountered was when using it after the end of a section close (as a right margin  indent) before the start of a refrain on the next line.  Ten short line segments from treble and bass staffs were appearing on the right side.  Finally figured out how to make them disappear:  Section close (without system break, followed by the boundary gap, followed by invisible *single* bar (with system break).  Being able to select line justification and indentation like a word processor would be great, but this works super in a pinch!
13
General Discussion / Are multiple margin settings within a page possible?
Given a score where system breaks occur at the end of lyric phrases, with half of the phrases/lines being only @ two-thirds as long as the others, is there a method to keep selected phrases from having "full justification," but rather have greater right margins so that five words aren't stretched across the whole page?  All that to say, is there a workaround solution to make some lines appear shorter than others within a page?  The last line is no problem to handle of course (just don't extend last system), but I'd like to have different margin settings for lines 2 and 4 out of an 8 line arrangement.  Is this even possible?
15
General Discussion / Can additional SongInfo fields be added?
A title that exceeds the width of the score's margins is not centered on the page, but begins left margin edge and runs off past the right margin.  Other than changing the font size to make it fit as a solution, is there any way to either wrap and center the title text or add additional SongInfo fields below the title (for a sub-title field etc.), or below the author and lyricist line at the top of the page?  Also, can the author and lyricist fields be made to print at the bottom of the page instead of the top.  Please pardon if this has been covered before.... I did a search of the forum and didn't see anything pertinent to the query.
16
General Discussion / Global_mod for text size and alignment change ?
Hi, newbie here with automation question. 
I would like to make global changes, such that all lyrics in multiple staves are aligned according to standard rules (instead of start of note), and also change the lyric font size from 10pt to 12 pt.

Can file tools>global_mod be used for this to create a user tool or tools in order to cut down on keystrokes when working with multiple files?

Actually, it would be great to be able to run a batch tool on a folder's-worth of nwc files to modify certain properties and make every composition more consistent.  Barring that, a "macro" of sorts would be of immense help if I have to modify each file one aat a time.

Case examples are a lot of help, but I'm not seeing what I'm searching for.... although it could be under my nose.