Warren Porter's Spacer tool

Topic: Warren Porter's Spacer tool (Read 6721 times) previous topic - next topic

Warren Porter's Spacer tool

2021-02-28 08:33 pm

Hi

I'm just popping in to say how helpful this tool has been for me over the years since I started using it. Every time I do, I quietly bless Warren.

https://www.wjporter.com/nwc/Spacer.htm

What would be an awesome update would be the ability to space multiple staves at the same time. Is that out of question? I don't really know how these things work, just that it saves me a lot of time, and I'm grateful!

Re: Warren Porter's Spacer tool

Reply #1 – 2021-03-01 02:59 am

Thank you! I appreciate the feedback.

I haven't created anything to handle more than one staff at a time and only use JavaScript. If you can show me how you use it (or would like to use it), I'll see what I can do. Please attach a sample file with only a few measures to a reply (a conversion of the file to nwctext would also work).

Re: Warren Porter's Spacer tool

Reply #2 – 2021-03-01 03:49 pm

Most of the time, I find that I only need to add spacers to a single staff in order to get things properly spaced, although there are times when an extra spacer or two is needed on one or more of the other staves. There is probably some rule which would describe how or when this is needed, but I've never quite figured it out.

Re: Warren Porter's Spacer tool

Reply #3 – 2021-03-06 09:13 pm

Hi Warren

Here is a sample from the end of a score. When the accompaniment is independent of the vocal or instrumental line, then I find I have a lot of fiddling to do to get all the parts spaced out properly. Then if I end up editing the composition (as I often do) then that might all need to be redone. This example is only a few staves, but I have had pieces where there were many parts that needed individual adjustment.

Sorry for not replying earlier. I am not being notified of replies any more, even though I have the notify box checked, so I don't know what's up with that.

Re: Warren Porter's Spacer tool

Reply #4 – 2021-03-06 09:54 pm

If the problem is the final you can try doing this way:

Code: (nwc) [Select · Download]

!NoteWorthyComposer(2.751)
|Editor|ActiveStaff:1|CaretIndex:1|CaretPos:-2
|SongInfo|Title:""|Author:""|Lyricist:""|Copyright1:""|Copyright2:""
|PgSetup|StaffSize:17|Zoom:3|TitlePage:Y|JustifyVertically:Y|PrintSystemSepMark:N|ExtendLastSystem:Y|DurationPadding:Y|PageNumbers:1|StaffLabels:First System|BarNumbers:Plain|StartingBar:1
|Font|Style:StaffItalic|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:10.4|Bold:Y|Italic:Y|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:StaffBold|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:8.5|Bold:Y|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:StaffLyric|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:7.55|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:PageTitleText|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:24|Bold:Y|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:PageText|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:12|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:PageSmallText|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:8|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:User1|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:13|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:User2|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:13|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:User3|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:13|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:User4|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:13|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:User5|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:8|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|Font|Style:User6|Typeface:"Times New Roman"|Size:8|Bold:N|Italic:N|CharSet:0
|PgMargins|Left:1.27|Top:1.27|Right:1.27|Bottom:1.27|Mirror:N
|AddStaff|Name:"Flute"|Label:"Flute"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Open (hidden)|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:14|BoundaryBottom:16|Lines:5|Color:Default
|StaffProperties|Muted:N|Volume:127|StereoPan:64|Device:0|Channel:3
|StaffInstrument|Name:"Flute"|Patch:73|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127
|Dynamic|Style:mp|Pos:-10
|Note|Dur:16th,Slur|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th,Dotted,Slur|Pos:-1|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:-1|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:16th,Slur|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th,Slur|Pos:-1^|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:-1|Opts:Stem=Up
|Boundary|Style:NewSystem|NewPage:N
|Bar
|Dynamic|Style:mf|Pos:-10
|Text|Text:"rit."|Font:StaffItalic|Pos:7
|Tempo|Tempo:50|Pos:13|Visibility:Never
|Note|Dur:16th,Slur|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th,Dotted,Slur|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:16th,Slur|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:16th,Slur|Pos:2^|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down
|Bar
|Tempo|Tempo:40|Pos:13|Visibility:Never
|Dynamic|Style:mp|Pos:-10
|Note|Dur:4th,Slur|Pos:4|Opts:Stem=Down
|Text|Text:"molto rit."|Font:StaffItalic|Pos:11
|Note|Dur:8th,Dotted,Slur|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Down,Diminuendo,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:32nd,Slur|Pos:4|Opts:Stem=Down,Diminuendo,Beam
|Note|Dur:32nd,Slur|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Down,Diminuendo,Beam=End
|Dynamic|Style:pp|Pos:-10
|Tempo|Tempo:30|Pos:10|Visibility:Never
|Note|Dur:Half|Pos:2
|Bar|Style:SectionClose|SysBreak:Y
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff-1"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Open (hidden)|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:10|BoundaryBottom:10|Lines:5|WithNextStaff:Layer|Color:Default
|StaffProperties|Muted:N|Volume:127|StereoPan:64|Device:0|Channel:6
|StaffInstrument|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127
|Rest|Dur:Whole|Opts:Stem=Up|Visibility:Never
|Bar|Visibility:Never
|Dynamic|Style:mf|Pos:-10|Visibility:Never
|Rest|Dur:Whole|Opts:Stem=Up|Visibility:Never
|Bar|Visibility:Never
|Rest|Dur:Whole|Opts:Stem=Up|Visibility:Never
|Bar|Style:SectionClose|SysBreak:Y
|AddStaff|Name:"Harp"|Label:"Harp"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Open (hidden)|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:16|BoundaryBottom:14|Lines:5|WithNextStaff:Brace,ConnectBars|Color:Default
|StaffProperties|Muted:N|Volume:127|StereoPan:64|Device:0|Channel:4
|StaffInstrument|Name:"Orchestral Harp"|Patch:46|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127
|Dynamic|Style:mp|Pos:-11
|Chord|Dur:16th,Slur|Pos:-6,-4,-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Chord|Dur:8th,Dotted,Slur|Pos:-5,-3,-1|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Chord|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:-5,-3,-1|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Chord|Dur:16th,Slur|Pos:-6,-4,-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Chord|Dur:16th,Slur|Pos:-5^,-3^,-1^|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Chord|Dur:4th|Pos:-5,-3,-1|Opts:Stem=Up
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:-1|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:1|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Bar
|Dynamic|Style:mf|Pos:-10
|Text|Text:"rit."|Font:StaffItalic|Pos:-11
|Chord|Dur:Half,Slur|Pos:-5,-2,0
|Note|Dur:4th,Slur|Pos:-1|Opts:Diminuendo
|Note|Dur:8th,Slur|Pos:-2|Opts:Stem=Up,Diminuendo,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Bar
|Dynamic|Style:p|Pos:-10
|User|Arpeggio.ms|Pos:-3|Visibility:Never
|Chord|Dur:Half|Pos:-5,-3,-1,2
|Text|Text:"molto rit."|Font:StaffItalic|Pos:-10.5
|User|Arpeggio.ms|Pos:-3
|Chord|Dur:Half|Pos:2,4,6,9|Opts:Stem=Down|Dur2:Half|Pos2:11,13,16
|Bar|Style:SectionClose|SysBreak:Y
|AddStaff|Name:"Staff-2"|Group:"Standard"
|StaffProperties|EndingBar:Open (hidden)|Visible:Y|BoundaryTop:13|BoundaryBottom:10|Lines:5|Color:Default
|StaffProperties|Muted:N|Volume:127|StereoPan:64|Device:0|Channel:5
|StaffInstrument|Name:"Orchestral Harp"|Patch:46|Trans:0|DynVel:10,30,45,60,75,92,108,127
|Dynamic|Style:mp|Pos:-6|Visibility:Never
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:0
|Note|Dur:4th|Pos:-3|Opts:Stem=Up
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-7|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-3|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Bar
|Dynamic|Style:mf|Pos:-6|Visibility:Never
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:-4|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Up,Beam=End
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:3|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:5|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:7|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:9|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Bar
|Dynamic|Style:p|Pos:-6|Visibility:Never
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:0|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=First
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:2|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:4|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam
|Note|Dur:8th|Pos:7|Opts:Stem=Down,Beam=End
|Rest|Dur:Half|Visibility:Never
|Bar|Style:SectionClose|SysBreak:Y
!NoteWorthyComposer-End

Re: Warren Porter's Spacer tool

Reply #5 – 2021-03-07 10:36 am

If it's not clear what @Flurmy has done, he has added a decorated bar line with Force System Break at the end of each staff. This has the effect of spreading out the measures of the final system, without requiring the use of spacers. Since there is no notation after the system break, a new system is not generated or printed.

In practice, you only need to add a system break barline to the topmost staff, but adding one to each staff will look nicer in the editor. This workaround is documented in the official Noteworthy Composer FAQ, which you can find here.

Re: Warren Porter's Spacer tool

Reply #6 – 2021-03-07 01:36 pm

That has to be one of my oldest pages in the NWC section--it checks to see if the user is using Netscape as the browser. I'll soon be adding a link to this thread in that page--maybe the Spacer tool is now unnecessary. Feedback welcome.

BTW, I added a dedication to RickG on my NWC page.

Edit: New spacer page is Spacer.htm. Renamed original page to SpacerORG.htm and it is linked from the new page, as is this thread.

Re: Warren Porter's Spacer tool

Reply #7 – 2021-03-11 01:46 pm

Thank you for your responses on this thread. Once again, I am not being notified of replies, so please excuse my tardiness.

Ok, to summarize, you are recommending that the staves end bar setting be Open (Hidden), with a Force new system mark inserted after a manually inserted closed ending bar.

I have never tried that approach before, but I just experimented and it did line things up. However, when I experimented with adding an extra measure or two before the closed ending bar, the new line contained only that one or two measures, so I would still have to fiddle with spacing, probably by forcing a new system in the previous line ahead of where it automatically wants to do so.

Warren, there are times when I would want to decrease the space, say if there was just one measure on the next line, at the bottom of a page, and I didn't want to start a new page. In that case, your spacer tool would still be helpful, so please don't get rid of it. Is there a way to install it on my computer so that I don't have to rely on the internet to use it?

The issue that I mentioned in my original post would still apply unless there is another way around it which I don't know about yet.

Something to note is that I do not usually tell NWC how many bars per line I want. I usually let the software do its thing and then deal with the ending. Perhaps that is something I need to change in my work flow.

Thank you, Mike, for pointing to the FAQ on this. I had missed this along the way, but I've been using NWC for a long time (inefficiently, so it seems!)

Re: Warren Porter's Spacer tool

Reply #8 – 2021-03-12 01:13 pm

Quote from: SEBC – 2021-03-11 01:46 pm

.. There are times when I would want to decrease the space, say if there was just one measure on the next line, at the bottom of a page, and I didn't want to start a new page. In that case, your spacer tool would still be helpful, so please don't get rid of it. Is there a way to install it on my computer so that I don't have to rely on the internet to use it?

Yes. Open SpacerORG.htm from my website and download it onto your desktop. If your system allows it, change its name to end in .hta instead of ".html" or ".htm". That will let it get to work without the overhead of a browser. HTH

Re: Warren Porter's Spacer tool

Reply #9 – 2021-03-12 03:38 pm

Thanks so much, I think I have got it downloaded and renamed.