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Topic: Barline changes - using text, specific fonts and user tools (Read 6243 times) previous topic - next topic

Barline changes - using text, specific fonts and user tools

About 6 years ago I started playing with a way to make a handwritten style barline to overlay the standard NWC barlines to go with my SwingDings suite and try to complete the package.

There were a few challenges, mainly the fact I couldn't hide the standard barlines and still make everything work properly.

I have a feeling I communicated about this with either the forum or the Newsgroup once before - I don't remember which nor how much (if at all).  A quick search of this forum didn't reveal anything so I figure it must have been the newsgroup.

Still I made it work OK and have used it a few times, but discovered I didn't really care all that much about implementing the styling, so it languished for the last 6 years.

However, I recently "got an urge".  What sparked it was how often, when using printed scores, I would use a pencil to extend the lines on repeats to make them more visible, kinda making them into stylized brackets.  This got me to thinking about my SwingBars font...

So I modified that font, and created a new one called StraightBars, with associated scripts.

SwingBars has 10 alternative single barlines and 3 sets of decorated barlines - dashed barlines are not catered for.
StraightBars is set up the same, but the script ONLY uses repeat barlines.

The tools place the text barlines centred at next note/barline, sometimes, like at the end of staves where there is a decorated barline, it may be necessary to manually modify the text to be left justified at next note/barline

When you create your file, make a user font to be the Barline font you want to use and set its size to match the staff metrics.  The default is User5 - you can easily modify the script to change this if you want.

The basic user tool command is:
wscript scripts\TextBarlines-LP.vbs <PROMPT:parameter:=*>
or
wscript scripts\StraightBarlines-LP.vbs <PROMPT:parameter:=*>

Font installation is easy, extract them from the zip file, then copy to C:\windows\fonts (assuming you're on C drive and not D or some other drive) - DO NOT EXTRACT DIRECTLY to the fonts folder - the font installer gets confuzzled and doesn't work if you do this.

Copy the scripts to wherever you normally put your user tool scripts (I use the default Scripts folder under the Noteworthy program folder)

Please have a look and let me know what you think - they aren't really "finished" at this point but are most certainly useable.

Oh yes, running this script is probably the last thing you would want to do when editing.

If you need to undo the barlines for any reason, the Global_Mod user too with the paramaters Text,Font==User5 DELETE wil work - assuming the font is in the default User5 location - otherwise modify to suit.

Thank you.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Barline changes - using text, specific fonts and user tools

Reply #1
I have a feeling I communicated about this with either the forum or the Newsgroup once before - I don't remember which nor how much (if at all).  A quick search of this forum didn't reveal anything so I figure it must have been the newsgroup.
Perhaps this:
I have actually been working on a barline replacement/overlay user tool but it is for trying to create "handwritten" barlines as an adjunct to my SwingDings font suite - it's on the back burner at the moment as I have other things I must concentrate on.
IIRC, you put some examples in the newsgroup. My newsgroup history stops at 2009.
Registered user since 1996

Re: Barline changes - using text, specific fonts and user tools

Reply #2
Thanks Rick, I think you're right.  In any case, I'm way too tired at the moment to bother looking ;)
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: Barline changes - using text, specific fonts and user tools

Reply #3
Hi Lawrie / Rick

In the newsgroup, it was April 2008 and was in the newsgroup called Noteworthy nwc2beta.

If you need anything from then, let me know. I have it all.

Rich.

 

Re: Barline changes - using text, specific fonts and user tools

Reply #4
Hi Rich,
went back and found 'em - and discovered I haven't done anything about the problems raised then.

Oh well...  Don't know if I'm motivated enough to really fix grand staves 'cos it won't be easy.  Perhaps now that I'm reminded of the issues I can let the old "hind brain" contemplate them and in the meantime go with the caveat that this is designed for single staves only at this time.

Lazy way out I know but that's how I've been feeling for a while ;)

I do think I'll look at renaming the StraightBarlines-LP.vbs file to TextBars-RepeatsOnly-LP.vbs - this will give the choice of replacing all barlines or just repeats - which is available now - but in a more memorable way by having the mnemonic in the tool name.

I was also reminded that there are now 20 single barlines, not 10 - rereading the script and checking the font I see how I did that now.

Thanks for finding the previous discussion - I might look at cherry picking the old conversation and posting the comments here so everyone can get in touch with it.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.