Another wish - Entering user font text

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Another wish - Entering user font text

2016-08-27 05:52 pm

Sometimes I need to insert a text character that isn't in the user fonts I've set up already. Let's say I have set User1 and User2, but the character I need is in another font, so I want to configure User3. If I'm not sure which font has the character, I may have to reset User3 and explore its character map a few times before I find what I need.

Right now, you have to escape from the text entry box, open Page Setup, set User3, close the Page Setup, return to Text Entry, select User3 and explore its character map. If you can't find what you need, you repeat the process, sometimes more than a couple of times.

How nice it would be if the User fonts could be set from the Text tab of the Notation Properties window that opens when Enter Text is selected, as well as from Page Setup.

Re: Another wish - Entering user font text

Reply #1 – 2016-08-27 06:32 pm

Hi David,
Maybe this can help: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Character_Map_(Windows)

Re: Another wish - Entering user font text

Reply #2 – 2016-08-28 03:24 am

Thanks for the tip, Opagust. That will take some guesswork out. Fortunately, we have character maps native to NWC nowadays, too.

What I'm wishing for is to be able to install the userfonts "on the fly," when you suddenly find out you need one that you haven't set up yet. The current process is cumbersome and somewhat disruptive.

Re: Another wish - Entering user font text

Reply #3 – 2016-08-28 01:20 pm

Hi David,
FWIW I use a few standard templates. They all have
User1: SwingDings
User2: Unassigned
User3: Unassigned
User4: Unassigned
User5: SwingBars
User6: SwindChord

This covers about 98% of my needs - it is vary rare that I need a symbol not in User1 and User6 - User5 is for when I want to get fancy about barlines - don't do it much and it's really just a legacy thing...

Re: Another wish - Entering user font text

Reply #4 – 2016-08-28 06:36 pm

Thanks, Lawrie. I use your fonts often and am grateful for them. I know how to look up the symbols I need in your fonts and the other ones I have on my system, but that's not my point.

Once a font is set up in page-setup it is easy to search it with the character map in Notation Properties/Text. That only takes a couple of seconds.

However, if they haven't been set up in the Fonts tab of Page Setup, the process takes enough extra steps to disrupt a composer's train of thought, and to be annoying when you've just opened Notation Properties/Text:
1. Select the display font. (this doesn't need to be changed)
2. Enter a character. (this doesn't need to be changed)
3. If you don't get the symbol you need, start searching each UserFont you have set up in Page Setup. That often means using the Character Map.
4. If you have neglected to set up the "right" UserFont, you have to
   a. escape the Notation Properties/Text dialogue
   b. open Page Setup/Fonts
   c. select the UserFont number you want to alter.
   d. modify it
   e. close the Page Setup dialogue
   f. return to Notation Properties/Text
   g. select the font that is NOW in the chosen UserFont list.
   h. open the character map to find the symbol you need.
   i. if you have not looked at a character map at step c, the font you set up may not have what you need, so it's back to step 4 a.

My request is to shortcut the process by making it possible to install a new UserFont at step 3, saving many of the inefficiencies caused by having to run step 4, sometimes more than once.

Re: Another wish - Entering user font text

Reply #5 – 2016-08-28 09:48 pm

I think Lawrie's point was that if you create a template that already has the user fonts you use most assigned in it, and you create new songs from that template, you'll already have all the fonts you need, and won't need to add new ones when you are adding or editing text in your song. But maybe you have more than 6 custom fonts that you use in your scores, so you can't have all of the positions prefilled.

In any case, I agree that what you're suggesting would make a nice enhancement.

I guess I don't use special text as much as I used to, since most of the need for inserting special text is now handled with user objects (trills, arpeggios, tremolos, chords, etc.)

Thanks,
Mike

Re: Another wish - Entering user font text

Reply #6 – 2016-08-28 10:41 pm

Hi David,
I did understand your point, but Mike is correct about my intent. By having your most commonly used fonts already in the template(s) you use you have both a consistent font position for each font AND you know what symbols are available.