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Topic: In case translation from XML (via MXML2NWCC.exe) seems wrong.  (Read 17985 times) previous topic - next topic

In case translation from XML (via MXML2NWCC.exe) seems wrong.

I regularly use Sharpeye2 to convert *.tif scans to *.XML.
Then MXML2NWCC.exe to obtain *.NWC.
Sometimes the output is down-right wrong.
Then analyzing the *.XML file with NOTEPAD++
(free download from Sourceforge.net)
can help to pin-point the error.

My experience has been :
Usually the problem is with Sharpeye2 or MXML2NWCC.exe,
NOT with NWC2.

Re: In case translation from XML (via MXML2NWCC.exe) seems wrong.

Reply #1 –
A couple of things I've experienced.  GIGO.  If you don't scan a fairly good, clean copy then Sharpeye will make mistakes.  I generally use a scan resolution of 600 dpi, and then try to scan at 125% or more.

In Sharpeye, unless you fix all the rhythm errors before exporting to XML, when you import to NWC2, you get a lot of hidden artifacts and odd length bars, sometimes with segments on a different staff.  The artifacts will often be hidden rests of 32nd, dotted 32nd, 16th, dotted 16th, etc. to pad out the bars to match the various layered staffs Sharpeye creates when it can't handle the scanned score on one staff.   On my screen, these hidden rests and other artifacts sometimes show as tiny red dots that my eye can barely detect.  If I change the colours of hidden notes to grey, though, I can see the actual rests.  Since there are often many of them, I copy one into the Find feature, and simply repeat the find until I've located and deleted them all.

I do like your idea of using notepad.

Re: In case translation from XML (via MXML2NWCC.exe) seems wrong.

Reply #2 –
Quote from: David Palmquist –
A couple of things I've experienced.  GIGO.  If you don't scan a fairly good, clean copy then Sharpeye will make mistakes.  I generally use a scan resolution of 600 dpi, and then try to scan at 125% or more.
<--snip-->
I do like your idea of using notepad.

Thanks David.
Please Note: I was referring to NOTEPAD++ (not MS Notepad).
For the rest, I heartily agree.
Your scan must be of the best possible quality - in my case 300 dpi gray scale *.tif.
If necessary, using Irfanview's "Image --> custom fine rotation" to straighten it.
(It seems Sharpeye2 is fairly tolerant (say within 1.5 degrees) of a scan not being perfectly aligned.

But, over and above what you've said, errors sometimes slip in:
Especially with back-to-back repeats, or other  changes in flow direction.

Re: In case translation from XML (via MXML2NWCC.exe) seems wrong.

Reply #3 –
Quote
errors sometimes slip in

I'd say errors often slip in! 

But what used to take me 30 hours now might take me only 5 or 10.  It's worth buying the program.

Re: In case translation from XML (via MXML2NWCC.exe) seems wrong.

Reply #4 –
I sometimes get a faulty input that makes it impossible to edit the NW file.  The ones that will give me fits are easily identifiable from the mxml2nwc status window.  When it reports that it printed 2 staves when you only imported a single instrument, here's how to fix it:

Select all
Cut
Add a new staff (this is just if you want to check what it is that you imported but won't be using)
Paste to new staff
What's left on the original staff should be fairly close to what you had intended to import. I usually select from the 1st note (or rests) to the end, then either open a new score to paste it into, or paste it into the ending of the prior page on a work in progress.
 

Re: In case translation from XML (via MXML2NWCC.exe) seems wrong.

Reply #5 –
I'd guess that what you're seeing is layered voices to make an appearance of a single stave.  When you see this, try clicking view... Layering in Edit Mode and see if the extra staves appear.