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Topic: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this! (Read 8176 times) previous topic - next topic

NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Regarding PDF from a NWC file:

I have access to a variety of special software (e.g. the full Adobe Acrobat, Illustrator, etc.) so I personally don't need to fool around with PDF problems. But I used to have them! So I sympathize.

Advanced users, try this: If you own font conversion software, make a Postscript Type 1 version of NWCV15 and call it NWCV15ps. Install the Poscript font using Adobe Type Manager.

Then (the tricky part) edit the win.ini file in the Postscript-True Type font substitutions section, so that NWCV15=NWCV15ps.

After re-booting, try it out. Go to NWC and print using Adobe PDFwriter (the cheap one!). Be sure that both NWCV15 and NWCV15ps always embed, and allow font subsetting for True-Type fonts only (not Postscript fonts).

The resulting PDF file works for me. Would anyone else out there like to try it? NO GUARANTEES! AT OWN RISK!

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #1 –
Interesting approach - but it still requires a paid-for program. As I understand it, GSview does essentially that automagically when exporting to PDF -- for free!

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #2 –
You are right, Fred. I have both the commercial (Acrobat, Distiller) and free (Ghostscript/GSview). My main reason for trying the round-about method was because I like to post-edit the printable image (not the music itself), and I do this in a drawing program (Illustrator). HOWEVER, another user informed me (off-line) that my proposal to create Postscript font and edit win.ini is VERY system-specific, and probably would not work for anyone else. Moral of the story: Forget I ever mentioned the topic!

Incidentally, if there are any readers out there who didn't already know this: NWCV15 font creates notes by drawing things such as note-heads, stems, and flags separately. So a NWC file is a lot more like a drawing file than a word-processing file. I believe that this approach is used by similar programs as well.

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #3 –
<<<<
NWCV15 font creates notes by drawing things such as note-heads, stems, and flags separately
>>>>

yeah! so why don't we have drum noteheads yet =)
:-)
i'm sure it's just got to be on the drawing board under careful attention!!

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #4 –
Regarding drum-heads and other symbols (such as barred whole notes), a partial solution already exists, depending upon what you want to do:

The NWC file contains information for creating MIDI as well as information for printing the sheet music. It is possible to enter music notation symbols as TEXT (user-defined font) that will print on your sheet music, but do not attach to any MIDI even if you put them in the staff. In other words, placing a music symbol as TEXT "looks like" music when printed, but does not "sound like" music when played as MIDI.

If NWCV15 doesn't have a symbol you need, then browse the Internet for a freeware music font (they exist) for use as a user-defined text typeface.

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #5 –
No dude, that just won't work.
Noteworthy needs to have the drum heads to have beat values, eg. crochet or quaver. Otherwise it's just not going to happen. We can't fix everything. Stuffing with hiding layers and finding fonts just can't be expected of every user who needs to notate a drum track.

I mean it's silly really... you can implement huge symphonies with Noteworthy but you can't do a drum track. I'm certain it's not that hard for Noteworthy to do.

Why won't Noteworthy talk about it? Please!!!

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #6 –
I would like to teach my son how to write drum tracks for band practice.

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #7 –
i'll second that motion

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #8 –
To Steve: Its not that hard once you have the right font. Just enter the beat using hidden notes or rests, then insert the text right over them (using the align center, center over notehead options). Yes, custom noteheads would be a lot nicer.

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #9 –
Blair:

Steve's point was that although there is a work-around via hidden rests, placement of text, etc., it should be such that user wouldn't need to use work-arounds. I believe what he is looking for is the ability to notate drum tracks no different than he would a melody line or any other instrument or voice line. That would mean the drum notation would have beat values. As a composer of not only classical and liturgical music but jazz and pop, I would whole heartedly second his request for the ability to notate drum tracks.

And yes, before everyone leaps all over me, I have requested this type of feature on the wish list as well as other enhancements. Which is why I would be all for the suggestion(s)that were listed and discussed on the forum at https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=1348.msg6864#msg6864 through https://forum.noteworthycomposer.com/?topic=1348.msg6901#msg6901 of having the wish list posted so that users could see and possibly vote on future enhancements.

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #10 –
I have the same point with Steve. Yes, NWC is as good for being open to user supplements but do we have to complete all gaps -most of which are owned by "others", the worst part- ?

I wish for microtonal accidentals since I met NWC almost periodically, for instance. I can partially get them using a font which had been installed by the demo of those "others" (I can't remember which one) but I have to battle with allignements to make the symbol look like an accidental belonging to the succeeding note and I have to review the score for re-entering in the case of using the note as key signature.

Regarding the priorities, I, a registered NWC user, need those accidentals in 90% of my music.

The worst point at this subject, as I precalled, is that those "others" (not essentially 10X price of NW, one of them is only $65) already have the facilities that we request.

Now, it's the time to wish again.

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #11 –
Blair Dowden wrote:
>Its not that hard once you have the right font. Just enter
>the beat using hidden notes or rests, then insert the text
>right over them (using the align center, center over
>notehead options).

The problem with this solution is beams. Each of those text notes would be unbeamed, making all but the simplest rhythms very hard to read.

My preferred solution for the present: allow users to hide the heads of notes, but not the stems and beams. Custom noteheads could then be entered as text, centered on the hidden noteheads. Ctrl+v and the right arrow key would allow you to enter the custom noteheads fairly quickly. With this enhancement NWC could not only do a better job with percussion, it could also do a much better job producing charts. There would be some vertical alignment problems, x noteheads, for example, would have to be moved up or down a half space to meet the stem properly, but I could live with that. It would also be useful to add a percussion "clef" -- the black rectangle that spans spaces 2 and 3 of a percussion staff. While the percussion clef could be inserted as text after each line break, it would be a real pain to do so. In fact a percussion clef by itself would be a significant enhancement to NWC, since much orchestral percussion music is notated on conventional staves.

Ertugrul wrote:
> I wish for microtonal accidentals
Do you mean sharp and flat signs with arrows on them?

> I have to battle with alignments to make the symbol look
> like an accidental belonging to the succeeding note
Is it a vertical or a horizontal alignment problem?

> I have to review the score for re-entering in the case of
> using the note as key signature.
I don’t understand.

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #12 –
Somehow, this thread turned into a discussion about drum note-heads. Very well!

It IS possible to change the appearance of NWC's standard note-heads so that they appear as "X" or whatever, without the need to edit the notes one-by-one. The technique changes the appearance of the note-heads only (does not affect stems or anything else)and can be used for some or all of the staffs (some can be left unchanged).

Here's the catch: The technique is relatively no-brainer and does not require much time, BUT it requires the use of a drawing program capable of opening and editing a Windows Metafile (WMF). Adobe Illustrator does it, and I am told that Corel Draw and some others do it. The picture editor within MS Word will NOT do it, nor will most paint-type programs.

To see if your drawing program can do it, create a small NWC composition, then use File>Print Preview to copy to a placeable Windows Metafile. Try to open the WMF in your drawing program. It will probably look too big -- that's a feature of WMF, not NWC -- if so, scale it down to size. Does it look OK? Can you select the individual elements and move them around? If so, then you have what it takes.

The same technique can be used for putting "barred whole notes" in the document, I beleive (I am currently checking this out).

Please understand that the technique makes no changes whatever to the NWC file, nor to the music output. All it does is allow you to change the appearance on a document to be printed.

If this interests you, and you have the technology, please let me know via E-mail (not the NWC forum) at ra849@yahoo.com what kind of note-heads you would like to see. I am not a drummer, or even a musician, so keep it simple. The technique is limited!!! Right now, I can replace quarter-note heads (incl, eighth, etc.) with a cross (X)and open-note heads (half, whole) with an open-cross. Stems and flags are preserved. Before I let everyone know how to do it, I want some feedback regarding what needs to appear.

Time limit: Wednesday, July 19, 2000 5:00 PM PDT.

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #13 –
Re the drum track issue, this suggestion that people will spend hours creating each and every drum head seems ridiculous to me. The assumption with having a drum track in notation software is that the software WILL also import from the drum track on channel 10 of a midi file. There is NO way that I'm going to DIM (do-it-myself) - all this mucking around. If it comes to the point where Noteworthy doesn't implement drum track notation (which seems like a pre-requisite for working music notation nowadays) then I'm very afraid I'll will have to bite the bullet and save up for some other software that does. This is my realistic consideration of the matter.
Thank you.

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #14 –
May I suggest that SYSOP at NWC remove this thread (which I started!) My original recommendation, I later learned, would not be suitable for those whose software setup is not exactly the same as mine (unlikely). My suggestion regarding drum-heads also would not work for everyone. I am concerned that future readers of the off-line forum will get onto this thread and be led astray.

If the topic of drum-heads is still alive, it can be re-started by its advocates as a new thread. As for PDF and similar topics, that has been discussed at great length by other users familiar with the technology.

Re: NWC to PDF -- advanced users only, try this!

Reply #15 –
There are numerous cross links to this thread, making removal difficult. For now, your disclaimer should be enough.