Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Topic: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars (Read 9644 times) previous topic - next topic

Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

2005-10-03 06:57 pm

I often use Noteworthy to write out individual parts for concert band instruments. I would like to see support for multi-bar rest and repeated bar notation. I think this could be implemented by adding the capability to mark in a specific staff a sequence of rests, or bars with identical sequences of notes, as candidates for "compression" by putting a grouping mark, similar to a tie, across the bars to be grouped or "compressed". An option would be needed to display or hide this mark in the full score. Then when print previewing ONLY ONE staff, e.g., an individual instrument part, the affected bars could be reformatted automatically by NWC and displayed "compressed" with either multi-bar rests or repeated bars displayed using "standard" notation. After print previewing, printing with the "compressed" notation could follow. I have submitted this as well to the Wish List, but it appears that it has been on that list for a long time!

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #1 – 2005-10-04 01:50 am

The magic of NWC is its flexibility, with workarounds for most things. You can do the multibar rest and repeat bar symbols by inserting text in bars full of hidden rests or, latterly, hidden notes. Load the user font Boxmark2 from the Scriptorium, and you'll find it has the horizontal rest signs and the repeat sign. I generally find the rest looks like this:

|-- 5 --|

(with solid lines instead of dashes), instead of having the 5 above the bar, but nobody has yet complained they don't understand it.

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #2 – 2005-10-04 08:06 am

Oh yes, many have complained. I'm a big fan of workarounds, but this occurs often and has no good workaround. It really needs to be addressed. Too many trolls here to have a good discussion, maybe in the beta newsgroup ...

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #3 – 2005-10-04 09:48 am

A technique I learned from Carl Fritsche:

Create the staff as you normally would, with whole note rests for every bar needed in the multi bar rest.
In the 1st rest bar create a text entry using boxmarks as described by David but with preserve width turned ON, Aligned Left and Best fit.
Highlight all the rests and barlines to be represented by the multibar rest and change their visibility to never

This results in a score that takes the right amount of space when other staves are visible, but when you want to have only the staff with the multi bar rest visible, it takes up the space of the text entry.

Its very neat and works well.

Lawrie

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #4 – 2005-10-04 09:08 pm

I have just finished developing a User tool script for the Noteworthy version 2 preview version that does exactly what Lawrie Pardy suggests.

Text (bar count) is inserted in the middle of the multiple-rest area, though, but it prints neatly and plays correctly with other staffs in an orchestral score.

I only don't know if Noteworthy Software support would help me publish it, as they don't allow e-mail addresses posted here.

Kjeld Paabøl Hansen

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #5 – 2005-10-04 10:21 pm

"with whole note rests" ... well

Where's the edit button on this thing? <g>

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #6 – 2005-10-04 11:20 pm

Hmm, mea culpa - I knew that, too busy being a smart alec I guess... <g>

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #7 – 2005-10-04 11:26 pm

G'day Kjeld,
if you go to the newsgroup, you can post scripts to your hearts content - there have been several scripts beta tested by people in the news group that have gone on to be submitted for publishing on the Scripto.

As well, there are some that have only been published in the NG.

Lawrie

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #8 – 2005-10-05 12:59 am

Here's an image of a page that has the multibar rests created as Lawrie and I do it. This is good for only 25 downloads, so if you don't take it today, it may not be available for long.

Note that here I positioned the lines a little low on the staffs, but that was just sloppiness on my part.

On a score, you normally wouldn't use a multibar rest, but you would on a single part.

()Get the page from this link:)
File called "renamed_Blue Feeling - Reed 3 Tenor Clarinet.pdf" (93 KB).

Click on the following link to retrieve it. The link will expire in 7 days and will be available for a limited number of downloads.

http://s26.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=0CWION5MLANHH3D6ZTNCL9SPCL

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #9 – 2005-10-05 08:20 pm

I have posted a message on the NWC news server in noteworthy.composer group containing a beta version of the script mentioned in my first reply to this forum thread.

Unfortunately, I didn't manage to attach the script as an attachment, as the server rejects .php file attachment. I may rely on users being able to save the script part of the message as a .php file in the Noteworthy Composer2/Scripts folder, and define the script in the User Tools tool in NWC 2.

Kjeld

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #10 – 2005-10-06 01:43 am

I do my multibar rests that way also, except I place a white square block behind the number so that the visibility is better (I am gettin' so old...).

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #11 – 2005-10-06 12:09 pm

I will consider making a separate script that uses the Boxmark2 fonts, making that text the only visible item.

That will also take care of the problem with the visible parts of a multi-bar rest being split across line or page breaks. But to keep a minimum of dependencies, I started out with a version that only relied on NWC supplied components.

After all, it is our hope that NW Software would include the functionality in the composer software itself, as it has been on the wish list for quite many years.

Kjeld

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #12 – 2005-10-06 12:39 pm

G'day Kjeld,

I will consider making a separate script that uses the Boxmark2 fonts, making that text the only visible item.

Yes please!

Lawrie

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #13 – 2005-10-07 04:01 am

Kjeld, a script sounds helpful. You'll need to remember that Boxmark2 loads as a Userfont and userfonts are specific to each song file. What I mean is that if you have selected Boxmark2 as Userfont1 in SongA.nwc, it will not automatically be a Userfont in SongB.nwc or others.

I have been using multibar rests for several years, and don't recall them breaking across lines. If it happens, it's easy to control by making a bar line a "forced system break" or perhaps adjusting the amount of blank space you've added to the Boxmark2-created text-based multibar rest sign.

Horizontal placement of the multibar rest sign seems to be best if you place it after the second invisible whole rest, preserve width, and use 3 or 4 blank spaces before the first bracket and after the second. The overall length of the line can be tweaked with spaces, but because the line at each end is a finite length, there's a limit to the tweak.

Your script will have to ensure the sign sits at an appropriate vertical height, too. Normally one would just place the cursor at the vertical postion, and work from there. It would be nice to see it done automatically.

It will be great to see what you come up with!

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #14 – 2005-10-08 12:12 am

Thanks to those who have responded to my original post. I will try out some of the workarounds.
However, having to use a workaround implies that a desired feature is not supported "properly". The flexibility to create workarounds is great to address relatively "obscure" requirements. However, I don't think many people would consider multi-bar rests and repeated bars to be "obscure".
Has there ever been any indication from the authors of NWC why this feature has not been addressed, particularly as it has been a requested feature for such a long time, at least from 1998?
On a separate, but related, topic, has the list of features being considered for implementation in future releases ever been published prior to the release, and have users of NWC ever been given the opportunity to provide their input on the relevance to them of a particular proposed new feature? Perhaps that discussion should be started with a new post.

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #15 – 2005-10-08 12:53 am

Hi GNW,
there is a wish list and no, despite several requests and much debate it is not visible to any one other than the NWC team.

Lawrie

Re: Feature Request: Multi-bar rests and repeated bars

Reply #16 – 2005-10-18 03:03 pm

Hi all,

FYI, I have posted an updated version of the original script along with a new one using the Boxmark2 font for making the multiple rest signature.

Find it on the noteworthy.nwc2beta newsgroup on the Noteworthy NNTP news server.

Kind regards,
Kjeld Paabøl Hansen