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small suggestion

A small suggestion with potentially large savings in user effort: if the "override stem length" checkbox in the Note Properties dialog box were to be checked automatically by the program when the user changes the number in the spinner, it would save one mouse click each time this feature was used. When I am making piano reductions by layering staves, this can add up to a really, really large number of mouse clicks that could be avoided.

I can think of some times when I might want to uncheck that box manually. But I can't think of any where I would change the stem length parameter without also checking the box.

Cheers,

Bill

Re: small suggestion

Reply #1 –
This will be considered.

Note: If you are editing the properties of a number of notes simultaneously, you might want to change the stem length only for those notes that have the override already enabled.

Re: small suggestion

Reply #2 –
You could get rid of all the "Use spinbox" checkboxes for all operations that do not allow negative numbers by defining "-1" as "disable/use default". IMO, it would make the interface much cleaner.
  • Dynamic->Custom Note Velocity
  • Dynamic->Change Channel Volume
  • Instrument->Send Patch
  • Instrument->Send Bank Select
  • Note->Override Stem Length
This idea is already used for Staff Properties->'Channel Volume:' and 'Stereo Pan:'

On MPC's, a Setting of zero for 'Sweep Resolution:' could make it Style:Absolute and a 'Time Offset:' of "-1" could disable 'Setting n'. A 'Time Offset:' of zero won't hurt anything (I am looking for the day when multiple 'Controller:' selections can be used in the same MPC.)

NWC2 already uses this idea for 'TempoVariance->Delay:'. It is much better than a lower limit of "1" with a "Use Delay" checkbox.

An alternative would be to add 'default' and/or 'disable' to the spinbox, but I suspect that this would require a custom hook into the spin control. One of the things I very much like about NoteWorthy is that it uses standard windows controls whenever possible.


BTW, the stem lengths for grace notes are wrong. For normal notes, if you check the checkbox but don't don't change the spinbox, you get a stem that is fairly close to the default. Doing this with a grace note usually results in a much shorter stem.
Registered user since 1996
 

Re: small suggestion

Reply #3 –
Quote from: William Ashworth –
A small suggestion with potentially large savings in user effort: if the "override stem length" checkbox in the Note Properties dialog box were to be checked automatically by the program when the user changes the number in the spinner, it would save one mouse click each time this feature was used.
Hi Bill;

Maybe that could be made part of Tools>Options>Editor tab? Default Override stem length = Checked?

Re: small suggestion

Reply #4 –
Quote from: Trombone3
Maybe that could be made part of Tools>Options>Editor tab? Default Override stem length = Checked?

I don't think so. The default stem length isn't a constant (stem lengths change as you go onto ledger lines), but having the override checked by default would make it so (whatever number - currently 7 - is placed in the spinner at the beginning of program operation). Most of the time, NWC chooses stem lengths properly, but when a change is needed for layering purposes, it is often needed for many notes - but not all notes - on the same set of staves. I think that the program should continue to set stem length by default, but that the override should be made easier.

Eric, your example of a situation where one might want to change stem lengths without checking the box is granted. But I don't think I've ever run across it in the twelve years or more I've been using your very fine program. Others may have a different experience, of course.

Cheers,

Bill

Re: small suggestion

Reply #5 –
Quote from: NoteWorthy Online –
Note: If you are editing the properties of a number of notes simultaneously, you might want to change the stem length only for those notes that have the override already enabled.
Surely NWC2 knows how many notes/chords are in the selection. If one, check the box else use current behavior.
If the checkbox cannot be eliminated, I agree with Bill's request.

A major improvement would be 10x finer control of stem lengths. Of course, I'd want slurs to observe this (including slurs on Whole notes).
Registered user since 1996