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Topic: NoteWorthy Composer 2.1 Beta 17 (Read 28325 times) previous topic - next topic

NoteWorthy Composer 2.1 Beta 17

NoteWorthy Software is pleased to announce the availability of a new beta test edition of NoteWorthy Composer. An installer for Version 2.1 Beta 17 is attached to this topic. This installs the latest NoteWorthy Composer 2.1 Beta test edition into your currently installed copy of NoteWorthy Composer 2. You must be a licensed user of NoteWorthy Composer 2 in order to install this test edition. The files installed in this test edition are covered by your existing NoteWorthy Composer 2 license. Your existing copy of NoteWorthy Composer 2 will not be altered by installing this test edition. You can, and should, run this test edition side by side with your current copy of NoteWorthy Composer 2. You can start testing the new features in this release by running the program icon titled "NWC Test Edition" that can be found on your computer's desktop.

What's New
  • New interactive piano bar, with significant editor integration
  • New "Viewer Mode" for in place editing of the printed view of the work
  • Color highlighting for noteheads with a new quick access tool palette
  • New backup mechanism for handling .bak files during save
  • New multiple document selector in the status bar
  • Play/record indicator in the document selector
  • New current bar/measure shown in the status bar
  • A file changed indicator in the editor window's title bar and Window menu selector
  • An origin indicator in the editor window's title bar and Window menu selector for unsaved editor windows from imported or backup sources
  • The undo facility now recognizes when the editor matches the originally opened version of your work
  • New "Fake" items in user tool clip text provide reliable play context for smaller clipped sections
  • A command line program, nwc-conv.exe, is now included for converting *.nwc files to and from various other formats
  • New "Show/Hide Rest" option for RestChord objects
  • New line drawing techniques to help work around buggy print drivers
  • Tools->Windows Volume Control support in Windows 7 and Vista
  • MIDI import safeguards when encountering null tempos
  • Audit bar line handling of double dots at bar boundary
  • Leger lines now always print in matching color to the staff
  • Leger lines are drawn consistently for staves with custom number of lines
  • Improved default folder for "Song Files" and "Auto Save/Recovery" file locations when not set by the user
  • Improved tempo variance handling for adjacent grace notes
  • Improved triplet bracket positioning for starting or ending rest
  • Improved notehead alignment for split stem chords
  • Allow larger notation from File, Page Setup, Fonts
  • Slurs ignore hidden rests in a RestChord
  • Accept MIDI notes down to C-1
  • Use standard notation octave indicators (C-1 to G9) in MIDI import instructions
  • Play/record tool show status after being clicked, and support click off

Upon successfully installing this beta test edition, you will see an additional desktop icon titled "NWC Test Edition." You can use this icon to start up the new program. Any files that you save in this new version are backward compatible with the original NoteWorthy Composer 2 program, but you will not see any additional features that you enable from the test edition if you go back to using the original NoteWorthy Composer 2 release.

If you customize your toolbars in the beta release, any tools that you add that are specific to NWC 2.1 will be shown as unknown in the original NWC 2.0. Make sure that you do not try to customize again in NWC 2.0 or you will lose your NWC 2.1 customizations.

Recently added features are shown in dark red.

Support issues relating to the use of this beta should be posted in the Back Stage area (you must have upgraded your membership in order to to view and post in this area).

This beta has been replaced by NWC 2.1 Beta 18.

How to enable the Piano Control in NWC 2.1

Reply #1
Here is an introductory screen shot for beta 17.

You activate the piano from View, Toolbars, Customize. You can Restore Defaults, or manually add the piano to a tool bar by selecting the Piano Control from available tools.

You can control the size and number of keys in the piano from Tools, Options, Editor. There are a variety of pre-built pianos that you can select from the Piano Style box.

The configuration for these pre-built pianos can be found in the piano.ini file in the NWC2 program files folder. You can create your own piano configuration by copying the piano.ini file to your Config Files folder. When present, the piano.ini file in the Config Files folder takes precedent.

If you do not plan to use the interactive capabilities of the piano, you might want to create a tiny version that displays just for status purposes. Any of the pre-built styles that identify themselves as "tiny" should be suitable for this purpose.

Entering Chords with the Piano from NWC 2.1

Reply #2
Currently, the piano built into NWC 2.1 can be used to enter complete chords by using both mouse buttons. Click and hold the first note of the chord using the left mouse button, then strike the remaining notes in the chord using the right mouse button. Release the left mouse button when the chord is complete.