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Topic: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta [Concluded, Release Available] (Read 51240 times) previous topic - next topic

NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta [Concluded, Release Available]

NoteWorthy Composer Viewer Version 2.5.5 includes Lawrie Pardy's Font Pack and several other legacy user fonts.

Details:
A mechanism for dynamically loading various user fonts, as well as the main notation font, is now included in the Viewer program. The fonts are not added to the main system font catalog, but rather are loaded only when used by the target song file. This allows the NWC Viewer to provide access to many fonts with minimal impact on the overall system.

The following fonts will be available for all users of NWC Viewer 2.5.5: NWC2STDA, NWCV15, Boxmark2, Hairpin Dynamics, NWC Extra Ornaments v3, MusikChordSans, MusikChordSerif, MusikDingsSans, MusikDingsSerif, MusikTextEuroSans, MusikTextEuroSerif, MusikTextSans, MusikTextSerif, NWC2MusikDingsSans, NWC2MusikDingsSerif, NWC2SwingDings, SwingChord, SwingDings, SwingText, and SwingTextEuro. In addition, Crescendo and Boxmarks will be automatically converted to suitable alternates if they are not found on the user system.

Operating System Requirements:
Windows 2000/Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7/8

The beta installer is attached.
The latest NWC Viewer download is available here:

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 1

Reply #1 –
Nice solution - worked well for me.

Checked a piece of music that used Lawrie's fonts.  Removed the fonts from Windows.
Checked that the Composer showed "rubbish" symbols and that the font showed as "Not on system".
Checked the viewer which showed the file perfectly.
Checked Windows fonts to see that font was not installed.
Closed viewer and checked Composer - Font not installed.

Question -  If I add fonts to the Fonts folder and the ini file, does this allow me to do this with other fonts to save my system resources. (Most people will not want to do this, but I might because of the Scripto files).
Rich.

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 1

Reply #2 –
Thanks Eric, this is quite encouraging for me as it is most gratifying to learn that my fonts have become so popular that this mechanism is desirable.  :)
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 1

Reply #3 –
Quote from: Richard Woodroffe –
Question -  If I add fonts to the Fonts folder and the ini file, does this allow me to do this with other fonts to save my system resources. (Most people will not want to do this, but I might because of the Scripto files).

Yes. The installer will not currently respect custom additions when the NWC Viewer is reinstalled over itself, but this should be improved in the next beta. This would allow additional fonts to be installed to the Viewer's program files just as you describe.

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #4 –
NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2 is now available. Changes include:

  • The installer now automatically updates the list of fonts found in the Fonts folder
  • The fonts used by the current file are shown in Tools, Font Usage
  • The browser plug-in now supports the same dynamic font loading.
  • An alert is issued when a requested font could not be found
  • An alert is issued when a file uses more then one play back device

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #5 –
Where can I find the built in files?  At least one of them needs to have "Boxmarks" replaced with "Boxmark2".
Since 1998

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #6 –
Boxmarks is not a built-in file. The built-in fonts are found in the Viewer's program files, in the Fonts folder.

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Warren Porter –
Where can I find the built in files?
They are imbedded in 'NWC2View.exe'

Quote from: Warren Porter –
At least one of them needs to have "Boxmarks" replaced with "Boxmark2".
The viewer reports that Dem Bones, Dem Bones Dem Dry Bones uses Boxmarks.
The rest use only NWC2STDA and 'Times New Roman'
Registered user since 1996

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #8 –
Thanks, people.
Since 1998

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #9 –
Perhaps the Viewer should substitute MusikDingsSerif for missing boxmarks.

Comments?

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #10 –
Are you talking about only the embedded sample files or anytime a file with either boxmarks or boxmark2 fonts is loaded into the viewer?
 
Rich.

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #11 –
Any time a boxmark(s/2) is used in a file, and the font is not found in the system, MusikDingsSerif could be used as a substitute.

Also looking into another option...

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #12 –
They're mapped to the same characters. I don't think users would even notice that the substitution had been made.

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #13 –
That's how I made it.  Though from memory I did fix 1 or 2 alignment issues that were in Boxmark*, trouble is I can't remember what they were.  It was over 4 years ago after all...
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #14 –
Quote from: NoteWorthy Online –
Comments?

In the main, except for their own nwc files, people will mostly be getting an nwc file with boxmarks or boxmark2 from the Scriptorium. I reckon there are in the order of just over 500 pieces on the Scriptorium that use the fonts. This will increase for reasons I won't explain here.

The Scripto help file now advises that a non standard font is required and where to get it however, how many people read the info file?  I think it would be a great idea to have an automatic substitution mechanism for those files when played by the viewer.
Rich.

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #15 –
Since this new Viewer detects missing fonts and issues an alert, then gives a way to seek further assistance, there is much more opportunity for users to track down a font when they need it. Still, given the rich tradition of Boxmarks, an automatic solution is still preferred, and is being pursued.

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #16 –
Quote from: NoteWorthy Online –
Comments?
If the problem is limited to Boxmarks and Boxmarks2, it should not be difficult to create one font that is a superset of both and make the substitutions on the fly within the Viewer.

If the intent is to make viewing files from the Scripto easier, an analysis of what the common fonts and characters used might be in order. If a few hundred characters would satisfy 99% of the need, one font might work. Internally, the Viewer could use at least the entire codepage range and might be able to use the Unicode range.
Registered user since 1996

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #17 –
AFAIK, Boxmark2 is a superset of Boxmarks, so it would cover both, given the proper substitution.

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #18 –
Hardly a fix, but an option could be provided to display nothing for missing font characters. IMO, this would make most of the pieces look better. I would suspect that few songs use 'Preserve Width' with specialty fonts. A possible enhancement would be to render a small, unobtrusive glyph in the View and nothing in Print and Print Preview. This would allow a user to print a piece and add the odd mordent, trill, hairpin, arpeggio, etc. by hand.

Quote from: NoteWorthy Online –
AFAIK, Boxmark2 is a superset of Boxmarks, so it would cover both, given the proper substitution.
It would take a few hours to confirm this, but I'm willing to undertake the task if you think it would be useful.
Registered user since 1996

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 2

Reply #19 –
I just compared the two, and they are very close. Substituting Boxmark2 for a missing Boxmarks should not pose any problems when viewing a file, as far as I can tell.

Substituting MusikDingsSerif would generally be vastly better than the default substitution done by Windows, but the glyphs are a little smaller and spacing is different.

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta 3

Reply #20 –
Beta 3 is now available. It includes the following changes/additions:

  • The NWC2STDA is no longer installed as a system font. However, the system font will be upgraded, if necessary, when it is already found in the system.
  • More included fonts: Boxmark2, Hairpin Dynamics, and NWC Extra Ornaments v3
  • When the system does not contain Boxmarks or Crescendo fonts, they will be mapped to Boxmark2 and Hairpin Dynamics as needed.


Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta [Concluded, Release Available]

Reply #21 –
NWC 2.5.5 is now generally available.

Changes since the last beta include:

  • The old 1.75 notation font, NWCV15, is included with the Viewer to support legacy files
  • The Welcome dialog/interface now supports keyboard shortcut access to each of the file groupings

It can be downloaded from here: NoteWorthy Composer Viewer

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta [Concluded, Release Available]

Reply #22 –
Quote from: NoteWorthy Online –
NWC 2.5.5 is now generally available.
During installation, this was displayed:
Quote
...
Extract: SwingTextEuro.ttf... 100%
Skipped: fonts.ini
[OK] Boxmark2=BOXMARK2.ttf
...
fonts.ini was updated. IMO, the installer should not tell the user that it skipped "fonts.ini".
Registered user since 1996
 

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta [Concluded, Release Available]

Reply #23 –
This mechanism prevents the overwrite of any user created font alternates. The log message indicates that the default fonts.ini (that contains comments) was not installed. It is a normal indicator in the install log when upgrading an existing program that already contains the fonts folder.

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta [Concluded, Release Available]

Reply #24 –
Quote from: NoteWorthy Online –
This mechanism prevents the overwrite of any user created font alternates.
Possibly true, but misleading. Updating: font.ini is what happened. The message may be beyond control. I was confused enough by it to cause me to examine "font.ini" for changes ...
Registered user since 1996

Re: NWC Viewer 2.5.5 Beta [Concluded, Release Available]

Reply #25 –
The message is automatic, and is a valid log entry, but I will give it a look.