Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: middle line stem direction default (Read 2796 times) previous topic - next topic

middle line stem direction default

After years of manually changing stem direction on the middle line to up instead of default down, which is very time-consuming, I finally looked to see if I could change the default. After finding an 8-year-old detailed and researched discussion on this forum and consulting the user guide, the answer is apparently, I can't. My question is: How hard would it be to include a way to change the default in the program? I don't care about rules, conventions, and such. I just want to be able to change the default to be stems up because that's the way the page looks best to me.

Re: middle line stem direction default

Reply #1 –
I have no idea whether a change as you have requested is likely to be addressed or not, BUT, why not use a user tool?

Global_Mod would be an easy way to achieve this.

If you have installed the User Tools, then you will have 2 default instances of "Global Modification (adp)" available.  One is in the ".File Tools" group and the other is in the ".Starter Tools" group.

I would use the one from the '.File Tools" group and run it with the following command:
Note,Pos==0 Opts.Stem=Up

By using the invocation from the ".File Tools" group it will affect the entire file with only one application.  You could also use the one in the ".Starter Tools" group if you only want to affect a single staff or a selection from within a single staff.

The meanings of the command sections are:
"Note" - defines the element type that is to be affected
"," - delimiter separating the type from a conditional test
"Pos==0" - conditional test defining the "Pos"ition of the element (Note) to be affected - 0 is the centre line
"Opts.Stem" is the parameter to be affected and finally
"=Up" is the change to be made to the parameter.

You can also make this a permanent option in your User Tools arsenal by creating a new entry in either a new "Group" or in an existing "Group" that already contains tools you've defined.

For a now somewhat out of date intro into setting up user tool invocations check out my guide on the Scripto:
https://nwc-scriptorium.org/nwc2scripts/invocationinstructions.pdf

Other very useful links:
User tool starter kit:
https://noteworthycomposer.com/nwc2/usertools/

For some introductory information on user tools
https://nwc-scriptorium.org/nwc2scripts.html

https://nwc-scriptorium.org/nwc2scripts/generaldiscussion.pdf

Global Modification in particular:
https://nwc-scriptorium.org/nwc2scripts/global_mod.pdf
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: middle line stem direction default

Reply #2 –
To make my suggestion a little more useful:
It occurs to me that there might be occasions within your work where you might actually want the stem to be down for middle line notes.  The "Global Modification" command mentioned above (Note,Pos==0 Opts.Stem=Up) would then tend to undo that, so here's an alternative:

Note,!Opts.Stem,Pos==0 Opts.Stem=Up

In this version, any note on the centre line of the staff that already has a stem direction set will remain unaffected, including notes that have the stem already set to up from a previous run of the tool.
I plays 'Bones, crumpets, coronets, floosgals, youfonymums 'n tubies.

Re: middle line stem direction default

Reply #3 –
   Yes.  I may have been one of those that ranted about this before. 

   Almost all my use of Noteworthy involves the keying-in of Choral Works - I'm working on Handel's "Deborah" at the moment, which is typical - and invariably any "lone" (not part of a group) note on the centre line of the upper/treble staff - B - is shown tail up and yet infuriatingly when keyed in NWC always shows it tail down.

   It really would be nice to have the ability to change the default!

   MusicJohn, 17/Apr/17

Re: middle line stem direction default

Reply #4 –
I'm afraid this is a losing battle. Stem down on the middle line is the accepted standard in the music publishing world, barring extenuating circumstances. One of those circumstances, of course, is when you're using stem direction to indicate the voice; in that case, you should probably be notating one voice per layer and then selecting the entire layer to set all the stems the same direction. Some sources will allow that in stepwise motion the middle-line stem should be the same direction as the stem of the preceding note.; it would be possible for NWC to be programmed to recognize that, but it seems much lower priority than some other things, and it isn't the predominant view, anyway. Should you be able to change the default to what is technically wrong? Perhaps - but the priority problem raises its head again. I'd suggest that the best advice, here, comes from The Princess Bride: "Get used to disappointment."

Re: middle line stem direction default

Reply #5 –
This tool will assign a Stem=Up attribute to any mid stem note without an assigned stem direction.  This does not work on beamed notes since all beamed notes have a direction assigned.  The link is in User Tools.
Since 1998