Missing (?) Templates

[commnthings]

E502Win

In a discussion in the "Bugs" forum about Automatic Page Numbers I realized that there is no TEMPLATE existing for either "Single Staves", "Piano" or "Piano-Vocal" when creating a New Score from the File menu. Apparently, Encore contains the templates for these three score formats hard-coded within the program. This means that If I use one of these score formats I am forced to use the defaults (page numbering, alignments, fonts, etc) that Encore has chosen.

I realize that there is a simple workaround for this - create my own template and save it. If I do this, then the new template gets alphabetized way down the list somewhere and I have to go hunt for it (Big deal! I know.) Also, if I give it the same name (e.g. "Piano" I now have two Piano templates available in the New Score list - the original GVOX hard-coded template and the new one I created, located down the list in the "P"s. This could get confusing. (I know - give it a slightly different name.) One trick that I use in some directory file-naming situations is to prefix the file name with an Underscore (e.g. "_NewFileName.enc"), causing these file names to appear at the head of the list. For example, my File Manager does this, as does Microsoft (ugh!) Excel. However, GVOX alphabetizes the Underscore AFTER the text letters. I've been unable to find a suitable character that will alphabetize BEFORE the text letters.

Without going into the code to "fix" the template issue (a possibly complex change), is it possible to change the alphabetization algorithm to allow the user to force some templates to the top of the list (a much simpler change)?

Thanks,

Bob

[Denkster]

I support both requests.

I also request that the template function, with its three kinds of templates, is documented properly.

Note: the third kind is the 'default template', which can be replaced by the user, using File, Export, Default Template.

I need to know which restrictions are put on templates (size in bytes, number of staves, systems, measures per system, total number of measures etc)

Eveline

[q]

E502Win

... I realized that there is no TEMPLATE existing for either "Single Staves", "Piano" or "Piano-Vocal" when creating a New Score from the File menu ... there is a simple workaround for this - create my own template and save it. If I do this, then the new template gets alphabetized way down the list somewhere and I have to go hunt for it (Big deal! I know.)

Agree. Having to search for our user defined templates is a big deal.

Also, if I give it the same name (e.g. "Piano" I now have two Piano templates available in the New Score list - the original GVOX hard-coded template and the new one I created, located down the list in the "P"s. This could get confusing. (I know - give it a slightly different name.)

One trick that I use in some directory file-naming situations is to prefix the file name with an Underscore (e.g. "_NewFileName.enc"), causing these file names to appear at the head of the list. For example, my File Manager does this, as does Microsoft (ugh!) Excel. However, GVOX alphabetizes the Underscore AFTER the text letters. I've been unable to find a suitable character that will alphabetize BEFORE the text letters.

Without going into the code to "fix" the template issue (a possibly complex change), is it possible to change the alphabetization algorithm to allow the user to force some templates to the top of the list (a much simpler change)?

Previously I suggested that Gvox update Encore's template dialog so that it contains three lists of templates, instead of one:

1) the hardwired templates (that now appear at the top of the otherwise alphabetized list
2) the built-in templates that ship with Encore
3) user defined templates

This seemed like a better idea than mashing unrelated templates together, and it allow the user to easily view and select their hand made templates.



Alternately, in lieu of separate lists, the dialog could include checkboxes that filter the single list:

• hardwired templates
• built-in templates
• user defined templates

... but I prefer the former idea. Whatever the case better separation would be appreciated.

q

[Denkster]

There is a fourth 'type' of template: the 'default template'.
To be precise: 'default template' is not a type, but a role of a template.
How would you fit that in?

[q]

There is a fourth 'type' of template: the 'default template'.
To be precise: 'default template' is not a type, but a role of a template.
How would you fit that in?

My proposed redesign of the New Score dialog simply reorganizes the display of the available templates. Neither the existing dialog nor my proposal include the default template (which is invoked presently only by New Default Score.) I see no reason to call it except by New Default Score, however I do not object to including it in the proposed dialog ... if someone wants to suggest how.

An obvious option would be to include a New Default Score button; next to it would be a Choose Score button associated with a text item that displays the name of the currently selected default score.

By the way, although Gvox uses 'Starting Templates' as a header name for all templates, it is not a good name for the group that includes Single Staves, Piano, Piano Voice. I don't think the User Manual explains why these three templates are grouped unalphabetized above the remainder of the alphabetized templates, nor does the User Manual mention if these three share a categorical name. It's just a funky thing that development did to incorporate the three options (other than template) that were available in 4.5's New Score Layout window, invoked by 4.5's File>New.

I think some clarification is in order.

q

[Denkster]

I think some clarification is in order.

A specification maybe?