[JW Lua] FCBeatChartElement(s) - Problems with v0.66

[Robert Patterson]

For the header (item 0), use ReferenceWidth instead of MinimumPosition. It
might be worth reading the updated documentation. Item 0 is a header and
has different properties than the rest of the items.

I have found that editing beat charts is a fool's game unless you first
transition them to manual mode. I added a new function that does a version
of this. Unfortunately, Finale's algorithm for doing it is much more
complicated, and it is too difficult to reverse engineer. But the version I
provided is serviceable for most use cases.

That said, if your code doesn't require transition to manual mode, and you
are happy with it, it should continue to work. You'll just need to use the
ReferenceWidth field on item 0 instead of MinimumPosition. Be aware that
the ReferenceWidth is a scratch value and if Finale actually uses it, it
has been extremely difficult to figure out how. My contact at MakeMusic
says it is the minimum measure width that the chart can handle without
collisions.




On Mon, Mar 13, 2023 at 5:55 AM Jan Angermüller <jan at angermueller.com>
wrote:

> Robert,
>
> in my further tests with v0.66 and Perfect Layout I noticed that the *FCBeatChartElement
> *functionality has changed significantly.
> My "insert space" function doesn't work anymore ... while it used to add
> more space, it now reduces the space in some cases.
>
> Attached is a test document and a code snippet.
> However, the problem occurs in all sorts of documents.
>
> The code simply prints the FCBeatChartElement properties from measure 4.
> It seems that there is a problem with the MinimumPosition on
> FCBeatChartElement 0.
>
> function plugindef()
>    finaleplugin.LoadLuaSocket=true
>    return "Test","Test","Test"
> end
> pluginname=plugindef()
> if finenv.IsRGPLua then require('mobdebug').start() end
> local measure=finale.FCMeasure()
> measure:Load(4)
> local beatcharts= measure:CreateBeatChartElements()
> local beatchart2
> for beatchart2 in each(beatcharts) do
>
> print("BC2",measure.ItemNo,beatchart2.ItemCmper,beatchart2.ItemInci,beatchart2.MeasurePos,beatchart2.HorizontalPosition,beatchart2.NextHorizontalPosition,beatchart2:CalcWidth(),beatchart2.MinimumPosition)
> end
>
> Before RGP Lua v0.66   (here JW Lua 0.54)
> BC2 4 4 0 4096 336 0 0* 641*
> BC2 4 4 1 0 0 84 84 0
> BC2 4 4 2 1024 84 116 32 64
> BC2 4 4 3 1280 116 148 32 125
> BC2 4 4 4 1536 148 200 52 177
> BC2 4 4 5 2048 200 336 136 218
>
> RGP Lua v0.66
> "BC2"    4    4    0    4096    336    0    0    *0*
> -- 641 missing!
> "BC2"    4    4    1    0    0    84    84    0
> "BC2"    4    4    2    1024    84    116    32    64
> "BC2"    4    4    3    1280    116    148    32    125
> "BC2"    4    4    4    1536    148    200    52    177
> "BC2"    4    4    5    2048    200    336    136    218
>
> Any ideas?
>
> Jan
>
>
>
>
> Am 11.02.2023 um 18:01 schrieb Robert Patterson:
>
> Okay, I will leave it. I am adding some additional properties for clarity.
>
> The main concept that is missing is the concept of transitioning the beat
> chart from automatic to manual. This is a concept I discovered after
> extensive reverse-engineering of Finale behavior. Unfortunately, I didn't
> get the comments into the PDK before Jari withdrew from working on it.
>
> You basically cannot edit a beat chart unless you first transition it to a
> manual beat chart. Finale does this when the user manually edits it with
> the beat chart handles. I'm going to add a method on FCBeatChartElements to
> do it programmatically.
>
>
> On Sat, Feb 11, 2023 at 10:53 AM Jan Angermüller <jan at angermueller.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Robert,
>>
>> I use both classes a lot in Perfect Layout.
>> Though it still sometimes seems like a puzzle (or incomplete?) to me too.
>> Adding more properties would be fine, but changing/splitting the whole
>> thing would have massive impact on the spacing algorithms from Perfect
>> Layout.
>>
>> If it really makes sense to you to change it, maybe you could keep
>> FCBeatChartElement(s) and add an alternative implementation with a new
>> name, so that the old one still can be used. Not so nice, but very
>> pragmatic ;-)
>>
>> Jan
>>
>> Am 11.02.2023 um 16:46 schrieb Robert Patterson:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> Does anyone use FCBeatChartElement or FCBeatChartElements? It appears to
>> be incomplete to me, and I would also like to split the header out into its
>> own class. This would be a breaking change, so I am not sure I'll do it.
>> But I thought I would poll the group.
>>
>> Robert
>>
>>
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>>
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