[JW Lua] FCBeatChartElement(s) - Problems with v0.66
Robert Patterson
robert at robertgpatterson.com
Mon Mar 13 16:20:54 CET 2023
I should add that any code that expects "MinimunPosition" to actually be
the minimum position for item 0 is probably not working correctly. That
value is mostly not a usable value for item 0.
On Mon, Mar 13, 2023 at 10:18 AM Robert Patterson <
robert at robertgpatterson.com> wrote:
> I believe ReferenceWidth is supported all the way back in JW Lua. Let me
> know if it isn't.
>
> On Mon, Mar 13, 2023 at 10:00 AM Jan Angermüller <jan at angermueller.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Thank you very much, Robert, for this quick solution!
>>
>> Yes, replacing MinimumPosition with ReferenceWidth in the header item
>> seems to have solved the problem.
>> Though I haven't run all my tests yet - only the one file.
>>
>> *And do I understand you correctly that it is safe to change this for all
>> versions prior to v0.66 as well?*
>>
>> Or let me put the question the other way around:
>> Is it really necessary to introduce incompatibility here?
>>
>> All scripts that use .MinimumPosition from element 0 won't work anymore.
>> I have never noticed that MinimumPosition could be replaced with
>> ReferenceWidth, because storing in MinimumPosition updated the value in
>> ReferenceWidth too - for whatever reason.
>>
>> I understand that it may be more clear to use ReferenceWidth directly.
>> However, it has worked fine so far in previous versions.
>> According to the new documentation "SetMinimumPosition can't be applied
>> to the init beat chart element".
>> So if MinimumPosition is not used in the header element anyway, then it
>> could still be used just for compatibility reasons.
>>
>> Currently I have only updated the Perfect Layout code. But I'll have to
>> check the other plug-ins too.
>> I ask because the fix is a bit risky.
>> When updating the code you have to make sure only that only the 0-index
>> elements are affected and not the elements above index 0.
>>
>> Jan
>>
>>
>> Am 13.03.2023 um 13:01 schrieb 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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>>
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>>
>> --
>> Jan Angermüller
>> Orchideenstieg 13
>> 22297 Hamburg
>> Tel. 040 - 28 94 84 82
>> Mobil 0173 - 99 33 904www.elbsound.studio
>>
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>
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