Music XML Import/Export Issues

• Jun 15, 2022 - 23:54

Hello, I just finished a score with Musescore and just for fun I exported it using the MusicXML export feature. I then tried to import the newly created XML file into musescore but I get an error. The error states that it is a Fatal error on line 13954 column 14 Element bass is not defined in this scope. Why would a score that I just created in musescore and exported using its MusicXML feature then have a fatal error when reading that file back. I closed musescore after I exported the file and then restarted just in case. Eventhough it states a fatal error the file will load but if I try to load it into another program that excepts XML it does not work....Suggestions ??? Thanks in advance.....mark

Comments

bobjp

• Jun 16, 2022 - 01:45

Please post the score you tried to export as Musicxml.

marksmusik

• Jun 16, 2022 - 03:02

Here is an older version of the score I was using as a test file along with the converted xml file. Thank you for your help

Attachment	Size
Test File 30.mscz	28.53 KB
Test File 30.mxl	27.09 KB

Marc Sabatella

• Jun 16, 2022 - 05:03

It's definitely a bug if MuseScore exports something it can't import. On the surface, I don't see what's invalid about the line MuseScore complains about. For the record, it's the chord symbol in bar 5. Somehow it doesn't like the combination of the "add4" and the "/Ab", but it's not obvious what is wrong to me. Are you saying others program complain about it too?

marksmusik

• Jun 16, 2022 - 10:07

Yes another program complains as well. I am trying out Sibelius First and it won't import the file. It says that the file isn't a valid MusicXML file and won't try to import it but hangs up until I cancel the import. I suppose I can try to edit the score and remove those types of chord extensions. However I would think that musescore would give me an error when trying to use those extensions if they are not valid program capabilities.....thanks for your help!

Jojo-Schmitz

• Jun 16, 2022 - 10:12

Please report in the issue tracker
Edit: actually don't, see #320818: Chord symbols with a bass extension don't export to MusicXML correctly (nor import back)

'Culprit' xml, the <bass> tag:

      <harmony print-frame="no">
        <root>
          <root-step>C</root-step>
          </root>
        <kind text="m7" parentheses-degrees="yes">minor-seventh</kind>
        <degree>
          <degree-value>4</degree-value>
          <degree-alter>0</degree-alter>
          <degree-type>add</degree-type>
          </degree>
        <bass>
          <bass-step>A</bass-step>
          <bass-alter>-1</bass-alter>
          </bass>

As per https://www.w3.org/2021/06/musicxml40/musicxml-reference/elements/bass/ it seems legal though

Edit: but needs to be in a different order! First bass, then degree

jeetee

• Jun 16, 2022 - 10:27

Isn't the 3.6.2 importer still at MusicXML3.1? Perhaps that changed in the meantime?

Jojo-Schmitz

• Jun 16, 2022 - 10:34

I don't think so.
The attached is taken without errors, having swapped degree and bass

Attachment	Size
Test File 30.xml	745.04 KB

jeetee

• Jun 16, 2022 - 10:35

it exists, but the order is wrong: bass should be before degree according to https://github.com/w3c/musicxml/blob/v3.1/schema/direction.mod#L689-L690

EDIT: what you said :-)

Jojo-Schmitz

• Jun 16, 2022 - 10:38

Yep ;-)

Marc Sabatella

• Jun 16, 2022 - 13:30

Wow, counterintuitive, since the degree would come first in the chord symbol itself - and also seems odd to require a specific order. But I'll follow up in the issue and help point to the relevant code.

Jojo-Schmitz

• Jun 16, 2022 - 13:42

But there's only one bass, while there can be multiple degrees

Marc Sabatella

• Jun 16, 2022 - 14:08

True, but still, I'd expect it work in any order, and degrees first makes more logical sense. But anyhow, I've commented in the issue with my analysis of the code change required - nothing but a cut/paste job.

marksmusik

• Jun 16, 2022 - 15:15

@Marc Sabatella.....it does seem a little odd to put the bass degree first before the chord structure. Not like most standard music notation, the old fashioned way hand written, I suppose.....thanks

marksmusik

• Jun 16, 2022 - 15:12

@Jojo-Schmitz I appreciate your insight on this. It gives me a couple of workarounds for the future. Also, what is a good XML editor in your opinion?
thanks

hkobl

• May 23, 2023 - 08:55

I can't understand why this issue is not fixed. The export module of MS 4 is messy when exporting chords with different bass note. So I can't use this version, because I often need such chords and I always export to XML as a backup-file if there will be something wrong in a MuseScore file (remember that in MS 4 there sometimes are crashes and the file then will be corrupt). I know MuseScore is free, but a version with the same issue for months is no good recommendation.

Jojo-Schmitz

• May 23, 2023 - 09:01

#320818: Chord symbols with a bass extension don't export to MusicXML correctly (nor import back) is even 2 years old... and affects Mu3 too
But best would be to report that one again on GitHub, https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/issues/new/choose

Edit: actually I'm just now working on this, see https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/pull/17693
(and https://github.com/Jojo-Schmitz/MuseScore/pull/119 for 3.x)

jeetee

• May 23, 2023 - 18:26

As for understanding the why: Apparently nobody with the right skillset has found the available time to propose a fix.

Jojo-Schmitz

• May 23, 2023 - 22:28

Not in this case I'm afraid, it apparently just fell between the cracks.

Leon Vinken

• May 24, 2023 - 05:35

@ hkobl, please understand that many people working on MuseScore are unpaid volunteers, working for free in their spare time with no obligation whatsoever to immediately fix your favorite bug. This applies to a significant part of the work done on MusicXML import/export.