Style not loading in 1.2

• Mar 14, 2012 - 20:47

Styles do not load in 1.2 Also: why can't I change fonts for instruments?

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• Mar 14, 2012 - 21:08

Can yu be more specific - how are you trying to load styles, what do expect to see happen, and what happens instead? I just tried Style->Load Style on a score and it worked exactly as it is supposed to: existing elements were not changed, but elements added after loading the style were in the loaded style.

As for instruments, you *can* change their font, but in 1.2 it's a little convoluted. First, change the text style. Then delete the name and type it again.

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• Mar 14, 2012 - 22:00

Marc,

I did as you suggested -- twice (due to my own idiocy) -- and all is well. I was trying to change the Instrument names on the first system of something I started. Now: If I enter instruments from the list under Create > Instruments, will they come out in the style loaded? I think you have to start a new piece before you load style (?).

I take it that 2 is not available for Windows.....

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• Mar 14, 2012 - 22:33

2.0 is still in development, projected for release within a year.

Again, if you'd explain what you are actually trying to do, we'd probably be able to help. Have tou read the Handbook? watched any of the Tutorial videos? You keep mentioning loading styles, but that's sort of speciailized thing to want to do, and it isn't clear what you are hoping to accomplish by it.

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• Mar 14, 2012 - 23:07

I am, by nature a trial learner. I will look at a tutorial, though, and I have looked at the handbook. I was mostly trying to get the fonts the way I like them. It was frustrating trying to get the instrument fonts to change, but after what you've told me, I know what to do. I think I can follow the rest of what you've mentioned.

The musical part of musescore is easier for me to follow, and I'm getting the hang of it. I have also been able to load some xml-converted files from another program with some success.

I will be looking into some of the page functions (margins, size of staff, spacing, etc) but I like the possibilities. The piece I started just to see what I could figure out looks like in might be a keeper, strangely enough.

Thanks again, and if you need me to me more clear yet, let me know.

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• Mar 14, 2012 - 23:58

There are a number of templates provided that already set reasonable defaults for fonts, margins, and so forth; if your score is of pne of the types already provided for in a template, you might try starting there. Then after customizing to your liking, delete all measures, save, and copy to the templates folder so you can use them easilly when you create a new score. Style files as far as I know do not include page settings like margins and scaling, and that is one reason templates tend to work better. Too late if you've already started the piece, of course, You can globally set font for all existing elements of a given type by right clicking and going to Properties, then clicking the box to apply to all elements of the same type. But overall I've found it very most to set up a few templates the way I like and start all new scores from one of them.

Again, this is a known area of weakness that will improved dramatically in 2.0, but meanwhile, take heart that once you get things set up the way you like, creating new scores goes very smoothly. It's mostly just the initial floundering about that can seem bewildering.

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• Jun 7, 2014 - 21:14

...on any of the text parameters (typeface/font/size, etc.), but perhaps I am expecting too much? I am trying to gather from your comments in this old thread what Load/Save style actually does, and I'm having some trouble, probably because I am not a programmer, but a (retired) graphic artist.

I do get that--for 1.3, at least--creating a template by manually jiggering the fonts, etc., is the way to do what I want to accomplish, but my curiosity still wants to know what Load/Save Style is supposed to do.

Thanks for any illumination you can provide.

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• Jun 7, 2014 - 21:36

Loading a style (MSS file) via Style / Load Style does *exactly* the same thing as changing style parameters manually via Style / Edit General Style & Style / Edit Text Style. That is, these settings control the defaults for *new* items not yet created, but with only a few exceptions, text style settings don't affect elements already in your score. So if you've already added, for example, tempo markings to your score, changing the style won't affect those tempo markings. But it will affect tempo markings you create in that score after the style change.

In 2.0, text styles will be dynamic - changes to style settings will apply to existing text elements as well.

if this doesn't answer your question, please post the score you are having trouble with and describe *exactly* what you are trying to do, what you expect to see happen, and what happens instead.

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• Jun 10, 2014 - 19:45

...BEFORE creating a blank, new score so that the style loaded will affect such text styles as Title font, size, etc.? The Style controls are greyed-out and unavailable until a score is open...so unless I'm missing something pretty basic (entirely possible!), you canNOT load a style before creating a score and therefore the style won't affect that score.

As far as posting the score I'm having trouble with, there is no one particular score. I have managed to name and save a .mss file, but I can never get it to DO anything. (I have attached that file to this message.)

What I am trying to do is: set specific text parameters to create a 'house' graphic style, save that data, and then use load those parameters so that they control new scores I create. What I expect to happen is that if I LOAD STYLE blahblah123.mss, every text item I enter after that point will conform to the style defined in that file.

What actually happens is: Nothing. All text elements continue to be controlled by the MuseScore default style.

The only way I can change any text element's graphic parameters is to click on it, hit CTL+A to highlight it all, then manually change the font, size, weight. And then on to the next text element. (Or, before writing any new text element, I have to manually change the font, size, weight, etc., first.)
Either way, it's a long process and a pain in the neck.

In the mid 1970s, we ran a hardware-programmed typesetting computer in my graphic arts shop. That machine had the ability to save 'blocks' of code (or text) much the way modern software-based computers 'copy' things to the 'clipboard.' The way this was useful for formatting text was that each code string would be created once, then given a short name (usually a single letter or number) and saved to the 8" floppy on which the document files were being saved as well. When the typographer needed to change size and style to any predefined format, he/she could insert that block of code with three keystrokes (InsertBlock/'BlockName'/Execute).

It wouldn't be ideal, but I would be relatively content if I could use copy/paste to insert code strings or text parameters as I'm working through a new score. But Muse Score does not even permit me to use Copy/Paste--either by menu command or keyboard shortcut--on the text elements themselves, let alone the graphic parameters. The functions simply do not work. The copy/paste function only works on the notes on the staff.

Attachment Size
THstyle.mss 19.63 KB

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• Jun 10, 2014 - 22:44

You are right that you have to create a score before saving a style. No one said it had to be an *intereting* score, though :-). Create a new score, and don't put anything you care about in it. Just use it to get you to the Style dialog. Make the settings you want, maybe create some dummy text after making your style settings to see if they do what you want, then save.

What you say about how styles should work when loaded is correct If you load THstyle.mss into a score, then all yet-to-created elements will get the style settings you've made. If you have a particular score where this is not happening, please post it and exact step by step instructions to reproduce the problem. But in general, this *does* work. I just tried it as follow, and it worked exact as I expected:

1) save the MSS file you attached
2) create a new score
3) Style / Load Style...
4) specify the MSS file saved in step 1

Instantly, I see multimeasure rests are turned on, because your style file does so. I don't see the font you specified for title, but that's because I don't have that font installed. If I change it to something I do have installed, then the next Title I create in that document has the title in the specified font. Maybe you were expecting loading a file to affect *all* subsequent scores? No, it only affects the score you loaded the style into. Styles are associated with scores, not with the program itself - same reason you can't edit a style without a score open. 2.0 will allow you to specify a style file to be used as the default for all newly created scores, but still, it won't be retroactively loaded into scores already created.

Simialrly regading copy&paste. It isn't clear what you are wanting to copy that you can't, but text copies just fine while in text edit mode. Are you asking about something else?

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• Jun 12, 2014 - 04:58

I understand what you said about creating a 'dummy' score in order to activate the 'load style' menu, but here's the problem: You also said, ' [the .mss file] only affects THE SCORE YOU LOADED THE STYLE INTO. Styles are associated with scores, not with the program itself - same reason you can't edit a style without a score open.'

So, that means I am wasting my time creating an .mss style file with 'title' 'author' 'poet' etc. parameters defined in it, because those elements get filled in during the score creation process...BEFORE the style can be loaded. Or are you telling me to leave all those elements blank when I create a new score, load the style, and then fill in title, etc. somehow? I hadn't thought about whether that was even possible. How would I get ... never mind, I just figured it out. CREATE>Text>Title (author/poet/whatever). Duh....

Yes, that will work, but it really is a bit of a 'kludge' and involves a lotta 'mousing around'. ;o)There wouldn't happen to be a keyboard shortcut for Title text, Author text, and so forth, would there? (And BTW, how does one edit a .mss file that already exists? If I wanted to change one parameter of my 'house style'...?)

Thanks.

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• Jun 12, 2014 - 06:08

You have figured out correctly about using an MSS file - you would want to load it before doing anything at all. And whether or not there is currently a shortcut for title, you can define whatever shortcuts you like via Edit / Preferences / Shortcuts.

But really, maybe you should be thinking more in terms of templates than style files. By creating a template (just a regular empty score with settings the way you like), then using the "create new score from template" option when creating a score, you can simplify this process considerably. If you regularly write for the same type of ensemble, a template is *definitely* the way to go since it can also define the set of instruments to be used.

Oh, and an MSS file is just plain text, so you can edit by hand if you like. But it also works to load it i to an empty score, make whatever changes you like in the style dialogs, and re-save.

Again, for 2.0, styles and style files files will work more as you like. Editing the style in an existing score or loading a style into an existing score will update everything already in the score, and it will be possible to specify a style file as your "house" style that will affect all new scores.

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• Jun 13, 2014 - 00:56

...a TEMPLATE is definitely the way for me to go. I had rather come to that conclusion on my own before I re-opened this question. What I have been doing until now is opening an actual, finished score with the same instrumentation and my 'house' text style already in place, then deleting all text and music manually and starting over. That works, but it was a toss up as to whether it was more or less trouble than just starting with a Muse Score-default blank. Which is why I went looking here for help on the 'load-style' question....

However, your last answer prompted me to investigate the template idea a little more thoroughly. There's no 'save as template' command in the File menu, which was discouraging, but I finally tried clicking the 'create a score from a template' radio button, and when that folder opened up, I could see (a) that 'template' files were ordinary .mscz files, and I could also see (b) where in the directory they were stored. Armed with that information, I created a template which contains all elements I will need, and saved it to that directory location along with the MuseScore-supplied templates. In that template--to save myself the trouble of mousing around to create title, subtitle, composer, etc. (OR having to remember the keyboard shortcuts I created for those commands (thanks, BTW))--I created a 'Title' with the text 'Title', a 'subtitle' that reads 'Subtitle', and so on, each element formatted and positioned as I want it.

Now when I create a new score from that template, all I'll have to do is double click on the word 'Title' (for instance) and replace that word with the actual title of the new piece. That is a lot faster than having to format and reposition every item.

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• Jun 13, 2014 - 15:24

That works, but FWIW, the intended usage is perhaps better than that even. Make the score truly empty - well, define instruments if you typically use the same ones, but delete all measures and definitely delete the title etc. Now when you create a score from that template, it will use the title you specific on the first page of the wizard.

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• Jun 13, 2014 - 19:36

The reason I didn't do it that way at first was that the default POSITIONS for most of those text elements were such that I always wound up with text overlapping other text or the score itself. My practise has been to reposition blocks of text by click-and-drag, but I finally took the trouble yesterday to revise the default x,y parameters for the ones I use, so the basic elements should appear where I want them. Heh; that only took me an hour of trial-and-error mousing around. ;o)

As a side note, I think it would be very useful if you created a tutorial that explains your spacing and positioning methods in a way a non-technical user could understand more easily. I am pretty conversant with many different measurement systems (one has to be to work in graphics) and I know how to plot something in either rectangular or polar notation...but I have been unable to decipher the meaning of or logic behind some of those commands or parameters. For instance, what is RelX and RelY and do those parameters OVERRIDE, or SUPPLEMENT, or CONTROL the X,Y offsets...? If I manage to get a text element to show up where I want it without using click-and-drag (which doesn't work for everything), it is truly accomplished through trial and error.

Anyway, thanks again for setting me on the proper path about templates. I'll be looking forward to seeing how well Save/Load Style works in 2.0 when that comes out. (Any news on the impending release date, BTW?)

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• Jun 13, 2014 - 20:15

Now news on 2.0 to report, just the standard "when it's ready". It's also a truism to say "every day we get nearer".

Anyhow, as of now, relX and relY are gone from 2.0, although that may yet be revisited. They mostly have to do with how text items are positioned within frames, but I have never fully understood this myself. I've never used them successfully, either. Anything I've ever needed to do with text can be done with the standard controls that are provided - horizontal and vertical alignment, units expressed in "sp" (staff spaces, the universal unit used in pretty much any music typesetting application). So I'd say, set everything back to the defaults, promise never to touch relX and relY again, and things should get much easier for you. if there is some specific thing you can't figure out how to do just via standard horizontal & vertical alignment plus offsets, then maybe start a new thread on the topic, posting a sample score and describing what you are trying to do.

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