Is "Layout break" correctly named?
Trying to review the Spanish translation for "Layout break" led me to try to understand first what it is about. I've found it is just the same as "line break", which elsewhere is also called "system break".
I think the original string in English is not consistent with the real meaning. I wonder whether it is possible or not such a thing as a "layout break". I guess not.
When one inserts a line break and then selects it, the Inspector shows only the title "Layout break" with no parameter to tweak. May be in some cases it would be interesting to allow to control the space after the break, even if most times it is just to redistribute measures to improve the layout.
Federico Miyara
Comments
Layout Break is the generic term for System (or Line) Break, Page Break and Section Break. Just "Breaks( & Spacers)" in the palette, "Layout Break" in (otherwise empty) Inspector.
These Layout breaks don't have properties to tweak (except the Section Break, which has a pause property, and 2 more, available via right-click, and yes, eventually these should be shown in Inspector)
In reply to Layout Break is the generic… by Jojo-Schmitz
Admittedly, this makes some sense. However, for the sake of simplicity (and clarity, which is important for discoverability), it would be better to choose a single locution to name a single concept; and from all possible choices, the shortest one. So, instead of "layout break" it woud be preferable just "break" as the Inspector category.
And as to "system break" / "line break", it is preferable "system break". The only reason for "line break" would be the similitude with text processing, but it is somewhat confusing since "line" has a distinct meaning in music as a staff component.
In reply to Admittedly, this makes some… by fmiyara
Yes, we do have a mix of "line break" and "system break", not good.
I don't regard "Layout break" as bad though. What is bad, is that this Inspector is just empty.
In reply to Yes, we do have a mix of … by Jojo-Schmitz
It is not bad by itself, it is just inconsistent with the palette titled "Breaks & spacers". And if we specify layout break, one immediately thinks there must be other type of breaks (appart from the hyponims "system break", "page break" and "section break")
In reply to It is not bad by itself, it… by fmiyara
Maybe change that to "Layout breaks & spacers"
Just breaks might get confused with breaths and caesuras?
In reply to Maybe change that to "Layout… by Jojo-Schmitz
I don't think they could get easily confused. A break is more drastic than a pause and besides "break" is commonly used in text processors to get the same behavior, so people is used to that usage.
Layout brakes are used in some text processors (I think that mostly for MacIntosh; see, for instance, https://discussions.apple.com/thread/5898723) to change the number of columns amidst a page, so by the same token it could be confused with that bahavior, which is rarely, if ever, found in music scores.
I've looked up in Gardner Reads book on musical notation, and he calls those devices (breaths and caesuras) pauses. He doesn't even use "break" with this purpose.
In reply to Maybe change that to "Layout… by Jojo-Schmitz
Sorry, I meant Layout breaks...
In reply to Yes, we do have a mix of … by Jojo-Schmitz
Changing the occurrences of "system break(s)" to "line break(s)" (2 in mscore/shortcuts.cpp, 4 in mscore/prefsdialog.ui, plus some 3 untranslates ones, in fonts/smufl/glyphnames.json, libmscore/sym.cpp and mscore/schema/musicxml.xsd) vs. the other way round (5 in mscore/breaksdialog.ui, 2 in mscore/shortcuts.cpp, 1 in mscore/menus.cpp, another untranslated one in mscore/debugger/measure.ui and numerous in comments), also the type is
LayoutBreak::Type::LINEthe methods arelineBreak()setLineBreak(bool)andundoSetLineBreak(bool), makes me wonder which way to change this.https://www.transifex.com/musescore/musescore/translate/#de/musescore/3…
vs.
https://www.transifex.com/musescore/musescore/translate/#de/musescore/1…
This is also about technical correct (system break) vs. ease of use/understanding (line break)
The 2 cases of "layout break" (in libmscore/scoreElement.cpp and mscore/inspector/inspector_break.ui) are a much easier target
https://www.transifex.com/musescore/musescore/translate/#de/musescore/3…
But here too the type is
ElementType::LAYOUT_BREAK, so not sure whether to change this at allIMHO we should leave "Layout break" and change "system break" to "line break"
In reply to Changing the occurrences of … by Jojo-Schmitz
FWIW, "break" alone has other meaning in music context so I would avoid to use it.
In reply to FWIW, "break" alone has… by [DELETED] 5
Agreed. Your opinion about line break vs. system break?
In reply to agreed by Jojo-Schmitz
In general I prefer system break, it seems more precise.
In reply to In general I prefer system… by [DELETED] 5
OK, see https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/pull/3424, let me know whether a separate one for 2.2 is needed.
And I left all comments as they were, just changed user visible strings
In reply to OK, see https://github.com… by Jojo-Schmitz
It looks like it's too late for this comment, but since "Page break" is used in the most obvious places in the UI (palettes, multiple times in "Add/Remove Line Breaks," etc.) and AFAIK "System break" is only used in the name of the shortcut, this is a much bigger change (from the user's perspective) than the reverse.
In reply to FWIW, "break" alone has… by [DELETED] 5
Do you mean this?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Break_(music)
I think this is a compositional device, not a notational one. Anyway, as far as the term "layout break" is (1) clearly defined in the manual and (2) used consistently, it would be better than using two terms for a single concept.