Improve find interface

• Mar 28, 2019 - 06:14

It would be nice to improve the functionality and friendliness of the "find measure" engine.

First of all, when pressing Crtl-F a full length strip opens at the bottom, right over the navigator, to show just a tiny GoTo dialog to the left. This eats valuable screen area when there is plenty of unused space in the upper tool bars, between the "Image capture" and the "Leave feedback" icons or to the right of the voice selector. This zone is where typical applications have their search box.

Second, it would be interesting, at least in the continuous view, that the searched measure be somehow signaled (for instance it might be selected, though this may be arguable, since one may be interested in preserving the selection); and that it were close to but not at the left border. Close because in general one jumps to a measure one wants either to compare or to launch playback from. The eye goes instinctively to the left to start reading something (it could be argued that many languages are read from right to left, but then the music should read from right to left either and it does not) . But the measure of interest should not be exactly right at the left (no pun intended) because some perspective where the music comes from (previous measure or so) is desirable.

Third, there could be sort of back and forward navigation buttons close to the search box, so one could go back and forth, making the comparison between distant passages easier and faster. Find an example below (the find box could be narrower).

MuseScore_search_proof_of_concept.png


Comments

May I also add that one often wants to go to a measure by number but there are two numberings, the internal number and displayed number, but one can also go-to rehearsal mark or page, currently the user has to know to type p12 to to page 12 and r12 to go to rehearsal mark 12.

If for some crazy reason there is a rehearsal mark named p12 or r12 I'm not sure how to navigate to it.

After pressing play, I often later want to go back to the rehearsal mark, currently I have to erase and retype what's still displayed. A go-again button would be great.

I suggest modal boxes indicating internal measure, displayed measure, page, or rehearsal measure .

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