File Extenstion Difference Between Versions for MuseScore 4
I don't know if this is possible or not but...
I have over a 1000 scores created in MuseScore by me with the majority being created in MuseScore 2 and quite a few in MuseScore 1. I realize I can open the MS2 files in MS3 and convert them to MS3 which I have done with many, but not vice versa which isn't necessarily a big deal. However, for the time being, I still still have MS2 on my PC if I wish to do a quick edit and NOT convert.
What would have been nice is if the file extension for MS3 files was something like .mscz3 or .mscx3 with the same properties of no backwards compatibility, but just as a simple way to quickly determine which version of MuseScore the sheet was created in. It was particularly problematic for me when some of the initial bugs in MS3 kept me for using it so I was still doing a lot of editing in MS2 but testing in MS3. That is no longer the case, although I sometimes still use MS2 for layout comparisons.
Having different file extensions for different versions going forward would make it easier for someone who may be in a similar situation with scores in both versions. Then you could instantly know what version the score was created in and decide whether to convert or launch the old MS version and edit it there. I realize I could put something in the file name, but that has its own set of other issues.
If MuseScore 4 ends up with the same non-backwards compatibility and bugs that keep some folks from migrating initially, it would make it a bit easier knowing at a glance which version the score was created in, if possible.
Unless of course if MuseScore 4 files end up with completely different file extensions, which will make this a moot point...
...until MuseScore 5.
Comments
This has been discussed (at quite some length) in other threads and so far it seems like this won't happen.
Also keeping in mind that the major point of change was different layout algorithms from MS2 to MS3.
There are no such big changes planned for MS4, so there should be less incompatibilities when upgrading a score.
In reply to This has been discussed (at… by jeetee
Sorry I missed those other discussions.
Thanks for the reply!
In reply to This has been discussed (at… by jeetee
Actually, the main reasons why the file format had to change were not specifically related to layout but to more fundamental changes in how we represented things internally. At this point it's not really clear how much change under the hood there might actually be going to MuseScore 4, but I wouldn't be surprised if some things don't end up presenting us with the same need.