Editing Instrument Names

• Apr 8, 2015 - 22:27

I think I am loosing my mind here.....

I add an instrument to an existing score, and then want to change the name of the instrument. I used the standard was of going into edit mode - double clicking on the text, or using Ctrl-E - and am placed in edit mode. I make the changes, and all looks good. Then I click outside the text area, and my changes disappear, and the text returns to its original format.

Is this a bug with version 2.0?

I checked the handbook, and there is a nice section on the edit function. There is nothing there about how to finish an edit section. FWIW, if I go into edit on other text, such as the title, composer, or text being entered into the score, such as by Ctrl_T or M, clicking outside the edited area works.

I cannot see why editing an Instrument name should be any different. There are many reasons why I might want to change them - adding part numbers (1st, 2nd etc) or shortening the name are just a few.

Am I missing something? I'd hate to think that my computer was possessed.

Jerry

Comments

• Apr 8, 2015 - 23:39

If you were able to get into edit mode at all by double-clicking an instrument name or using Ctrl+E, then that's the bug, because it shouldn't work that way. An instrument name is not a normal text element—in fact, if you secondary-click on it, you should see that "Edit Element" is grayed out in the context menu. The way to change the name is in the Staff Properties window—see Inspector and object properties .

I actually agree with you when you say that "I cannot see why editing an Instrument name should be any different." Maybe things will change in a future release. But the fact is that it is different, and if double-clicking on an instrument name got you anywhere other than nowhere, than your computer might be possessed. ;-).

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• Oct 12, 2015 - 12:16

The title of the top stave of the attached partial score reads "Flute" and I cannot figure out how to change it to "Soprano". I've looked in "Staff properties" and both the Part name and Instrument name correctly show "Soprano".
I'd be grateful for any help.
Note: Although this is an SATB choral piece, the first four bars form a two-flutes intro to the vocal parts which start at bar 5.

Attachment Size
Mabel's Dream page 1.mscz 26.55 KB

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• Oct 12, 2015 - 14:40

Looks like an Instrument text with a true instrument change (via right click / Change Instrument) on the first beat of the score will be used for the staff name. So instead of using an true Instrument change, you could either just add the Instrument text but use the Mixer instead of Change Instrument to change the sound, or - andf this is the "right" solution - use separate staves for the flute parts, with "Hide empty staves".

It's not really a bug that the first staff gets labeled Flute in this case; it's more of a bug that it does change back to Voices later.

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• Apr 9, 2015 - 04:10

Zach -

Thanks for the prompt reply. Staff Properties did not occur to me; I checked it out, and your response was right on - I was able to change as I desired.

I was able to go into edit mode both by double clicking and by Ctrl-E; just could not save anything. I am using the Windows version on Windows 7. DO I need to post a new thread in the Bug Forum to track this?

Jerry

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• Apr 9, 2015 - 05:53

Well, how about posting the score you are having problems with here, and precise step by step instructins to reproduce the problem. It shouldn't be possible to edit the instrument name by double clicking it, but maybe your cscore has somehow become corrupt in some way.

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• Apr 10, 2015 - 04:02

OK - My old boss when I worked in Systems Software had a term he used to explain the unexplainable - Software Rot. I think I am seeing an example of it here.

I went back to create an example to send to you, and cannot recreate it. I tried simple examples, but couldn't make it fail. I tried to get the original failures to fail again.... nothing there either.

Only thing I can think of is that the computer has been rebooted, and of course MuseScore was restarted because of it.

If I see this again, I will let you know, although thanks to Zach, I now understand the correct way to edit names, so it's probably not likely.

Thanks to both of you for the time to look into this.

Jerry

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