Cannot set First Measure Number to zero

[Tim Mariott]

In Notation Composer 2.6 I could set the First Measure Number to Zero - but in Notation Composer 3 the First Measure Number has to be greater than Zero.

This is a pain becuase in some of the choral scores that I enter there is a pick-up measure which the publisher has effectively marked as Measure 0. The result now is that the measure numbers in my Notation 3 scores for such pieces are one more than the measure number printed in the original score, which is confusing to my choir members.

Can you tell me if my understanding is correct and, if so, is this a deliberate change intended to address a different requrement?

I have also tried opening a Notation Composer 2.6 file with the first measure set to Zero in Notation Composer 3. The file opens and plays and I can navigate to measure number 0 with the "qgm" command, but if I go to the Measure Numbers command it gives me an error message saying that the first measure must be greater than zero.

I haven't investigated if this might also cause a problem trying to open a First Measure Zero file in Notation Reader 3: this would be an additional problem for me.

Thanks
Tim

[Sherry C]

Hi Tim,

Originally Posted by Tim Mariott

Can you tell me if my understanding is correct and, if so, is this a deliberate change intended to address a different requrement?

Sorry for the inconvenience to you, but this was indeed a deliberate change that was necessary to correct some other issues.

I have also tried opening a Notation Composer 2.6 file with the first measure set to Zero in Notation Composer 3. The file opens and plays and I can navigate to measure number 0 with the "qgm" command, but if I go to the Measure Numbers command it gives me an error message saying that the first measure must be greater than zero.

On opening this dialog as well as in some other measure editing procedures you'll run into error messages telling you that the measure numbering needs to be changed.

I haven't investigated if this might also cause a problem trying to open a First Measure Zero file in Notation Reader 3: this would be an additional problem for me.

Notation Player is still at version 2.6.3 so it should not present a problem there at this point in time. Since Player is just a reader, and the issues associated with the measure numbering were in adding/editing, Player is not affected.

ttfn,
Sherry

[Tim Mariott]

Sherry

Thanks very much for the rapid reply. So just to clarify, for my limited purposes I should be able to adopt the following approach -

1. create the file in Notation 3 as usual

2. copy it to my laptop which is presently still running 2.6.3

3. set the First Measure Number to zero

4. copy back to the dekstop running Notation 3

5. create the files emphasised for each part

Can you see any issues in that approach?

Tim

[Sherry C]

Hi Tim,

I think your listed approach should work ok as long as you've done all the measure-related editing prior to bringing the file back into v3 for just the volume emphasis changes.

Of course if you do run into any problems, do let us know.

Good luck!
Sherry

[herbert]

Hi,

You can blame me. Many years ago, I had suggested to Mark Walsen, the founder and developer of Notation Composer and related products, to allow measure numbers to be zero or negative, for the reason Tim is interested in, but also for making any Intro not count as part of the main structure.

I mostly arrange orchestral music. The first thing I do is always to mark out the structure of a song. The Intro is really not part of the main structure. Sadly several Commands, that had not been changed for the new numbering system, introduced errors. In Composer 3, The first measure is always measure number 1.

Cheers,

Herbert

[Tim Mariott]

So now that I have updated both of my machines to Composer 3 and ditched Composer 2 to avoid confusion, I am faced with this problem again.

Just working on a purchased choral piece which starts with measure 0 (zero) and I have to produce a piano reduction for our accompanist which has ended up with different measure numbers to those showing in the original printed score. Bound to cause a certain amount of confusion between our conductor and our accompanist.

Is this anywhere on a reuqested features list or should I assume it is a permanent constraint of Composer that I cannot have a measure zero?

Thanks
Tim

[herbert]

Hi,

By itself, it may not be too difficult to program Composer to use zero and negative numbers for measure numbers. The problem may be more about priorities of what must be done next, to improve Composer for everybody. I fear that the problem of measure numbering is very low on the priority list.

I think that the measure numbering system is most fundamental. It should be looked at with some urgency. Other systems are possible, using letterers and numbers below measure 1.

Best wishes

Herbert.