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Using Notation Software products with other (third party) products Find out from others, or share your experience, about integrating Notation Software products with sound libraries, audio processing software, and other hardware and software products.

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  #1  
Old 08-16-2007, 01:22 AM
Clyde (clyde)
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Default Hi I am seriously conside

Hi

I am seriously considering changing over to the new Apple iMac for a number of reasons.

As the iMac can emulate Windows XP (and Linux etc) under the Parallels program (see www.parallels.com), I was thinking of running my windows preferred software this way, while utilizing the features of the iMac on other applications.

My question is this, do any of our users have experience running Composer under Parallels, or are there obvious reasons why it won't work?

Cheers ... Clyde
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  #2  
Old 08-16-2007, 03:47 PM
Mark Walsen (markwa)
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Default Hello Clyde, One important

Hello Clyde,

One important question here is: Has Notation Software done any testing of Composer under iMac emulation of Windows? The answer is no. So the Composer developer here has no first-hand experience to answer this question.

A few customers have reported through our helpdesk using iMac emulation of Windows with success; but that is not sufficient data for me to assess that it would work well, let alone flawlessly.

I probably should recruit some testers to try out Composer on the iMac.

Cheers
-- Mark
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  #3  
Old 08-17-2007, 01:10 AM
Clyde (clyde)
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Default Hi Mark, In my view, I don&

Hi Mark,
In my view, I don't think that running Composer under Mac OS X on an Apple Mac sould divert you from your current plans.

However, having said that, the promises of the emulator and other software packages is that it should run without any problems, and so it could be a job that is easily passed onto someone with the right skills/equipment.

I noticed in my enquiries of the Mac computers that while a free music program comes with the operating system (music program is called 'GrageBand') as far as a notation program it is not a patch on Composer. Also I notice there is nowhere near as many notation programs for the Mac as there is for the Windows based PC, and perhaps this may open up a market opportunity.

What I have discovered so far, is that there are three ways a Windows program can be run on the Mac:

(a) BootCamp. (www.apple.com/bootcamp) This is an Apple free program that allows you to boot the Mac up as a Mac Os X machine to run Macintosh software OR boot it up as a Windows XP (or Vista) computer to run PC applications. (You can't have them both running at the same time).

(b) Parallels. (www.parallels.com) This is an emulator that runs as an application under Mac OS X, and allows you to run any number of operating systems, including Win XP (SP2), Vista, Linux etc. Switching from one to the other is like switching windows un Win XP.

(Note: I would think that Composer would have a fair chance of working unaltered under these two options).

(c) CrossOver (www.codeweavers.com/products/cxmac). This installs and runs the Windows application as a normal appliction under Mac OS X. This would be the preferred method for Composer as it would be just another Mac application, but the chances of working are a lot less.

Anyway, something to ponder when you need a change from 'soundfounts' etc .

Cheers ... Clyde
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  #4  
Old 08-18-2007, 01:13 AM
Clyde (clyde)
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Default Hi Mark, I have decided not

Hi Mark,
I have decided not to go the Apple iMac route, not because of anything wrong with the Apple system, but simply because the mixture of software I use to prepare my music would make swapping between Windows and OSX time consuming and an unnecessary hassle, with very little overall benefit.

I shall put the upgrade on hold.

Just a note about my history with Apple computers. In the early days of PC's, before even IBM introduced their first PC, and when Bill Gates was getting out of 'short pants', and when 'mini' computers were all the rage (like the DEC PDP 11/70 which I used a lot), the Apple 2e made its appearance, with its 5 1/4 inch floppy (and it was floppy) discs.

I was designing a Paper Mill shop floor system, initially planned to run on the DEC PDP 11's using DecNet and dumb terminals, but we thought we would investigate these new Apple 2e's. The end result was that I implemented (and it was just me designing/programming/implementing/training/support) a Network of about 30 Apple 2e's in the mill environment using a network that was pre-ethernet, but still a CDMA (collison detection, multiple access) type network that ran at 1MB/sec. Most of the programming was in Applesoft basic, and I also had become rather efficient in 7502 assembler for interfaces to mill equipment (scales, test equipment etc).

So I have a love for Apple equipment from way back. Have never been much of a Windows user, as once the IBM PC arrived we found that a better Mill system resulted by running UNIX on the PC's(or actually a variety called XENIX), and I wrote everything in COBOL for the applications with 'C' being used for the system software, equipment interfaces and network control systems. It is really only since my retirement from employment that I have had any significant involvement with Microsoft Windows.

Forgive and 'old man' for rambling....

Cheers ... Clyde
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  #5  
Old 08-20-2007, 05:38 PM
Mark Walsen (markwa)
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Default Hello Clyde, A day or two a

Hello Clyde,

A day or two ago I responded to the above with my own "old times" ramblings, but perhaps luckily my post was never sent. I said something about old huge disk drives versus today's USB thumb drives.

It was probably a good decision for you to not go with the Apple iMac, because then you would have unwittingly become Notation Software's support person for iMac users ;-)

Cheers
-- Mark
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  #6  
Old 09-21-2007, 02:23 AM
Clyde (clyde)
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Default Hi Mark, Well, I spent my m

Hi Mark,
Well, I spent my money on a new Apple iMac. The main reason was that the Virtual Pipe Organs need as much RAM as you can get, plus a fast processor to do all the number crunching when music is being played. (They indeed prefer the Mac)

I have installed 'Parallels' software (described above) which allows me to run Microsoft Windows (any version, I'm running XP SP2) (also other operating systems like Linux) as a virtual task under the Mac operating system OS X (Tiger).

So on the screen I can have Mac applications (like the organ software running, Safari browser etc) and at the same time be running windows. Apart from a few minor differences in screen layout you would not really know the difference - all applications look the same.

In regard to Composer (v2.1), it is installed and runs under Parallels with no problems. (Unfortunately doing that didn't mysteriously squash any Composer bugs either).

I have edited and prepared one of the hymns I played, completely in Composer (as I used to do on my XP system). No different.

The only slight problem I came across, and I have vague recollections we came across this in the original Beta testing prior to release of v1), was that if Composer was unable to save the NOT file because of permissions issues, it gave no warning message. As the Mac O/S is Unix based, file permissions are a big thing. (Although a quick test on the old XP system in saving a midi file does give an error).

The work around for this problem at present is that I only read the files on the Mac O/S in Mac format with Composer, but save my files in Windows format in the Win XP pseudo 'C:' drive, where it saves it just as normal Win XP does. In this way, I avoid the problem. Nevertheless, there is a need, I think, for Composer to gives some feedback on writing problems.

Incidentally, as I'm new to the Mac stuff, what I am currently doing (but I'm sure this will change) is:
(a) I prepare my NOT file etc using Composer in the Parallels windows environment. I prepare a 'midi' file for driving the organ software. (I can't drive the organ software (running under Mac) directly from Composer (running in Virtual machine)).
(b) I use the midi file ex Composer in a Mac program (Melody Assistant) which uses a virtual driver (IAC driver - much like Midi Yoke) that drives the organ softare. This is all done under the native Mac operating. This outputs normal 'wave' files.
(c) Then back in Windows, I edit those Wave files and end up with MP3 files.

There is Mac software which will do some of these stages (eg Audacity runs under Mac), but at this stage I have simply concentrated on getting a system running, with refinements planned later down the track.

Anyway, the long/short of all this, is that Composer runs very well under the Mac operating if you use the Parallels virtual computer.

Cheers ... Clyde
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  #7  
Old 09-21-2007, 06:02 AM
Mark Walsen (markwa)
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Default Hello Clyde, Thank you for

Hello Clyde,

Thank you for this report about using Composer on the Mac using Parallels to host Windows. I'm pleased to hear that this is a success!

My understanding of Parallels is that it uses an Intel processor to run Windows, which shouldbe key to its success.

I'm concerned that Composer did not report an error on File Save due to file permission problems. I've set it as a priority here to test resaving a read-only file to see if there is no report of error.

Cheers
-- Mark
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  #8  
Old 09-22-2007, 12:29 PM
Clyde (clyde)
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Default Hi Mark, I think the proble

Hi Mark,
I think the problem with lack of file error messages maybe in the parallels system. I think I had the same problem with Wordpad, so I don't think it is just a Composer issue.

On second thoughts it is more likely to be an operator error, rather than Parallels, as I'm still learning how to use it.

Love the Mac, it wrks so beautifully and is exceptionlly fast. Even Internet file downloads and uploads run 50% faster

Cheers .. Clyde
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  #9  
Old 09-24-2007, 05:06 PM
Mark Walsen (markwa)
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Default Hi Clyde, This is good news

Hi Clyde,

This is good news that the Mac and Parallels is working out so well for you, and that Notation Composer is working well on it.

When folk ask us about with Notation Composer runs on the Mac, we will now mention that one of our most active users has had success using Notation Composer with Parallels.

Cheers
-- Mark
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  #10  
Old 05-29-2014, 01:12 PM
Sherry C's Avatar
Sherry C Sherry C is offline
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Default Re: Composer and Apple Parallels

Hi friends,

For more information on Mac users and Notation Musician and Notation Composer, please see this other thread (click here).

Enjoy!
Sherry
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