Documentation for cross staff stems

[lilypond.git] / Documentation / changes.tely

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@setfilename lilypond-changes.info
@settitle LilyPond Changes

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@documentencoding utf-8
@documentlanguage en
@afourpaper

@finalout

@node Top
@top New features in 2.16 since 2.14

@allowcodebreaks false

@itemize

@ignore

HINTS

* add new items at the top

* only show verbatim input for syntax/input changes

* try to be as brief possible in those cases

* don't try to provide real-world examples, they often get too big,
which scares away people.

* Write complete sentences.

* only show user-visible changes.

@end ignore
@item
Support for cross-staff stems on chords, using @code{crossStaff}
and the @code{Span_stem_engraver}.  This calculates the length of
cross-staff stems automatically.
@lilypondfile[quote]
{cross-staff-stems.ly}

@item
The syntax of words (character sequences recognized without enclosing
quotes) and commands (now always a backslash @samp{\} followed by a
word) has been unified across all modes: it now consists of alphabetic
characters, possibly enclosing isolated dashes @samp{-} and underlines
@samp{_}.

As one consequence, using unquoted text scripts like (literally!)
@example
@{ c-script c\f_script @}
@end example
will now tend to result in invalid music.  Omitting quote marks
for arbitrary text rather than keywords has never been good practice or
even documented, and it is unlikely to have seen significant use.

Staying with established conventions (like not using dashes or
underlines for command names intended to be used inside of music)
remains advisable.  The reason for this change is more robust
recognition of LilyPond's lexical units for LilyPond itself as well as
external tools interpreting its syntax.

@item
Support for Kievan square notation:
@lilypond[quote,relative=1,verbatim]
\new KievanVoice {
  \cadenzaOn
  c d e f g a bes
  \bar "kievan"
}
@end lilypond

@item
Augmentation dots now avoid the other voice in two-voice polyphony
so that users can move the @code{Dot_column_engraver} to set dots
independently for each @code{Voice}.
@lilypond[quote]
\layout {
  \context {
    \Staff
    \remove Dot_column_engraver
  } \context {
    \Voice
    \consists Dot_column_engraver
  }
}
\relative c'' <<
  { \time 6/8
    <d f g>4. <d f g> <f, g> b
  } \\ {
    <f g b>4. <g b d> <b d> <e, g>
  } >>
@end lilypond

@item
A Scheme function to adjust the control points of curves such as slurs
and ties, developed by several users, is now included in LilyPond.
@lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
g8->( bes,-.) d4
\shape Slur #'((-0.5 . 1.5) (-3 . 0) (0 . 0) (0 . 0))
g8->( bes,!-.) d4
@end lilypond

@item
Use of @code{\tempo} specifications in @code{\midi} blocks (removed in
2.9.16 in favor of explicit @code{tempoWholesPerMinute} settings) has
seen a revival: now any kind of property-setting music is turned into
context definitions within output specifications, allowing for
declarations like
@example
\layout @{ \accidentalStyle modern @}
\midi @{ \tempo 4. = 66 @}
@end example

@item
The LilyPond G clef has been redesigned - upper loop is now more balanced,
bottom crook sticks out less and the "spine" (main vertical line) is more
evenly curved. The old and new versions can be compared by looking at the
documentation:
@uref{http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.14/Documentation/notation/the-feta-font.html#clef-glyphs, old version},
@uref{http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.15/Documentation/notation/the-feta-font.html#clef-glyphs, new version}.

@item
Lilypond's stencil commands have been simplified to allow for less code
duplication and better height approximations of graphical objects.  The
following stencil commands have been eliminated:
@itemize
@item @code{beam}
@item @code{bezier-sandwich}
@item @code{bracket}
@item @code{dashed-slur}
@item @code{dot}
@item @code{oval}
@item @code{repeat-slash}
@item @code{zigzag-line}
@end itemize

@item
Flags are now treated as separate objects rather than as stem parts.
@lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=2]
\override Flag #'color = #red
g8
@end lilypond

@item
Two alternative methods for bar numbering can be set, especially for
when using repeated music;

@lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=1,noragged-right]
\relative c'{
  \set Score.alternativeNumberingStyle = #'numbers
  \repeat volta 3 { c4 d e f | }
    \alternative {
      { c4 d e f | c2 d \break }
      { f4 g a b | f4 g a b | f2 a | \break }
      { c4 d e f | c2 d }
    }
  c1 \break
  \set Score.alternativeNumberingStyle = #'numbers-with-letters
  \repeat volta 3 { c,4 d e f | }
    \alternative {
      { c4 d e f | c2 d \break }
      { f4 g a b | f4 g a b | f2 a | \break }
      { c4 d e f | c2 d }
    }
  c1
}
@end lilypond

@item
The following is a fundamental change in LilyPond's music
representation: Rhythmic events like @code{LyricEvent} and
@code{NoteEvent} are no longer wrapped in @code{EventChord} unless they
have been actually entered as part of a chord in the input.  If you
manipulate music expressions in Scheme, the new behavior may require
changes in your code.  Calling the music function @code{\eventChords} or
the Scheme function @code{event-chord-wrap!}  converts to the old
representation; using one of those might be easiest for keeping legacy
code operative.

The following three items are consequences of this change.

@item
The repetitive chord entry aid @code{q} has been reimplemented.
Repeated chords are now replaced right before interpreting a music
expression.  In case the user wants to retain some events of the
original chord, he can run the repeat chord replacement function
@code{\chordRepeats} manually.

@item
String numbers and right hand fingerings on single notes now appear
without having to be written inside of chord brackets.

@item
Music functions now work the same when used inside or outside of chords,
including all the possibilities of argument parsing.  Music variables
can be used inside of chords: a construct like
@lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right]
tonic=fis'
{ <\tonic \transpose c g \tonic> }
@end lilypond
@noindent
now works as expected.  One can use @code{#@{@dots{}#@}} for
constructing chord constituents.  @code{\tweak} now works on single
notes without needing to wrap them in a chord.  Using it on command
events and lyrics is now possible, but not likely to give results yet.

@item
@code{\tweak} now takes an optional layout object specification.  It can
be used for tweaking layout objects that are only indirectly caused by
the tweaked event, like accidentals, stems, and flags:

@lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right,relative=2]
<\tweak Accidental #'color #red   cis4
 \tweak Accidental #'color #green es
                                  g>
@end lilypond

@item
Scheme expressions inside of embedded Lilypond (@code{#@{@dots{}#@}})
are now executed in lexical closure of the surrounding Scheme code.
@code{$} is no longer special in embedded Lilypond.  It can be used
unconditionally in Lilypond code for immediate evaluation of Scheme
expressions, similar to how @code{ly:export} could previously be used.
@code{ly:export} has been removed.  As a consequence, @code{#} is now
free to delay evaluation of its argument until the parser actually
reduces the containing expression, greatly reducing the potential for
premature evaluation.  There are also @q{splicing} operators @code{$@@}
and @code{#@@} for interpreting the members of a list individually.

@item
To reduce the necessity for using @code{$}, Scheme expressions written
with @code{#} are interpreted as music inside of music lists, and as
markups or markup lists inside of markups.

@item
Support for jazz-like chords has been improved: Lydian and altered
chords are recognised; separators between chord modifiers are now
treated independently of separators between ``slash'' chords and their
bass notes (and by default, slashes are now only used for the latter
type of separator); additional pitches are no longer prefixed with
``add'' by default; and the ``m'' in minor chords can be customized.
@ruser{Customizing chord names} for more information.

@item
The @code{\markuplines} command has been renamed to @code{\markuplist}
for a better match with its semantics and general Lilypond
nomenclature.

@item
The interface for specifying string tunings in tablature has been
simplified considerably and employs the scheme function
@code{\stringTuning} for most purposes.

@item
Beams can now have their slopes preserved over line breaks.
@lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=2]
\override Beam #'breakable = ##t
a8[ b c d e f g \bar "" \break f e d c b a]
\once \override Beam #'positions = #beam::align-with-broken-parts
a8[ b c d e f g \bar "" \break f e d c b a]
\once \override Beam #'positions = #beam::slope-like-broken-parts
a8[ b c d e f g \bar "" \break f e d c b a]
@end lilypond
To do this, several callback functions are now deprecated.
@itemize
@item @code{ly:beam::calc-least-squares-positions}
@item @code{ly:beam::slope-damping}
@item @code{ly:beam::shift-region-to-valid}
@end itemize
Furthermore, @code{ly:beam::quanting} now takes an additional argument
to help calculations over line breaks.  All of these functions are now
automatically called when setting the @code{positions} parameter.

@item
In function arguments music, markups and Scheme expressions (as well as
several other syntactic entities) have become mostly interchangeable and
are told apart only by evaluating the respective predicate.  In several
cases, the predicate is consulted by the parser, like when deciding
whether to interpret @code{-3} as a number or a fingering event.

@item
Music functions (and their close relatives) can now be defined with
optional arguments.

@item
For defining commands executed only for their side-effects,
@code{define-void-function} is now available.

@item
There is a new @code{define-event-function} command in analogy to
@code{define-music-function} that can be used for defining music
functions acting as post events without requiring a direction specifier
(@code{-}, @code{^}, or @code{_}) placed before them.
@lilypond[quote,verbatim,ragged-right]
dyn=#(define-event-function (parser location arg) (markup?)
         (make-dynamic-script arg))
\relative c' { c\dyn pfsss }
@end lilypond

@item
A list of ASCII aliases for special characters can be included.
@lilypond[quote,verbatim]
\paper {
  #(include-special-characters)
}
\markup "&bull; &dagger; &copyright; &OE; &ss; &para;"
@end lilypond

@item
There is a new @code{define-scheme-function} command in analogy to
@code{define-music-function} that can be used to define functions
evaluating to Scheme expressions while accepting arguments in Lilypond
syntax.

@item
The construct @code{#@{ @dots{} #@}} can now be used not just for
constructing sequential music lists, but also for pitches (distinguished
from single note events by the absence of a duration or other
information that can't be part of a pitch), single music events, void
music expressions, post events, markups (mostly freeing users from
having to use the @code{markup} macro), markup lists, number
expressions, context definitions and modifications, and a few other
things.  If it encloses nothing or only a single music event, it no
longer returns a sequential music list but rather a void music
expression or just the music event itself, respectively.

@item
Pitches can be used on the right side of assignments.  They are
distinguished from single note events by the absence of a duration or
other information that can't be part of a pitch.

@item
New command-line option @option{--loglevel=@var{level}} to control how much output
LilyPond creates. Possible values are ERROR, WARN, BASIC_PROGRESS, PROGRESS, DEBUG.

@item
@code{\once \set} now correctly resets the property value to the previous value.
@lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=2]
  \set fingeringOrientations = #'(left)
  <e-1>4
  \once \set fingeringOrientations = #'(right)
  <e-1>
  <e-1>-"left"
@end lilypond

@item
The alignment of dynamic spanners (hairpins, text crescendo, etc.) is now
automatically broken if a different direction is explicitly given.
@lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=2]
c4_\< c c^\> c c1_\p
@end lilypond


@item
Appoggiaturas and acciaccaturas now also work inside a slur, not only inside
a phrasing slur. Also, a function @code{\slashedGrace} was added that does
not use a slur from the acciaccatura note.
@lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=2]
c4( \appoggiatura e8 d4 \acciaccatura e8 d4 \slashedGrace e8 c4)
@end lilypond


@item
To suppress the line on a crescendo text spanner (and other similar spanners),
LilyPond now fully supports the @code{#'style = #'none} property.
@lilypond[fragment,quote,relative=2]
\override DynamicTextSpanner #'style = #'none
c4\cresc c c g, c'\p
@end lilypond

@item
LilyPond.app now supports MacOS X 10.7, thanks Christian Hitz!

@item
Glissandi can now span multiple lines.

@end itemize

@ifhtml
For older news, go to
@uref{http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.14/Documentation/changes/},
@uref{http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.12/Documentation/topdocs/NEWS.html},
or @uref{../,go back} to the Documentation index.


@end ifhtml

@bye