1 article(FAQ - GNU LilyPond FAQs)()()()
3 DEFINEMACRO(question)(1)(subsect(ARG1))
7 question(HELP! I'm stuck!)
9 Please read this document carefully. If you are still at loss,
10 send your questions to the bf(mailing list), and not to authors
13 Note: relative paths are meant to be relative to the source directory
17 question(Wow, the webpages look really neat, but if I install the .exe
18 file on my DOS/windows 3.11 machine, it doesn't work.)
20 The DOS port is done with the cygnus gnu/windows32 port of the GNU utils.
21 It does em(not) work with windows 3.x; you need Windows-NT (95/98?). This
22 is not a recommendation, however. We recommend you use Unix, in
23 particular, use GNU/Linux. For further information see file(README-W32).
25 question(I get all kinds of errors while compiling file(parser.cc))
27 LilyPond uses features of bison version 1.25. Please confirm that
28 you are using a version 1.25 or better, that is bf(GNU) bison
29 bf(1.25). Don't forget to do "make clean" after installing it. Don't
30 forget to remove the stale file(bison.simple) as well.
32 If the problem persists, then please send a bug report to the mailing list.
34 question(I upgraded by applying a patch, and now my configure/build breaks.)
36 Patches don't include automatically generated files, i.e.
37 file(configure) and files generated by file(configure). Regenerate them
43 You might need to create some extra "out" directories. Do this with
47 question(Some of your neat scripts fail, what directories do you use:)
49 [This only applies if you don't do code(make install), and develop out
50 of the source directory]
52 I have a directory which contains all our development projects
57 which looks like file(/usr/)
68 The directory file(~/usr/src/) contains something like
69 includefile(../stepmake/Documentation/layout.yo)
72 ~/usr/src/bin is in the PATH, and contains symbolic links to the
75 question(Is there an emacs mode?)
77 Yes. It is included with the source archive as mudela-mode.el. If
78 you have an rpm it is in /usr/doc/lilypond-X/. You have to install it
81 question(How do i create the file(.tfm) files?)
83 You don't. The file(.tfm) files should be generated automatically by
84 Metafont when you run TeX(). Check your TeX() installation, or ask
85 your local TeX() guru. The supplied file(.afm) files are intended to
86 be used by LilyPond, not by any other programs.
91 question(Why is the documentation/website/etc. so lousy?)
93 LilyPond development is moving quite fast, documentation will often
94 lag a bit behind. We must always make a choice between writing more
95 doco, writing more code and answering email.
97 If you think you can make a correction, or devised a solution that
98 should be documented, please do so and send in a patch.
100 sect(Language: mudela)
102 question(Why can't you type code(#c) in stead of code(cis) ?)
104 We think that code(#c) looks as if you are entering the symbols to
105 print (which you are not; remember, you're entering the musical
109 question(Why do I have to type the accidentals to the note if I specified them?)
115 Independently of how it was written and what the current key was, you
116 would say that you are playing and reading "two C-sharp" notes. We
117 have tried to make the language somewhat context-free. Of course
118 sheet music is not context-free. Unfortunately, sheet music is also 2
119 dimensional, and ASCII is not.
121 Technically it would be feasible to have the Interpreting phase do
122 tricky things to add (or leave out) the accidentals, but we think that
123 it is impractical: it hampers the readability and portability of your
124 source, since you need LilyPond to fill in the details and actually
128 question(What is code(cis) anyway)
130 code(cis) is the dutch naming for C-sharp. The notes are named
131 a, b,.., g. The suffix -is means sharp, and -es flat. This system is
132 common in a number of languages (such as swedish, dutch, german.)
133 Certain other languages (such as English, French and Italian) just add
134 the word for "sharp" to the notename.
136 We chose the Dutch system, because we're dutch. You are free to chose
137 whatever names you like; they are user definable.
140 question(Why are [] around the notes, and () inbetween?)
142 [] designate beams, a note can only be in one beam at the same
143 time. () is a slur, which connects notes. You need to be able to
149 question(I want to insert some TeX commands.)
151 You shouldn't: it's against LilyPond philosophy to have typesetting
152 commands in the mudela source. Moreover, this would be difficult.
153 LilyPond uses TeX like a glorified output engine: the output consists
154 of (x,y) positions and symbols. You can only sensibly do TeX stuff in
155 the symbol string. You can access the symbol string easily for some
156 symbols (notably lyrics and code(^"text") commands).
159 sect(Do you support ...)
161 question(Do you support pop songs (chords, single staff, lyrics)?)
163 Yes, see the file(twinkle-pop) example.
166 question(Do you support guitar chord diagrams?)
168 No, not yet. We ourselves don't play guitar, and don't know the
169 fine points of this notation. We would welcome anyone who could give
172 question(Do you support TAB notation?)
174 No. The same as for the previous question goes, but TAB is a lot
175 more work than diagrams (TAB needs modification of Parser, Lexer,
176 Staff, Notehead, Stem code and all the code that creates these graphic
179 question(Do you support multiple staff-sizes?)
181 Yes and no. At this time you can choose between 11, 13, 16, 19,
182 20, 23 and 20 pt staff-size. The sizes can't be changed per staff
183 (yet). Look at file(standchen.ly) for an example.
188 question(How do I change the TeX layout?)
190 See file(lilyponddefs.tex), it has some comments. Or use file(ly2dvi).
192 question(How do I place lyrics under em(each) of the staves in a
193 score, as choral music. I can work out how to put lyrics for each line
194 all under the top line, or at the bottom but not between!)
196 You change the order lyrics and staves. You have to name all
197 staves (lyric and melodic), otherwise they will end up in the same
201 < \melodic \type Staff = "treble" \trebleMelody
202 \lyric \type Lyrics = "tlyrics" \trebtext
203 \type Staff = "bass" \melodic \bassMelody
204 \lyric \type Lyrics = "blyrics" \basstext
210 question(How do I put more than one marking on a note.)
216 or use spacing-notes to put markings at different horizontal positions
219 { s4\ff s4^"text" s4-\marcato s4 }
222 This also works for crescendi, eg,
230 question(How do I get bar numbers?)
232 See file(init/engraver.ly). You have to uncomment some entries. To
233 do this `portably' you should redefine some engravers in your own
234 source files. Check out file(init/rhythm.ly).
239 question(Could you implement feature XXXX? It is really easy, just extend
240 the syntax to allow YYYY!)
242 If it is reasonable, I'll add XXXX to the TODO list. In general
243 finding a cute syntax (such as YYYY) isn't very hard. The complicated
244 issue how to adapt the internals to do XXXX. The parser is really a
245 simple front end to the complicated internals.
248 question(Can I join in on LilyPond development? How do I do this?)
250 LilyPond development is open for anyone who wants to join. We try
251 to use a Bazaar style development model for LilyPond, see
252 lurl(http://locke.ccil.org/~esr/writings/cathedral.html.) This means:
253 frequent releases, everyone can send in a patch or do suggestions and
254 all development discussions are public.
256 To be precise, discussions take place on the gnu-music-discuss mailing
257 list, which is open for subscription to everyone.
260 question(I want to implement XXXX! Should I do this?)
262 There might be better ways of doing XXXX, so it's a good thing to
263 ask about this before you start hacking. If you want to keep in touch
264 with current developments, you should subscribe to the mailing list
265 (see the "links" section of the documentation).
268 question(Is there a GUI frontend? Should I start building one?)
270 LilyPond currently has no graphical interface. The authors seriously
271 doubt if a simple-minded approach (dragging and dropping notes) is any
272 easier or quicker to use than mudela. But for composing a graphical
273 environment probably is indispensable.
275 In any case email(Derek Wyatt)(wyatt@scar.utoronto.edu) is working on
276 GTK based editor, but that is still in an embryonal stage (see
277 lurl(http://harmonia.scar.utoronto.ca). There is also a GUI package
278 RoseGarden that could be extended to output mudela.
280 If you want to work on this, please send e-mail to the mailing list
281 email(gnu-misc-discuss@gnu.org).
284 question(I want to implement XXXX! How should I do this?)
286 Your best bet of getting us to include code, is to present it as a
287 "fait accompli", i.e., to send a patch to the mailing list.
290 question(I made some code, how do I get you to include it?)
294 diff -urN old-file new-file > patch
298 diff -urN old-directory/ new-directory/ > patch
300 Alternatively, you can use issue the command
305 Don't forget to put your name and e-mail address
306 in the file(AUTHORS.pod) file, or you won't get credits :-]
309 question(How do I learn the C++ code?)
311 The entry point is in code(main()). Good luck. :-)
313 Seriously, read, reread and reread internals and CodingStyle, and
316 Anywhere? Well, most of the comment doco are in the header files, so
317 your best bet would be code(less lily/include/*.hh). Some of the most
318 important data-structures are to be found in:
337 question(Your make system does not adhere to GNU coding standards, could you
340 No. We have evaluated the standard GNU combination for compiling
341 programs (autoconf, automake, libtool) and found to be inadequate in
342 several respects. More detailed argumentation is included with
343 LilyPond's generic make package code(StepMake)
344 (see file(stepmake-x.x.x/Documentation/automake.urgh))
346 LilyPond already compiles into a different directory ((the different
347 directory is called out/, there is one in every source directory).
348 make distclean essentially reduces to file(rm -f out/*) in every directory
351 question(gdb crashes when I debug!)
355 question(Why do I need g++ >= 2.7?)
357 By using g++, GNU LilyPond is portable to all platforms which support
358 g++ (there are quite a few). Not having to support other compilers
359 saves us a em(lot) of trouble.
365 question(I use dvilj4, and there are lots of warning messages for the
368 You should use dvips and ghostscript to print the code(dvi) output:
369 the slurs and beams are PS code(\special) commands.
372 question(My symbols are all messed up after I upgraded, I get the
373 wrong symbols and dvi-checksum errors!)
375 We obviously mucked with the fonts in the upgrade. Remove em(all)
376 previous fonts, including the file(.pk) and file(.tfm) fonts in
377 file(/var/lib/texmf). A script automating this has been included, see
378 file(buildscripts/clean-fonts.sh).
381 question(The beams and slurs are gone if use the XDvi magnifying glass!?)
383 The beams and slurs are done in PostScript. XDvi doesn't show
384 PostScript in the magnifying glass. Complain to the XDvi maintainers.
387 question(I don't get midi-output, even if I use bf(-M)!)
389 Your \score should include a \midi block, eg.
392 \melodic { c4 c g g }
395 \output "myfile.mid";
400 The bf(-M) option was added to LilyPond because processing the \paper
403 question(A lot of musical stuff doesn't make it to the MIDI file, eg.
404 dynamics, articulation, etc.)
406 The MIDI output was originally put in as a proof that MIDI could be
407 done, and as a method of proof"reading" the input. The MIDI support
408 is by no means finished. Patches appreciated.
412 question(I downloaded the windows32 port, and it doesn't match the website!)
414 The website is usually made from the latest snapshots. Binary releases,
415 in particular the windows32 binaries, are only made every once in a while.
416 They may lag several versions behind the latest version.
418 question(But i want a native DOS/Windows-NT/95 port)
420 Reconsider. Try Linux. It's fun!