3 @node Converting from other formats
4 @chapter Converting from other formats
6 Music can be entered also by importing it from other formats. This
7 chapter documents the tools included in the distribution to do so.
8 There are other tools that produce LilyPond input, for example GUI
9 sequencers and XML converters. Refer to the
10 @uref{http://lilypond.org,website} for more details.
15 * Invoking convert-ly:: Older LilyPond versions.
16 * Invoking midi2ly:: Importing MIDI.
17 * Invoking etf2ly:: Importing Finale.
18 * Invoking abc2ly:: Importing ABC.
19 * Invoking musedata2ly:: Importing Musedata.
20 * Invoking mup2ly:: Importing MUP.
24 @node Invoking convert-ly
25 @section Invoking convert-ly
27 Convert-ly sequentially applies different conversions to upgrade a
28 LilyPond input file. It uses @code{\version} statements in the file to
29 detect the old version number. For example, to upgrade all LilyPond
30 files in the current directory and its subdirectories, use
32 convert-ly -e --to=1.3.150 `find . -name '*.ly' -print`
35 The program is invoked as follows:
37 convert-ly [@var{option}]@dots{} @var{file}@dots{}
41 The following options can be given:
45 Do an inline edit of the input file. Overrides @code{--output}.
46 @item -f,--from=@var{from-patchlevel}
47 Set the level to convert from. If this is not set, convert-ly will
48 guess this, on the basis of @code{\version} strings in the file.
49 @item -o,--output=@var{file}
50 Set the output file to write.
52 Normally, convert-ly adds a @code{\version} indicator
53 to the output. Specifying this option suppresses this.
54 @item -s, --show-rules
55 Show all known conversions and exit.
56 @item --to=@var{to-patchlevel}
57 Set the goal version of the conversion. It defaults to the latest
67 Not all language changes are handled. Only one output option can be specified.
69 @node Invoking midi2ly
70 @section Invoking midi2ly
74 Midi2ly translates a MIDI input file to a LilyPond source file. MIDI
75 (Music Instrument Digital Interface) is a standard for digital
76 instruments: it specifies cabling, a serial protocol and a file format.
78 The MIDI file format is a de facto standard format for exporting music
79 from other programs, so this capability may come in useful when you want
80 to import files from a program that has no converter for its native
83 @file{midi2ly} will convert tracks into @internalsref{Staff} and
84 channels into @internalsref{Voice} contexts. Relative mode is used
85 for pitches, durations are only written when necessary.
87 It is possible to record a MIDI file using a digital keyboard, and then
88 convert it to @file{.ly}. However, human players are not rhythmically
89 exact enough to make a MIDI to LY conversion trivial. midi2ly tries to
90 compensate for these timing errors, but is not very good at this. It is
91 therefore not recommended to use midi2ly for human-generated midi files.
93 Hackers who know about signal processing are invited to write a more
94 robust midi2ly. midi2ly is written in Python, using a module written in
95 C to parse the MIDI files.
97 It is invoked as follows:
99 midi2ly [@var{option}]@dots{} @var{midi-file}
102 The following options are supported by midi2ly:
105 @item -a, --absolute-pitches
106 Print absolute pitches.
107 @item -d, --duration-quant=@var{DUR}
108 Quantize note durations on @var{DUR}.
109 @item -e, --explicit-durations
110 Print explicit durations.
112 Show summary of usage.
113 @item -k, --key=@var{acc}[:@var{minor}]
114 Set default key. @var{acc} > 0 sets number of sharps; @var{acc} < 0
115 sets number of flats. A minor key is indicated by ":1".
116 @item -o, --output=@var{file}
117 Write output to @var{file}.
118 @item -s, --start-quant=@var{DUR}
119 Quantize note starts on DUR.
120 @item -t, --allow-tuplet=@var{DUR}*@var{NUM}/@var{DEN}
121 Allow tuplet durations @var{DUR}*@var{NUM}/@var{DEN}.
125 Print version number.
127 Show warranty and copyright.
128 @item -x, --text-lyrics
129 Treat every text as a lyric.
133 @node Invoking etf2ly
134 @section Invoking etf2ly
139 @cindex Coda Technology
141 ETF (Enigma Transport Format) is a format used by Coda Music
142 Technology's Finale product. etf2ly will convert part of an ETF
143 file to a ready-to-use LilyPond file.
145 It is invoked as follows:
147 etf2ly [@var{option}]@dots{} @var{etf-file}
150 The following options are supported by etf2ly:
154 @item -o,--output=FILE
155 set output filename to FILE
163 The list of articulation scripts is incomplete. Empty measures confuse
164 etf2ly. Sequences of grace notes are ended improperly sometimes.
167 @node Invoking abc2ly
168 @section Invoking abc2ly
172 ABC is a fairly simple ASCII based format. It is described at the ABC site:
174 @uref{http://www.gre.ac.uk/~c.walshaw/abc2mtex/abc.txt}.
176 abc2ly translates from ABC to LilyPond. It is invoked as follows:
179 abc2ly [@var{option}]@dots{} @var{abc-file}
182 The following options are supported by abc2ly:
187 @item -o,--output=@var{file}
188 set output filename to @var{file}.
190 print version information.
193 There is a rudimentary facility for adding LilyPond code to the ABC
194 source file. If you say:
197 %%LY voices \set autoBeaming = ##f
200 This will cause the text following the keyword ``voices'' to be inserted
201 into the current voice of the LilyPond output file.
206 %%LY slyrics more words
209 will cause the text following the ``slyrics'' keyword to be inserted
210 into the current line of lyrics.
215 The ABC standard is not very ``standard''. For extended features
216 (e.g. polyphonic music) different conventions exist.
218 Multiple tunes in one file cannot be converted.
220 ABC synchronizes words and notes at the beginning of a line; abc2ly does
223 abc2ly ignores the ABC beaming.
225 @node Invoking musedata2ly
226 @section Invoking musedata2ly
231 MuseData (see @uref{http://www.musedata.org/}) is an electronic
232 library of classical music scores, comprising at the time of writing
233 about 800 composition dating from 1700 to 1825. The music is encoded
234 in so-called MuseData format. musedata2ly converts a set of MuseData
235 files to one .ly file, and will include a @code{\header} field if a
236 @file{.ref} file is supplied. It is invoked as follows:
239 musedata2ly [@var{option}]@dots{} @var{musedata-files}
242 The following options are supported by musedata2ly:
247 @item -o,--output=@var{file}
248 set output filename to @var{file}
251 @item -r,--ref=@var{reffile}
252 read background information from ref-file
258 @file{musedata2ly} converts only a small subset of MuseData.
260 @node Invoking mup2ly
261 @section Invoking mup2ly
263 Mup (Music Publisher) is a shareware music notation program by Arkkra
264 Enterprises. Mup2ly will convert part of a Mup file to LilyPond
265 format. It is invoked as follows:
267 @cindex Music Publisher
272 mup2ly [@var{option}]@dots{} @var{mup-file}
275 The following options are supported by mup2ly:
279 show what constructs are not converted, but skipped.
280 @item -D, --define=@var{name}[=@code{exp}]
281 define macro @var{name} with opt expansion @code{exp}
282 @item -E,--pre-process
283 only run the pre-processor
286 @item -o,--output=@var{file}
287 write output to @var{file}
291 print warranty and copyright.
297 Only plain notes (pitches, durations), voices, and staves are