7 There are four parts to the documentation: the Learning Manual,
8 the Notation Reference, the Program Reference, and the Music
11 * Learning Manual: long, chatty, friendly explanations go here.
12 This is aimed at users learning something for the first time --
13 not necessarily just learning lilypond notation, but also things
14 like learning how to deal with projects, tweaking, preparing parts
15 for orchestras, etc. Less formal language may be used here.
17 Users are encouraged to read the complete Learning Manual from
21 * Notation Reference: a (hopefully complete) description of
22 LilyPond input notation. Some material from here may be
23 duplicated in the Learning Manual (for teaching). The material is
24 presented in an approximate order of increasing difficulty, but
25 the goal is _not_ to provide a step-by-step learning environment.
26 For example, all material under "Pitches" should remain in that
27 section, even though microtonal accidentals may seem more advanced
28 than info about clefs or time signatures -- "Pitches" should be a
29 one-stop reference about the pitch portion of notes. This section
30 is written in formal technical writing style.
32 Users are not expected to read this manual from start to finish.
33 However, they should be familiar with the material in the Learning
34 Manual (particularly ``Fundamental Concepts''), so do not repeat
35 that material in this book. Also, you should assume that users
36 know what the notation means; explaining musical concepts happens
37 in the Music Glossary.
40 * Program Usage: information about using the program lilypond with
41 other programs (lilypond-book, operating systems, GUIs,
42 convert-ly, etc). This section is written in formal technical
45 Users are not expected to read this manual from start to finish.
48 * Music Glossary: information about the music notation itself.
49 Explainations and translations about notation terms go here.
51 Users are not expected to read this manual from start to finish.
54 %%%%% SECTION ORGANIZATION
56 The order of headings inside documentation sections should be:
63 * You _must_ include a @seealso. The order of items inside the
66 Music glossary: @rgloss{foo}, @rgloss{bar}.
68 User manual: @ref{baz}, @ref{foozle}.
70 Snippets: @lsrdir{section}.
72 Program reference: @internalsref{fazzle}, @internalsref{booar}.
74 ("Snippets" is REQUIRED; the others are optional)
76 * @commonprop and @refbugs are optional.
79 %%%%% LILYPOND FORMATTING
81 * Use two spaces for indentation in lilypond examples. (no tabs)
83 * If possible, only write one bar per line. The notes on each
84 line should be an independent line.
86 \override textscript #'padding = #3 c1^"hi"
88 \override textscript #'padding = #3
91 * LilyPond input should be produce via
92 @lilypond[verbatim,quote,ragged-right]
93 with `fragment' and `relative=2' optional.
95 Examples about page layout may alter the quote/ragged-right
96 options. Omitting `verbatim' is not allowed.
98 * Inspirational headwords are produced with
99 @lilypondfile[ragged-right,line-width=16\cm,staffsize=16,quote]
100 {pitches-headword.ly}
102 * Avoid long stretches of input code. Noone is going to read them
103 in print. Instead refer to an example input file with @lsr{}.
105 * If you want to work on an example outside of the manual (for
106 easier/faster processing), use this header:
109 #(define dump-extents #t)
111 line-width = 160\mm - 2.0 * 0.4\in
113 force-assignment = #""
114 line-width = #(- line-width (* mm 3.000000))
120 You may not change any of these values. If you are making an
121 example demonstrating special \paper{} values, contact the
122 Documentation Editor.
125 %%%%% TEXT FORMATTING
127 * Lines should be less than 72 characters long. (I personally
128 recommend writing with 66-char lines, but don't bother modifying
131 * Do not use tabs. They expand to nothing in DVI output.
133 * Do not use spaces at the beginning of a line (except in @example
134 or @verbatim environments), and do not use more than a single
135 space between words. `makeinfo' copies the input lines verbatim
136 without removing those spaces.
138 * Use two spaces after a period.
140 * Variables or numbers which consist of a single character
141 (probably followed by a punctuation mark) should be tied
142 properly, either to the previous or the next word. Example:
144 The variable@tie{}@var{a} ...
146 * To get consistent indentation in the DVI output it is better to
147 avoid the @verbatim environment. Use the @example environment
148 instead if possible, but without extraneous indentation. For
157 should be replaced with
165 where `@example' starts the line (without leading spaces).
167 * Do not compress the input vertically; this is, do not use
169 Beginning of logical unit
173 continuation of logical unit
177 Beginning of logical unit
184 continuation of logical unit
186 This makes it easier to avoid forgetting the `@noindent'. Only
187 use @noindent if the material is discussing the same material;
188 new material should simply begin without anything special on the
191 * in @itemize use @item on a separate line like this:
199 Do not use @itemize @bullet.
201 * Specially-marked text:
203 @code{}: actual lilypond code or property/context names.
204 @samp{}: ditto, for single-letter code.
207 ** Any `\' used inside the commands below must be **
208 ** written as `\\'. Even if they are inside a @code{}. **
209 ( this should only affect @warning{} )
211 @notation{}: refers to pieces of notation, such as
212 "@notation{crescendo} is often abbreviated as
213 @notation{cresc.}" This should also be used to refer to
214 specific lyrics ("the @notation{A - men} is centered...")
215 @q{}: used for `vague' terms in English (and other natural
217 @qq{}: only for actual quotes -- i.e. "he said" or "she
219 @warning{}: produces a "Note: " box. Use for important
225 * Non-ASCII characters which are in utf-8 should be directly used;
226 this is, don't say `Ba@ss{}tuba' but `Baßtuba'. This ensures that
227 all such characters appear in all output formats.
229 * Don't use a @ref{link to another section} in the middle of a
230 sentence. It looks ok in HTML, moderately bad in PDF, and
231 utterly horrible in INFO. Instead, reword the sentence so that
232 users are encouraged to see @ref{link to another section}.
233 (at the end of the sentence)
235 * Do not forget to create @cindex entries for new sections of text.
236 Enter commands with @funindex, i.e.
237 @cindex pitches, writing in different octaves
239 do not bother with the @code{} (they are added automatically). These
240 items are added to both the command index and the unified index.
242 * Abbrevs in caps, e.g., HTML, DVI, MIDI, etc.
246 1. To introduce lists
247 2. When beginning a quote: "So, he said,..."
248 This usage is rarer. Americans often just use a comma.
249 3. When adding a defining example at the end of a sentence.
252 %%%%% TECHNICAL WRITING STYLE
254 * Do not refer to LilyPond in the text. The reader knows what the
255 manual is about. If you do, capitalization is LilyPond.
257 * If you explicitly refer to `lilypond' the program (or any other
258 command to be executed), say `@command{lilypond}'.
260 * Do not explicitly refer to the reader/user. There is no one
261 else besides the reader and the writer.
263 * Do not use abbreviations (don't, won't, etc.). If you do, use a
266 blabla blabla, i.e., blabla blabla
268 * Avoid fluff (``Notice that,'' ``as you can see,''
271 * The use of the word `illegal' is inappropriate in most cases.
272 Say `invalid' instead.