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{}.
106 %%%%% TEXT FORMATTING
108 * Lines should be less than 72 characters long. (I personally
109 recommend writing with 66-char lines, but don't bother modifying
112 * Do not use tabs. They expand to nothing in DVI output.
114 * Do not use spaces at the beginning of a line (except in @example
115 or @verbatim environments), and do not use more than a single
116 space between words. `makeinfo' copies the input lines verbatim
117 without removing those spaces.
119 * Use two spaces after a period.
121 * Variables or numbers which consist of a single character
122 (probably followed by a punctuation mark) should be tied
123 properly, either to the previous or the next word. Example:
125 The variable@tie{}@var{a} ...
127 * To get consistent indentation in the DVI output it is better to
128 avoid the @verbatim environment. Use the @example environment
129 instead if possible, but without extraneous indentation. For
138 should be replaced with
146 where `@example' starts the line (without leading spaces).
148 * Do not compress the input vertically; this is, do not use
150 Beginning of logical unit
154 continuation of logical unit
158 Beginning of logical unit
165 continuation of logical unit
167 This makes it easier to avoid forgetting the `@noindent'. Only
168 use @noindent if the material is discussing the same material;
169 new material should simply begin without anything special on the
172 * in @itemize use @item on a separate line like this:
180 Do not use @itemize @bullet.
182 * Specially-marked text:
184 @code{}: actual lilypond code or property/context names.
185 @samp{}: ditto, for single-letter code.
188 ** Any `\' used inside the commands below must be **
189 ** written as `\\'. Even if they are inside a @code{}. **
190 ( this should only affect @warning{} )
192 @notation{}: refers to pieces of notation, such as
193 "@notation{crescendo} is often abbreviated as
194 @notation{cresc.}" This should also be used to refer to
195 specific lyrics ("the @notation{A - men} is centered...")
196 @q{}: used for `vague' terms in English (and other natural
198 @qq{}: only for actual quotes -- i.e. "he said" or "she
200 @warning{}: produces a "Note: " box. Use for important
206 * Non-ASCII characters which are in utf-8 should be directly used;
207 this is, don't say `Ba@ss{}tuba' but `Baßtuba'. This ensures that
208 all such characters appear in all output formats.
210 * Don't use a @ref{link to another section} in the middle of a
211 sentence. It looks ok in HTML, moderately bad in PDF, and
212 utterly horrible in INFO. Instead, reword the sentence so that
213 users are encouraged to see @ref{link to another section}.
214 (at the end of the sentence)
216 * Do not forget to create @cindex entries for new sections of text.
217 Enter commands with @funindex, i.e.
218 @cindex pitches, writing in different octaves
220 do not bother with the @code{} (they are added automatically). These
221 items are added to both the command index and the unified index.
223 * Abbrevs in caps, e.g., HTML, DVI, MIDI, etc.
227 1. To introduce lists
228 2. When beginning a quote: "So, he said,..."
229 This usage is rarer. Americans often just use a comma.
230 3. When adding a defining example at the end of a sentence.
233 %%%%% TECHNICAL WRITING STYLE
235 * Do not refer to LilyPond in the text. The reader knows what the
236 manual is about. If you do, capitalization is LilyPond.
238 * If you explicitly refer to `lilypond' the program (or any other
239 command to be executed), say `@command{lilypond}'.
241 * Do not explicitly refer to the reader/user. There is no one
242 else besides the reader and the writer.
244 * Do not use abbreviations (don't, won't, etc.). If you do, use a
247 blabla blabla, i.e., blabla blabla
249 * Avoid fluff (``Notice that,'' ``as you can see,''
252 * The use of the word `illegal' is inappropriate in most cases.
253 Say `invalid' instead.