=head1 DESCRIPTION
-Some questions that have been answered before.
+Some questions that have been answered before. (note: relative paths
+are meant to be relative to the source directory)
=head2 Installing
-Q: I get all kinds of errors while compiling parser.cc
+Q: Wow, the webpages look really neat, but if I install the .exe file
+on my windows 3.11 machine, it doesn't work.
+
+A: The dos port is done with the cygnus W32 port of the GNU utils. It
+does I<not> work with windows 3.x; you need NT or w95 (this is not a
+recommendation, btw. We recommend you use Unix, in particular, use
+GNU/Linux)
+
+Q: I get all kinds of errors while compiling F<parser.cc>
A: LilyPond uses features of bison version 1.25. Please confirm that
-you are using a version 1.25 or better. Don't forget to do "make
-clean" after installing it
+you are using a version 1.25 or better, that is B<GNU> bison
+B<1.25>. Don't forget to do "make clean" after installing it. Don't
+forget to remove the stale F<bison.simple> as well.
If the problem persists, then please mail me.
+Q: Some of your neat scripts fail, what directories do you use:
+
+A: [This only applies if you don't do C<make install>, and develop out
+of the source directory]
+I have a directory which contains all music related stuff,
+
+ ~/something/
+
+which contains:
+
+ lilypond/ # the directory as unpacked from the tarball
+ releases/ # directory for .tar.gz releases
+ patches/ # directory for patches between different releases
+ test/ # create tarballs and do diffs from this directory
+
+~/something/lilypond/bin is in the PATH, and contains symlinks to the
+compiled executables. For some of the scripts to work, you have to set
+
+ LILYPOND_SOURCEDIR=/home/myself/something/lilypond
+
+in the environment.
+
+If you don't use patches, you'd probably want to symlink
+
+ lilypond -> lilypond-x.y.z
=head2 Language: mudela
We're not sure on leaving out this feature. If you think this is a
good idea, please let us know.
-Be warned we will I<not> allow you to leave out the C<#> if the note
-already has an accidental. We won't allow
- c# c % no way!
+Q: Why do I have to type the accidentals to the note if I specified them?
-in stead of:
+A: Take this example
cis cis
- #c #c
+Independently of how it was written and what the current key was, you
+would say that you are playing and reading "two C-sharp" notes. We
+have tried to make the language somewhat context-free. Of course
+sheet music is not context-free. Unfortunately, sheet music is also 2
+dimensional, and ASCII is not.
+
+Technically it would be feasible to have the Interpreting phase do
+tricky things to add (or leave out) the accidentals, but we think that
+it is impractical: it hampers the readability and portability of your
+source, since you need LilyPond to fill in the details and actually
+make sense of it.
+
+
+Q: What is C<cis> anyway
+
+A: C<cis> is the dutch naming for C-sharp. The notes are named
+a, b,.., g. The suffix -is means sharp, and -es flat. This system is
+common in a number of languages (such as swedish, dutch, german.)
+Certain other languages (such as English, French and Italian) just add
+the word for "sharp" to the notename.
+
+We chose the Dutch system, because we're dutch. You are free to chose
+whatever names you like; they are user definable.
Q: I can type
a()a()a
-Q: Why shouldn't I put all commands (\clef, \meter) inside the music?
-
-A: You should do what you like, but at some time we will enable
-quoting of music ("Stichnoten"). Besides if you are going to type an
-orchestral score, then you'd probably want to enter most of the meter,
-repeat commands only once.
Q: I want to insert some TeX commands
translated into printable items is complex: it is not always possible
to associate one Request with one Item or Spanner.
+As a further notice, we want to move away from TeX (and perhaps
+output PostScript or render to an X window too), so using TeX will
+make sources non-portable at some time.
+
+=head2 Do you support ...
-=head2 Miscellaneous
+Q: Do you support pop songs (chords, single staff, lyrics)?
+
+A: Yes, see the F<twinkle-pop> example.
+
+Q: Do you support guitar chord diagrams?
+
+A: No, not yet. We ourselves don't play guitar, and don't know the
+fine points of this notation. We would welcome anyone who could give
+this a try.
+
+Q: Do you support TAB notation?
+
+A: No. The same as for the previous question goes, but TAB is a lot
+more work than diagrams (TAB needs modification of Parser, Lexer,
+Staff, Notehead, Stem code and all the code that creates these graphic
+elements.)
+
+Q: Do you support multiple staff-sizes?
+
+A: Yes and no. At this time you can choose between 11, 13, 16, 19,
+20, 23 and 20 pt staff-size. The sizes can't be changed per staff
+(yet). Look at F<standchen.ly> for an example.
+
+
+=head2 How do I ....
Q: How do I change the TeX layout?
-A: See lilyponddefs.tex, it has some comments.
+A: See F<lilyponddefs.tex>, it has some comments.
+Q: How do I place lyrics under I<each> of the staves in a score, as in
+choral music. I can work out how to put lyrics for each line all under
+the top line, or at the bottom but not between!
+
+A: You change the order lyrics and staves. You have to name all
+staves (lyric and melodic), otherwise they will end up in the same
+staff/lyricline
-Q: Why GPL?
+
+ \score {
+ < \melodic \type Staff = "treble" \trebleMelody
+ \lyric \type Lyrics = "tlyrics" \trebtext
+ \type Staff = "bass" \melodic \bassMelody
+ \lyric \type Lyrics = "blyrics" \basstext
+ >
+ \paper { }
+ }
-A: Yes.
+
+Q: How do I put more than one marking on a note.
+
+A: You can stack them
+
+ c4^"a"^"b"
+
+or use spacing-notes to put markings at different horizontal positions
+
+ < c1
+ { s4\ff s4^"text" s4-\marcato s4 }
+ >
+
+
+
+=head2 Development
Q: Could you implement feature XXXX? It is really easy, just extend
the syntax to allow YYYY!
A: If it is reasonable, I'll add XXXX to the TODO list. In general
finding a cute syntax (such as YYYY) isn't very hard. The complicated
-issue how to adapt the internals to do XXXX. The parser is really a
+issue how to adapt the internals to do XXXX. The parser is really a
simple front end to the complicated internals.
-Q: Why do I need g++ >= 2.7?
+Q: Can I join in on LilyPond development? How do I do this?
-A: By using g++, GNU LilyPond is portable to all platforms which support
-g++ (there are quite a few). Not having to support other compilers
-saves us a I<lot> of trouble. GNU LilyPond and FlowerLib use:
+A: LilyPond development is open for anyone who wants to join. We try
+to use a Bazaar style development model for LilyPond, see
+http://locke.ccil.org/~esr/writings/cathedral.html. This means:
+frequent releases, everyone can send in a patch or do suggestions and
+all development discussions are public.
+
+To be precise, discussions take place on the gnu-music-discuss mailing
+list, which is open for subscription to everyone.
+
+
+Q: I want to implement XXXX! Should I do this?
+
+A: There might be better ways of doing XXXX, so it's a good thing to
+ask about this before you start hacking. If you want to keep in touch
+with current developments, you should subscribe to the mailing list
+(see the "links" section of the documentation).
+
+
+Q: I want to implement XXXX! How should I do this?
+
+A: Your best bet of getting me to include code, is to present it as a
+"fait accompli", ie., to send me a patch.
+
+
+Q: I made some code, how do I get you to include it?
+
+A: Send in a patch:
+
+ diff -urN old-file new-file > patch
-=over 4
+or
-=item *
+ diff -urN old-directory/ new-directory/ > patch
-builtin bool
+Alternatively, you can use F<bin/make-patch.py>. Don't forget to put
+in your name and e-mail address.
-=item *
+Q: How do I learn the C++ code?
-64 bit integral type long long
+A: The entry point is in C<main()>. Good luck. :-)
-=item *
+Seriously, read, reread and reread internals and CodingStyle, and
+just start anywhere.
-typeof
+Anywhere? Well, most of the comment doco are in the header files, so
+your best bet would be C<less lily/include/*.hh>. Some of the most
+important data-structures are to be found in:
-=item *
+ - *request.hh
+ - engraver.hh
+ - performer.hh
+ - translator.hh
+ - score-elem.hh
+ - music.hh
+ - music-list.hh
+ - music-iterator.hh
+ - item.hh
+ - spanner.hh
-operator <?, operator >?
-=item *
+Q: Why GPL?
-the new for-scope
+A: Yes.
-=item *
-class Rational (libg++)
+Q: Why do I need g++ >= 2.7?
-=back
+A: By using g++, GNU LilyPond is portable to all platforms which support
+g++ (there are quite a few). Not having to support other compilers
+saves us a I<lot> of trouble.
=head2 Running
+Q: There are lots of warning messages for the printing, all
+beginning with:
+
+ dvilj4l: warning: Invalid keyword or value in \special -
+
+A: You should use dvips and ghostscript to print it: the slurs and
+beams are PS C<\special> commands
+
+
+Q: My symbols are all messed up after I upgraded, and I get
+dvi-checksum errors!
+
+A: We mucked with the fonts in the upgrade. Remove I<all> previous
+fonts, including the .pk and .tfm fonts in F</var/lib/texmf>. A
+script automating this has been included, see F<bin/clean-fonts.sh>
+
+Q: I don't get midi-output, even if I use B<-M>!
+
+A: Your \score should include a \midi block, eg.
+
+ \score {
+ \melodic { c4 c g g }
+ \paper {}
+ \midi {
+ \output "myfile.mid";
+ \tempo 4=70;
+ }
+ }
+
+The B<-M> option was added to LilyPond because processing the \paper
+block is so slow.
+
+Q: A lot of musical stuff doesn't make it to the MIDI file (dynamics,
+articulation, etc).
+
+A: The MIDI output was originally put in as a proof that MIDI could be
+done, and as a method of proof"reading" the input. The MIDI support
+is by no means finished.
+
Q: I get
can't load library 'libflower.so'
A.0: Reconsider. Try Linux. It's fun!
-A.1: Currently (patchlevel 27), GNU LilyPond (and flowerLib) compiles, links
-and runs on windhoos-nt, using the cygnus gnu port (release b17.1).
+A.1: Currently (0.0.27), GNU LilyPond (and flowerLib) compiles,
+links and runs on Windows-nt, using Cygnus' gnu port (release b17.1).
I (JCN) only had to make a minor workaround for missing library calls.
-Have a look at http://www.cygnus.com/gnu-win32. To make GNU LilyPond type
-C<make $OSTYPE>. (I am not promising to maintain this platform, it is just
-that when having to use doze, i-m sometimes too lazy to reboot.)
+Have a look at http://www.cygnus.com/gnu-win32. To make GNU LilyPond
+type C<make>. (I am not promising to maintain this platform, it is just
+that when forced into doze, i'm sometimes too lazy to reboot.)
-A.2: I haven't had time to find a GCC crosscompiler (I<with> g++ and
-libg++, mind you) to DOS/win (in rpm, please :).
+A.2: I haven't had time to find a Linux GCC crosscompiler (I<with> g++
+and libg++, mind you) to DOS/Windows (in rpm, please :-)
+A.3: If you are knowledgeable enough to make w32 compiles from time to
+time, please do so! We want to keep away from w32 as far as possible.
-Q: I-m dozed enough to run the (sometimes bit stale) .exe-s you distribute.
+Q: I just love to blindly run the (sometimes bit stale) .exe's you distribute.
Why do i need cygwin.dll?
-A: It-s all in this cut-n-paste:
+A: It's all in this cut-n-paste:
Minimalist GNU-Win32 Readme
version 0.1.3
projects / lilypond.git / blobdiff