@menu
* Suggestions for writing LilyPond files::
-* Typesetting existing music::
-* Updating old files::
-* Troubleshooting (taking it all apart)::
* Saving typing with identifiers and functions::
* Style sheets::
+* Updating old files::
+* Troubleshooting (taking it all apart)::
@end menu
little examples in the tutorial, but whole pieces. But how should you
go about doing it?
-The best answer is ``however you want to do it.'' As long as LilyPond
-can understand your files and produces the output that you want, it
-doesn't matter what your files look like. That said, sometimes we
-make mistakes when writing files. If LilyPond can't understand your
-files, or produces output that you don't like, how do you fix the
-problem?
+As long as LilyPond can understand your files and produces the output
+that you want, it doesn't matter what your files look like. However,
+there are a few other things to consider when writing lilypond files.
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item What if you make a mistake? The structure of a lilypond
+file can make certain errors easier (or harder) to find.
+
+@item What if you want to share your files with somebody
+else? In fact, what if you want to alter your own files in
+a few years? Some lilypond files are understandable at
+first glance; other files may leave you scratching your head
+for an hour.
+
+@item What if you want to upgrade your lilypond file for use
+with a later version of lilypond? The input syntax changes
+occasionally as lilypond improves. Most changes can be
+done automatically with @code{convert-ly}, but some changes
+might require manual assistance. Lilypond files can be
+structured in order to be easier (or header) to update.
+@end itemize
+
+@menu
+* General suggestions::
+* Typesetting existing music::
+* Large projects::
+@end menu
+
+
+@node General suggestions
+@subsection General suggestions
Here are a few suggestions that can help you to avoid or fix
problems:
using a few years ago. @code{convert-ly} requires you to declare
which version of LilyPond you used.
-@item @strong{Include checks}: @ref{Bar check} and @ref{Octave check}. If
+@item @strong{Include checks}: @ref{Bar check} and @ref{Octave check}. If
you
include checks every so often, then if you make a mistake, you can pinpoint
it quicker. How often is ``every so often''? It depends on the complexity
of the music. For very simple music, perhaps just once or twice. For
very complex music, perhaps every bar.
-@item @strong{One bar per line of text}. If there is anything complicated,
+@item @strong{One bar per line of text}. If there is anything complicated,
either in the music
itself or in the output you desire, it's often good to write only one bar
per line. Saving screen space by cramming eight bars per line just isn't
worth it if you have to `debug' your files.
-@item @strong{Comment your files}. Use either bar numbers (every so often)
+@item @strong{Comment your files}. Use either bar numbers (every so often)
or
-references to musical themes (``second theme in violins,'' ``fourth
+references to musical themes (``second theme in violins,'' ``fourth
variation'', etc). You may not need comments when you're writing the piece
-for the first time, but if you want to go back to change something two or
-three years later, or if you pass the source over to a friend, it will
+for the first time, but if you want to go back to change something two or
+three years later, or if you pass the source over to a friend, it will
be much more
-challenging to determine your intentions or how your file is structured if
+challenging to determine your intentions or how your file is structured if
you didn't comment the file.
-@item @strong{Indent your braces}. A lot of problems are caused by an
+@item @strong{Indent your braces}. A lot of problems are caused by an
imbalance
in the number of @code{@{} and @code{@}}.
+@item @strong{Explicity add durations} at the beginnings of sections
+and identifiers. If you specify @code{c4 d e} at the beginning of a
+phrase (instead of just @code{c d e}) you can save yourself some
+problems if you rearrange your music later.
+
+@item @strong{Separate tweaks} from music definitions. See
+@ref{Saving typing with identifiers and functions} and
+@ref{Style sheets}.
+
@end itemize
@node Typesetting existing music
-@section Typesetting existing music
+@subsection Typesetting existing music
If you are entering music from an existing score (i.e., typesetting a
piece of existing sheet music),
@end itemize
-@node Updating old files
-@section Updating old files
-
-The LilyPond input syntax occasionally changes. As LilyPond itself
-improves, the syntax (input language) is modified accordingly. Sometimes
-these changes are made to make the input easier to read and write or
-sometimes the changes are made to accomodate new features of LilyPond.
-
-LilyPond comes with a file that makes this updating easier:
-@code{convert-ly}. For details about how to run this program, see
-@ref{Updating files with convert-ly}.
-
-Unforunately, @code{convert-ly} cannot handle all input changes. It
-takes care of simple search-and-replace changes (such as @code{raggedright}
-becoming @code{ragged-right}), but some changes are too
-complicated. The syntax changes that @code{convert-ly} cannot handle
-are listed in @ref{Updating files with convert-ly}.
-
-For example, in LilyPond 2.4 and earlier, accents and non-English
-letters were entered using LaTeX -- for example,
-"@code{No\"el}" (this would print the French word for
-`Christmas'). In LilyPond 2.6 and above, the special
-"@code{ë}" must be entered directly into the LilyPond file as an
-UTF-8 character. @code{convert-ly} cannot change all the LaTeX
-special characters into UTF-8 characters; you must manually update
-your old LilyPond files.
+@node Large projects
+@subsection Large projects
+When working on a large project, having a clear structure to your
+lilypond files becomes vital.
-@node Troubleshooting (taking it all apart)
-@section Troubleshooting (taking it all apart)
-
-Sooner or later, you will write a file that LilyPond cannot
-compile. The messages that LilyPond gives may help
-you find the error, but in many cases you need to do some
-investigation to determine the source of the problem.
-
-The most powerful tools for this purpose are the
-single line comment (indicated by @code{%}) and the block
-comment (indicated by @code{%@{ ... %@}}). If you don't
-know where a problem is, start commenting out huge portions
-of your input file. After you comment out a section, try
-compiling the file again. If it works, then the problem
-must exist in the portion you just commented. If it doesn't
-work, then keep on commenting out material until you have
-something that works.
+@itemize @bullet
-In an extreme case, you might end up with only
+@item @strong{Use an identifier for each voice}, with a minimum of
+structure inside the definition. The structure of the
+@code{\score} section is the most likely thing to change;
+the @code{violin} definition is extremely unlikely to change
+in a new version of LilyPond.
@example
+violin = \relative c'' @{
+g4 c'8. e16
+@}
+...
\score @{
- <<
- % \melody
- % \harmony
- % \bass
- >>
- \layout@{@}
+ \new GrandStaff @{
+ \new Staff @{
+ \violin
+ @}
+ @}
@}
@end example
-@noindent
-(in other words, a file without any music)
-
-If that happens, don't give up. Uncomment a bit -- say,
-the bass part -- and see if it works. If it doesn't work,
-then comment out all of the bass music (but leave
-@code{\bass} in the @code{\score} uncommented.
+@item @strong{Separate tweaks from music definitions}. This
+point was made in @ref{General suggestions}, but for large
+projects it is absolutely vital. We might need to change
+the definition of @code{fthenp}, but then we only need
+to do this once, and we can still avoid touching anything
+inside @code{violin}.
@example
-bass = \relative c' @{
-%@{
- c4 c c c
- d d d d
-%@}
+fthenp = _\markup@{
+ \dynamic f \italic \small @{ 2nd @} \hspace #0.1 \dynamic p @}
+violin = \relative c'' @{
+g4\fthenp c'8. e16
@}
@end example
-Now start slowly uncommenting more and more of the
-@code{bass} part until you find the problem line.
+@end itemize
@node Saving typing with identifiers and functions
violin = \relative c'' @{
\repeat volta 2 @{
c4._\markup@{ \italic \bold dolce @} b8 a8 g a b |
- \once \override TextScript #'padding = #5.0
+ \once \override TextScript #'padding = #5.0
c4.^"hi there!" d8 e' f g d |
c,4.\markup@{ \dynamic f \italic \small @{ 2nd @}
\hspace #0.1 \dynamic p @} b8 c4 c-. |
@end example
+@node Updating old files
+@section Updating old files
+
+The LilyPond input syntax occasionally changes. As LilyPond itself
+improves, the syntax (input language) is modified accordingly. Sometimes
+these changes are made to make the input easier to read and write or
+sometimes the changes are made to accomodate new features of LilyPond.
+
+LilyPond comes with a file that makes this updating easier:
+@code{convert-ly}. For details about how to run this program, see
+@ref{Updating files with convert-ly}.
+
+Unforunately, @code{convert-ly} cannot handle all input changes. It
+takes care of simple search-and-replace changes (such as @code{raggedright}
+becoming @code{ragged-right}), but some changes are too
+complicated. The syntax changes that @code{convert-ly} cannot handle
+are listed in @ref{Updating files with convert-ly}.
+
+For example, in LilyPond 2.4 and earlier, accents and non-English
+letters were entered using LaTeX -- for example,
+"@code{No\"el}" (this would print the French word for
+`Christmas'). In LilyPond 2.6 and above, the special
+"@code{ë}" must be entered directly into the LilyPond file as an
+UTF-8 character. @code{convert-ly} cannot change all the LaTeX
+special characters into UTF-8 characters; you must manually update
+your old LilyPond files.
+
+
+@node Troubleshooting (taking it all apart)
+@section Troubleshooting (taking it all apart)
+
+Sooner or later, you will write a file that LilyPond cannot
+compile. The messages that LilyPond gives may help
+you find the error, but in many cases you need to do some
+investigation to determine the source of the problem.
+
+The most powerful tools for this purpose are the
+single line comment (indicated by @code{%}) and the block
+comment (indicated by @code{%@{ ... %@}}). If you don't
+know where a problem is, start commenting out huge portions
+of your input file. After you comment out a section, try
+compiling the file again. If it works, then the problem
+must exist in the portion you just commented. If it doesn't
+work, then keep on commenting out material until you have
+something that works.
+
+In an extreme case, you might end up with only
+
+@example
+\score @{
+ <<
+ % \melody
+ % \harmony
+ % \bass
+ >>
+ \layout@{@}
+@}
+@end example
+
+@noindent
+(in other words, a file without any music)
+
+If that happens, don't give up. Uncomment a bit -- say,
+the bass part -- and see if it works. If it doesn't work,
+then comment out all of the bass music (but leave
+@code{\bass} in the @code{\score} uncommented.
+
+@example
+bass = \relative c' @{
+%@{
+ c4 c c c
+ d d d d
+%@}
+@}
+@end example
+
+Now start slowly uncommenting more and more of the
+@code{bass} part until you find the problem line.
+
+
projects / lilypond.git / blobdiff