New features in 1.8 since 1.6
=============================
-* INPUT
+** The chord entry code has been completely rewritten. It is now
+cleaner and more flexible.
-** Completely rewritten support for chord entry. Cleaner and more flexible.
-
-** Text entry is now done in a separate mode, and is more ergonomic
-than the previous Scheme texts.
+** A new syntax has been added for text entry. This syntax is more
+friendly than the old mechanism, and it is implemented in a more
+robust and modular way. For more information, refer to the section on
+"Text markup" in the notation manual.
** Deeper integration of the input language and Scheme. You can now use
LilyPond identifiers in Scheme, and use Scheme expressions instead of
LilyPond identifiers.
-** Music types cleaned up and Schemified.
+** The internal representation of music has been cleaned up completely
+and converted to Scheme data structures. The representation may be
+exported as XML.
-** New syntax for chords:
+** A new syntax has been added for chords:
<< PITCHES >>
-This is in addition to the < MUSICS > syntax for simultaneous
-music. Combined with this is uniform postfix syntax for articulation:
-
- c8-[-( d8-]-)
-
-for a beamed slurred pair of eighth notes.
-
-*NOTE* In version 2.0, this syntax will be changed to
+It is not necessary to update files to this syntax, but it will be for
+using LilyPond version 2.0. In version 2.0, this syntax will be
+changed to
< PITCHES > for chords
\simultaneous { .. } for simultaneous music.
-** User code evaluation during interpreting. Syntax
-
- \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
-
-** XML music output.
+To convert your files from <PITCHES> to <<PITCHES>>, use the script
+included in buildscripts/convert-new-chords.py
-** Friendly chord-name exception entry.
-
-** Texts can be put on multimeasure rests, eg.
-
- R1*20^\markup { "GP" }
+** A new uniform postfix syntax for articulation has been introduced.
+A beamed slurred pair of eighth notes can be entered as
+ c8-[-( d8-]-)
-* OUTPUT
+In version 2.0, postfix syntax will be the only syntax
+available, and the dashes will become optional.
-** Preliminary Sodipodi/SVG output
+** User code may now be executed during interpreting. The syntax for
+this code is
+ \applycontext #SCHEME-FUNCTION
-* NOTATION
+** User code may now be executed on arbitrary grobs during interpreting.
+The syntax for this feature is
+ \applyoutput #SCHEME-FUNCTION
-** Ancient notation ... ?? ... (Jurgen?)
+SCHEME-FUNCTION takes a single argument, and is called for every grob
+that is created in the current context.
-** Completely rewritten text formatting support, implemented in a
-completely modular way.
+** New algorithms for chord-name formatting have been installed. They
+can be tuned and have ergonomic syntax for entering exceptions.
-** Chord name formatting completely rewritten.
+** Texts may now be put on multimeasure rests, eg.
-** Texts can be added to multimeasure rests
+ R1*20^\markup { "GP" }
-** Zigzagged glissandi
+** Ancient notation now prints ligatures in Gregorian square neumes
+notation, roughly following the typographical style of the Liber
+hymnarius of Solesmes, published in 1983. Ligatures are still printed
+without the proper line breaking and horizontal spacing.
-** Cluster support. Syntax:
+** Glissandi can now be printed using the zigzag style.
- NOTE-\startCluster
+** Clusters may now be printed. The syntax is:
- ..
- NOTE-\stopCluster
+ \apply #clusters-to-notes { NOTE NOTE .. }
-** Beat grouping indications. Syntax:
+** For irregular meters, beat grouping marks can be printed. The
+syntax for this is
#(set-time-signature 7 8 '(3 2 2))
-** Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis.
+** Nested horizontal brackets for music analysis can now be printed.
NOTE-\startGroup
..
NOTE-\stopGroup
-** Gregorian ligatures.
-
-** Ottava brackets. Syntax: #(set-octavation 1)
+** Ottava brackets are now fully supported as a feature. The syntax
+is
-** Metronome markings.
+ #(set-octavation 1)
-** Horizontal fingerings on chords.
+** Metronome markings are printed when a \tempo command is processed.
-** Tuning of various font glyphs
+** Fingerings can be put on chords horizontally.
-** Nested percent style repeats
+** The appearance of various glyphs has been fine-tuned.
-* OTHER
+** Different types of percent style repeats may now be nested.
-** More advanced emacs support
+** The emacs support has been extended.
-** Completely revised manual, tutorial, and examples section
+** The manual has been completely revised and extended.