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14 @node Running lilypond
15 @chapter Running @command{lilypond}
17 This chapter details the technicalities of running LilyPond.
21 * Command-line usage::
30 Most users run LilyPond through a GUI; if you have not done so
31 already, please read the @rlearning{Tutorial}. If you use an alternate
32 editor to write lilypond files, see the documentation for that
36 @node Command-line usage
37 @section Command-line usage
39 This section contains extra information about using LilyPond on the
40 command-line. This may be desirable to pass extra options to the
41 program. In addition, there are certain extra @q{helper} programs (such
42 as @code{midi2ly}) which are only available on the command-line.
44 By @q{command-line}, we mean the command line in the operating system.
45 Windows users might be more familiar with the terms @q{DOS shell} or
46 @q{command shell}. MacOS@tie{}X users might be more familiar with the terms
47 @q{terminal} or @q{console}. Some additional setup is required
48 for MacOS@tie{}X users; please see @rweb{MacOS X}.
50 Describing how to use this part of an operating system is outside the
51 scope of this manual; please consult other documentation on this topic
52 if you are unfamiliar with the command-line.
56 * Command line options for lilypond::
57 * Environment variables::
58 * LilyPond in chroot jail::
61 @node Invoking lilypond
62 @unnumberedsubsec Invoking @command{lilypond}
64 The @command{lilypond} executable may be called as follows from
68 lilypond [@var{option}]@dots{} @var{file}@dots{}
72 When invoked with a filename that has no extension, the @file{.ly}
73 extension is tried first. To read input from stdin, use a
74 dash (@code{-}) for @var{file}.
76 When @file{filename.ly} is processed it will produce @file{filename.ps}
77 and @file{filename.pdf} as output. Several files can be specified;
78 they will each be processed independently. @footnote{The status of
79 GUILE is not reset after processing a @code{.ly} file, so be careful
80 not to change any system defaults from within Scheme.}
82 If @file{filename.ly} contains more than one @code{\book}
83 block, then the rest of the scores will be output in numbered files,
84 starting with @file{filename-1.pdf}. In addition, the value of
85 @code{output-suffix} will be inserted between the basename and the
86 number. An input file containing
89 #(define output-suffix "violin")
91 #(define output-suffix "cello")
96 will output @var{base}@file{-violin.pdf} and
97 @var{base}@file{-cello-1.pdf}.
100 @unnumberedsubsubsec Standard shell commands
102 If your shell (i.e. command window) supports normal redirects,
103 then you might find it useful to use the following commands to
104 redirect console output to a file:
109 @code{lilypond file.ly 1>stdout.log} to redirect normal output
112 @code{lilypond file.ly 2>stderr.log} to redirect error messages
115 @code{lilypond file.ly &>all.log} to redirect all output
119 Consult the documentation for your shell to see if it supports these
120 options, or if the syntax is different. Note that these are shell
121 commands and have nothing to do with lilypond.
124 @node Command line options for lilypond
125 @unnumberedsubsec Command line options for @command{lilypond}
127 @cindex Invoking @command{lilypond}
128 @cindex command line options for @command{lilypond}
129 @cindex options, command line
132 The following options are supported:
136 @item -d,--define-default=@var{var}=@var{val}
137 This sets the internal program option @var{var} to the Scheme value
138 @var{val}. If @var{val} is not supplied, then @var{#t} is used. To
139 switch off an option, @code{no-} may be prefixed to @var{var}, e.g.
141 @cindex point and click, command line
153 The following options are supported:
155 @cindex help, command line
160 Running @code{lilypond -dhelp} will print all of the @option{-d} options
163 @cindex paper-size, command line
166 This option sets the default paper-size,
168 -dpaper-size=\"letter\"
172 Note that the string must be enclosed in escaped quotes ( @code{\"} ).
173 @c Match " in previous line to help context-sensitive editors
175 @cindex safe, command line
178 Do not trust the @code{.ly} input.
180 When LilyPond formatting is available through a web server, either the
181 @option{--safe} or the @option{--jail} option @b{MUST} be passed. The
182 @option{--safe} option will prevent inline Scheme code from wreaking
189 c4^$(ly:gulp-file "/etc/passwd")
194 The @option{-dsafe} option works by evaluating in-line Scheme
195 expressions in a special safe module. This safe module is derived from
196 GUILE @file{safe-r5rs} module, but adds a number of functions of the
197 LilyPond API. These functions are listed in @file{scm/safe-lily.scm}.
199 In addition, safe mode disallows @code{\include} directives and
200 disables the use of backslashes in @TeX{} strings.
202 In safe mode, it is not possible to import LilyPond variables into
205 @option{-dsafe} does @emph{not} detect resource overuse. It is still
206 possible to make the program hang indefinitely, for example by feeding
207 cyclic data structures into the backend. Therefore, if using LilyPond
208 on a publicly accessible webserver, the process should be limited in
209 both CPU and memory usage.
211 Safe mode will prevent many useful LilyPond snippets from being
212 compiled. The @option{--jail} is a more secure alternative, but
213 requires more work to set up.
215 @cindex output format, setting
218 the output format to use for the backend. Choices for @code{format}
224 @cindex PostScript output
228 Postscript files include TTF, Type1 and OTF fonts. No subsetting of
229 these fonts is done. When using oriental character sets, this can lead
234 @cindex Postscript, encapsulated
235 @cindex EPS (Encapsulated PostScript)
237 for encapsulated PostScript. This dumps every page (system) as a
238 separate @file{EPS} file, without fonts, and as one collated @file{EPS}
239 file with all pages (systems) including fonts.
241 This mode is used by default by @command{lilypond-book}.
245 @cindex SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics)
247 for SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics).
249 This creates a single SVG file, without embedded fonts, for every page
250 of output. It is recommended to install the Century Schoolbook fonts,
251 included with your LilyPond installation, for optimal rendering. Under
252 UNIX, simply copy these fonts from the LilyPond directory (typically
253 @file{/usr/share/lilypond/VERSION/fonts/otf/}) to @file{~/.fonts/}. The
254 SVG output should be compatible with any SVG editor or user agent.
259 @cindex output, Scheme dump
261 for a dump of the raw, internal Scheme-based drawing commands.
264 do not output a printed score; has the same effect as
265 @option{-dno-print-pages}.
269 Example: @code{lilypond -dbackend=svg @var{filename}.ly}
273 @cindex preview, command line
275 This option is supported by all backends; @code{pdf}, @code{png},
276 @code{ps}, @code{eps} and @code{svg}, but not @code{scm} and generates
277 an output file containing the titles and the first system of music. If
278 @code{\bookpart} blocks are used, the titles and first system of every
279 @code{\bookpart} will appear in the output.
281 An additional file in the form @code{myFile.preview.extension} is
282 generated, to avoid this use the additional @option{-dprint-pages} or
283 @option{-dno-print-pages} options according to your requirements.
286 Runs silently and redirect all output to a log file.
288 Note to Windows users: By default @code{lilypond.exe} outputs all
289 progress information to the command window, @code{lilypond-windows.exe}
290 does not and returns a prompt, with no progress information, immediately
291 at the command line. The @option{-dgui} option can be used in this case
292 to redirect output to a log file.
295 Generate the full pages, the default. @option{-dno-print-pages} is
296 useful in combination with @option{-dpreview}.
300 @cindex Scheme, expression evaluation
301 @cindex expression evaluation, Scheme
303 @item -e,--evaluate=@var{expr}
304 Evaluate the Scheme @var{expr} before parsing any @file{.ly} files.
305 Multiple @option{-e} options may be given, they will be evaluated
308 The expression will be evaluated in the @code{guile-user} module, so
309 if you want to use definitions in @var{expr}, use
312 lilypond -e '(define-public a 42)'
316 on the command-line, and include
319 #(use-modules (guile-user))
323 at the top of the @code{.ly} file.
325 @warning{Windows users must use double quotes instead of single quotes.}
327 @cindex output, format
328 @cindex format, output
330 @item -f,--format=@var{format}
331 which formats should be written. Choices for @code{format} are
332 @code{ps}, @code{pdf}, and @code{png}.
334 Example: @code{lilypond -fpng @var{filename}.ly}
337 Show a summary of usage.
339 @item -H,--header=@var{FIELD}
340 Dump a header field to file @file{BASENAME.@var{FIELD}}.
342 @item -i,--init=@var{file}
343 Set init file to @var{file} (default: @file{init.ly}).
345 @cindex file searching
348 @item -I, --include=@var{directory}
349 Add @var{directory} to the search path for input files.
351 Multiple -I options may be given. The search will start in the first
352 defined directory, and if the file to be included is not found the
353 search will continue in subsequent directories.
355 @cindex chroot jail, running inside
357 @item -j,--jail=@var{user},@var{group},@var{jail},@var{dir}
358 Run @command{lilypond} in a chroot jail.
360 The @option{--jail} option provides a more flexible alternative to
361 @option{--safe} when LilyPond formatting is available through a web
362 server or whenever LilyPond executes externally provided
365 The @option{--jail} option works by changing the root of
366 @command{lilypond} to @var{jail} just before starting the actual
367 compilation process. The user and group are then changed to match those
368 provided, and the current directory is changed to @var{dir}. This setup
369 guarantees that it is not possible (at least in theory) to escape from
370 the jail. Note that for @option{--jail} to work @command{lilypond} must
371 be run as root, which is usually accomplished in a safe way using
374 Setting up a jail is a slightly delicate matter, as we must be sure that
375 LilyPond is able to find whatever it needs to compile the source
376 @emph{inside the jail}. A typical setup comprises the following items:
380 @item Setting up a separate filesystem
381 A separate filesystem should be created for LilyPond, so that it can be
382 mounted with safe options such as @code{noexec}, @code{nodev}, and
383 @code{nosuid}. In this way, it is impossible to run executables or to
384 write directly to a device from LilyPond. If you do not want to create a
385 separate partition, just create a file of reasonable size and use it to
386 mount a loop device. A separate filesystem also guarantees that LilyPond
387 cannot write more space than it is allowed.
389 @item Setting up a separate user
390 A separate user and group (say, @code{lily}/@code{lily}) with low
391 privileges should be used to run LilyPond inside the jail. There should
392 be a single directory writable by this user, which should be passed in
395 @item Preparing the jail
396 LilyPond needs to read a number of files while running. All these files
397 are to be copied into the jail, under the same path they appear in the
398 real root filesystem. The entire content of the LilyPond installation
399 (e.g., @file{/usr/share/lilypond}) should be copied.
401 If problems arise, the simplest way to trace them down is to run
402 LilyPond using @command{strace}, which will allow you to determine which
405 @item Running LilyPond
406 In a jail mounted with @code{noexec} it is impossible to execute any
407 external program. Therefore LilyPond must be run with a backend that
408 does not require any such program. As we already mentioned, it must be
409 also run with superuser privileges (which, of course, it will lose
410 immediately), possibly using @command{sudo}. It is a good idea to limit
411 the number of seconds of CPU time LilyPond can use (e.g., using
412 @command{ulimit@tie{}-t}), and, if your operating system supports it,
413 the amount of memory that can be allocated.
418 @cindex output, verbosity
420 @item -l,--loglevel=@var{LEVEL}
421 Set the verbosity of the console output to @var{LEVEL}. Possible values
427 No output at all, not even error messages.
430 Only error messages, no warnings or progress messages.
433 Warnings and error messages, no progress.
436 Basic progress messages (success), warnings and errors.
439 All progress messages, warnings and errors.
442 Progress messages, warnings, errors and further execution information.
445 All possible messages, including verbose debug output.
449 @cindex directory, redirect output
450 @cindex output, setting filename
451 @cindex output, directory
453 @item -o,--output=@var{FILE} or @var{FOLDER}
454 Set the default output file to @var{FILE} or, if a folder with that name
455 exists, direct the output to @var{FOLDER}, taking the file name from the
456 input file. The appropriate suffix will be added (e.g. @code{.pdf} for
459 @cindex PS (Postscript), output
460 @cindex Postscript (PS), output
461 @cindex output, PS (Postscript)
466 @cindex PNG (Portable Network Graphics), output
467 @cindex output, PNG (Portable Network Graphics)
470 Generate pictures of each page, in PNG format. This implies
471 @option{--ps}. The resolution in DPI of the image may be set with
476 @cindex PDF (Portable Document Format), output
477 @cindex output, PDF (Portable Document Format)
480 Generate PDF. This implies @option{--ps}.
483 Show version information.
486 Be verbose: show full paths of all files read, and give timing
490 Show the warranty with which GNU LilyPond comes. (It comes with
491 @strong{NO WARRANTY}!)
496 @node Environment variables
497 @unnumberedsubsec Environment variables
501 @cindex LILYPOND_DATADIR
503 @command{lilypond} recognizes the following environment variables:
505 @item LILYPOND_DATADIR
506 This specifies a directory where locale messages and
507 data files will be looked up by default. The directory should contain
508 subdirectories called @file{ly/}, @file{ps/}, @file{tex/}, etc.
511 This selects the language for the warning messages.
513 @item LILYPOND_LOGLEVEL
514 The default loglevel. If LilyPond is called without an explicit loglevel (i.e.
515 no @option{--loglevel} command line option), this value is used.
517 @item LILYPOND_GC_YIELD
518 A variable, as a percentage, that tunes memory management
519 behavior. A higher values means the program uses more memory, a
520 smaller value means more CPU time is used. The default value is
526 @node LilyPond in chroot jail
527 @unnumberedsubsec LilyPond in chroot jail
529 Setting up the server to run LilyPond in a chroot jail is a complicated
530 task. The steps are listed below. Examples in the steps are from
531 Ubuntu Linux, and may require the use of @code{sudo} as appropriate.
535 @item Install the necessary packages: LilyPond, GhostScript, and ImageMagick.
537 @item Create a new user by the name of @code{lily}:
544 This will create a new group for the @code{lily} user as well, and a
545 home folder, @code{/home/lily}
547 @item In the home folder of the @code{lily} user create a file to use as a
551 dd if=/dev/zero of=/home/lily/loopfile bs=1k count= 200000
555 This example creates a 200MB file for use as the jail filesystem.
557 @item Create a loop device, make a file system and mount it, then create
558 a folder that can be written by the @code{lily} user:
562 losetup /dev/loop0 /home/lily/loopfile
563 mkfs -t ext3 /dev/loop0 200000
564 mount -t ext3 /dev/loop0 /mnt/lilyloop
565 mkdir /mnt/lilyloop/lilyhome
566 chown lily /mnt/lilyloop/lilyhome
569 @item In the configuration of the servers, the JAIL will be @code{/mnt/lilyloop}
570 and the DIR will be @code{/lilyhome}.
572 @item Create a big directory tree in the jail by copying the necessary files, as
573 shown in the sample script below.
575 You can use @code{sed} to create the necessary copy commands for a given
579 for i in "/usr/local/lilypond/usr/bin/lilypond" "/bin/sh" "/usr/bin/; \
580 do ldd $i | sed 's/.*=> \/\(.*\/\)\([^(]*\).*/mkdir -p \1 \&\& \
581 cp -L \/\1\2 \1\2/' | sed 's/\t\/\(.*\/\)\(.*\) (.*)$/mkdir -p \
582 \1 \&\& cp -L \/\1\2 \1\2/' | sed '/.*=>.*/d'; done
587 @subheading Example script for 32-bit Ubuntu 8.04
595 loopdevice=/dev/loop0
596 jaildir=/mnt/lilyloop
597 # the prefix (without the leading slash!)
599 # the directory where lilypond is installed on the system
600 lilydir=/$lilyprefix/lilypond/
602 userhome=$home/$username
603 loopfile=$userhome/loopfile
605 dd if=/dev/zero of=$loopfile bs=1k count=200000
607 losetup $loopdevice $loopfile
608 mkfs -t ext3 $loopdevice 200000
609 mount -t ext3 $loopdevice $jaildir
610 mkdir $jaildir/lilyhome
611 chown $username $jaildir/lilyhome
614 mkdir -p bin usr/bin usr/share usr/lib usr/share/fonts $lilyprefix tmp
617 cp -r -L $lilydir $lilyprefix
618 cp -L /bin/sh /bin/rm bin
619 cp -L /usr/bin/convert /usr/bin/gs usr/bin
620 cp -L /usr/share/fonts/truetype usr/share/fonts
622 # Now the library copying magic
623 for i in "$lilydir/usr/bin/lilypond" "$lilydir/usr/bin/guile" "/bin/sh" \
624 "/bin/rm" "/usr/bin/gs" "/usr/bin/convert"; do ldd $i | sed 's/.*=> \
625 \/\(.*\/\)\([^(]*\).*/mkdir -p \1 \&\& cp -L \/\1\2 \1\2/' | sed \
626 's/\t\/\(.*\/\)\(.*\) (.*)$/mkdir -p \1 \&\& cp -L \/\1\2 \1\2/' \
627 | sed '/.*=>.*/d'; done | sh -s
629 # The shared files for ghostscript...
630 cp -L -r /usr/share/ghostscript usr/share
631 # The shared files for ImageMagick
632 cp -L -r /usr/lib/ImageMagick* usr/lib
634 ### Now, assuming that you have test.ly in /mnt/lilyloop/lilyhome,
635 ### you should be able to run:
636 ### Note that /$lilyprefix/bin/lilypond is a script, which sets the
637 ### LD_LIBRARY_PATH - this is crucial
638 /$lilyprefix/bin/lilypond -jlily,lily,/mnt/lilyloop,/lilyhome test.ly
641 @c " keep quote signs balanced for context-sensitive editors
644 @section Error messages
646 @cindex error messages
647 Different error messages can appear while compiling a file:
653 Something looks suspect. If you are requesting something out of the
654 ordinary then you will understand the message, and can ignore it.
655 However, warnings usually indicate that something is wrong with the
660 Something is definitely wrong. The current processing step (parsing,
661 interpreting, or formatting) will be finished, but the next step will
666 Something is definitely wrong, and LilyPond cannot continue. This
667 happens rarely. The most usual cause is misinstalled fonts.
670 @cindex trace, Scheme
673 Errors that occur while executing Scheme code are caught by the Scheme
674 interpreter. If running with the verbose option (@option{-V} or
675 @option{--verbose}) then a call trace of the offending
676 function call is printed.
678 @item Programming error
679 @cindex Programming error
680 There was some internal inconsistency. These error messages are
681 intended to help the programmers and debuggers. Usually, they can be
682 ignored. Sometimes, they come in such big quantities that they obscure
685 @item Aborted (core dumped)
686 @cindex Aborted (core dumped)
687 This signals a serious programming error that caused the program to
688 crash. Such errors are considered critical. If you stumble on one,
692 @cindex errors, message format
693 If warnings and errors can be linked to some part of the input file,
694 then error messages have the following form
697 @var{filename}:@var{lineno}:@var{columnno}: @var{message}
698 @var{offending input line}
701 A line-break is inserted in the offending line to indicate the column
702 where the error was found. For example,
705 test.ly:2:19: error: not a duration: 5
710 These locations are LilyPond's best guess about where the warning or
711 error occurred, but (by their very nature) warnings and errors occur
712 when something unexpected happens. If you can't see an error in the
713 indicated line of your input file, try checking one or two lines
714 above the indicated position.
716 More information about errors is given in @ref{Common errors}.
720 @section Common errors
722 The error conditions described below occur often, yet the cause
723 is not obvious or easily found. Once seen and understood, they
728 * Music runs off the page::
729 * An extra staff appears::
730 * Apparent error in ../ly/init.ly::
731 * Error message Unbound variable %::
732 * Error message FT_Get_Glyph_Name::
733 * Warning staff affinities should only decrease::
736 @node Music runs off the page
737 @unnumberedsubsec Music runs off the page
739 Music running off the page over the right margin or appearing
740 unduly compressed is almost always due to entering an incorrect
741 duration on a note, causing the final note in a measure to extend
742 over the bar line. It is not invalid if the final note in a
743 measure does not end on the automatically entered bar line, as the
744 note is simply assumed to carry over into the next measure. But
745 if a long sequence of such carry-over measures occurs the music
746 can appear compressed or may flow off the page because automatic
747 line breaks can be inserted only at the end of complete measures,
748 i.e., where all notes end before or at the end of the measure.
750 @warning{An incorrect duration can cause line breaks to be
751 inhibited, leading to a line of highly compressed music or
752 music which flows off the page.}
754 The incorrect duration can be found easily if bar checks are used,
755 see @ruser{Bar and bar number checks}.
757 If you actually intend to have a series of such carry-over measures
758 you will need to insert an invisible bar line where you want the
759 line to break. For details, see @ruser{Bar lines}.
762 @node An extra staff appears
763 @unnumberedsubsec An extra staff appears
765 If contexts are not created explicitly with @code{\new} or
766 @code{\context}, they will be silently created as soon as a
767 command is encountered which cannot be applied to an existing
768 context. In simple scores the automatic creation of contexts is
769 useful, and most of the examples in the LilyPond manuals take
770 advantage of this simplification. But occasionally the silent
771 creation of contexts can give rise to unexpected new staves or
772 scores. For example, it might be expected that the following code
773 would cause all note heads within the following staff to be
774 colored red, but in fact it results in two staves with the note
775 heads remaining the default black in the lower staff.
777 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
778 \override Staff.NoteHead #'color = #red
782 This is because a @code{Staff} context does not exist when the
783 override is processed, so one is implicitly created and the override
784 is applied to it, but then the @code{\new Staff} command creates
785 another, separate, staff into which the notes are placed. The
786 correct code to color all note heads red is
788 @lilypond[quote,verbatim,relative=2]
790 \override Staff.NoteHead #'color = #red
795 As a second example, if a @code{\relative} command is placed inside
796 a @code{\repeat} command, two staves result, the second offset from
797 the first, because the @code{\repeat} command generates two
798 @code{\relative} blocks, which each implicitly create @code{Staff}
799 and @code{Voice} blocks.
801 @lilypond[quote,verbatim]
803 \relative c' { c4 d e f }
807 Explicitly instantiating the @code{Voice} context fixes the
810 @lilypond[quote,verbatim]
813 \relative c' { c4 d e f }
819 @node Apparent error in ../ly/init.ly
820 @unnumberedsubsec Apparent error in @code{../ly/init.ly}
822 Various obscure error messages may appear about syntax errors in
823 @file{../ly/init.ly} if the input file is not correctly formed,
824 for example, if it does not contain correctly
825 matched braces or quote signs.
827 The most common error is a missing brace, (@code{@}}), at the end of
828 a @code{score} block. Here the solution is obvious: check the
829 @code{score} block is correctly terminated. The correct structure
830 of an input file is described in @rlearning{How LilyPond input files work}.
831 Using an editor which automatically highlights matching brackets and
832 braces is helpful to avoid such errors.
834 A second common cause is no white space between the last syllable
835 of a lyrics block and the terminating brace, (@code{@}}). Without
836 this separation the brace is taken to be part of the syllable. It
837 is always advisable to ensure there is white space before and after
838 @emph{every} brace. For the importance of this when using lyrics,
839 see @ruser{Entering lyrics}.
841 This error message can also appear if a terminating quote sign,
842 (@code{"}), is omitted. In this case an accompanying error message
843 @c keep "-matching straight in fancy editors
844 should give a line number close to the line in error. The
845 mismatched quote will usually be on the line one or two above.
847 @node Error message Unbound variable %
848 @unnumberedsubsec Error message Unbound variable %
850 This error message will appear at the bottom of the console
851 output or log file together with a @qq{GUILE signalled an error @dots{}}
852 message every time a Scheme routine is called which (invalidly)
853 contains a @emph{LilyPond} rather than a @emph{Scheme} comment.
855 LilyPond comments begin with a percent sign, (@code{%}), and must
856 not be used within Scheme routines. Scheme comments begin with a
857 semi-colon, (@code{;}).
859 @node Error message FT_Get_Glyph_Name
860 @unnumberedsubsec Error message FT_Get_Glyph_Name
862 This error messages appears in the console output or log file if
863 an input file contains a non-ASCII character and was not saved in
864 UTF-8 encoding. For details, see @ruser{Text encoding}.
867 @node Warning staff affinities should only decrease
868 @unnumberedsubsec Warning staff affinities should only decrease
869 This warning can appear if there are no staves in the printed
870 output, for example if there are just a @code{ChordName} context
871 and a @code{Lyrics} context as in a lead sheet. The warning
872 messages can be avoided by making one of the contexts behave as a
876 \override VerticalAxisGroup #'staff-affinity = ##f
880 at its start. For details, see @qq{Spacing of non-staff lines} in
881 @ruser{Flexible vertical spacing within systems}.