Spontini-Editor (a GUI assistant for making complex scores with Lilypond)

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paolopr
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Joined: 20 Jan 2021, 13:03

Spontini-Editor (a GUI assistant for making complex scores with Lilypond)

Post by paolopr »

Hi everyone,

Few days ago I published the first complete release of a new experimental and advanced Lilypond editor: "Spontini-Editor"

The project, after several months of tests, is currently in a mature state.

Spontini-Editor is a text-combined-with-graphic music editor that strongly speeds up the creation and fine graphic tuning of complex scores edited with Lilypond through two main features:

It allows the positioning of musical objects (articulations, texts, pedals, curves, brackets etc.) with the mouse, both for "avoid-collisions" properties (X/Y-offset, staff-padding, outside-staff-padding, padding) and for extra-offset property. Once the positioning is graphically done, the text editor reports the corresponding changes on the input file: these changes are written in standard Lilypond code and do not require any additional software to be compiled.

It assists in the creation of piano music by inserting notes in tabular and formatted form. It also supports cross-staff scores through a set of work-arounds (invisible to the user) that solve many issues of the native cross-staff functions.

In addition, it has a self-installable WEB SERVER, ready for production (it supports SSL and even TOR), which allows you to comfortably use the editor on RASPBERRY PI and Android mobile devs, without any installation, and supports "collaborative mode" (like Lilybin) as well.

There is also the possibility to add scripts (I have added example scripts with Python-ly and ABJAD) and to create custom scripts or plugins, for example in Python.

There is a pan-zoom interface like in vector editors and multiple layouts (with separate windows) can be configured.

There is a pure HTML midi player (no installation is required) + a midi plugin for VLC, quick insert, auto-completion.

The interface for creating cross-staff scores is very rich and a complete algorithm is now available to create these scores. I have added many examples of cross-staff notation, including very difficult scores such as Sorabji's examples.

And many other things...

I would also like to put the editor online, as is already possible for Lilybin: everything is ready and if anyone will help me find a suitable host and remote service, they are welcome!

Unfortunately I could not test the installation on macOS: any help is welcome for this too!

Before I can create a 1.0 release, I have to do more tests. But in the meantime you can download the development snapshot from Github:

https://github.com/paolo-prete/Spontini

All this took a lot of effort. I hope it will be as useful to Lilypond users as it has been useful to me.

Best,

Paolo
DatOrganistTho
Posts: 192
Joined: 19 Jan 2016, 17:30

Re: Spontini-Editor (a GUI assistant for making complex scores with Lilypond)

Post by DatOrganistTho »

I have been longing for this type of tool for a while. Editing slurs and shapes in LilyPond has been that last hurdle which has sometimes prevented me from finishing a score. I don't have the coding expertise to devise this, but it always made me wonder if someone would make it possible. Well done on implementing it, and bravo! You should be very proud, as I can see.

I'll try it out and see what I think. This may make me go back to LilyPond for some of my bigger and more complex engraving projects.
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paolopr
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Re: Spontini-Editor (a GUI assistant for making complex scores with Lilypond)

Post by paolopr »

DatOrganistTho wrote: 20 Jan 2021, 18:03 I have been longing for this type of tool for a while. Editing slurs and shapes in LilyPond has been that last hurdle which has sometimes prevented me from finishing a score. I don't have the coding expertise to devise this, but it always made me wonder if someone would make it possible. Well done on implementing it, and bravo! You should be very proud, as I can see.

I'll try it out and see what I think. This may make me go back to LilyPond for some of my bigger and more complex engraving projects.
Thanks very much for the encouragement!

Currently the biggest problem with Spontini-Editor is that the installation on Macosx has not been tested, because I don't have the hardware available, and it can easily be broken (no problem with Linux and Windows, though!) Once this problem is fixed, I will be able to create the 1.0 release. I also hope to find collaborators for the project, because it is very difficult for me to develop it alone especially for testing. We will see what happens in the future ...
DatOrganistTho
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Joined: 19 Jan 2016, 17:30

Re: Spontini-Editor (a GUI assistant for making complex scores with Lilypond)

Post by DatOrganistTho »

I'd love to help! What do you need experience wise?
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OCTO
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Re: Spontini-Editor (a GUI assistant for making complex scores with Lilypond)

Post by OCTO »

It is indeed an astonishing tool. I have never used LilyPond but from what I can see your examples are beautiful.
How much (coding) knowledge must one have to start using your tool?
Freelance Composer. Self-Publisher.
Finale 27.3 • Sibelius 2023.5• MuseScore 4+ • Logic Pro X+ • Ableton Live 11+ • Digital Performer 10+ /// MacOS Monterey (secondary in use systems: Fedora 35, Windows 10)
paolopr
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Re: Spontini-Editor (a GUI assistant for making complex scores with Lilypond)

Post by paolopr »

DatOrganistTho wrote: 20 Jan 2021, 21:48 I'd love to help! What do you need experience wise?
Thank you!

Currently, the biggest help for me is:

1) testing the installation on macOS

2) testing generally and reporting issues to github with an appropriate label for each issue. Possible labels are:

*) bug
Something isn't working
*) documentation
Improvements or additions to documentation
*) duplicate
This issue or pull request already exists
*) enhancement
New feature or request
*) good first issue
Good for newcomers
*) help wanted
Extra attention is needed
*) invalid
This doesn't seem right
*) question
Further information is requested

This helps me a lot
paolopr
Posts: 6
Joined: 20 Jan 2021, 13:03

Re: Spontini-Editor (a GUI assistant for making complex scores with Lilypond)

Post by paolopr »

OCTO wrote: 20 Jan 2021, 21:51 It is indeed an astonishing tool. I have never used LilyPond but from what I can see your examples are beautiful.
How much (coding) knowledge must one have to start using your tool?
Thank you!

The required knowlegdge is Lilypond, nothing more nothing less.
After you have learnt Lilypond you are comp!etely ready to use Spontini-Editor.
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OCTO
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Re: Spontini-Editor (a GUI assistant for making complex scores with Lilypond)

Post by OCTO »

Thanks, I will happily follow it!

And also 'amen' to Linus Torvalds and his Github.
Freelance Composer. Self-Publisher.
Finale 27.3 • Sibelius 2023.5• MuseScore 4+ • Logic Pro X+ • Ableton Live 11+ • Digital Performer 10+ /// MacOS Monterey (secondary in use systems: Fedora 35, Windows 10)
DatOrganistTho
Posts: 192
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Re: Spontini-Editor (a GUI assistant for making complex scores with Lilypond)

Post by DatOrganistTho »

paolopr wrote: 20 Jan 2021, 22:21
DatOrganistTho wrote: 20 Jan 2021, 21:48 I'd love to help! What do you need experience wise?
Thank you!

Currently, the biggest help for me is:

1) testing the installation on macOS

2) testing generally and reporting issues to github with an appropriate label for each issue. Possible labels are:

*) bug
Something isn't working
*) documentation
Improvements or additions to documentation
*) duplicate
This issue or pull request already exists
*) enhancement
New feature or request
*) good first issue
Good for newcomers
*) help wanted
Extra attention is needed
*) invalid
This doesn't seem right
*) question
Further information is requested

This helps me a lot
I'd love to help! I'll see what I can do.

I'd love to use some other fonts than Emmentaler, but how is that accomplished with this program? I see you packaged Lilypond into the editor.
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paolopr
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Re: Spontini-Editor (a GUI assistant for making complex scores with Lilypond)

Post by paolopr »

DatOrganistTho wrote: 26 Jan 2021, 03:19 I'd love to help! I'll see what I can do.

I'd love to use some other fonts than Emmentaler, but how is that accomplished with this program? I see you packaged Lilypond into the editor.
Currently, the macOS installation has just been tested, and now it works.
Regarding the fonts, I simply copy them into the LilyPond fonts directory, in order to make them work. But I understand that an automation for this operation is desirable, then I'll see if it can be added to Spontini-Editor. I'll update you

Thanks for your feedback!
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