Re: [PATCH] Ligature brackets

[Juergen Reuter]

On Tue, 16 Apr 2002, Han-Wen Nienhuys wrote:

> address@hidden writes:
> > Hi!
> >
> > Attached is a patch that introduces ligature brackets (anyone knows a
> > better term for these beasts?).  These brackets are used in modern
> > notation when transcribing mensural music; they simply mark a series
> > of notes that, in the original notation, formed a ligature.
> >
> > Example:
> >
> > c d e \[ f g a g \] f e d c
> >
> > This puts square edges around the notes f g a g.  This, of course,
> > could have been implemented simplier, namely without using a spanner.
> > However, for future extensions, I think a spanner fits best.  I am
> > planning to use this syntax to enclose ligatures in general (i.e. not
> > only mensural or transcribed ones).
>
> Thanks for the patch, I'm putting it in. Some notes:
>
>  * We're getting a plethora of brackets. It would be nice if we could
>     merge all the code into a single .cc file, and have a single
>     bracket-interface, which would group all the layout properties of
>     those brackets. Other code (bass figure, piano pedal, tuplet,
>     etc.) could use functions of the Bracket_interface to print brackets.
>
>  * Perhaps your brackets are useful in more contexts? LigatureBracket
>    seems too specific a name. In musical analysis  it's also quite
>    common to delineate section using brackets, isn't it?
>

Mmmh, well, maybe, or maybe not.  The central idea is to have "\[" and
"\]" as delimiters for ligatures in general, i.e. for transcribed
ligatures, mensural ligatures and (for 1.7.x) neumes ligatures.
Originally my plan was to put all this code into a single engraver, so
that by adjusting a single property, you would be able to select between
original notation and transcribed notation, without need for changing the
\notes section itself.

However, on a second thought, I realized that such an engraver would get
quite big and complicated.  Therefore, I decided to put ligature brackets
into an engraver of its own.  The idea now is that you will be able to
switch between original notation and transcribed notation by
removing/adding the proper engraver: ligature-bracket-engraver for
transcribed music; mensural-ligature-engraver (TODO) for original
notation.  This, however, means, that the parser must generate
command requests for two engravers from the symbols "\[" and "\]", which I
think is ok in this case, as the musical meaning is still the same.

Bottom line: I think, it is basically ok to merge the code as you suggest;
however I would like to reserve "\[" and "\]" for a musicological unique
purpose, namely ligatures, rather than for a graphical concept like
brackets.

BTW, thanks for putting in my patch!

Greetings,
Juergen