Predefined macros, was: lilypond ./ChangeLog Documentation/user/notatio...

[Mats Bengtsson]

Han-Wen Nienhuys wrote:
> address@hidden writes:
>
> > May I ask for the reason of this change. I think it's very
> > convenient to have this kind of shortcut, especially for
> > scripts, where two different layout objects are involved,
> > depending on the type of script.
>
>
> I deemed it unnecessary since there is already very convenient
> shorthand (_ and ^) for tuning individual objects. If many objects
> need to be tuned, the appropriate \override takes little more work
> than \scriptUp/Down

I think the main problem is not the work to enter the code, but rather
the work to find out how to do it. I think the shortcuts help both
for newcomers who haven't yet learned how to set properties, somewhat
experienced people who still have problems to always find the relevant
grob, property and value and oldboys like me who know where to look
for all the relevant information but find it easier to remember the
names of the shortcuts than the exact name of every grob and property.

If we concentrate on the two first categories, I think these precooked
macros can also be a good pedagogical tool, especially if we include
the full definitions in the manual, as they are good examples both of
how to do the actual setting but also of how you can defined your own
shortcuts.

> The decision isn't final, but I would like to phase out the shortcuts
> in ly/property-init.ly gradually, replacing them with more generic
> mechanisms.

If you definitely don't want to pollute the global name space with
predefined macros, I think you shouldn't remove any such macro from
property-init.ly without including it in the manual. For example, you
could add something like

"The following macros may be convenient, to set the direction of
articulations and textual indications in the score:

scriptUp = {
  \override TextScript  #'direction = #1
  \override Script  #'direction = #1
}
scriptDown = {
  \override TextScript  #'direction = #-1
  \override Script  #'direction = #-1
}
scriptBoth = {
  \revert TextScript #'direction
  \revert Script #'direction
}

"

As I said above, I actually think it would be a good idea to add
it even if we don't remove the definitions from property-init.ly.

   /Mats