RE: feature request: semi-automatic vertical spacement

[Fairchild]

Trevor -

The notion is so simple (maybe too simple) that a detailed example would
only make it seem more complex.

Simply use \breakSpace at the break point of any staff to override the
springs and force the distance from the bottom line of the staff to the top
line of the next, ignoring everything on or around the staff.
\pageBreakSpace would force space between the bottom line of the staff to
the bottom page margin.

Let the fancy layout algorithms deal with anything left over and complain if
spacing is over specified.

Normally the default layout is good, with few adjustments necessary.

Now I use a mixture of \pageBreak, betweensystempadding, betweensystemspace,
Staff minimumVerticalExtent, \markup { " " \raise #n " " }, and TLC to trick
the vertical layout algorithms.  The result is often unpredictable.

                              - Bruce

-----Original Message-----
From: Trevor Baca [mailto:address@hidden 
Sent: Tuesday, January 17, 2006 6:01 PM
To: Fairchild
Cc: Han-Wen Nienhuys; Nicolas Sceaux; address@hidden
Subject: Re: feature request: semi-automatic vertical spacement


On 1/17/06, Fairchild <address@hidden> wrote:
>
> Some months ago I proposed implementation of individual line spacing 
> control with\breakSpace #n to force n staff spaces between lines, and 
> \pageBreakSpace #n to force n staff spaces at the bottom of a page.  
> Spacing following normal breaks or those forced with \break or 
> \pageBreak would be calculated as now.
>
> This presents a simple syntax to the user and allows precise vertical 
> spacing of individual lines or of an entire page if each line is 
> followed by a \breakSpace or \pageBreakSpace.
>
> Too simple?

Hey Bruce,

You know, that might work. Could we work out a fictitious example real quick
so I can see how the numbers would work?

Let's say that we've got a score on US letter in portrait orientation (so
8.5" wide and 11" tall) and that on one particular page there are to be two
systems, each with three staves, so:


 ========= (sys 2, staff 3)

 ========= (sys 2, staff 2)

 ========= (sys 2, staff 1)



  ========= (sys 1, staff 3)

  ========= (sys 1, staff 2)

  ========= (sys 1, staff 1)


So we've got a page with 2 systems, each with 3 staves (with a total of 6
staves on the page).

Then we decide we want the following (all of which are made-up for example),
working from the bottom of the page up over all 6 staves:

1. lowest line of [sys 1, staff 1] to be 1.4" from bottom-of-page 2. lowest
line of [sys 1, staff 2] to be 2.9" from bottom-of-page 3. lowest line of
[sys 1, staff 3] to be 4.26" from bottom-of-page 4. lowest line of [sys 2,
staff 1] to be 6.2" from bottom-of-page 5. lowest line of [sys 2, staff 2]
to be 7.82" from bottom-of-page 6. lowest line of [sys 2, staff 3] to be
9.53" from bottom-of-page

what would be hypothetical settings for \breakSpace #n and \pageBreakSpace
#n to achieve those values?

(And assuming that we can come up with a good example here, there remains
the question of whether it's better to put what is essentially page-layout
information inline with the musical directives (like with \breakSpace and
\pageBreakSpace) or whether it's better for that page-layout information to
go in an entirely separate part of the .ly file ... probably that \layout {
} block. I'm divided about that question, but leaning towards the idea that
this and other type of page definition information should live outside of
the main music entry commands. Thoughts?)


--
Trevor Bača
address@hidden