Re: Discuss signature for new function \annotate (new version)

[Richard Shann]

On Tue, 2013-06-11 at 10:38 +0200, Urs Liska wrote:
> Am 10.06.2013 18:52, schrieb David Kastrup:
> > Richard Shann <address@hidden> writes:
> >
> >> This looks great Urs. I wrote a CriticalComment command for Denemo
> >> that allows you to attach comments to notes in a score. These comments
> >> can include \score {} blocks so that the music being commented on can
> >> be engraved within the sentence.
> > Sounds like issue 3187
> > <URL:http://code.google.com/p/lilypond/issues/detail?id=3187> committed
> > to version 2.17.14 would have a very relevant impact on that feature.
> > I'm interested in your opinion on that.
> >
> I think we should clarify if we are talking about the same thing.

Well, David was definitely talking about something else here - alignment
of \score{} in markup. Though it does raise the question of whether the
sort of critical commentary you have in mind would be better with
LilyPond generated illustrations.

> If we're not (which I assume) we should
> a) try to convince each other that our own approach is better,
> b) try to find a way to harmonize and complement the approaches or
> c) accept that we have different things at hand.
> 
> Definitely my favourite is b) of course.
> 
> _My_ idea is/was to have a function \annotate that lets you enter 
> annotations.
> These should go
> a) to the console output so anybody compiling the file can see the 
> annotations
> b) to an intermediate file to be used later
> - as an overview (with backlinking to the source code)
> - in separate (text) documents
> c) (optionally) color the items in the score and (maybe) enter things 
> like balloon tips in the score
> 
> I did _not_ think of entering the annotations as markup anywhere in the 
> score.
> Of course all this is heavily based on my own interests and working styles.
> For example I wouldn't usually typeset a critical report within the 
> LilyPond score, just because they usually are too voluminous.
> 
> Programs like Denemo, laborejo or Frescobaldi can make use of such a 
> function by providing tools to insert and edit entries. So of course it 
> would be good to design a function in a way that it is useful for these 
> programs.
> 
> That said:
> Having a feature to enter a list of annotations at any point in the 
> score would be a good thing to have.
> I identified your CriticalComment... commands in the manual.
> But from looking at the source tree I can't tell anything. Would be too 
> complicated for now to start trying to understand that. So please allow 
> me the question:
> How do your critical comments work? Do they write something down that 
> CriticalCommentary reads in or do you just fill some variables array 
> that CriticalCommentary uses?

The Denemo comamand CriticalComment puts an object into the list of
objects that represents a measure (so it is an object in between the
notes etc). This object currently does not prescribe any LilyPond output
(it could do, but doesn't), it is just there for the CriticalCommentary
command which steps through the movements of the score collecting them
up and adding the location information and numbers them and creates
another object that *does* output LilyPond markup at the end of the
score. Another command adds a title and introductory remarks for the
section that will contain the critical comments, this is also collected
up by the CriticalCommentary command.

> 
> If I see the situation correctly the best way to integrate would be:
> - having the \annotate function like I sketched it, and modify it so it 
> can handle the information you give to critical comments
> - have a function \annotations that can be entered as a top-level 
> command that will be turned into a \markup.
> This function should have an argument that filters the list by its type 
> (e.g. only "critical-remarks") and also takes the Intro as an argument.
> 
> Where do you define CriticalCommentary in your source code? I'd like to 
> have a look at it.

 The commands are scheme scripts located in the source tree in a
directory hierarchy (actions/menus/...) that mirrors the menu hierarchy
that the user sees.

HTH

Richard


> Maybe it would make sense to move these functions to an external library 
> (i.e. my lilypond-doc) so Denemo and any other tools can just _use_ it...
> 
> Best
> Urs