Smart Line Designer

[John Ruggero]

I am having trouble setting up markings like "cre-scen-do" or "poco a poco cresc." as one expandable marking in the Smart Line Designer and can only manage to do a "cre-scen" as one marking and "-do" as another and then put them together.

The problem is that I can't get the dashed line to break for the middle syllable so the dash runs right through the syllable. This occurs when I enter the the syllable as Center Abbreviation or as Center Full. I couldn't find a explanation of the difference between these, but thought that Center Abbreviation would be the appropriate one.

"poco a poco" works because there is no dashed line and it contains only three items. But "poco a poco cresc." doesn't because there doesn't seem to be a way to input a fourth item.

[motet]

It doesn't seem very good, the way it works. And what does "Continue H" do?

A so-so alternative might be to enter the middle as an opaque expression covering up the "scen" of the line:

0058.png (46.38 KiB) Viewed 6457 times

[zuill]

I guess I'm not understanding exactly what you are trying to do. Can you post a sample file? (Motet got in here before I did.)

Zuill

[John Ruggero]

Thanks, Motet. That's an interesting work-around to consider.

I have a similar impression of the whole designer. It needs redesigning!

Zuill. here is a shot of one of the problems described. Note the dash running right through the "scen":

Not so Smart Line.jpg (20.7 KiB) Viewed 6444 times

The other problem is how to create smart lines that consist of phrases like "poco a poco cresc." when there are only three slots given for input. The distance between all four words needs to expand to cover any distance.

[John Ruggero]

Since there was no further response, I must assume that what I am trying to do is indeed impossible with the Smart Line Designer and therefore will make a feature request at MM.

But I wonder how forum members do a "poco a poco cresc" or a cre----scen----do that covers several measures, if not as a Smart Line. Separate expressions for every word or syllable connected as appropriate with a dashed line (which is what I have done until now)?

[miker]

Personally, I've never come across the stretched out text with hyphens. I've always seen the expression with a smart line, and it seems fine to me.

But, of course, what do I know?

[motet]

I do poco a poco cresc as separate expressions, and cover up the "scen" in the cre----scen----do smart line with an opaque expression.

The features you seek would be very good to have, of course.

[John Ruggero]

Thanks, Mike. The hyphenated version is common in keyboard music, but maybe less so in other kinds of music.

Then I will make the request, Motet. And I am strongly considering your approach in the meantime. I could make a single smart line consisting of the first and last syllables of single hyphenated words and have a little library of intermediate syllable expressions to fill in, which would be preferable to joining two or more smart lines. Thanks again for a great solution!

[motet]

You're welcome. In the case of the dashless poco a poco cresc., one could perhaps have a solid line between poco and cresc. to aid in placing the intervening words, then set the width to 0 when done.

[John Ruggero]

That's another helpful idea. Thanks again.