Deleteing old text - preparing for xml export

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david ball
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Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2005 11:21 am

Post by david ball » Wed Mar 08, 2017 5:00 am

Hi

had a request for a bunch of files in XML format.
tests show a lot of the old text stored in the file turning up unwanted (I had a check and there's 99 old unused text boxes!)
a. how can I delete all text blocks... (Fin 25)
b. any tips on preparing scores mainly 2/3 line piano vocal for XML export?

thanks

David


BuonTempi
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Post by BuonTempi » Wed Mar 08, 2017 10:09 am

Text blocks assigned to Measures can be Cleared with Clear Selected Items.

For page-assigned text, the easiest way is to reduce the zoom size so you can get as much of the score in your window. Then with the Text Tool, select all and press delete.

I'm not sure what you mean by "old, unused text boxes", though. Why does your document have so much text which you don't want in the XML file to begin with? :D

I generally don't prepare XML files in any way: if there is any work to be done, it's usually done in the receiving application.

david ball
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Post by david ball » Wed Mar 08, 2017 1:07 pm

If I go to Text and then Edit Text then there are 99 lots of text from older projects....
It's not on a page anywhere, just in the files history I guess
I've been using the same basic template on this job for 20 odd years.... so some accumulated stuff there
but I can't find a way to delete.... data check doesn't touch it...

BuonTempi
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Post by BuonTempi » Wed Mar 08, 2017 1:32 pm

And these text boxes show up in the XML file? What happens if you delete the text in each box?

Unfortunately, templates that get re-saved and re-used over many years do accumulate all sorts of cruft, and you might be best off creating a brand new document. Start with Maestro Default, and add Libraries with your Document Options, Articulations, Expressions, etc.

Then, keep the template "clean", and only add to it via libraries or copy/paste, rather than Clearing a score and saving.

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N Grossingink
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Post by N Grossingink » Wed Mar 08, 2017 1:38 pm

You can delete the text from the "Edit Text" box by highlighting and hitting delete. You'll have to go through the dialog one by one. I'm not sure it improves anything, though.

You might want to consider updating your templates, if they're 20 years old.

N.
N. Grossingink
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MikeHalloran
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Post by MikeHalloran » Wed Mar 08, 2017 2:49 pm

It's a Hail Mary but...

If you have an older version of Finale that doesn't support the current version of MusocXML, this old text may not import. Some older versions will not support lyrics, either—don't know if that's an issue.

In my case, I would import it into 2011 and see what it looks like. If good, would re-export from there. I recently helped someone with that and noticed that 2011 didn't import everything.
Mike Halloran

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zuill
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Post by zuill » Wed Mar 08, 2017 4:47 pm

Finale has a utility called file maintenance. It has a check box to remove deleted items. Guess what. it doesn't, at least not all of them. I tried with Text blocks, both Page and Measure assigned, and it didn't delete them (or clear them).

So, even finale can't do what it says it can do.

Zuill

P.S.: Well, I guess it is just for notation elements, not text blocks. The list that pops up after running the utility shows a list of what was deleted, if anything. Text blocks is not one of the items in the list. So, I suppose the programmers didn't include this for a reason. Or, maybe it is an oversight or omission.
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"When all is said and done, more is said than done."

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motet
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Post by motet » Wed Mar 08, 2017 5:50 pm

I was not aware of this issue. I looked at one of my newer with "Edit Text" and found hundreds of unused text blocks including "Alto saxophone," which I wrote for only once about 10 years ago! I wonder if JW Lua could plow through these and delete those that don't appear in the score.

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N Grossingink
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Post by N Grossingink » Wed Mar 08, 2017 6:35 pm

Just for fun, I opened a new default file in Finale 2012 just to see what is present in the "Edit Text" dialog from the start. To my surprise, I found text entries for Gbb Trombone, Gb Clarinet, F# Trumpet, E natural Bassoon and Eb Flute; along with the expected Title, Composer, Copyright, etc.

I tried 2014.5 as well - there were no instruments present. Only Title, Composer, Copyright, etc.

N.
N. Grossingink
Educational Band, Orchestra and Jazz Ensemble a specialty
Sample: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pFF5OeJDeLFGHMRyXrubFqZWXBubErw4/view?usp=share_link


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MikeHalloran
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Post by MikeHalloran » Wed Mar 08, 2017 8:29 pm

david ball wrote:Hi

had a request for a bunch of files in XML format.
tests show a lot of the old text stored in the file turning up unwanted (I had a check and there's 99 old unused text boxes!)
a. how can I delete all text blocks... (Fin 25)
b. any tips on preparing scores mainly 2/3 line piano vocal for XML export?

thanks

David
If you want to contact me back channel, I'll give you my email address. I have active licenses for five other notation products. The one thing they have in common is that no two of them handle .xml the same. We can try one file and see what happens—shouldn't take but a few minutes.
Mike Halloran

Finale 27.3, SmartScore X2 Pro, GPO5 & World Instruments
MacOS Ventura 13.2.1; 2017 iMac Pro 18 Core, 128G RAM, 4TB; 2021 MBAir M1
NotePerformer3, Dorico 4, Overture, Notion 6, DP 11, Logic Pro

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