Changing number of Tablature staff lines does not update String data – and vice versa
There is a disconnect between the "Lines" display in "Advanced staff properties" and the "Number of strings" and "Edit string data" in "Staff properties."
1. Open attached guitar tab score.
2. Right click on staff, chose "Staff properties > Advanced staff properties."
3. Change "lines" to 5. Click OK.
Expected result: "Number of strings" should indicate 5 and "Edit string data" box should be updated.
Actual result: Neither "Number of strings" nor "Edit string data" is updated!
4. Exit the "staff properties" box and visually confirm that the string number is, indeed, 5.
Undo all the changes and return to the staff properties dialog:
1. Click on "Edit string data."
2. Delete the E2 string. Click on OK. Click on "Apply."
3. Click on "Advanced string properties."
Expected result: Lines should be 5.
Actual result: Lines remain at 6!
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| guitar_tab.mscz | 4.98 KB |
Comments
It should not!
The number of instrument strings and the number of tablature lines are two independent concepts. Neither should automatically affect the other.
For instance, there is a number of instruments with more than 6 strings (lutes, archlutes, theorbos, ...), but which are normally notated on six-line tablatures.
but should the number of lines ever be more than the number of strings?
The feature in question does work as designed. "Needs info" means the developers of the software need information about how to reproduce a bug in order to fix it, but that is not the case here. To discuss alternate designs, request information, ask for help, etc, please use the support forum.
Setting a thread to "by design" means that (AFAIK) it no longer shows up as an "open issue" and logged-in users won't see it by default (even though it is still visible for unlogged visitors). There's still an open question on this thread so it should really be marked as "active."
I do not see any compelling reason for prohibiting to have more lines than instrument strings.
In the 'normal' use cases, the additional instrument string(s) will end up unused and could be manually (or, in theory, even automatically) removed.
But adding more code to limit (rather than to extend) the flexibility of the system, would add a measure of complexity to remove a feature.
So still, to me eyes, this works as it should.
I agree, that it's a very workable system and, as they say, "if it ain't broke it, don't fix it."
To take an example: Theorbo tablature (in MuseScore) uses the 7 spaces of a 6-line tab staff to represent the notes (AFAIK). Why does the program need to know the real-life number of courses (14) and their tuning? All it needs to know, surely, is the tuning of the tab staff lines/spaces …
Because theorbo, or lute, additional strings below the 'canonical' six (diapason or bourdons) are indicated with additional graphic devices, if and when used. See for instance this loooong thread discussing how to implement this feature in MuseScore.
"Active" does not mean a user might have a question about it. This is an issue tracking system meant to help developers keep track of which issues require action on our part and which do not. "Active" means there is something a developer neds to do to resolve the issue. Something that works as it is designed to work does not require developer action, so marking it active is inappropriate. Again, if you'd like to start a discussion in which you brainstorm other possible designs, that's what the forum is for. Or if you feel there should be better documentation to resolve future user questions, feel free to edit the Handbook directly.