[1.0] (and trunk?) Stored path of embedded images is absolute

• Apr 4, 2011 - 11:41

This is not really a bug, rather a limitation.

Context: MuseScore 1.0 (release and SVN rev. 4137) both under Win XP and Ubuntu 9.10.

Issue: When an image is dropped (embedded) into a score, the file saved to disk contains the absolute path of the image.

This works fine on the same computer, but makes the score difficult to move to / share with / ... another computer, as the structure of folders and sub-folders almost certainly will not match. If the two machines have different OSes, sharing is practically impossible (path structure is different).

Proposal/Request: If the stored path be relative to the path of the score itself, sharing would be possible in most occasions, for example with the simple advice to keep all the files (score AND images) together or in related folders (for instance, I keep all the images of a score in an "img" folder 'below' the score).

As Qt has functions/methods to deal with relative paths in a platform-independent way, I assume it is doable without too much hassle...

I have yet to experiment with the 'user folders' recently introduced in trunk, but I suspect that lumping all the images of all scores in a single folder might not be a solution either.

Thanks,

Comments

[DELETED] 5

• Apr 4, 2011 - 12:02

In MuseScore 1.0, images are stored in the MSCZ files and it seems to be the only good way of doing it well in MuseScore 2.0. MSCX files should be used only for debug and absolute / relative paths there it's OK for me.

Edit : I read your post again. In MuseScore 1.0, images path are not absolute. See the Schnee.mscz example or http://static.musescore.com/2911/ad7966452a/score.mscz
Could you give steps to reproduce this issue ? Meaning creating a file with absolute paths?

Regarding MuseScore trunk, the My Images directory seems to be used only for the new screenshot (fotomode) tool. My images is then not really a good name. I still need to dig more all these new preferences, maybe the install program or the first start of MuseScore should create these directories in a suitable place.

Miwarre

• Apr 4, 2011 - 16:45

You are right, of course! The MSCZ file contains all the images in the compressed format ready to be used by the score and to be moved and shared together with it. Great!

I did not notice it because I always use the .MSCX format, as I often need to tweak some details here and there (the more recurrent case being exact positioning of added symbols, accidentals and, in fact, images, which is not always possible through the program GUI).

So, I'll keep the .MSCX format while working on a score, switching to the .MSCZ format once the score is ready for 'publishing'. One never finishes learning!

However, this brings up a question:

Assuming I have a score which 'uses' an image stored in the disk. With the .MSCX format, the image is read from disk every time the score is loaded and, if the image has been modified in the meantime, the last version of the image is used. What happens in this case if the score is in the .MSCZ format? Which version of the image is used? The image as it was when the .MSCZ file was initially created or the current version? I could set a test up to check this point, but perhaps you have an answer ready.

Thanks,