can I change default file format for Save?

• Nov 26, 2013 - 15:19

I'd like MuseScore to save files as .xml, rather than the default .mscz.
I know how to do that manually each time that I save, but is there a way to make .xml the default format when saving?
thanks

Comments

• Nov 26, 2013 - 18:42

OK thx for coming back on it.

I'd suggest adding that to the feature list, for attention at some point down the line. But it's obviously not a big deal.

While we're on the topic of default settings, the other one for which I'd like to be able to change the default is in transposing- I'd like to be able to make my app default to "single sharps+flats" instead of "double." That would also obviously be non-critical.

thanks

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• Nov 27, 2013 - 19:24

Thanks I appreciate understanding more about the xml format, vs mscz. But with that said, I would like to keep my request in the queue, for the option to select what file format is the default for save, and to keep xml as a file format in the "save" command. The reasoning is this...

1. I work almost exclusively in single-line, melody+chords+lyrics lead sheets. I've tested saving several as .xml and then re-importing the xml. On what I'm doing, it does in fact preserve the entire lead sheet and format, the same as a .mscz file.

2. As I work thru versions, make corrections and changes, "save" is a far faster command to invoke than "file>export."

3. xml is obviously a nearly universally used industry-standard format now. I've used scoring software for 20+ years. By now I wrestle with a "dog's breakfast" of file formats which have accumulated over the years. Some number of these file formats are now orphaned or clunky to import/convert to a modern, useable format. Lord willing, I'll still be doing this 20 years from now and I'm strongly inclined to store my library in the most-used industry-standard format, as opposed to any format specific to any scoring application. In my own opinion and judgment, the xml format is likely to be used longer and I'm more likely to be able to open my large library of lead sheets with a wide variety of scoring applications, if I can store the library as xml. (Like rtf for text, jpg for pictures, mp3 for recorded music, etc)

Please understand I'm not in any way trying to foist this reasoning or conclusion on others; rather just saying it's what works for me, and am requesting that the development team consider keeping xml in the save command (instead of moving to file>export), and creating an option for the user to select their own default file format for save including xml.

Thanks for your consideration.

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• Nov 27, 2013 - 22:46

Thing is, *you* might recognize this facility would be limited and only possibly work with sufficiently simple scores, but it wouldn't be fair to other users who might not get that. If it were possible for anyone to make MusicXML the default save format, people would be losing information left and right and then coming back reporting it as a bug - and I think they'd be right.

MusicXML is indeed a long-lived and standard format, but it was designed to be an interchange format, not the native format for any particular application. I'm sure it would be *possible* to design an application in such a way that MusicXML could be used as a native format, but as far as I can see, MuseScore was not. It's internal format is different and has to be converted to and from MusicXML on the fly.

A plugin could help automate the export process - and I believe in 2.0 you will even be able to assign keyboard shortcuts? - but export it would have to remain from a technical perspective as far as I can see.

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• Nov 28, 2013 - 00:01

Maybe a good compromise would be to make MusicXML the default export format in MuseScore 2?

Apart from PDF I see that as probably the most common format people would want to export in.

FWIW I think "Export as PDF" should be a file option in its own right - a la LIbreOffice.

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