MS-4 Parts Ordering for PDF Export - Issue?
Can someone reality-check me before I try posting as an Issue on gitHub? I have an issue with MS-4 in that I am unable to control the PDF export order of custom parts. What I am experiencing is that custom parts will always export into a consolidated PDF file in the reverse order they are listed as in the Parts list dialog; plus there is no way to reorder custom parts (they simply get appended to end of the parts list in the order they are created).
I have attached an MS-4 score, screenshot of the PDF export dialog window, and the resulting exported PDF document.
In MS-3 (which I am still using as my 'daily driver') I can reorder parts in the parts dialog and the ordering set there will be reflected in the tabs in the edit window and will determine the ordering of the parts in the resulting PDF export.
Since I only use custom parts (due to my work-arounds for Mountain Dulcimer TAB) being able to control the export ordering is pretty important to me to avoid yet another extra step of having to use a separate tool (e.g., PDFarranger) to re-edit the exported PDF to get the ordering I need.
So I'd like to post this as a Issue on gitHub; but if this is already known, or been addressed and rejected, then I'll not add more clutter there. I did do a few searches in the Issues log. The only open issue I see there that comes close to this is: [Task] Add ability to reorder part tabs #19021 . However, that issue does not say anything about the PDF export ordering (which in MS-4 bears no relationship to the edit window's tab ordering).
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| MS4_Issue_PartExportOrder_MS4_ExportDialog.jpg | 86.39 KB |
| MS4_Issue_PartExportOrder_MS4_ExportedTestScore.pdf | 1.9 MB |
| MS4_Issue_PartExportOrder_MS4-TestScore.mscz | 63.96 KB |
Comments
This is happening because of the order in which you selected Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. In the Export dialog, you must deselect everything in the left pane. Then carefully select Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3, and in that exact order. Otherwise Musescore will interpret the order in which you clicked the selections as the order in which they must be displayed. You're probably using Windows 10, and there might be an issue there. This is one for the programmers again. Hey boys! We got a live one! Come and get it!
In reply to This is happening because of… by FBXOPWKDOIR2
>This is happening because of the order in which you selected Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. In the Export dialog<
Ok, I tried that for myself and sure enough it worked. Could there be a more unintuitive way to do this? Esp as there is nothing in the dialogue that even hints at this.
For me the MS-3 way of ordering parts in the parts list, and then using that order in all the appropriate places (the tabs in edit views, PDF export, Printing, etc) is the clear and obvious way to go. Just sayin'
Also, fwiw, I am using the Linux appimage (MuseScore-4.1.1.232071203-x86_64.AppImage) on fedora-38.
Thank you for the info FBXOPWKDOIR2.
In reply to Ok, I tried that for myself… by rocchio
Sure thing. But, there is no other way and frankly, it shouldn't be doing that. You shouldn't have to do such a workaround. It needs to be looked at by the professional programmers up there at the Musescore headquarters. But by the time they get around to it humanity will probably be folding space.
In reply to Sure thing. But, there is no… by FBXOPWKDOIR2
And sadly I used to be able to code in C; but too much time in non-coding roles has left me a dinosaur in that respect. I did once take a look at the MuseScore code base - but with the advances in the language + usage of the QT framework....I have to confess that it is now beyond my skill set.
Now - if we get to space-folding, well then we can jump to the future through the wormhole and see MS-14 has solved for it! Well; assuming the AIs will let us, of course.