Can't open score without updating
For referance, I've been working on a pretty big project, usually I'd use Sibelius for this type of thing, but since it's holidays I wouldn't be able to use the Mac i usually work on. The reason I use MuseScore is because it's easy when switching between computers, in this case between a stationary one I have at home with MuseScore 4.2 and a school laptop with MuseScore 4.1.1
My issue is that since I very recently updated the stationary computer with the newest version of MuseScore, it also converted the .mscz to it's newest version. So now I can't open the .mscz on my laptop with 4.1.1 and I am essencially locked out of my own score.
I am unable to update MuseScore until I'm connected to the school WiFi, so that isn't an option. I also attempted to open it as a MusicXML file, but that messed up the formatting making it unreadable. Any way to "downgrade" the .mscz file or another workaround possible?
Comments
Yes, maybe there is a possibility, but I don't know if the formatting is also affected.
Maybe you know that the mscz files are zipped files. I use 7-zip and when I open the included mscx file with an ASCII editor (e.g. notepad++), I see a new tag in line 5 "LastEID" there since about version 4.2.
This seems to be the cause.
If you delete this line and put it back into the zip file, it probably works.
But I have no information what this tag does and what all could be affected. It's worth a try, but it's unfortunately cumbersome.
Another option would be to use Jojo-Schmitz' version 3.7 evolution from GitHub (you need a free account there). This version can open 4.2 files and save them in 3.x format and then you should be able to open them with 4.1 as well. See here: https://sites.google.com/view/musescore-3-evolution/
3.7 evolution can exist in parallel to 4.2 on your computer.
But again: I'm not sure if all formatting is transferred here as well. The proof of the pudding is in the eating ...
In reply to Yes, maybe there is a… by HildeK
Thank you, I'll try some of these and post the results.
I have a suspiction that the 4.2 -> 3.7 -> might mess up the formatting too, but we'll see.
In reply to Thank you, I'll try some of… by oskarboman
Update:
Both alternatives require 7Zip installed, which I am unable to do as I'm currently on the previously mentioned laptop. Therefore I will now attempt to convert the .7z file for MS 3.7 to a .zip file in an online converter.
The convertion worked, all files intact, sadly I still require admin perms to be able to run MS 3.7.
If I attach the .mscz file, would you or someone else be able to try to convert it for me?
In reply to Update: Both alternatives… by oskarboman
I understood that you were on the home computer where 4.2 is installed. So you should be able to modify the file you create there as well ...
Feel free to attach a sample file and I'll change it as described.
In reply to I understood that you were… by HildeK
No, I am on the laptop that is severly limited in privileges when not on the school wifi.
Here is the Score i need to open in 4.1.1:
In reply to No, I am on the laptop that… by oskarboman
Try this, I used the version mentioned below to open and re-save it
In reply to Try this by Jojo-Schmitz
Seems to have worked almost perfectly! A few small anamolies on the naming of the parts, other than that, no issues. Thank you!
Still confused how the file managed to shave off 100kB tho... but won't complain haha
In reply to Seems to have worked almost… by oskarboman
The conversion certainly is not lossless. There's for example one
<eid>xxxx</eid>per element in 4.2, but not in 4.1In reply to Update: Both alternatives… by oskarboman
Rename to end with .zip and Windows explorer can open it
I don't think running 3.7 requires admin privileges
Also there's a 4.1.1 PR of mine that allows opening of 4.2 scores, see https://github.com/musescore/MuseScore/pull/20566
In reply to Rename to end with .zip and… by Jojo-Schmitz
3.7 itself didn't need admin privileges no. But since it's technically from an unknown publisher or something it was distrusted and wouldn't run...
That's the extra layer of difficulity in all this :/
In reply to 3.7 itself didn't need admin… by oskarboman
Ah, OK, different issue then
In reply to Update: Both alternatives… by oskarboman
See my updates above
In reply to Update: Both alternatives… by oskarboman
> Both alternatives require 7Zip installed
You can try renaming the *.mscz file to *.zip. Newer versions of Windows are able to display the zip content. If you have a usable ASCII editor, you can change the mscx file as described (delete line 5 and change "4.20" in line 2 to 4.10).
However, this may not be so easy with Windows Notepad, so it is best to try it on a backup copy.
In reply to > Both alternatives require… by HildeK
Latest Windows 11 can even open 7z files directly , also I mentioned that above already
In reply to Latest Windows 11 can even… by Jojo-Schmitz
Indeed, I overlooked that.
In reply to Yes, maybe there is a… by HildeK
It is not just that LastEID, also the 4.20 in the 2nd line, needs to be 4.10 for 4.0 and 4.1 to read it
In reply to Yes, maybe there is a… by HildeK
Now moved to https://github.com/Jojo-Schmitz/MuseScore/wiki
See if this helps:
https://musescore.org/en/node/358288#comment-1220191
In reply to See if this helps: https:/… by Jm6stringer
By the looks of it, this seems to be the way to fix it. As long as you haven't used any of the new features.
Sadly in my case i won't be able to perform the fix myself as my hardware and software is limiting me...