[Feature Request] Quick Measure Copy-Paste with Simultaneous Mouse Click (Like in Sibelius)

• Mar 26, 2025 - 02:51

Hello,

I have been using MuseScore more and more lately, and I really appreciate the software. However, there is one feature from Sibelius that I found extremely useful and that I miss in MuseScore.

In Sibelius, it is possible to copy and paste a measure in a single gesture:

You select a measure,

Then, by simultaneously clicking the left and right mouse buttons on the target measure, the content is instantly pasted.

This method is faster than Ctrl + C / Ctrl + V and more intuitive than Alt + Click in MuseScore.

I would like to know:

Has this feature ever been discussed or considered for MuseScore?
Which files in the source code (C++) would I need to modify to implement this myself?
Do you have any advice for a beginner who wants to modify this part of the program?

I am motivated to try implementing this, even though I have little experience with C++. I have previously contributed an instrument recognition file for Ardour on GitHub, so I am willing to learn and test modifications.

Thank you in advance for your help!

Comments

scorster

• Mar 26, 2025 - 06:10

I think the copy/paste method you describe was there since Sibelius 1.0.

Though I abandoned Sibelius, and in short order, I thought that particular design was sublime, so much so I expected various operating systems might adopt its simplicity.

I hope you're able to bring this to MuseScore 3.7 and MuseScore Studio.

Pentatonus

• Mar 28, 2025 - 08:16

I've never had Sibelius. How does this copy function work? Is the content of the bar deleted and filled with the new one? 4/4 -> 4/4
What happens if you have a 4/4 bar and want to copy a 6/8 bar to it?

Master note

• Mar 29, 2025 - 07:53

Yes, the content of the target measure is completely replaced with the new one.
If you copy a 6/8 measure containing three beamed eighth notes followed by a dotted quarter note into a 4/4 measure, the note values remain the same, but the beaming follows the beaming rules of 4/4.

In 6/8, you have: three eighth notes beamed together + one dotted quarter note.

In 4/4, the beaming changes according to the time signature's settings. It could become:

two beamed eighth notes + one standalone eighth note + one dotted quarter note + one quarter rest (to complete the measure).

If you want the dotted quarter note at the beginning of the measure, you would need to manually insert a quarter note (or quarter rest) at the start, then paste the 6/8 content on the second beat.

Attachment	Size
6-8 to 4-4 paste exemple.jpg	12.92 KB