GSoC 2017 - Timeline Navigation - Weekly Report #5
Hey everyone!
This is my fifth weekly report for my GSoC project. This will include all the work from the past week. It includes my key accomplishments up to this point, the tasks that have given me trouble, and my plan for the next week.
Key accomplishments
-Timeline displays what measures are within view
Now, there is a cyan-gray shading over non view-able measures in the timeline that updates whenever the scoreview moves.
-GUI changes
There is now a separator between the meta rows and the grid view as well as the meta row labels and the grid labels. Also, the selection box now shades blue instead of blue-gray.
Key tasks that stalled
-Keyboard shortcuts
I tried fixing keyboard shortcuts with the timeline so you could copy and paste cells. However, after doing a command, it would return focus to the scoreview instead of leaving it on the timeline. I tried fixing this, but did not have any luck within the week.
Tasks in the upcoming week
-Rehearsal numbers
Next, I'll be adding rehearsal numbers above the timeline to aid with navigation.
-Pull Request
After I fix the stalled task and the rehearsal numbers, I will submit a pull request so that everyone can test it out! Along with this request, I will be tracking the issue tracker for any problems found with the timeline.
Here is a current view of the timeline:
Any comments about the current status is appreciated. Once I have moved on to the GUI part of this project, I will ask for more opinions.
Thanks for reading!
Joshua Bonn
GitHub: https://github.com/JoshuaBonn1
(Current branch is https://github.com/JoshuaBonn1/MuseScore/tree/4-timeline-class )
IRC nick: JoshuaBonn1
Comments
Is the green area now for measures with content, or is it the gray? I preferred the dark gray/light gray scheme.
The key signatures might present a problem to think about later on; if A minor is intended, then it would be nice not to have it labeled as C major.
In reply to Is the green area now for by Isaac Weiss
I agree about the key signature. I would recommend None, 2 sharps, 4 flats, custom and so forth. This is of course from the global key signature at that point. In classical music it is normal to have not key signatures for the horns, trumpets and timpani. There are also a few other instruments that have no (or a different) key signature at times.
On identifying the key signature. I don't program so I don't know how the atonal key signature (the one with the grayed out X) is implemented, but I would add atonal as a key if it is easy to determine.
In reply to I agree about the key by mike320
Atonal displays as an 'X' in the timeline. The timeline operates on concert pitch. I do think that having something besides 'C' would be good, especially for people who may not know relative minors and majors.
Thank you for your comment, I will be looking into these.
In reply to Atonal displays as an 'X' in by JoshuaBonn1
Perhaps the same keys that musescore calls them would be best such as C major/A minor
In reply to Perhaps the same keys that by mike320
Or something like "C/Am" for space...
In reply to Or something like "C/Am" for by Isaac Weiss
For the record, key signatures have been discussed on the IRC, and the solution which Joshua has just implemented in latest commit is to display with the format of two characters [number][sharps/flats]. That is the most compact and works regardless of major/minor (or a mode).
In reply to Is the green area now for by Isaac Weiss
It would probably make more sense using it than seeing a still picture of it. The green area is the non visible section and the enclosed section (enclosed with the strong green line) is the visible section. If it was shaded with gray, it would make some squares look like they were a dark
I will be looking into ways to do the key signature. Thank you for your comment!
Regarding copy paste, I don't think it's a good idea. I really think this new panel should be a way to navigate the score, not something to operate on it for now.
In reply to Regarding copy paste, I don't by [DELETED] 5
So, here are my thoughts about this. The current setup requires you to click the scoreview before you can enter any inputs. Now, while this isn't much of a problem, I do think it would be nice if copying and pasting would follow what the scoreview does without having to re-select the elements in the score each time. Now, I don't think that every possible action should be allowed from the timeline, but adding the copy and paste should be relatively small. Let me know what you think.
In reply to So, here are my thoughts by JoshuaBonn1
I'm a definite second to what Joshua is saying here. Definitely need to copy and paste measures via timeline. I think I told Joshua to do that anyway. I think a user will simply assume that can do it. That is one of the first things my hands naturally tried to do with timeline.
In reply to I'm a definite second to what by ericfontainejazz
And just a note for those who weren't on the IRC yesterday that we found a possible model in https://musescore.org/en/node/139871, which allows copy and paste simply because selecting cells IS selecting the measures in the score, so the standard shortcuts do their thing in the score regardless of the timeline.