"MuseScore File" string (under File -> Save As...) does not indicate which version you are about to save as

• Jan 30, 2019 - 09:54
Reported version
3.0
Type
Wording/Translation
Frequency
Once
Severity
S5 - Suggestion
Reproducibility
Always
Status
closed
Regression
No
Workaround
No
Project

There is no indiation that the file you are about to save, is saving version 3 format (on MS3), or version 2 format (on MS2). This is dangerous, especially when opening a V2 file in MS3 and hoping to keep the ability to edit the .MSCZ file in MS2.

What would make it more transparent, is to change the string in Transifex
from MuseScore File
to MuseScore 3 File

I do not regard the following as very good arguments for the current behaviour
a) It has always been like that. It was the same when transitioning from V1 to V2. (Counter argument: this is just repeating the same mistake)
b) The user is using MuseScore 3. They should know that they are saving in a MuseScore 3 specific format.

but you are welcome to try and convince me otherwise.

ps: I don't know if there are other places where an explicit version number would make sense.


Comments

Status active by design

If you save in MuseScore 3 it is a MuseScore 3 file
If you save in MuseScore 2 it is a MuseScore 2 file
If you save in MuseScore 1 it is a MuseScore 1 file
Simple as that. There is no way in any MuseScore version to save in the format of any other version

In reply to by Jojo-Schmitz

The main problems with the above argumentation is It assumes knowledge of the program and what the capabilities and limitations are, e.g. that
a) A specific version cannot save older and newer file formats.
b) mscz files are not compatible between versions.

what the user sees is (since the version is implied, and relative to the version of MuseScore you are using)

  • If you save in MuseScore 3 it is a MuseScore file
  • If you save in MuseScore 2 it is a MuseScore file
  • If you save in MuseScore 1 it is a MuseScore file

due to lack of clarification in the string or a distinguishing file extension. Could you provide reasons why
a) adding the version number to the string would confuse things, complicate things or make them less clear (other than having to define a new string for Musescore 4 in a year or three)
b) how leaving out the version number serves any purpose and makes the program easier to use.

Severity S3 - Major S5 - Suggestion
Status by design active

I don't agree with the reasons given, and would like some more opinions around this.

This is just to make it transparent that MS3 is (only) saving in MS3 format (especially since the extension, .mscz does not indicate the version)

How is it good design or user experience when the user saves a v3 file on top of a v2 .mscz file without any indication whatsoever (and only an implied version in the Save As dialog, because they should know that MS3 cannot save anything other than v3 files?)

In reply to by Riaan van Niekerk

Hello,
Once we understand what Jojo-Schmitz is saying, I don't see where the problem is.
You just have to think about having two folders: one for the Muse2 scores and one for the Muse3 scores. And if you want to redo a partition of Muse2 on Muse3 you can always export it in xml to open it again with Muse2. All this seems simple and operational to me.

Or are you 'just' talking about the strings "MuseScore File" and "Uncompressed MuseScore File" in the "Save As" dialog?
And propose to change them to "MuseScore 3 File" and "Uncompressed MuseScore 3 File" respectivly?
That could easily get done via the translations on transifex, for 3.0.4 already. Won't help for MuseScore 2, MuseScore 1, or any MuseScore 3 prior to 3.0.4 though.

I understand the necessity to indicate that a user is going to save file in MuseScore 3 format. My question is which global issue we want to solve?

If user opens the score in MuseScore 3, does some job and is going to save the file, why would he need to know the version?
The only problematic scenario I see is when a user occasionally opens MuseScore 2 file in MuseScore 3, ignores and forgets about the reset warning, changes the file and saves the file (actually replaces the previous one). There are a lot of places where we warn the user, btw.

Fixed in branch master, commit 68fb453496

_Merge pull request #4767 from Jojo-Schmitz/musescore-3-file

Fix #283063: "MuseScore File" string (under File -> Save As...) does not indicate which version you are about to save as_

Fix version
3.1.0