Feature Request: Automatic “Flatten / Unfold Repeat with Voltas”

Dorico
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1

Hi,

Is there an automatic way ( without copy paste) in D5 to flatten a repeat with two voltas (i.e., unfolding the music so the 1st‑ and 2nd‑ending repeat becomes fully written out, with no repeat structure?

If not, would you please show me how to do this with copy paste, I have several time signature changes and in endings and in the middle and it is very difficult to do for me! When I create extra bars, the number of bars is incorrect.

Thank you very much for your help in advance.

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No, there isn’t… But it would be neat! :smiling_face:

1 Like
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In general, the following steps should work.

  1. Make sure signposts are showing
  2. Use the system track to select everything from the start of the repeat through the bar before the first ending; press Ctrl/Cmd+C to copy
  3. Engage Insert mode
  4. Select the end repeat barline (the barline before the second ending); press Ctrl/Cmd+V to paste
  5. Delete repeat barlines and brackets as needed
  6. Turn off Insert mode

If that doesn’t work for you, you’ll get more specific advice if you can upload your project file here.

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Asherber,
I’m a composer and arranger, and I really wish this could be done much more easily — ideally automatically. I’ve added this as a feature request because this workflow becomes very time‑consuming, especially when experimenting with form and arrangements.

For now, I decided to rewrite the whole section manually, but honestly it really kills my creative flow. If I remember correctly, Finale had this feature, and it was incredibly helpful when rearranging repeats or making new structural decisions.

Thank you again for your help!

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Other than a one-click solution, I’m not sure how much easier this could be. It’s basically copy and paste, and then delete the few items you no longer need (repeat barlines and brackets). You just need to be sure to copy everything (which is why the system track and signposts are helpful) and to be in Insert mode when you paste.

I don’t think it did, although it’s possible there was a plugin I wasn’t familiar with.

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What would put it over the top is a feature that would analyse the score and automatically applies the repeats and D. S. /Coda structure to have the music appear on as little paper as possible… :wink: :+1:
I think @MarcLarcher wanted something like this a while ago, like horizontal condensing…

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Yup. I called it rhythmic compression, it’s really comparable with horizontal condensing. There are different levels, that I’ve called macro (expanding or not the repeats) and micro (using strokes on the beams or writing out all 16ths or 8ths). Here, we’re talking about the macro version. Alas, it’s only a feature request I’ve had years ago, and it’s a very huge one, I confess.

My solution when I need to unfold repeats in a full score but not in the parts is to duplicate the flow, make one version of it with no repeats (applied to the full score) and the original one (with repeats) applied to the parts with repeats.

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