I’m not sure if this has anything to do with Mac or Windows, but I believe there are two ways to create a “complete” file for the DefaultLibraryAdditions folder discussed earlier in the thread: either export a library from Dorico Library Manager and pair it down to the 3 components or take an existing single instrument file and add components to that instead.
However, there is an important caveat: when exporting a library using Library Manager, the resulting xml (a .doricolib is a renamed xml file) would contain this node name:
Making instrument edits and additions in a file with this node name and then placing this file into DefaultLibraryAdditions will not work - Dorico will throw a warning and exit.
In order for everything to work properly, the “kScoreLibrary” node should become the topmost node, like this:
This library made by @benwiggy worked perfectly for me - I simply deleted all the sub-nodes in the tree to only retain instruments, instrument names and instrument families.
Thanks everyone - This Default instrument works no problem, but I can’t seem to combine it with Ben’s very useful 0 and 1 line staves file, or create additional default instruments that I can rename etc. Putting a doricolib file in the DefaultLibraryAdditions is definitely the preferred way to go and doesn’t seem to require any additional editing in any of the xml files in the application package contents on a Mac, something I am certainly happy to avoid.
Having these custom instruments is crucial to being able to use the endpoint configurations successfully with a custom template - It would be great if someone could create a doricolib xml file with say 10 or 20 default entries and simple renaming instructions. I just can’t seem to get the hang of copy and pasting the code in the correct way.
@Grainger2001 If you’d like, send a PM with the instruments you need - I’ll have time in the first week of January and can make them for you, if they’re still needed. (Also, sorry I didn’t reply earlier, missed this tread somehow) …
Hi ebrooks, thank you, that’s very kind of you. FredGUnn (Todd) actually helped me out behind the scenes and I’m all good now. Using the DefaultLibraryAdditions folder seems to be a safe and reliable place for this custom xml file. I should have posted this resolution…I would think a custom instrument feature will likely appear in D5.
Best, Andy
Indeed! I had a major system crash a few weeks ago and had to reinstall Windows. My entire “DefaultLibraryAdditions” folder was lost and had to be manually recreated. Restoring the custom instruments was a bit of a nightmare because I had made copies of the xml file at various times but not the very final version! Not very smart…
Anyway - in case this helps anyone, I had since discovered a very nifty feature in Windows called “Symbolic Link”. What it allows me to do is keep my “DefaultAdditionsLibrary” folder in any location I choose and have it get automatically backed up in the cloud (in my case - a folder I made in OneDrive).
Once “DefaultAdditionsLibrary” is moved, I just type a single-line command in CMD command prompt. Windows creates a special link that redirects both the OS and the programs. Now Dorico always loads my custom instruments from there and there’s not been a single glitch so far. It works on folders and individual files. I now have to rebuild my json key command file and will create a link for it too.
