In Engrave editing the page template and not seeing changes

Dorico
1

I think I’m doing what the manual says… I’m in Engrave and went into the page template of the default full score and selected First. It shows this template has the title, composer, and lyricist. I want the title, composer, and arranger, with those two on the right side. After studying the manual I figured out how to move the text frames around and to replace the lyricist (doesn’t exist) with the arranger. I clicked on apply and close. The full document still shows the original text frames in original positions.

I went back into the template and it showed my changes.

What did I miss?
Shepherd.dorico (1.2 MB)

2

When this happens, it’s because you have a page override. If you change something directly on the page, then the page is frozen that way, and doesn’t reflect any changes you subsequently make to its page template.

3

In the pages section on the right side, isn’t it supposed to tell me there is an override? A green line or a red corner? I see nothing there.

4

Ah – Of course I spoke too soon.

The actual problem is that you changed the left page expecting it to apply to the first page, but Dorico always puts odd-numbered pages on the right. The solution is to use the little L→R button at the top to copy to the right-hand page.

I notice this is complicated by the fact that you are displaying single pages vertically, rather than 2-page spreads. In that display mode the page template for page 1 really does appear to come second! (And I note that you can’t change the display while in Engrave mode! You have to go to Write mode.)

1 Like
5

Ah, I see the difference in the outlines it shows me in the right panel. That leads to a question – if I get only one first page why should Dorico care whether it is left or right?

And that leads to another question that might be best for a separate forum topic. How do I get that first page to be a left page? That can make a difference between two page turns and three.

As for the vertical display, it works quite well with my vertical monitor – I see more of a page at a higher zoom level.

6

The “first” template can occur on a left page if additional flows are set to use it in mid-score.

The way to force a score to start on a left page is:

  • Manually change the page number of the first page to 2 (which will not show)
  • Change the second page number to 2 as well (so the numbers that show will be correct)
7

Well, OK. But there isn’t a way to take the little box with a “1” in it on the Pages diagram and slide it to the left?

8

To move a text frame from one edge to the other, use the “lock” icons in the left panel. You can change them to lock it to the left side instead of the right. Then I always adjust sizes in Properties for precision.

9

I’m not talking about text frames in my last question. I’m talking about pages. On the right side there is a diagram with numbers with boxes around them that look like this:
image

Can I slide the “1” box to the left so the “2” box moves to the right of it with boxes 3 and 4 on the next line and 5 and 6 on the last line? That way box 1 would be a first left box.

10

When you change the page numbering, the little boxes shift to reflect that.

11

Thanks, for the help.

It sounds like Dorico hates projects that start on a left page and one must play games to fool it in doing otherwise.

I may have to turn that first page into a title page and have the music start on page 2. I think I can figure out how to do that.

12

Dorico is following centuries-old publishing practice. I guess the workaround is simple enough that they don’t feel the need to offer it as an option.

13

Thanks for all the help and insight.