Issues with saving templates

Dorico
1

I have a couple of issues with saving templates, and I’m not sure if its my fault or Dorico’s.
(1) I like to include some basic tags in the project info dialog (for instance, I set up the path+filename to be included in the footer area of the first page, so that if I print out the music I can easily find the file later).
But this info isn’t being saved when I save the file as a template.
In previous versions I don’t remember having this issue, so either I’ve forgotten how to do it, or it never worked, or it’s been broken in a recent update.
(2) The mechanism for overriding or updating an existing template is not so user-friendly. Specifically, after opening an existing template and making changes, and then going to File > Save as Project Template you have to remember the exact name of the template to overwrite it. If you get it right, Dorico tells you that a template with this name already exists. But I think there should be a dropdown from which to select the name of existing templates, or some form of auto-complete to make it easier. (Interestingly, in the Category field there is a sort of auto-complete.)

Perhaps I’m doing something wrong and there is a way to save the Project Info with the template, and an easier way to overwrite an existing template?

3 Likes
2

This is the same issue that other software like Sibelius has.
I may be (very) old-fashioned, but I prefer to “Save As” an existing project that matches the settings I need for the new one and remove the music from that before moving on.
Optimised? Not at all.
Quick and reliable? Absolutely yes!

2 Likes
3

I’m also running into some template issues. When I create a template with multiple string sections (Main Pass, and Overdubs), I set up separate brackets for each section. However, after saving and using the template, Dorico combines all the strings under a single bracket again. The only workaround I’ve found is to manually save a project file and duplicate it for new cues.

Is there a way to preserve custom brackets when saving templates, or am I missing something? Any advice would be appreciated!

4

This is a job for player groups. See the manual page:

5

Thank you, I appreciate that! It works very well.

6

The issue with your template, Sebastian, will be that the custom bracket and barline change is set at the start of the flow, and unless you have the option to “preserve flows” activated when you export your project, that information is not included in the project.

But I think Mark’s recommendation is the way to go: you can of course hide the player group labels via Layout Options if you don’t want to see them.