More Nubie Questions esp disconnect between video Tutorials and online Manual

Dorico
1

This is a multi-part question so I can save Forum members space and time.

I am sure I will need the manual fequently after finishing the video tutorials. I am concerned because the manual and the tutorials appear to differ on many commands. also, because searching in the manual often seems to bring up topics and techniques unrelated to the search. Very seldom do simple actionable answers appear. Below are some differences between video tutorials and the online manual which I have come across. I suspect there are reasonable explanations for all of them but I would welcome any comments. If possible, please identify which question you are answering :slight_smile:

==========================================#1 ===============================================
The Manual does not appear to discuss certain techniques which appear in the video tutorial “Selections and Navigating”.
Especially extending selection (video: shift+arrow, ctr+shift+arrow, manual: ctrl+shift a ???
Perhaps I have missed it? How would you use the manual to search for extending selection?

======================#2 =============================================
I am confused about selecting in input mode. I see in the manual that “left arrow” deletes in “step input mode” Is that the same as “note input” ON ? If so, in my experience left arrow does not delete, however backspace appears to delete in both input mode and insert mode. Any comments would be appreciated.

========================#3================================================================
Also may I confirm that “Insert Bar(s)” is available in the “Bars and Barlines” panel but “Delete bars” is only available via popover? Seems odd.

============================== #4 =======================================================
Video tutorial says alt+left moves note by grid value
Key commands page say all of these move left: alt+num+left, alt+control+left, alt+Left. I don’t see any difference?
Can someone explain these multiple commands that all do the same thng? And what specifically does “num” refer to???

===================================#5=======================================================
Multiple key commands appear on the Key Commands page for the same result

2 for lower pitch by 8ve
2 for lower pitch by step
2 for lower pitch by chromatic step
Explain?

Once again, thank you for your patience as I try to absorb this. Bonus question: How did YOU learn Dorico? What worked best for you?

2

Hello Manny,

You can absolutely just type in “extend selection” into the online manual, and you should find that the top two results are very relevant: Search Results - Dorico Help

In general, the top few results when you search are likely to be the most relevant. You can ignore the rest!

Although yes the Shift-Arrow options aren’t there at the moment, I’ll make a note to add those. While the manual seeks to be comprehensive, there might sometimes be omissions!

Where are you seeing this? When the caret is active (the vertical orange line), you can navigate the caret around using arrow keys. Left Arrow won’t delete, but it will move the caret to the left, ie backwards. Backspace deletes during note input, which also moves the caret back simultaneously.

“Step input” and “note input” refer to the same thing: the orange caret is active, and you can enter notes.

(If you’ve searched online, make sure you’re viewing the latest manual by checking what’s displayed at the top left of the page. If it just has the Dorico logo, that’s the version 1 manual – this is also included in the url, /v1/. The latest manual is 5.0.20.)

Not quite, there’s a menu option for Delete Bars now (see the tip at the end of that page).

The right panels in Write mode are for inputting notations. Therefore, it makes sense for options for deleting not to be here! The popovers are also generally geared towards input, but they provide other tools as well, so can be more flexible.

“Num” means on the number pad, vs the numbers at the top of the alphabetical keys on your keyboard. They all function the same.

There can be a slight difference between Alt-arrows and Ctrl/Cmd-Alt-arrows for moving some notations (the difference being whether the item moves according to the rhythmic grid, or snaps to the next notehead). But this only applies to a small selection of notations (like ornaments).

This looks like the same difference as above: you can use arrow keys on a standard keyboard or on the number pad, equally.

Might I also recommend, if you haven’t already, working through our First Steps guide for new users. It’s a step-by-step tutorial that covers a lot of key functionality and philosophy along the way.

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In my case I started reading the Dorico blog prior to the release of version 1, which gave great insights into the Development Team’s concepts behind the program. One thing I learned from the blog was not to expect Dorico to work like Finale.

I purchased the program on day 1, even though there was no manual, because I knew from prior experience with Finale that learning the program would take time. During those early days, the release notes and this forum were blessed resources, especially forum participants who (I suspect) were beta testers and more familiar with the program than the rest of us.

I read every post on this forum and its predecessor, watched videos when they came out, and took notes. I imported XML files from Finale as a way to transfer them over as I used them to practice Dorico’s way of doing things. Different folks contributed spreadsheets of key commands and tokens to help one another keep track. When I found something I could not do in the existing version of Dorico, I did what I could and set the file aside to come back to when updates added to Dorico’s capabilities. Much less often now I still do that.

When Lillie arrived to create the manual, I did what I could to learn how to use it. (For example,subject headings ending in -ing are about how to accomplish something as opposed to merely giving info about a function.)

I still read every post and all the Release Notes as they come out. When in doubt, I check the on-line manual via the link in the latest version of the program to be sure I am searching the most current manual.

From the start, I have not been slow to create temp projects to experiment and play with the software to test out feature and “work-arounds.” A willingness to experiment really helps learn how to use the program to its best effect.

I think the idea of the “10,000-hour rule” is onto something. Learning something as flexible and useful as Dorico may not take 10,000 hours, but it does take time, just as Finale did and Professional Composer before that.

If that sounds a bit daunting, it probably is. But that’s what worked best for me.

Good luck, best wishes in your entry into the program. It’s worth it.

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4

Lillie;
You replied:
<<<Might I also recommend, if you haven’t already, working through our First Steps guide for new users. It’s a step-by-step tutorial that covers a lot of key functionality and philosophy along the way.>>>>

This looks great!!! Thank you!! I am doing the tutorials but it’s hard to find a”way in”. I also did the “Dorico in 11 minutes” but that was a LOT of material :blush:

You replied

<<<<Not quite, there’s a [menu option]- - - -links not allowed in replies(??? ----for Delete Bars now (see the tip at the end of that page).>>>

What does the term “that page” refer to?

You replied:

<<<“Num” means on the number pad, vs the numbers at the top of the alphabetical keys on your keyboard. They all function the same>>>

Apologies, still confused. Does this mean that I use the number themselves in a aparticular way? If so, what is the intended use of these “num” commands?

deepest thanks for all of the replies.

5

The page linked in the sentence: Deleting bars/beats

Nope, just use whichever number key is most comfortable to you. If you have a laptop, it’s likely you don’t have a number pad at all (by which I mean something like this).

  • Shift-Left Arrow means: hold down both the Shift and Left Arrow keys.
  • Shift-Num Left Arrow means: hold down both the Shift key and the Left Arrow key that’s part of the number pad.

They are completely equivalent. Do either, and you’ll get the same result in Dorico. Again, if you don’t have a number pad, you don’t even need to think about this at all.

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