Hello,
I want to input:
en diminuant - - - - - - - p
and have to think for a workaround.
This time after struggling for a while I gave up and use
dim. - - - - - - - p
which is not what I want.
Why is this difficult?
Quite a few of Dorico’s advantages rely on its objects being semantically defined. And since defining these objects takes extra work, and since we can’t yet directly contribute to the software’s ontology, some flexibility is sacrificed in order to make sure all moving parts agree on what a certain object means.
LSalguerio,
I do understand the logic behind it, still the tool sometimes feels very clumsy.
We already have ‘prefix’ and ‘suffix’ properties for dynamics, why not have an ‘alternative text’ one?
You are absolutely right and it’ll be hard to find anyone who disagrees with you, but that’s all one can reply unless you’re Daniel. 
I think I’ve suggested a couple of times that perhaps the ability to contribute to the software’s ontology in certain areas should be bumped up a notch in priority, so as to really open up the possibilities. Yours is an obstacle I’ve faced in the past, and something as simple and essential as localization — a fancy word for “not writing in English” — shouldn’t stump anyone.
k_b, I’m not sure if I really understand what you want. But I can get “en diminuant - - - - - - - p” by entering “p” in the dynamics popover and then add the prefix "en diminuant - - - - - - - " in the properties panel.
Thomas
The day that flexibility is NOT sacrificed to whatever is the day that I will be able to use Dorico.
Any choice implies compromise, and there are different measures for flexibility. Dorico’s abstract approach privileges, by definition, flexibility. But since it is a composed consequence of the system, it does take a bit more work at first.
Dear Thomas,
you are a genius! The trick was entering the dashed “continuation line” as a row of hyphens into the prefix property. With a bit of fiddling I get my desired result. Another workaround learnt …
The dashed line ends at the frame on that page, so if it extends onto another frame, one has to input another fake continuation line (the second half) - - - - - p
[edit] actually I have taken the workaround out again. It is too complicated, as it has to be repeated in the part layout, too. Then it would have to be hidden in the score and the one in the score would have to be hidden in the part… I give in and use the preconfigured solution - even if it does not replicate my source…
At the same time I think we are mixing up two things here.
One is Doricos concept or semantic approach.
The other one is: Dorico has made a choice by itself: choosing “>” (hairpin) and “diminuendo” or “dim.” for notating/describing diminishing sound. Doricos choice is to have chosen the Italian wording (and not the French f.e.) “diminuendo” opposed to “en diminuant”. So this choice has been happening in the first place. And this has nothing to do with the program concept by itself.
Please correct me, if I am wrong.