2 days of work lost.
Imported an XML file, as usual very difficult. Error after error. Luckily I know my way around, so first I opened it in Sibelius, then took at the TAB part, created a new export file, and saved it. By now I know, if I have something already open in Dorico, the program will crash. So I open the XML, fix the errors, and copy that into a new Dorico project. Very time-consuming but it “kind of works”.This morning, as I proceed I constantly save my changes (just in case). And yes another crash, I said no problem, close everything, Sibelius, Dorico, Adobe, Sound program, etc…reboot the PC. And surprise surprise, I opened the “saved” project, a simple guitar song …Dorico added
15 instruments!!! and because I have the 3,5 version, it won´t t allow any changes, saving , nothing…I tried deleting all those mysterious instruments, that worked, but still, no saving is possible, the project is dead. 2 days lost…Please don´t give me any suggestions on how to avoid these problems. The fact is that XML importing in Dorico is far from ready to use…hope you guys can fix it someday…Still love the software, but today it spoiled my morning.
Have you checked your Project Backups folder? By default, the previous 5 saves are backed up so perhaps you can open a previous version.
Quick question. What is the source of your xml file?
Why on earth wouldn’t you want help?
Then all I will say is that I don’t think these are universal problems. I have had no problem importing XML files (mostly from Finale or MuseScore); I can’t remember Dorico ever crashing, even with multiple documents, either.
[quote=“Concha, post:1, topic:707794”]
because I have the 3,5 version, it won´t t allow any changes, saving [/quote]
Do you mean that you only have SE or Elements, and so the file is in read-only, because it has too many staves?
Perhaps if you upload the document here, someone can have a look and help you with it. Even assuming there is a bug, without specifics, the team aren’t going to be able to fix it.
Thanks, I checked Auto save,it is empty.
Thanks everyone for you help!
Source of my xml file:
-PDF
-Neuratron
-Dorico . It worked with the first page, could save that, then froze. Could never import that same page again.
-Went from Neuratron to Sibelius, copied only the notes without tabs, to a new Sibelius project. Saved as XML.
-Opened with Dorico. I then copy everything into a new project before it freezes.
-Worked for a couple of days, as I kept adding importing notes to a separate project, then copying them into my main one.
-Then today, BANG, froze, allthough it was “saved”, as I opened the software again it “recovered” my project, adding some 12 Flute players.
From then on it left me out completely.
I own Dorico 3,5 (latest update, not pro).
The real reason for my frustration is that I like the software so much.I´m a hobby classical guitar player, 20 years, Sibelius, now Dorico.I get most of my scores on PDF, so naturally Neuratron XML makes life simple.Mostly it works, though the process is cumbersome, to avoid crashes.Never had this one before though.
While I understand the frustration, and believe me I do, the best thing you can do for the developers to try to fix it (which is what I understand you want for them to do from your post) is to provide them with the offending MusicXML and/or a diagnostics report. Without them, the problem will most likely remain unsolved.
This is the fixed file. Can you work and save from it?
Here Come The Moon G. Harrison.dorico (864.6 KB)
You’ve got no Full Score layout, for starters, which is a bit odd, as every new document has that.
But you’ve also got 13 separate Flows, with what looks like the same music. So did you import the XML file again and again into the same document, creating new instruments each time?
But yes, if you own Dorico Elements or SE, the number of staves is limited, after which the document is read-only.
Thank you for the “fixed file”, but the original is 25 Staves, the one you sent me only 3.
There is definitely something wrong, but the file comes from Sibelius like I mentioned.
“But you’ve also got 13 separate Flows, with what looks like the same music. So did you import the XML file again and again into the same document, creating new instruments each time?”
I didn´t import the same file again and again adding instruments.
I imported segments, then I copied those into my main project. And I did that over a 2 day span, then playing, adding fingering, always saving…no majour issues…except for the last one…
Maybe that is the problem, that it kept adding instruments after each segement I copied.But 12 flutes??
I will try to import the whole song in one shot, see what happens, then I will let u know.
Thanks a million for your help.
It will take some time though!
Nueratron produces very quirky xml files. It is still xml version 2.0, not 3.1. It exports a “double-flat” accidental, instead of “flat-flat” and this causes Dorico import to fail (everything up to the “double flat” arrives, but nothing thereafter on that staff). It fails to export multi-bar rests correctly (they arrive as just a single bar rest). Multi-stave instruments arrive as two separate instruments. And it fails to handle cross-staff notes correctly. (There might be other quirks, but these are the ones I’ve encountered so far)
If you forget to name a staff in Neuratron, it will arrive in Dorico as a Flute! And if you re-read a page in Neuratron, because it misinterpreted a staff, the xml might end up with a hidden empty staff. Could this be the source of all your flutes?
Going via Sibelius usually fixes these problems.
The safest route I’ve found is not to import xml files into an existing Dorico project. Rather, open each in a new file, and when you are happy with it copy that flow into your main project.
Thanks, that was very ,very usefull, I will save those tips!
Sorry, I didn’t look at the contents of the flute staves, I assumed you wanted to get rid of them so, since you don’t own Pro, you could save the file.
Done!
Created a full Sibelius XML first (coming from Neuratron), then imported into Dorico.
Saved with only one (guitar), instrument.
Thanks a million, guys, now I have my proper XML recipe import.
Stay safe.
Dear Concha,
I just had a look at the dorico file you sent, and I think I do not use photoscore as you do. I actually do not understand much of this file.
Just in case it can help you, I will describe my workflow with Photoscore Ultimate (which I use on a very regular basis) :
First thing is to check that the systems read are ok. Sometimes, a staff is missing, or is recognized as a tab staff or whatever type of staff that is not what it should be. Or that some (red) links between staves are missing (to form a system). Then re-read the page.
Second thing : correct every bit of the rhythmical stuff it reads, and there’s usually quite a lot of it, unless it’s reading a PDF output from a digital file (which is rare. I’m often in the medium quality).
Once this is done, I attribute an accurate instrument to each staff, and check the clefs and the key signatures (there’s often very strange things there…).
Then the file is ok for me to send to Sibelius, and I often choose “this is a transposed score”, so I have to re-input the accurate instruments, click ok and the score is usually alright.
Last thing before opening in Dorico, I export as compressed XML. I can save the Sibelius file, but I usually prefer correcting in Dorico what is left to be corrected (and there always is, especially slurs and dynamics).
With time and experience I found that this workflow gives me good results.
Let me know if you need some help on some steps in Photoscore — although the program is quite small and exists for a long time, the documentation available is… really poor!!! I had some tips from the Neuraton team opening tickets, and I wish nobody to have this kind of experience with an app.
Hope it helps!