Thoughts on Condensing Feature (Suggestion/Improvement)

Dorico
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Some Thoughts Regarding the Condensing Processing on Dorico

I wish the Dorico team can improve how the condensing works as it is particularly slow even on a fast device.

If possible, I can suggest to have this particular mode where if you’re editing a condensed score as you spot small mistakes in encoding notes or any musical elements, the common scenario is to go into Galley Mode (because you can’t directly interact with the condensed elements) and then go back to the Page view to view as it is.

The second scenario would be having 2 windows open, one for viewing and one for the galley view (to edit). However, changing anything is painfully slow as well. It works fast on parts where condensing does not work its algorithm.

The third scenario is turning off the condensing on the layout options but doing that means, the page view will go back to an un-condensed state again. Doing it this way is tedious as you’ll be switching back and forth of turning it on and off just to view the updated page.

**Having the condensed page viewable is particularly helpful while having a reference at the side since it has the same layout and is helpful (at least for me) in spotting differences on the page.

One way I can think of to have a some sort of a pause on the condensing algorithm at the page view (because you can’t edit condensed parts there anyways and still processes changes even if you’re in galley view when you’re not even viewing the page view).

It can be a button or just an instant switch of “mode” where if you’re still editing or have a selected element on the page (notes, dynamics, lines), the condensing algorithm is paused until you commit to all the changes, and then have algorithm update the page as it usually does via a pop up or just an indicator that it’s updating the page. (an indicator of it processing is a plus too since sometimes, users are unknowingly waiting for it to finish processsing only to find out that it’s already done

By having it this way, the condensing algorithm isn’t forced to think every time there’s a movement on a note or a change on a page. Saves a lot of resources in processing and still do it fast.

I don’t know how this will affect present users, but having the page readily editable is much better than a per change processing algorithm.

For the users out there, what’s your take on the using the condensing feature on Dorico?

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I enter notes, etc. on a Working Score, which I leave uncondensed, but I also have a Conductor’s Score where parts are condensed. I seldom have the two scores open simultaneously, so I am less likely to feel the program is sluggish.

For me, that system works well, but your mileage may vary.

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I have it open on a different window like how you view them simultaneously. The reason I’m doing it with a window is because I have two monitors. The condensing feature have improved a lot from the earlier versions.

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I regularly work like that and I do not find things painfully slow. Are you perhaps working on a very large file, with lots of players and flows?

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