Subject: Why do I need a page template override for my custom First page?
Hi all,
I am trying to understand why Dorico requires a manual page template override on page 1 in my layout.
I have created a custom First page template for a harp part that contains three separate music frames:
• Frame 1 – Range (Flow 1)
• Frame 2 – Pedals (Flow 2)
• Frame 3 – Main music (Flow 3)
Each frame uses its own music frame chain (e.g., MJ, MK, MA), and each is flow-filtered to the corresponding flow.
Flow headings are disabled in the layout.
In Layout Options → Page Setup, “Use ‘First’ page template” is set to “First flow only.”
However, Dorico does not automatically apply the First page template. Page 1 falls back to the Default template unless I manually insert a page template change (override) on page 1.
Once I add the override, everything works exactly as expected.
My question is simply:
Why is the override necessary in this case?
Is there a structural requirement for automatic First page template application that I am missing?
In order for Dorico to use the First page template automatically, it has to have a music frame in the same frame chain as is used on the Default page template. It might be that the music frame has to match all the selectors to the Default page template.
You don’t need to use separate frame chains for this: you can put all 3 frames into the same frame chain, then use frame breaks to push flows into the next frame (to make sure the first flow appears in the first frame, the second flow in the second frame, with the actual music starting in the big music frame).
Thank you, @Lillie_Harris, this does seem to work, though it feels somewhat fragile.
I have set all three frames to the same MA frame chain and am no longer using flow filters. Perhaps I am missing something, but it appears that I need to insert frame breaks at the start of Flow 2 and Flow 3 in order for the flows to land in the correct frames on page 1.
That part seems logical enough.
However, I am running into another issue: I do not seem to be able to fully hide the final barline at the right edge of the small (Range and Pedals) frames. Even when I change it to a tick barline and adjust it, it reappears under certain scaling conditions.
Is there a recommended way to suppress the right-side barline cleanly in this setup?
Anyway regarding the (invisible) Tick barline usage in other situations (if you need it for example in the middle of the flow), when the Staff Size is not 100% , experimenting with the Tick adj. values, I came out with these values that work for a 60% Staff size.
To fine adjust the values: the mouse over will show the values as a decimal number. You can then insert in the fields a slightly bigger or smaller decimal number, until you have what you need (the decimal number will be automatically translated into a fraction):
An alternative which requires less effort is the dashed barline. When you set the length of the dash to zero in Engraving Options you get a free invisible barline wherever you choose the dashed barline.
Of course this is pointless if you really need a dashed barline.
