I would love to see Dorico automatically switch to Write mode from Engrave mode (or other modes) if the user invokes common Write mode keystrokes (Shift X, Shift T, Shift M, etc.) that are not defined in Engrave mode, and then enter whatever popover was just invoked. In these cases it is clear that the user wishes to write something, so why not let them skip the additional step of having to switch modes first? It seems like this would speed up workflow.
Some other modular programs like Adobe Lightroom already work like this. In Lightroom for example I can select a photo in Library mode, then press R (for Crop) to automatically enter the Develop mode with the crop window open, instead of having to first switch to Develop mode. All other Develop mode shortcuts work the same way. It saves the user the additional step of having to switch modes first when it is already clear to the program what the user wishes to do.
Thanks for the suggestion. We are a bit resistant to this idea because the nice thing about the modes being separate is that you could, if you wanted to, assign the same shortcuts you use in Write mode to different functions in Engrave mode. But I agree it could be worth consideration.
So would I. One of the (many) great things about Dorico is that in Engrave mode, I can be certain that whatever mistake I might make, I can’t accidentally change or delete music. Accidentally switching to Write mode without knowing it would eliminate this.
Maybe FredGUnn was only thinking of the use case of adding something, not editing or deleting, but it’s hard to see how you could implement one and exclude the other.
If something like this was done (which I don’t think is a good idea!) it should only apply for one command and then automatically revert to Engrave mode.
This has probably been suggested before by somebody, but it would be nice to have an “obvious” indication in the GUI to distinguish write and engrave modes - e.g. a different background colour. For example a lighter blue in Engrave mode, to suggest that “editing commands are greyed out”?
I have programmed Metagrid to perform sequences of actions that include switching modes before performing the relevant action (e.g. switching to Engrave before adding a System Break). You could use Keyboard Maestro or AutoHotKey to achieve this.
I agree that the separation of the modes is generally a good thing.
As do I, and I love that I can’t accidentally screw up the music while doing layout for example. I’m just requesting the automatic mode switching when it is clear that the user is requesting an action that is only available in another mode. This already sorta exists now for Engraving Options for example. I don’t have to switch to Engrave mode first even though Engraving Options is not available in any menu in any other mode. The program knows that when I invoke that set of keystrokes that I want something that isn’t native to that mode and gives it to me anyway. (Dorico just gives the Engraving Options dialog box, it doesn’t actually switch modes in this case though.)
I think this could be a timesaver in situations where that set of keystrokes is only defined for one mode alone. I seriously doubt many people are going to define Shift-X to be a shortcut in a mode other than Write, but if they do then the mode switching capability could be disabled for that set of keystrokes, or any set of keystrokes where there is a conflict between its actions in different modes. It also could be disabled for any actions that are nonsensical, like invoking Respell Using Note Name Above with nothing selected. However, if I’ve finished positioning other text in Engrave mode and then hit Shift-X, it is clear that I now want to enter more text, instead of just doing nothing. Automatically switching to Write and allowing text entry would make for a faster workflow.
If some of the commonly used Write mode shortcuts are only defined by the user for use in Write mode, why not save the user the step of switching modes when it is clear what they want to do? I use Adobe Lightroom a lot and I almost always switch modes simply by invoking the tool or setting I wish to use in that mode. It’s a much faster workflow than making the user switch modes first, or simply doing nothing when they invoke a shortcut defined only in another mode.
It’s only clear if you never ever press the wrong key by accident.
Don’t forget that in general, if you have something selected and call up the relevant popover, it can destructively edit what was already in the score!
it would be nice to have an “obvious” indication in the GUI to distinguish write and engrave modes - e.g. a different background colour. For example a lighter blue in Engrave mode, to suggest that “editing commands are greyed out”?
This is a fantastic suggestion - I don’t remember seeing it before.