XML import and Flows Question

Dorico
1

Daniel,

In preparing to export all of my current files (Sibelius and Finale) to XML, I have a question about flows.

Currently the way I work, if a piece is multi-movement, I create 1 entire file of all the movements, and then build in the necessary space, as necessary for the different movements. In Dorico, will I be able to to create a new flow, in the middle of an existing flow? Or should I create a file for each separate movement, to later join into one larger file in Dorico?

Also, in my spare time I am working on a score of a musical. The composer did measures numbers new for each movement, but keeps rehearsal letters going through what appears to be each scene or maybe act. In Dorico, will I be able to keep or adjust rehearsal marks from flow to flow, so that the rehearsal marks between flow 1 and flow 2 are consecutive?

Robby

2

We’re missing a few important functions to do things like split an existing flow into two shorter flows, and to be able to import multiple MusicXML files into separate flows within an existing project. These won’t be too hard to add based on the way Dorico is put together, but we will not have time to add them before the initial release, I’m afraid. So the workflow of bringing large-scale existing works into Dorico and assembling them into a project (or indeed starting with separate projects in Dorico and then combining them together) will not be complete in the first release, though I hope we’ll be able to add some of these features relatively soon.

I’m happier to be able to report that it will at least be easy to change the rehearsal marks and bar numbers at the start of a new flow if needed.

3

Sounds good. I’ll keep them as full files for now, and worry about the nuances when the updates to add such functionality exist.

4

Daniel,

Your answer got me thinking… Currently (as expected in the first version of Dorico) can you have 2 or more projects open at the same time, so that one could copy and paste between 2 or more different projects?

Also, this might be beyond your scope… But is there a way that on October 1, 2016 (the beginning of Q4), for Steinberg to accept a pre-payment for Dorico? I am sure that I will have the money when Dorico does release to the public. But I would rather pay as soon as possible, and wait for the product to arrive. Then to have to watch my spending on my vacation, that I have scheduled in late October.

Robby

5

Yes, we expect that you will be able to copy and paste between two projects, though there are a couple of details still to be worked out there.

I’m afraid we will not be able to take any pre-orders for Dorico ahead of its actual availability date.

6

I understand, and appreciate you answering.

This is for everyone, but if you know Daniel, I’d like to know… Years ago it seemed pre-ordering was a viable thing. Many companies did it, and I have been part of many pre-orders. It seems in the last 5 years or more, companies are steering away from that form of business. Dorico is going to release, so maybe the concern is “What if it goes beyond the Q4 time frame?” But still, I am sure that I am not alone, pre-sale seems like a good thing from my perspective.

Has anybody else noticed this as well? Or is it just me?

Robby

7

What on earth for? It’s not like reserving a new car or something. Steinberg isn’t going to run out of Dorico downloads!

8

Perhaps it’s so folks can pay now so they won’t spend the money on something else before the official date. But that supposes that those folks have little impulse control perhaps. Otherwise they could just set the money aside.

9

Pre-ordering makes sense for physical products like cars, boats, etc., which cannot be produced in unlimited quantities and where the demand is likely to exceed the production capacity; by ordering and paying in part you reserve your spot in the queue. Or it can make sense for startups that are raising capital not from VCs and financiers but actual customers (there are plenty of fundraising campaigns on websites such as kickstarter etc.). But it makes little sense for a software product which can be replicated in unlimited quantities, and Yamaha / Steinberg presumably have plenty of financial resources.

10

I think maybe the point is possibly being missed.

Most, if not ALL users–(myself included :smiley: )- that I’ve spoken to want to not only get the software as soon as possible, but also want to show support for Dorico in ALL ways possible, including financial support. Some even wanted to preorder way back when it started, as a vote of confidence, when a few were unfortunately and unkindly calling it “vaporware”.

They wanted Steinberg to know and also SEE how much we all appreciated Steinberg bankrolling this wonderful product for so very long,with their kind and generous support. And preordering is a way to do this, and also feel closer to and be part of the creative process, UNTIL the actual software is in their hands.

Of course, supplies wont run out, but those on fixed incomes, and who can easily resist “impulse buying” and basically just about make ends meet, also might want to buy while they’re a little “flush”, and can swing it. Putting the money on the side, really doesnt work in these cases as the money soon disappears, not being spent frivolously, but its soon gone.

Perhaps this practice of preordering has waned due to the extra bookkeeping involved, which wouldnt be totally set up until the software was actually for sale.

Either way, supporting Dorico in any way one thinks proper sends a very clear message to Steinberg, and Daniel and team…and that message is one of being behind Steinberg believing in and creating Dorico, and Daniel and teams long hard and EXCELLENT work, and wanting to show this.

And thanking them for this :smiley: .

Thanks Bob

PS Just my take on this…of course YMMV.

11

Maybe they will take your money if you write them a nice letter and ask kindly? When I was a musically dedicated teenager, but struggled to make ends meet, I wrote a letter to the editor of the Musical Times asking if it was possible to subscribe, but still pay for each issue. He wrote me a nice letter back informing me that he had arranged for a one-year free subscription (at overseas postage rate to boot.) Such acts of kindness probably belong exlusively to the good old (pre-digital) days, but still, it’s something I shall never forget.

12

I guess you guys do have a point… everything I pre-paid for were physical items, and certainly was not something as easily duplicated as software.

But to answer the why… I am going on a vacation during Q4, and I might be tempted to spend the money on something I don’t really need. So I was going to try and pre-pay to avoid any hassle associated on my vacation.

But I also agree wholeheartedly with Bob Morabito’s response… I am beyond willing to show my support for this software.

Robby

13

I was disappointed I couldn’t import a separate Music XML into the second flow of a project…As much as I like the look and concept of Dorico so far, I have to say, I find it very buggy. The XMLs imported (after coming from Cubase) all have differences from the original that have to be corrected. And I’ve had a multitude of crashed while trying to save projects. I suppose it will be a while until serious work with Dorico is possible. A manual would certainly be the place to start.

14

Here is another bug…Exporting Music XML in Dorico is realy strange…only last Flow will exported. And please support Unicode naming of exported XML file.

15

Most (all?) applications that import MusicXML only support a single movement or piece encoded within a single MusicXML document. We do need to add some further options to MusicXML export to allow you to choose which flow(s) should be exported, and whether to export them into the same or different MusicXML documents, which we will do in due course.