Usually, when I import an XML file with piano solo music, I end up with two separate staves appearing as two individual instruments (1 and 2). To set it up as a single piano instrument, I currently have to do the following:
Go to Setup mode.
For Instrument 1, click the three dots → Change Instrument → select Piano → press Enter.
In Write mode, copy the staff from Instrument 2 into the second staff of the Piano.
Delete Instrument 2.
Is there a more elegant or quicker way to do this?
I found that some xml producers (Photoscore Ultimate, for instance) does exactly this, and it’s really not good. And since it’s no longer supported nor developed (although no official claim has been made, which is a kind of dishonest way to keep on selling licenses), you cannot expect anything. I had to buy me a license of Sibelius to work efficiently with that tool (and I could afford one, at a certain point, thanks to Finale…)
What program do you use to export those XML files?
I use PhotoScore Ultimate. It recognizes it as a piano staff (see screenshot), but unfortunately, it doesn’t export XML properly. On the other hand, I believe that in Dorico, there is no native option to import the material into a particular instrument. I would gladly purchase one if I knew it works much better than PhotoScore Ultimate.
I can tell you, because I have been looking into this : Photoscore Ultimate does work well with Sibelius (using the button Export to Sibelius, and then you let Sibelius choose the instruments or, better, you do the choice yourself). Then, the xml export from Sibelius works well (unless there are some excruciating tuplets…)
So if you happen to have an opportunity to get a cheap perpetual license (as I did), you could find some use in it.
