Re: bar number position (direction) numerical definitions overlap

[Paul Scott]

Mats Bengtsson wrote:
> Quoting Paul Scott <address@hidden>:
>
> > Mats Bengtsson wrote:
> > > I'm still a bit confused.  Do you want to determine
> > > if the bar number is printed over the beginning or the end of the 
> > > measure?
> > I probably would be happy just being able to have UP and DOWN as 
> > choices and have the bar number only at the left.  I was partially 
> > responding to the confusion in the documentation and to the bug 
> > described below.
> > > Personally, as a musician I would be very confused to see
> > > a bar number printed at the end of a measure.
> > I agree and this is exactly what current default does except it is 
> > also the bar number of the previous bar.  This probably comes from 
> > the code to  position bar numbers at the beginning of the line in 
> > which case the bar number does precede the measure to which if refers.
>
> I think what you really mean is that the bar numbers are right aligned
> with respect to the beginning bar line of the measure. 
The *effect* is to do exactly what I said.  It didn't occur to me that 
the implementation was in terms of bar lines.  After all they are bar 
numbers not bar line numbers.  Musicians usually think in terms of bars 
not bar lines.  I appreciate you pointing this out so we can speak the 
same language.
> This is easily corrected by
> \override Score.BarNumber #'self-alignment-X = #CENTER
> but I agree that this should be the default (or maybe even left
> alignment, so the full bar number is within the correct measure).
I agree with left alignment.   I tried your example.  If I were reading 
it I would be almost as confused as the default.

The following variation of your test case makes my points:

1. The documentation and/or implementation of BarNumber direction is 
incorrect:  #RIGHT and #LEFT give the same result as #UP and #LEFT 
respectively.  The documentation error may have just been the result of 
an unfinished cut-and-paste.  As far as I am concerned there is no need 
for #RIGHT, #LEFT or #CENTER values for the direction variable.  If 
others want bar numbers on any possible corner of a bar then maybe a new 
variable should be introduced.

2. The algorithm for positioning bar numbers in the line should have a 
horizontal offset from the position of the bar numbers at the beginning 
of the line or preferably when bar numbers are printed more than just at 
the beginning of the line the bar numbers should all have the same position.

\version "2.8.5"
\relative c' {
   % Print bar number on every bar line:
 \override Score.BarNumber #'break-visibility = #all-visible
   % Default is right aligned bar numbers, the following looks
               % more sensible !?
 \override Score.BarNumber #'self-alignment-X = #LEFT
 \override Score.BarNumber #'direction = #UP
 \repeat unfold 8 {c d e f} \break
 \override Score.BarNumber #'direction = #DOWN
 \repeat unfold 8 {c d e f} \break
 \override Score.BarNumber #'direction = #LEFT
 %Acts like #DOWN
 \repeat unfold 8 {c d e f} \break
 \override Score.BarNumber #'direction = #RIGHT
 %Acts like #UP
 \repeat unfold 8 {c d e f}
}


Paul