Re: \bookparts and scaling

[Abraham Lee]

Hi, Torsten!

On Wed, Jun 27, 2018 at 2:49 AM, Torsten Hämmerle <address@hidden> wrote:

Hi Ralph,

I'm neither Crimson nor Sunrise, but I guess having both full score and
parts together in one PDF is quite a common requirement.

Using smaller print for the full score but using larger print for the parts
while keeping up natural spacing is not easy to achieve in LilyPond, because
set-global-staff-size only works for whole books, i.e. separate output
files.


Here's a minimal example (without any attempt do alter score sizes yet) as a
working basis for the implementation of different approaches:


%%%%%%%%%%

\version "2.19.81"

#(set-default-paper-size "a6")

fluteI  = { \repeat unfold 20 { c''8 e'' g'' e'' } \bar "|." }
fluteII = { \repeat unfold 20 { c'4 g' } \bar "|." }

\bookpart {
  \header { instrument = "Full Score" }
  \score {
    \new StaffGroup <<
      \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Fl. 1" } \fluteI
      \new Staff \with { instrumentName = "Fl. 2" } \fluteII
    >>
  }
}

\bookpart {
  \header { instrument = "Flute 1" }
  \score {
    \new Staff \fluteI
  }
}

\bookpart {
  \header { instrument = "Flute 2" }
  \score {
    \new Staff \fluteII
  }
}

%%%%%%%%%%


First, there is the full score, containing Flute 1 and Flute 2.
This full score should use smaller print, cf. #(set-global-staff-size 10) in
a \book.
The parts, however, should look as if printed with #(set-global-staff-size
20).
And all within one single PDF.

These extreme differences should make spacing problems obvious.

How do you (to the list in general) handle such a case without using
external PDF postprocessing programs?
I'm usually working around the problem by using (at least) two PDF files -
one for the full score and one (or even individual files) for the parts -
for several reasons.

I can see reasons for wanting to do separate PDF files for this, and I've done it many times myself, but I also have wished the mechanics for this were better handled for varied staff sizes within a single \book. If I could voice my deepest desire for this, it would be that it would have configurable scope all the way down at the \score level, so that each \score can have its own nominal/global size that is user-settable, and then allow the individual staves can resize themselves around that if desired. I can see plenty of reasons why the engraver might want that nominal size to be different from one \score to the next. Worst case, it would be nice to have it settable at the \bookpart level so that examples like yours can be handled the way you describe while taking advantage of \book level logistics like page numbering, table of contents, etc.

My two cents.

Best,

Abraham