IWBNI it were possible to copy selected entities directly from one document to many other documents in one step.

This would be useful, for example when propagating the design of a given part document to several other part documents. To accomplish this, one might copy some subset of the following entities from the source document: the position and content of text blocks, all page and system margins, the grid and guide options and all guides that have been created, the number of measures in each system, the system locks, the system optimization, specified expressions (e.g. tempo indications and rehearsal marks) and all measure-attached instances of such, and the resize percentages of pages, systems and staves.

As it is now, libraries may be used to copy various data types from one document to another. However, with libraries data must be copied one data type at a time because libraries may only contain one type of data (e.g. only expressions or only articulations), libraries may not be used to copy attached instances of data (e.g. all attached instances of measure-attached expressions in a document) and the contents of a library may not be imported into several documents in one step without the assistance of a keyboard macro utility.

This feature could be implemented by adding a menu item called Copy To Other Documents to the Edit menu. This menu item would display a new dialog box called Copy To Other Documents that could contain the following controls:

---------------------------------------------
Copy To Other Documents Dialog Box

Directory: |list box of directory tree|
Files: |list box of files|

Items to Copy:

Object Databases:
[ ] Articulations
[ ] Chord Suffixes
[ ] Executable Shapes
[ ] Instruments
[ ] Key Signatures
[ ] Percussion Maps
[ ] Shapes
[ ] Shape Expressions
[ ] Staff Styles
[ ] Text Expressions
[ ] Text Repeats

Global Options:
[ ] Document Settings
[ ] Music Spacing
[ ] Grid/Guide Options
[ ] Default Font Settings
[ ] Slur Contour
[ ] Smart Shape Placement
[ ] Smart Shape Options

Entry Items:
{Insert contents of MassMover>Move Entry Items>Entry Items dialog box here.}

Measure Items:
{Insert contents of MassMover>Move Measure Items>Measure Items dialog box here.}

Staff Items:
[ ] Staff Resize Percentages

System Items:
[ ] Number of Measure Per System
[ ] System Margins
[ ] System Locks
[ ] System Optimization
[ ] System Resize Percentages

Page Items:
[ ] Guide Lines
[ ] Page-assigned Text Blocks
[ ] Page Margins
[ ] Page Resize Percentages

[OK] [Cancel] [All] [None] [Help]
---------------------------------------------

The Directory and Files list box controls would be like those on the Open and Save As dialog boxes with the exception that multiple files could be selected when copying.

Most of the items on the Object Databases and Global Options lists were taken from the existing items on the Save Library dialog box. Also, some items have been included that may not be saved into a library, as it is now. These are: Grid/Guide Options, Default Font Settings, Slur Contour, Smart Shape Placement and Smart Shape Options.

The Entry Items and Measure Items sections duplicate the options on the existing Entry Items and Measure Items dialog boxes that are associated with the mass mover tool, with the following exception: For entry item and measure item types for which there is an object database (e.g. expressions and articulations), it would be possible to specify a subset of these that are to be copied. For example, for measure-attached expressions one could select all expressions that are tempo indications and rehearsal marks but omit those that are dynamic markings.

The All (None) button could be used to select (de-select) all checkboxes.

Created: February 25, 2000 (based on a submission from Chris Royal)
Last Updated: February 25, 2000
Version: Finale 2000b