IWBNI there were a utility that could be used to save and open archived versions of a given document. As it is now, if the option Make Backups When Saving Files is selected on the Program Options dialog box, a copy of the previous version of a file is saved as a backup. There is no built-in facility to maintain multiple archival copies and information pertaining to such.

This feature would be useful for those who, after a few hours, days, or weeks, or after completing a major task, routinely save the current file to a file of a new name and accumulate dozens or even hundreds of previous versions of a given document so that in the event that a document is somehow edited into an undesirable state, one may return to an earlier version.

Also, an archive of past files (with supporting documentation or notes describing the point in the process of editing at which a given archive file was created) can be indispensable for determining the cause of unexpected or undesirable program behavior or side effects that occur at some point during the course of editing a given document over several months. For example, this approach was used to obtain the information contained in the following suggestions: Suggestion 665: Don't Delete Accidentals in 2nd Bar of a Tied Pair of Bars when Editing 1st Bar and Suggestion 666: Do Not Disconnect Ties across System Breaks on Special Tool Edits.

This could be implemented by adding a submenu called Archive to the File menu that could contain the menu items Save to Archive, Open  from Archive and Edit Archive. The Save to Archive item would display a new dialog box called Save to Archive that could contain the following controls:

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Save to Archive Dialog Box

Archive Number NNN for filename.mus

File Name: filenameNNN.mus

Description: [_____]

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In the Description multi-line text box, one could enter a description of the current state of the file that is being archived. For example, to describe a given archive file one might enter the following text: "Just after checking all articulation assignments and spacing between articulations, and just before adjusting all tuplets". The description so entered would be saved within the archival copy of the MUS file.

The name of the archival copy of the file would be created automatically by appending a numerical suffix after the base name of the file that is being archived. The archival copy would be stored as a read-only file in a directory specified by a new text box called Archives in the Folders section of the Program Options dialog box. If this text box is blank, the archival copy would be stored in the same directory as that of the document that is being archived. The number which is automatically generated for given archive would be the next available number for the given base file name. For example, if the archive directory contains files score1.mus and score3.mus, the next time a given document called score.mus is stored into the archive, the archive copy would be called score4.mus, automatically.

The menu item Open from Archive would display a new dialog box called Open from Archive that could contain the following controls:

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Open from Archive Dialog Box

Base File Name: _____

Archive: |list box of archival copies|

Description: [_____]

[Open]

[OK] [Cancel]
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The Base File Name text box would be initialized with the base file name of the document that was active when the menu item Open from Archive was selected. One could edit the contents of this text box to change the base file name of the file that is to be retrieved from the archive. The Archive multi-selection list box would contain the number of every archival copy that is in the archive directory for the specified Base File Name. When one numbered copy is selected from the list box, the description which was entered when the copy was saved, would be displayed in the read-only multi-line text box Description. The Open button would open all copies that are selected in the Archive list box but would not close the dialog box. The OK and Cancel buttons could be used to close the dialog box.

The Edit Archive menu item would display a new dialog box called Edit Archive that could contain the following controls:

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Edit Archive Dialog Box

Base File Name: _____

Archive: |list box of archival copies|

Description: [_____]

[Delete Archival Copy]

[OK] [Cancel]

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The controls on the Edit Archive dialog box would be identical to those of the same name on the Open from Archive dialog box, except the Description text box could be used to modify the description of an existing archival copy. The button Delete Archival Copy could be used to delete all copies that are selected in the Archive list box.

Created: August 4, 2000 (based on comments by Tobias Giesen)
Last Updated: August 4, 2000
Version: Finale 2000b