

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
--------------------------------
Q 1.
I wrote a MUP file but NoteEdit cannot read it.

Q 2.
Can NoteEdit print the score ?

Q 3.
I can't hear any sound! I see the running red notes but there is no sound! What's wrong?

Q 4.
If I close NoteEdit I hear a terrible loud sound. What does it mean and how can I avoid it?

Q 5.
Why is there such a terrible warning during MuxiXTeX export ?

Q 6.
How can I avoid the terrible warning during MusiXTeX export ?

Q 7.
During configure I get an error: Cannot find >= Qt-2.2.2

Q 8.I get an error concerning apps/noteedit/resources.
Q 9.During file load an error concerning klauncher occurs:
Q 10.
I loaded a .not file made with a previous NoteEdit version. It seems the the first tempo signature
appears in last instead of first staff. What shall I do?

Q 11.
I wrote a score with leading graces. But I can't hear them!

Q 12.
Something is wrong with lyrics spacing. The words overlap!

Q 13.
Something is wrong with lyrics spacing. The spacing between the words is too large!

Q 14.
I loaded a .not file made with a previous NoteEdit version. But
the staff and lyrics distances are wrong.

Q 15.
The replay works but it hangs during page turn over. What can I do ?

Q 16.
I cannot hear the sound although Kmidi works without any problem! What's wrong?

Q 17.
NoteEdit crashes after the output TSE3 ALSA MIDI scheduler created
Q 18.
My whole Linux hangs if I try to start NoteEdit. I have to restart the system.


---------------------------------------------------------

	
Q 1.


I wrote a MUP file but NoteEdit cannot read it.

A 1.

I said NoteEdit uses a similary file format as MUP.
The files produced by NoteEdit should be readable by MUP. But the
contrary way failes in most cases.

Q 2.


Can NoteEdit print the score ?

A 2.


Not directly! But with the help of some music typesetting programs you can print the score. Read:

  * ExportMusixTeX
  * MusiXTeX export discussion page
  * Export LilyPond
  * LilyPond export discussion page
  * Export ABC music
  * ABC music export discussion page
  * Export PMX
  * PMX export discussion page

Furthermore the NoteEdit storage format is close to the MUP (http://www.arkkra.com/) 
format. Thus, most NoteEdit files are directly MUP-able
Q 3.


I can't hear any sound! I see the running red notes but there is no sound! What's wrong?

A 3.

First of all: Try to play a MIDI file with kmid (not (!!!)kmidi). As long as kmid does not produce any sound, NoteEdit
(and any other MIDI device based software) will not produce any sound, too!
The reason is: Either your soundcard has no hardware MIDI synthesizer or
it has a hardware MIDI synthesizer but it is not supported by Linux.

Be not confused if you can play MIDI files on Windows. If your soundcard has no hardware MIDI synthesizer
Windows automatically starts a software which converts the MIDI data into WAV (PCM) data in real time. This
works if your computer has enough performance.

Such software exists for Linux, too. But it is more complicated because:
  * It works only if you have an ALSA (http://www.alsa-project.org)  system.
This is always the case with SuSE (http://www.suse.de/de/index.html)  Linux. (Other
Linuxes I don't know). In any case: You can always change from OSS System to ALSA by compiling the
ALSA modules "by hand".
  * You have to start this software "by hand".
  * These software MIDI sythesizers need a so-called soundfont, a collection of sample tones of
every instrument of a virtual orchestra. These soundfonts are copyrighted, i.e. actually nothing for
a free system like Linux


But there is a (relatively bulky) way! See The TiMidity server
detailed instructions! 
Q 4.


If I close NoteEdit I hear a terrible loud sound. What does it mean and how can I avoid it?

A 4.


Actually this sound shall be played during MusiXTeX export and remember the
users with dramatic effort that latex file.tex
is incorrect (see next question). Unfortunatly you block the sound device with some other application. Note, this
application can be timidity in server mode. In this case the aRts sound server
which is responsible for playing this sound playes the sound as soon as the sound device
becomes free. And this is the case if you close noteedit.


To avoid the sound dectivate the checkbox at: 
Settings-->Configure NoteEdit 
-> MusixWarn

Q 5.


Why is there such a terrible warning during MuxiXTeX export ?

A 5.


I tried to clarify that latex file.tex
does not suffice. You'll find such a hint on WEB page in this documentation in
tips of the day. I implored the users: "Please read the
MusiXTeX export discussion page!". Nothing helps!
If I search the WEB I get a lot of NoteEdit descriptions claiming latex file.tex
is correct. And I see examples. Some users proudly present the MusiXTeX ouput and do
not remark the unaligned right margin.

Even worse: I get some mails: "NoteEdit is ok but it produces MusiXTeX pages with
non-aligned right margin!"

So I decided for this drastic feature.
Q 6.


How can I avoid the terrible warning during MusiXTeX export ?

A 6.


Dectivate the checkbox at: 
Settings-->Configure NoteEdit 
-> MusixWarn

Q 7.


During configure I get an error: Cannot find >= Qt-2.2.2

A 7.


This can be because of many problems. If you are sure you have an appropriate Qt then most often this 
has to do with your compiler version.
Many users install g++-3.x and expect that programs can be linked with
QTs/KDEs which are compiled with g++-2.x. But as experiances show: This is not possible!
You have to re-compile the whole Qt and the whole KDE (takes 3 days).

Q 8.

I get an error concerning apps/noteedit/resources.

     "Can't find apps/noteedit/resources. Check your installation and $KDEDIR if set"
A 8.

You didn't install NoteEdit (make install) !
The local installation is very complicated.
There is a shell script that should place the files and links  correctly in NoteEdit top directory:

     cd <path>/noteedit-2.5.0

     ./admin/locinst.sh

Then set environment variable KDEDIRS to noteedit top directory:


  Shell  command
  (t)csh  setenv KDEDIRS <path_to_noteedit-2.5.0_direcory>
  other shell  export KDEDIRS=<path_to_noteedit-2.5.0_direcory>

     cd noteedit

     ./noteedit  [<file>.not]
Q 9.

During file load an error concerning klauncher occurs:

     "... Could not read network connection list.

     Please check that the 'dcopserver' program is running!"

and:

     "can't talk to klauncher"
A 9.

You use NoteEdit outside KDE and the KDE binaries are not in your PATH. Add the KDE binaries to your PATH!
If this doesn't help try:

     rm /tmp/.ICE-unix/*

     rm $HOME/.DCOPserver_*
Q 10.


I loaded a .not file made with a previous NoteEdit version. It seems the the first tempo signature
appears in last instead of first staff. What shall I do?

A 10.


Yes, there is a slight version incompatibility concerning .not files
before < --- > after 1.18.2. Please correct this and store the file. Now
the tempo signature should be at correct place.

Q 11.


I wrote a score with leading graces. But I can't hear them!

A 11.


Please avoid leading graces! Leading graces have a negative start time. You'll never hear them. Insert an empty
measure instead!

Q 12.


Something is wrong with lyrics spacing. The words overlap!

A 12.


I don't know what's wrong! It has to do with font management of your X11 system. Try to change in 
noteedit/chord.cpp near line 97:
#if QT_VERSION >= 300
#define LYRICSWIDTH_FAC(x) ((int) (1.5 * x))
#else
#define LYRICSWIDTH_FAC(x) (x)
#endif



against:

#define LYRICSWIDTH_FAC(x) ((int) (1.5 * x))


If this doesn't help increase the value 1.5

Q 13.


Something is wrong with lyrics spacing. The spacing between the words is too large!

A 13.


I don't know what's wrong! It has to do with font management of your X11 system. Try to change in 
noteedit/chord.cpp near line 97:
#if QT_VERSION >= 300
#define LYRICSWIDTH_FAC(x) ((int) (1.5 * x))
#else
#define LYRICSWIDTH_FAC(x) (x)
#endif



against:

#define LYRICSWIDTH_FAC(x) (x)

Q 14.


I loaded a .not file made with a previous NoteEdit version. But
the staff and lyrics distances are wrong.

A 14.


The meaning of the overlength, underlength and lyricsdist parameters
has changed in version 1.11.0:-(  Please edit the ".not" files and multiply the
distance values with 3. Or load every ".not" file and correct the values
using the staff properties dialog.

Q 15.


The replay works but it hangs during page turn over. What can I do ?

A 15.


If you use a software midi synthesizer like TiMidity server
please start them as root and icrease its priority. This way the
priority ot the TiMidity process increases.

Use the following command in this case:

     timidity --realtime-priority=100 -iA -B2,8 -Os1l -s 44100

Note!
-----
 This can lead to operating system problems if your CPU
performance is too small! If so, then try to decrease the priority
and/or the frequency:     timidity --realtime-priority=60 -iA -B2,8 -Os1l -s 22050

If this doesn't help then turn off the context view. Unfortunately, the context view
is a very time consuming issue.
Q 16.


I cannot hear the sound although Kmidi works without any problem! What's wrong?

A 16.

This is no surprise! If Kmid worked and NoteEdit not, this were
surprising. Kmidi first converts the MIDI data into PCM (WAV) data.
Then it plays the sound via PCM (not MIDI) device. You can check this by playing the sound with
Kmidi and handle the PCM ruler and then the MIDI ruler on your sound
mixer. The MIDI ruler (if any) has no influence.

Important: Try to play a MIDI file with kmid (not (!!!)kmidi). As long as kmid does not produce any sound, NoteEdit
(and any other MIDI device based software) will not produce any sound, too!
The reason is: Either your soundcard has no hardware MIDI synthesizer or
it has a hardware MIDI synthesizer but it is not supported by Linux.

Be not confused if you can play MIDI files on Windows. If your soundcard has no hardware MIDI synthesizer
Windows automatically starts a software which converts the MIDI data into WAV (PCM) data in real time. This
works if your computer has enough performance.

Such software exists for Linux, too. But it is more complicated because:
  * It works only if you have an ALSA (http://www.alsa-project.org)  system.
This is always the case with SuSE (http://www.suse.de/de/index.html)  Linux. (Other
Linuxes I don't know). In any case: You can always change from OSS System to ALSA by compiling the
ALSA modules "by hand".
  * You have to start this software "by hand".
  * These software MIDI sythesizers need a so-called soundfont, a collection of sample tones of
every instrument of a virtual orchestra. These soundfonts are copyrighted, i.e. actually nothing for
a free system like Linux


But there is a (relatively bulky) way! See The TiMidity server
detailed instructions! 
Q 17.


NoteEdit crashes after the output TSE3 ALSA MIDI scheduler created
A 17.

In most cases it has not to do with NoteEdit itself. It has to do with your ALSA system or
more precise with your ALSA module parameters in /etc/modules.conf. To clarify
this try the TSE3 test program tse3play. First determine the available ports:

     tse3play -list

Or it this doen't work:

     tse3play -list <file>.mid

The on every available MIDI port try to play the MIDI file:

     tse3play -port <port file>.mid

till you hear the music or it crashes. If it crashes it is clear your ALSA system is the reason why.

Actually I can't help here because I'm not an ALSA guru. Please contact the ALSA developers! Time ago I had a similar problem with a
laptop with Yamaha YMF7xx sound card. Even worse: My whole Linux crashed. At this time I adapted the
OSS (Open Sound System) hints in Linux source documentation (/usr/src/linux/Documentation/sound/README.ymfsb)
to the ALSA system and it worked. But I'm afraid this is no general solution. Note: This was
ALSA-0.5.

As an interim solution you can start NoteEdit without creating an ALSA MIDI scheduler:

        
noteedit --noalsa

Note!
-----
NoteEdit uses the so-called ALSA-OSS emulation in this case. The ALSA-OSS emulation
doesn't permit the read direction. Thus, read and record from MIDI keyboard isn't possible.

Another option would be: Remove ALSA and use the pre-ALSA sound modules!

Another possibility is: You don't have any sound device and NoteEdit is badly compiled. 
This can also be detected by:

     tse3play -list

Or it this doen't work:

     tse3play -list <file>.mid

If this doesn't report any device a bad NoteEdit compilation could be the reason why. Try
to re-compile NoteEdit and make sure the -fexecptions option is set during
compilation of midimapper.cpp and tse3handler.cpp.
Q 18.


My whole Linux hangs if I try to start NoteEdit. I have to restart the system.

A 18.

Note! It is impossible that a program which runs in user space stops Linux (except swap overflow). Even if the
program has tons of bugs. It has to to with you ALSA module parameters. Unfortunately, I can't help you in this case. Please contact the ALSA developers!
As an interim solution you can start NoteEdit without creating an ALSA MIDI scheduler:

        
noteedit --noalsa

Note!
-----
NoteEdit uses the so-called ALSA-OSS emulation in this case. The ALSA-OSS emulation
doesn't permit the read direction. Thus, read and record from MIDI keyboard isn't possible.

Another option would be: Remove ALSA and use the pre-ALSA sound modules!
