Skink version 0.9c, 8 Jan 2002
Wil Macaulay
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://celticmusic.ca
=====================================
Version 0.9c Jan 8 2002
New Features and Bugfixes
- basic documentation
- support for inline K: and M: fields ([K:D][M:3/8])
- better printing support on Solaris and Windows (but see problem list)
- better chord support: handle the (obsolete) +abc+ syntax for chords, and
fix a problem with displaying chords with accidentals in them.
- keyboard shortcuts for standard menu commands (edit and file menus)
- fix various layout problems: guitar chord alone on a line, grace notes
within chords,
header fields (such as W:) with no associated text
- on error, insert point goes to correct column as well as row
- major speed up on long files
- K:HP now always has stems down for notes, stems up for gracenotes
Limitations and Known Problems
- on Solaris 2.8, there are problems with printing. These don't seem to
happen under
2.7. Single page files don't print, multi-page files have the first two
pages printed on
top of each other, and treble clefs are printed wrong.
- Multi voice (V:) is still not supported
- still problems with interaction between slurs and other constructs. For
example:
((3abc) works, (3(abc) does not
({abc}de) works, {abc}(de) does not
c<(b a) does not parse
- w: fields are not lined up with music
- no support for text layout in chords ("_xx", "^xx" etc.)
- on the Mac under OS X 10.1 and below, if you drag an abc file onto Skink
when it is not yet running, it will start up but not open the file.
If you drag the file on when Skink is running the file will be opened.
This is a known bug in OS X, and needs to be fixed by Apple...
Skink is a java application which supports the abc 1.6 standard.
It can open, edit, save, and display abc files. My goal was to
have a lightweight abc editor that can be used as a portable tunebook
on a laptop to display tunes so that I can practice when I travel,
as well as a basic abc display program that I can run under Solaris
to look at abc files that arrive in my mailbox.
As a result, I focused on creating a legible staff display that
is small enough to be usable on a laptop with an 800 by 600 screen.
Skink is freeware. I may decide to make it shareware in the future,
depending mostly on how much work it ends up being to support on
multiple platforms.
With the release of Mac OS X and the iBook, any Java program can easily
create PDF quality output and print it. I have moved my major
development environment from a ThinkPad with Win NT 4 to an iBook under
OS X. Java version 1.2 has good enough printing support that I thought
it worthwhile putting in a print menu selection; I will be working on
making printing better in the next release.
This version of Skink is still a pre-release but is more stable and usable
than
the last one.
It has been tested under Mac OS X 10.1.2, Windows NT workstation version 4
with
Java 1.3.1, Solaris 2.7 under Java 1.2.2, Solaris 2.8 with Java 1.2.2 and
1.3.1 and Macintosh
under MacOS 9.04 and MRJ 2.2. (Java 1.1 with Swing)
The Macintosh OS 9 version is available at
http://www.geocities.com/w_macaulay/Skink.hqx
The Windows/Unix version is at
http://www.geocities.com/w_macaulay/skink.tar.gz
The Mac OS X version is at
http://www.geocities.com/w_macaulay/Skink.dmg.gz
I _strongly_ recommend at least Mac OS X 10.1.1 for
Skink to run properly.
Version 0.3 was run on Linux under JRE 1.2.2 (thanks to
Laura Conrad) and on Windows 98 with JRE 1.2.2 (thanks to
Steve Mansfield). A Java runtime environment is necessary to
run Skink; you can get one at
http://java.sun.com/products/jdk/1.2/jre/
If you are running a previous version of java (1.1.6 or better)
you will need the Swing classes to run Skink. Upgrade if you
can (Solaris or WinXX) to at least 1.2.2. Mac OS X ships with JRE 1.3
and I have no reason to believe it would not work on any other platform.
NOTE: Skink is an application, not an applet - it needs to be
because it manipulates files. It will not run under your browser,
you need the JRE.
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