[Dixielandjazz] Sibellious, Encore or Finale or ???

[Scott Anthony]

I discovered one of the reasons Encore hangs a long time ago and reported it 
Passport, but nobody there ever fixed or even acknowledged the problem.

Anyone who knows about Windows programming knows about allocating memory for 
things like pens, brushes, fonts, and other "resources" when you're drawing 
things in the application window. When you allocate the memory and use the 
resource, you need to free up the memory when you are done. The problem with 
Encore was that it allocated memory for a new font for EVERY SINGLE WORD 
when you typed in lyrics, but never freed it up. Windows only had (or has) a 
limited number of resource "handles" and one got used up for every word type 
in. Eventually, the whole system would freeze up because it ran out of 
resources. One indication that this was about to happen would be that 
portions of the Encore window would just turn white - there weren't any 
resources left to create a pen to draw the staff lines, draw the clefs, or 
anything!

On Windows 2000 the same thing was probably happening (it is possible that 
it was some other bug), but it manifested itself in the program crashing as 
soon as you typed any lyrics into your score.

These problems plus Passport's unwillingness to fix them forced me to 
Finale, which I don't regret at all.

Scott Anthony

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Charlie Hull" <charliehull7920 at sbcglobal.net>
To: <santh at comcast.net>
Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 3:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Sibellious, Encore or Finale or ???


>I just downloaded, installed and browsed through the new trial version of 
>Encore. The motivation was from their 'new features' list; the alleged 
>ability to export Encore files to XML. The latter is a .pdf-type universal 
>format for transferring files between Finale, Sibelius and other music 
>scoring programs. I've used Encore since the Passport days and have a large 
>library of files I've created and want to transfer into Sibelius.
>
> The demo version of Encore lists no export to XML, only the long-existing 
> export to EPS. I sent them an inquiry asking how to invoke the XML 
> exportation feature, but have as yet received no reply.
>
> A few years back I purchased Finale and a subsequent upgrade based solely 
> on it's alleged ability to import Encore files, which it did but on a 
> primitive basis -- only the notes, chord symbols and lyrics -- all out of 
> vertical kilter. No repeats, endings, expression marks, etc. Cleaning up 
> the importations was too time consuming to be practical. I found the 
> learning curve too steep on Finale, and finally purchased Sibelius, with 
> which I'm satisfied. It took a little time to get used to, but does so 
> many things better than, and does so many more things than Encore that the 
> training time was a good investment. Sibelius will import and export XML, 
> but not Encore.
>
> If Encore will really export to XML I'll buy the upgrade just to get my 
> Encore library converted to XML and Sibelius.
>
> I really like Encore's creation procedures, but dislike it's instability. 
> I have to save work every fifteen minutes or so because I've lost complex 
> charts when Encore just freezes and hangs up my computer. I have to reboot 
> and lose all my work since the last file save. My computer has large 
> storage and memory capacity and a fast processor. Gvox has been 
> unresponsive to my trouble-shooting inquiries. Another major annoyance of 
> Encore is the shifting of lyrics and hyphens when you Select All and 
> change key signature, requiring readjustment to get rid of the overlaps. I 
> haven't experienced that with Sibelius.
>
> Charlie Hull
>
>
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