Scala got a GUI

I have made a new version of Scala, with a graphical user interface
for the first time. It will make the time needed to learn the program
much shorter. It's essentially the same as version 1.7 in terms of
functionality, but with a GUI "wrapped around it".
The most important commands have been put into the menu, and some
windows were added to edit and view a scale, see the command history,
etc.
It doesn't have the standard Windows look and that's because it is made
with a multi-platform GUI toolkit, Gtk+. So Unix and Linux versions can
still be made. This toolkit is very powerful and I've only used a
fraction yet of what it can do.
This release is still under development somewhat so it may be changed
a bit later if any deficiencies are uncovered.
The program looks fine on my big workstation screen, but if it looks
too big on a small PC screen, try setting the screen size in pixels
higher, or choose a smaller text font (set in file params.par).
Later I plan to put more graphic functionality in it, like better
lattice diagrams and interval graphs and such.
Any suggestions for improvement are welcome.

Scala version 2.0 Alpha for Windows 98/NT is now online, the file is:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~huygensf/software/scala20win-a.zip

The homepage is http://www.xs4all.nl/~huygensf/scala/

Scala is a very complete freeware editor/librarian/analysis tool for
tunings. It allows scales to be created, manipulated and combined in
many different ways. A large library of scales is available for it. It
can tune various different synthesizers and samplers via standard
MIDI-files. To install, unpack scala20win-a.zip in an empty directory
and read the readme.txt file.
There is no installshield, perhaps in the future, but installation by
hand is not very difficult. The dll-files in the Scala bin directory
must be put in PATH, use "msconfig" or "notepad c:\autoexec.bat" to
do this, and then reboot. Suppose you made a new directory C:\Scala20
it's best to add the following line:
PATH=C:\SCALA20\BIN;%PATH%
Instead of rebooting, you can open a DOS window, type "c:\autoexec",
go to the Scala directory and type "scala". Copying the dll-files to
c:\windows\system is possible too but not recommended because they
will be changed with new versions.
Maybe interesting, this is the first Scala version entirely made with
free tools.

Manuel Op de Coul

--- In tuning@egroups.com, <manuel.op.de.coul@e...> wrote:

http://www.egroups.com/message/tuning/17683

Congratulations to Manuel op de Coul for making a new Windows version
of Scala.

However, so far I have had nothing but problems with it.

For some reason, I couldn't get the path to register the .dlls
properly. I followed the instructions and rebooted. In fact, I
tried a bunch of other possibilities, too.

I used to be a great "pather" during the old DOS days, but I appear
to have lost my "touch..."

FINALLY, I got the program to run by copying the .dlls into the
Windows\system directory.

HOWEVER, even when I finally got it to run, it was not a simple
matter to even simply open a SCALA file using the GUI.

I was getting error messages and never did get it to just load in a
file properly...

It looks as though the "transforms" could be quite convenient, in
this version... but so far I am finding it cumbersome, and I would
MUCH rather use the DOS Scala. In fact, I am rather nervious about
all of this, since I DEPEND on Scala for a LOT of things...

Since I notice the GUI is just running the DOS Scala in the
background anyway (it is very evident when it starts up), I just hope
that Manual keeps a DOS version of the program up to date, until the
Windows program has the kind of stability and flexibility that some
of us have come to depend on in Windows programs.

Really sorry for this bad review... since I know all the work that
has gone into it.

However, I really am worried and nervous. I think I need a soft
couch...

________ _____ ____ _
Joseph Pehrson

Joseph,

Sorry to hear it gave you some problems. If you tell me
the error messages we could try to find the cause.
I don't understand why you had the path-problem, perhaps
if you send me your autoexec.bat I could see it.
But no worries, I can keep the command line version up
to date if people prefer it. However I think you might
start to like the new version at some time in the future.
For one reason it's just as easy to type in the commands
as in the old version, and now you can scroll up the text
output. Editing a scale is now a lot easier, you don't
have to use REPLACE, APPEND, etc. anymore.
Of course typing "load filename" is much quicker than
clicking "Open", etc. once you know it, but you can
still do that.

Manuel

--- In tuning@egroups.com, <manuel.op.de.coul@e...> wrote:

http://www.egroups.com/message/tuning/17688
>
> Joseph,
>
> Sorry to hear it gave you some problems. If you tell me
> the error messages we could try to find the cause.
> I don't understand why you had the path-problem, perhaps
> if you send me your autoexec.bat I could see it.

I just did this off list, and will continue to work with you...

> But no worries, I can keep the command line version up
> to date if people prefer it.

Whew! Just for a while at least, please, until I can really use the
new one. Hard as it is to believe my "professional credentials" are
already on the line... [how did that happen so soon already???]

However I think you might
> start to like the new version at some time in the future.

Oh sure, I intend to continue to "mess around" with it...

> For one reason it's just as easy to type in the commands
> as in the old version, and now you can scroll up the text
> output. Editing a scale is now a lot easier, you don't
> have to use REPLACE, APPEND, etc. anymore.
> Of course typing "load filename" is much quicker than
> clicking "Open", etc. once you know it, but you can
> still do that.
>
> Manuel

Well, yes, you can use "load filename" but you ALREADY have to change
to the appropriate directory using CD!!

Most people, I would think, would keep their SCALA scale files
separate from the files that operate the program. Particularly since
you have so MANY great SCALA files!

HOWEVER, Robert Walker, for example, in his Fractal Tune Smithy, and
also Grahm Breed in MIDI Relay, have it so that one can open a SCALA
file easily from a "regular" Windows window, no matter WHAT directory
it's in... just like any other Windows program.

I wasn't able to get this to work easily in the new GUI Scala, for
whatever reason, and it seemed to be a pretty basic function. You
might want to confer with Robert Walker about this....

In the meantime, I want to apologize for my "complaints." Everybody
around here knows by now how much I am supportive of the program...

Thanks!!!!

______ _____ ____ _
Joseph

>HOWEVER, Robert Walker, for example, in his Fractal Tune Smithy, and
>also Grahm Breed in MIDI Relay, have it so that one can open a SCALA
>file easily from a "regular" Windows window, no matter WHAT directory
>it's in... just like any other Windows program.

Ah, I see what you mean. Having standard default directories for different
files might be a nice improvement. What I do myself is put the CD command
to the separate scale directory in the startup.cmd file. For other files
like keyboard maps I specify the path but they're not used so often as
scale files.

Also copying and pasting via the clipboard is a useful addition. Thanks,
I hadn't thought about it yet. Will see if that's possible.

Manuel

--- In tuning@egroups.com, <manuel.op.de.coul@e...> wrote:

http://www.egroups.com/message/tuning/17695

>
> >HOWEVER, Robert Walker, for example, in his Fractal Tune Smithy,
and also Grahm Breed in MIDI Relay, have it so that one can open a
SCALA file easily from a "regular" Windows window, no matter WHAT
directory it's in... just like any other Windows program.
>

> Ah, I see what you mean. Having standard default directories for
different files might be a nice improvement. What I do myself is put
the CD command to the separate scale directory in the startup.cmd
file. For other files like keyboard maps I specify the path but
they're not used so often as scale files.

Hello Manuel!

I could see that that is possible, however, just so I'm being
perfectly clear, I just mean having it so that you could open up a
SCALA file, REGARDLESS of where it is on a hard drive... just as in
every other Windows program....

>
> Also copying and pasting via the clipboard is a useful addition.
Thanks, I hadn't thought about it yet. Will see if that's possible.
>

I believe that is an absolutely CRUCIAL feature for anybody using
SCALA for any kind of discussion.... I assume all the other users and
listers will agree (!!)

_________ ____ ___ _
Joseph