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BRUTUS software for cataloging and organizing the things we collect |
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2-5. Entering Scores (sheet music) The image below shows the Score Dialog which is used to enter new Scores and to update existing Scores which have already been entered into the Brutus database. To get to this dialog in New Mode, click on the File menu on the main window, then New, then Score. See below about how to get to this same dialog in update mode.
The field names are all fairly self-explanatory, we think, but here are a few things to keep in mind: Save: After filling in all the fields with the necessary information, add this Score to the database by clicking this button. This button is only enabled for inputting a new score. After entering a new Score, this dialog will remain visible for additional data entry. To return, simply click on the Main Window button. Update: This button will only be enabled when in update mode (read below about how to enter into update mode). When in update mode this dialog will be presented fully populated with the current item. After making modifications to any part of the information, click on this button to update the database with all of the modified data. After a successful update, this dialog will be terminated. If, after attempting to update an item, this dialog remains visible, please check the Java console and the brutus.log file for information regarding possible errors encountered. Delete: This button will only be enabled when in update mode (read below about how to enter update mode). If you click on this button, the entire item will be erased from the database. Main Window: This button will never be disabled. If you have no more new Scores to enter, or if you wish to abort an update in progress (before you have clicked on Update, of course), clicking this button will take you back to the Brutus Main Window and all data entered into any of the fields will be lost. New Mode Title: This field is completely arbitrary and you can call it whatever you like. Just be aware that this is the title that will be displayed in the drop down box for selecting which item to display in the main window. It is a required field and is also the field that will be searched if you choose the Search menu and then Title. Composer: Probably not all scores that you enter will need to have this field filled in, but it is included for those times when it does apply. If is completely optional, but it is the field searched if you choose the Search menu and then Composer. Librettist: You may enter the name(s) of the Librettist(s) in this field. It is an optional field for information only and not involved in any search. Location: Here you need to enter the physical location of the media. It is a free-form entry field and you can put anything you like, for example: “Third shelf of the bookcase next to the TV table.” In the case of computer files, this should be the complete Drive and Path location of the files (e.g. D:\MyScores\ScoreName\filename.pdf). Since the purpose of this software is to keep track of your collectible items, this has been made a required field. Media: In this drop down box, you need to choose the type of media your score is recorded on. It is used in the determination of whether or not there are any files in this score which can be viewed from this program. If you do not choose a media type, the default, CD, will be picked up by the program and stored on the database. Genre: Select from this box the type of music represented by this score or sheet music. If none of the choices properly describe this score, just choose Other. If no genre is chosen, the default, Opera, will be set in the program and recorded in the database. Instrumentation: Select from this box the instruments for which this piece is scored. If none of the options seem to fit, just choose Other. If no option is selected, the default, Vocal with Piano, will be set in the program and recorded in the database. Characters: In this table you should list the names of the characters in the score. You may include as much or as little detail concerning each character as you see fit. It is important to note that this table has an idiosyncrasy that has nothing to do with the program but with the Java language. If you enter any information in one of the cells in this table, you must tab out of that cell before the information is set in the program. It is very easy to type something into the last cell and forget to tab out of it. Be warned, however, that if you should forget to tab out, the information will not be picked up by the program and will not be recorded on the database. Add Row: The Character table originally has a few blank rows in it so that you can fill in the character names of your score, but if you need to enter more, you can add a blank row to the table by clicking on this button. Delete Row: If you need to alter what you entered, it is possible to delete rows from the Character table by clicking on that row and then clicking on this button. Comments: This is an optional field into which you can enter anything you wish, like maybe the date and place where the work was first performed. Update Mode Any time you have an Score displayed in the Brutus Main Window, you can update that Score by clicking on the File menu and then on Edit. This will present the Score Dialog window, in update mode, fully populated with all the data from the Score currently displayed. You may make deletions, additions or modifications to any of the fields on the dialog. After making all your changes, just click on the Update button. Viewing Your Scores If your scores are located on your computer in the form of PDF files, Brutus can launch the Acrobat Reader to display the scores. Before this can happen, you must register the Acrobat Reader with Brutus by clicking on the Configure menu and then on Acrobat Reader. Enter the full drive, path, and filename into the input dialog and click OK. Then, whenever the file path and filename in the Location field ends with the extension “.pdf” and the Media type is File, you will see that under the Options menu the View PDF option has been enabled. By clicking on this option, Brutus will launch the Acrobat Reader with the filename to display. If the filename in the Location field does not end in “.pdf” or the Media type is anything other than File, this option will be disabled.
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