musescore
Alt key is ignored when using numerical pad
Issue type
UX/Interaction bug (incorrect behaviour)
Bug description
In Windows Alt+decimal number on keypad is a way of direct code point input, which might be useful (see #22771 freature request).
Regardless of the Alt key state, MuseScore tries to enter rest or set note duration.
Steps to reproduce
No shortcuts in MuseScore's preferences were assigned to Alt+Numpad keys.
Right here - in browser's input field - Alt+0167 created a paragraph sign: §
When editing title in MuseScore, for the same combination it will be quiet on Alt+Num0 and on the next Alt+Num1 shows a warning dialog "No note selected".
MuseScore Version
4.3.0, 4.6.4
Regression
I don't know
Operating system
Windows 11
Also Win+Num1 enters 1 into text field.
The state of all modifier keys should be taken into account in most cases.
Hello, just checking in on if someone has a fix or workaround for this issue?
Workarounds could be copy & paste from a separate text editor, or Character Map application.
Well, no need to resort to that - just open the Special characters popup directly from within MuseScore Studio and click the symbol you need. You can also drag from there to a standard or custom palette for even easier reuse of common characters not already part of the "common" tab of the popup.
Well, no need to respect to that - just open the Special characters popup directly from within MuseScore Studio and click the symbol you need.
- For an already prepared text - it would be easiest to copy.
- Some fonts in Character Map are not in the popup (bug or feature request).
- When a character from such font (Marlette) is copied, garbage was pasted in MuseScore (bug).
If it's an already prepared text, then yes, copying it is easier to copy than to use Special characters or Alt+number. So that's not really relevant to the discussion here.
But I'm not understanding the other points. Special charcaters containing the entire Unicode and SMuFL code sets - there are no missing characters at all. And the font is determiend by the element you are pasting into, not anything about where you are copying from. That would also be true if the special Windows trick of using Alt+number were supported - the character would appear in whatever font your text is set to.
So, if you want to use Marlette or some other font in MuseScore, you need to set the text element you are editing to use that font - again, that's true whether copying the character from Character Map or from Special characters or your palette anywhere else, or if using a system-level shortcut to enter the text directly. Also you set your text element to Marlette, then Special characters will display the characters from that font. You don't select fonts from within Special characters - you select it for the text itself.
Stuff like Ctrl+Alt+2, for swiching to voice 2, works with NumPad too, Ctrl+Alt+NumPad2, similar for Alt+3 and Alt+NumPad3, for a third above, so numpad is not really ignored. It is just used differently.
@MarcSabatella What is easier - appears to be very relative and volatile. A known way vs first time attempt. Alt+numpad combination vs multiple clicks to access Unicode in popup. Mouse vs keyboard, and so on. Standard functions should be provided, user would choose whatever was convenient at the moment.
So, if you want to use Marlette or some other font in MuseScore
Point 2 clearly said - the font was missing from the popup list, hence it was impossible to set text element properties as it could be done with listed fonts. Though now I tend to think that peculiar fonts such as Marlette should not be made available in MuseScore (seems to be non-Unicode).
@Jojo-Schmitz
Stuff like Ctrl+Alt+2, for swiching to voice 2, works with NumPad too, Ctrl+Alt+NumPad2, similar for Alt+3 and Alt+NumPad3, for a third above, so numpad is not really ignored. It is just used differently.
What third would it be in text input field? Input processing should be context-sensitive instead of permanently stuck to score editing.
Related issue: #31388.
@MarcSabatella What is easier - appears to be very relative and volatile. A known way vs first time attempt. Alt+numpad combination vs multiple clicks to access Unicode in popup. Mouse vs keyboard, and so on. Standard functions should be provided, user would choose whatever was convenient at the moment.
To be clear: I'm not saying using the special characters popup is easier than the special Windows shortcut. I'm saying it's easier than the other workarounds mentioned. I'm simply trying to help people get the job done today as efficiently as possible, so I was providing additional information to the person who asked about workarounds.
The Windows shortcut is indeed great if a) you happen to own a numeric keypad, and b) you have memorized the appropriate codes, so it will be nice if this can eventually be made to work again. I am guessing somehow Qt is trapping the keystrokes too early and preventing Windows from doing its usual processing, and maybe there is some flag to tell it not to do that.
So, if you want to use Marlette or some other font in MuseScore
Point 2 clearly said - the font was missing from the popup list
Well, no, I thought you were saying it wasn't available from the special charcaters popup, which made no sense, and hence my confusion. You mean the font isn't available to select for the text itself? If so, that's an unrelated issue. I know this can happen with certain fonts if installed for a single user or if you otherwise have a non-standard installation or if the font itself is non-conforming in some way. Best to ask for help with that on the forum.
But to be clear: if you can’t set the text to this font, then having the Alt+number shortcuts working won’t help. You’d just see whatever character is at that code point in the font you have selected. Alt+number shortcut enter code point data only, they don’t carry font info. It’s always going to use the font of the receiving text.
I am guessing somehow Qt is trapping the keystrokes too early and preventing Windows from doing its usual processing
Does it? Try MuseScore Studio on Windows:
Edit - Preferences - Appearance - Paper, select Wallpaper radio button and use Alt+0167 in the text field.