Dbtab Format

[lasconic]

Hi !

First of all ! Sorry... I'm french and my english is very very bad. I hope you will understand.
Well, I'm very interested in dbtab but Dbtab will be much more interesting if it will integrate a tool for converting the tabs into real partition (in pdf format for example). So I make some research and I open a file in dbtab format with a text editor. I think I can guess the structure of these files and translate it into another music description language such as lilypond (GNU Linux and emulated on windows). Then Lilypond can create a Pdf file.
I don't knom enough PDF to make directly the translation but if Kevin allows it (and help  ;-) ? ), I think that I can try to make a little program which can convert Dbtabs in PDF files. Is anybody interesting in it ? ? ?

Thanks a lot
Bye

Lasconic

[kevin]

Hi Lasconic,

First of all ! Sorry... I'm french and my english is very very bad. I hope you will understand.

Your english is fine, don't worry about it.

Well, I'm very interested in dbtab but Dbtab will be much more interesting if it will integrate a tool for converting the tabs into real partition (in pdf format for example). So I make some research and I open a file in dbtab format with a text editor. I think I can guess the structure of these files and translate it into another music description language such as lilypond (GNU Linux and emulated on windows). Then Lilypond can create a Pdf file.
I don't knom enough PDF to make directly the translation but if Kevin allows it (and help ;-) ? ), I think that I can try to make a little program which can convert Dbtabs in PDF files. Is anybody interesting in it ? ? ?

 Thanks I wasn't aware of lilupond so i've just been having a bit of look at it.   It sure seems like a nice way to got about moving DTab's into notation, assuming it supports drums ? .  It seems to already accept MIDI as an input format.  This would be a much easier way of going about things..  While the present version of DTAB doesn't export to midi currently, it will in the near future.  

  Dtab 0.73 or above use a new file format though.  It imports existing DTB files, but does not save the older ASC II raw format (not possible with the new play back format). So any conversion tool you write will be only be useful with Dtab 0.52b and bellow.  


 For anybody else interested in lilypond, here's the link to the pc version..

 http://www.lilypond.org/stable/Documentati...installing.html


Updated: Dtab Printer (Convert Dtab Drum Tab Files to Sheet Music)

[lasconic]

Hi !
Thanks for your answer !

What is Dbtab 0.73 ? ? ? I've see nothing about it on your site...
A tool to convert dbtab into Natural notation will be interessant if it support all features (in particular triplets !  ;) ) So I will wait for the next version of dbtab. Except if you know how you're going to save the files with triplets and what will be the future dbtab format...

Concerning lilypond it support drums notation, It make beautiful sheet of music but It's really a heavy program... There are some windows native programs which do nearly the same but there are not free... So I'm thinking about writing a complete program to convert formated text files into ps or pdf ... the question is : what sort of format for this formated text files ???

Bye
LAsconic

PS : an I the only one interested in a conversion tool ??? can we mke a poll ?

[kevin]

What is Dbtab 0.73 ? ? ? I've see nothing about it on your site...

 It's not released. There's various bits of information on these forums as well available thought the mailing list.   V0.73 is the current revision I was working upon.. Rather than release a stream of small step updates (and kill our bandwidth again)  I decided to move everything all at once.  It will be some time now until the new versions makes a public release status though.  Currently our time is split between DTAb and many other projects,  most more pressing than Dtab.  
 

A tool to convert dbtab into Natural notation will be interessant if it support all features (in particular triplets !  ) So I will wait for the next version of dbtab. Except if you know how you're going to save the files with triplets and what will be the future dbtab format...

While I've fleshed out some of the structures, but i think it'll be while before I can lock the format in stone. It'll continue to be hunk based though, some hunks will be the same as the existing version, others won't obviously...

 My only concern about such add on programs is that they give some users a way around registering the software.  What will undoubtable happen is the the demo versions become cripple ware.  Which is something I never wanted..

Concerning lilypond it support drums notation, It make beautiful sheet of music but It's really a heavy program... There are some windows native programs which do nearly the same but there are not free... So I'm thinking about writing a complete program to convert formated text files into ps or pdf ... the question is : what sort of format for this formated text files ???

No idea,  It is however quite difficult to build a format that is flexible enough to handle real music.  I did have a mess around with writing a notation format some time back ago.  Here's a 'clipped' picture for those that are interested.  I actually wrote to help me write a permutation study guide I use for teaching. Ironically I don't use it today..

PS : an I the only one interested in a conversion tool ??? can we mke a poll ?

Well to date, your about the only person that I know of who has requested, or interested in PDF support.