MakeMusic Forum

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Posted By : John Witmer - 3/24/2015 7:01 PM

As a newcomer to finalescript, I am struggling with the syntax. Some scripts work and others just "stare at me".
Is there a good way to debug a script? Find out if I am using the wrong format for a command, or just plain trying
to use a command that doesn't exist.

I use Finale 2012c Windows

Posted By : Motet - 3/30/2015 12:42 PM

I'm afraid the whole thing is pretty half-baked.

Finale 2011b, 2005, TGTools
Windows 7, MIDI input
Finale Transposition Chart

Posted By : Charles Lawrence - 3/30/2015 5:10 PM

When editing your Finalescript you can right click and a context menu will pop up showing all the commands that start with the letters you have typed so far.

"Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about!"

Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-5930K CPU with 6 dual core processors @ 3.50 GHz (12 threads)

Realtek High Definition on board audio
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 GPU with 4GB ram

512 GB SSD

Four 4TB and one 1TB internal SATA HD's
Microsoft Windows 8.1 Professional with Media Center x64 Edition, (06.03.9600.00)
Finale versions: 2011b.r2, 2012c.r13, 2014d.v5030

GPO4.02

Cakewalk SONAR X3

"There is a world of difference between a person who has a big problem and a person who makes a problem big." – John Maxwell

Posted By : Graeme Gilmore - 3/30/2015 6:50 PM

When debugging or creating a script, use an unimportant file. I usually open a new file and only enter what I need to test the script I am working on. Finale scripts are not always totally stable and I don’t always write commands that do what I expect.

One debugging challenge is that there is no way to move through the script one line at a time. To simulate this, I often comment out lines that don’t need testing or sections that are already shown to work and that are not needed to test the next part of the script.

An alternate tool is to use the “end” or “stop” commands. These commands are quick to write and can be moved down as parts of the script have tested out as good.

Sometimes the problem is figuring where in the script the problem is. You can insert temporary “messages” that will pause until you press “OK.”

When writing a command that is not working out, try approximations. Pretend, for example, that there is a problem with

menu item "Page Layout/Insert Blank Pages"
type "2" near "Before page"
Press "OK"

Try

menu item “Page Layout”

to see if the proper main menu item is selected. Then enter the rest of that line and check again.

I also found it helpful to print out sections from the Finale Help file. Print out the “Finalescript plug-in” and the “Finalescript Editor dialogue box” sections. Having them available as hard copy makes them easier to search. They come to about 30 pages. It’s easiest work with them if they can be printed in color.

Graeme

Finale 2014d v/5030, Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium, GPO, TGTools, Patterson Plug-Ins, JW Plug-Ins

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