Re: Newbie Q: Public access Lilypond server?

[KEVIN ZEMBOWER]

Ed, thank you for your thoughts. Here's some more of mine.

My approach to this is as a non-musician (most of you would laugh your ass off 
if you heard me trying to engrave music, constantly muttering, "Every Good Boy 
Does Fine..."). I'm a systems
administrator (Linux) who dances with a contra folk group, who would like to 
contribute to the group by improving their sheet music. My original thought was 
that I didn't need Lilypond, if I just had a system whereby I could submit .ly 
files, and receive back a .pdf quickly. I especially thought of this because 
I'm working with a collaborator who IS a musician, who has offered to enter the 
notes and chords, but works exclusively with Windows systems. I think he'll be 
more productive if he gets near-instantaneous feedback, rather than forwarding 
a file to me, and waiting for me to email back the .pdf.

Your suggestion, Ed, is one that I could have kicked myself for not thinking 
of. I can just give my friend remote access to my host with Lilypond, and he 
can create .ly files in Notepad, upload them, Lilypond them, download the .pdf 
and repeat. One reason I didn't think of this was that I'm so spoiled by my 
native Linux installation, where I can edit a file in xemacs, with the Lilypond 
mode, and with two keystrokes, view the ..pdf side-by-side with the code.

Another system I just thought of would be to create a procmail script, which 
would accept a .ly files as the entire body of an email, would process it, and 
email the sender back the output of Lilypond, with the ..pdf as an attachment. 
This would eliminate or minimize the training I'd have to do with my friend, to 
teach him ssh, ftp and some basic shell commands.

Thanks, again, for your thoughts. You've suggested a way to improve my 
operation, without taking much more work or time.

-Kevin

>>> "Edward Sanford Sutton, III" <address@hidden> 03/26/04 12:59AM >>>
On Tuesday March 23 2004 07:01, KEVIN ZEMBOWER wrote:
> Kieren and Erik, thank you for your kind and quick answers. I'll look
> forward to v2.3 which might contain this solution, and volunteer to be a
> beta site to test the web functionality.
>
> Thanks, again.
>
> -Kevin
>
> >>> Kieren Richard MacMillan <address@hidden> 03/22/04
> >>> 05:40PM >>>
>
> Hello, Kevin:
> > Please entertain a question from a newbie who just joined the list
> > this morning.
>
> Welcome!
>
> > I wondered why there isn't a publicly accessible Lilypond server
>
> I've been toying with this concept, but haven't yet given it the
> serious thought it would require (q.v., security, file size, etc.). If
> my time ever becomes "spare", this may be something I "donate" to the
> community...
>
> Anyone else out there already working on or thinking about this?

  With putty+ssh and also ftp, I use my pc as a server for my lilypond work 
remorely (among other things). Excluding that the computers at my school are 
all around of poor value for my use, it works quite nice.
  O.K., you got me to think about it:
  Would it be best as part of lilypond (doesn't seem likely, and goes against 
original goal of keeping focused on being typesetting software and focusing 
to make that as best as it can be done),
  an external server that interfaces between the user and lilypond (might be 
less security bug prone due to lilypond errors alone. This is a lot like what 
putty does for me right now, except I handle file I/O through ftp...I haven't 
taken the time to figure out the ssh file transfer yet),
  or setting up an interface between a previously existing server and lilypond 
(this breaks many of my 'efficiency' beliefs, but it would be relatively fast 
and easy to implement the desired features).
  I'm happiest with lilypond staying local myself, and if I want it remotely, 
I access the remote one locally. If you don't want to install the program due 
to something about it seeming complicated (excluding source installs), you 
may want to doublecheck if you would want to use it too. If you still want it 
that badlymaking the sacrifice of the local install effort can hopefully be 
well worth the luxury of lilypond when u want it.
I'll stop thinking for now...
Ed Sutton


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