Lily Documentation

[joelinux]

I'm sorry, but I accidentally deleted the original message where you asked for 
suggestions
for improving documentation.  My feeling is that the documentation is very jumpy
and scattered on any given topic.  For example I have been using the index, or 
at
least this index:

http://lilypond.org/doc/v2.8/Documentation/user/lilypond/LilyPond-index.html#LilyPond-index


Which I now see is for 2.8 even though I was running 2.6.  So just off the bat, 
maybe there should be a pointer (link) to the various versions of the 
documentation.
Because it's only now that I 1st realize the documentation wasn't actually 
intended
for me.

But having used this index in an effort to learn the Lily code I have found in 
almost
every case there is not enough information there to get the job actually done.  
For example the very first thing (actually 2nd) is scheme tutorial..

But in all honesty it's almost all Greek to me, particularly when the first 
think
I might want to do is put the title on a piece.  So If I were to write 
documentation,
I would Start with something like.  "How to notate a Lead sheet in Lilycode"

Here is a basic template for for a Lilycode Lead Sheet:

1.  The title is included or placed  into the  header along with the key of the 
piece and the time signature:

Titles are Enclosed in Quotes for example: \title = "This is the Title"

But what you have is:

\paper {
  line-width = 9.0\cm
  paper-height = 10.0\cm
}

\book {
  \header {
    dedication = "dedicated to me"
    title = \markup \center-align { "Title first line" "Title
second line, 
longer" }

and a whole lot more.

To be frank the documentation just isn't simple enough.  There is far too much 
stuff
to wade through to just enter the name of a piece, and more over as a computer 
program,
Lilypond isn't exactly expeditious.  

I think the documentation needs to be tied to templates which can just be filled
in  and the templates need to be full of comments which explain the use of the 
code.

Really Lilypond needs a complete Guide book on how to go about building a 
composition,
because I can assure you that almost every little step turns out to be pure hell
as it takes hours and hours to learn or do the simplest thing.

I would think that you would start out with a single melody, then go to a duet 
or
simple piano piece, and finally an orchestral score.  Figured bass would be a 
separate
categories

That's why I think Lilypond needs to in some way be combined with Open Office so
that most textual notations are just put in with a word processor over the top 
of
the musical staves.

Whatever the case, documentation for getting started needs to be based on very 
useful
simplistic, but complete templates that have most of the elements of standard 
music
composition and notation.  I'm not really interested in how to deal with 7/10 
time
or multiple colored instrumental lines on a single staff.   I would rather just 
like to get 4/4 time when I specify it.  Just (Keep It Simple Stupid.)