Appendix

Principle

In this chapter, we will explain how to use Melody/Harmony to easily create web pages incorporating your music.
Directly from your Web page, visitors will be able to view, print, download or listen to your tunes.
You do not need any knowledge of HTML (the markup language for Web pages), nor a Web page editor to accomplish this.

Software

You will need :

• Melody Assistant or Harmony Assistant in a registered version.
• A software utility to upload your files to your Website (for example, FTP explorer).

Step-by-step example

I own several copyright-free music scores from various composers, which I have entered into Harmony. I want now to publish them on the Internet.

First step: setting up the files

On my hard disk, I create a folder called "Music"

In this folder, I create as many subfolder as there are composers: one for "Mozart", "Sibelius", "Bach", etc.; or by genre: "Classical", "Baroque", "Pop-Rock".

I copy the appropriate music files (ending with ".mus") into each subfolder.


The file tree is now created, and my files are sorted.



Second step: creating the list

I run Harmony Assistant and select "File>Jukebox"

I create a new list by clicking 

I click  and save the empty list in the "Music" folder. I choose "web.box" as the name. The location of the "web.box" file in the "Music" folder is important. Be sure to save it there.

In the "Action" pop-up menu, I select "Re-create the whole list according to the box file location". The list is created automatically and includes all the .mus files in my file tree.

My list is now created. If I add files to any subfolder after this, I will simply have to generate the list again, using the same method.



Third step : automatic web page generation

In the "Actions" pop-up menu, I select "Export list in Plug-In HTML". The programs asks me whether I want to keep the file tree. I click "Yes".

A date is then requested. All files modified after this date will be marked in a special way. I select "Ignore".

Then, the program asks me to set up the plug-in. I click "OK".

Finally, I choose the main file name. By default, the program proposes "web.htm". I click OK.

The Web pages are created.

In my "Music" folder, I have now a file called "web.htm". This HTML page includes all the links to the "index.htm" pages of all the subfolders in the file tree. Double-click the "web.htm" file to view the result.

Please note that you can select the maximum size a generated page can be from the plug-in settings window. Indeed, when too many files are included on the same page, slow modems will take too much time to load that page. When pages are exported, if the total size of included files in this page exceeds the fixed size (in Kb), the page will be split into two parts.
If you do not want to set such a size limit, enter 0.

Fourth step : publishing pages

With my upload utility (here SmartFTP), I drag and drop the "Music" folder to my site in "Binary" transfer. The files are uploaded, ad my music pieces are now published.

If my site is (for example) "http://www.john_doe.com", my pieces will be available at: "http://www.john_doe.com/music/web.htm"

Various export formats

Two export formats for Web pages are available :

1. The simple HTML mode. The music pieces are listed in a table, including the piece duration, file size, and creator name. Visitors can click a file name to download it to their hard disk. To generate pages in this mode, select "Export list in simple HTML".
2. The Plug-in HTML mode. Music pieces will be displayed using the Myriad Music Plug-In. Visitors can view, save, print, transpose or listen to your pieces directly from their Internet browsers. The complete manual for this plug-in can be viewed here.

The Myriad Music Plug-In

This plug-in adds capabilities to your Internet browser, enabling it to play, display, transpose and print music files created with Melody Assistant or Harmony Assistant.
The Myriad Music Plug-in is freeware.
To view a sample of how to use it on the Web, click here.

Export by style

Instead of sorting pieces by their folders in the file tree, you can ask for them to be sorted by style. Music pieces will be displayed on the index page by style instead of by folder. This is automatic; you do not have to move files on your hard disk. The program will generate an index file, as well as a a folder of the same name but with the ".idx" extension. You will have to publish this folder on your website too.

Recommendations

When you publish a piece of music on the Internet, first ensure that you comply with the author's rights: you can only publish a piece if you have written authorization from its author, or if the piece is in the public domain.
In no case shall Myriad be considered liable for a copyright infringement by users of its products.
You are exclusively responsible for any publishing you perform.
If you intend to use the Myriad Music plug-in to sell or resell scores, or more generally for any for-profit activity, you must contact us first to obtain an agreement.

Tips

• Avoid including too many pieces in the same subfolder. Visitors toyour site will have to wait for all the files to be downloaded before starting to listen to them. A maximum of 10 pieces per subfolder is a good number.
• You can protect your files if you want to restrict the operations the visitor can perform on them (File>Protect).
• Always save your files in packed mode: "General setup>Save". Download will be faster.
• Always test your site on your local hard drive before publishing it.
• Avoid files that are too large (>100 Kb). Not everyone has a fast network connection.
• Avoid accented characters, especially in folder names.

Advanced mode

Generated web pages are based on a configuration file written in the HTML language.
If you know the HTML language, you can modify this file (in the jukebox, "Actions>Configure HTML export" pop-up menu) and change the appearance of the resulting pages.

When you edit this file, a copy of the original file will be created in the preferences folder. To go back to the original version, select "Go back to default values of the HTML export" in the "Actions" pop-up menu.

This file is divided into sections. A section starts with its name between braces, for example {HEADER}, and ends with {End}
The sections are:
{HEADER} : Header of each HTML page
{HEADEXTPLUG} : Additional header for Plug-in export mode
{NBCOLUMN} : Number of columns for the simple export
{DURATION} : Total duration display in plug-in mode
{NEWLINE} : Line break
{TITLE} : Main web page title
{EACHFILEPLUG} : Entry for each file in plug-in mode
{EACHFILESTD} : Entry for each file in simple mode
{MAINLINE} : Entry for each folder in the main page
{FOOTER}: Footer for each page

Certain keywords, written between $, will be replaced with their respective values:

$Creator$ : Folder name
$File$ : File name
$Totalduration$ : Total duration for all files in the main page
$Duration$ : File duration
$Karaoke$ : writes "Karaoke" when lyrics are included in the file.
$Author$ : Author name
$Remark$ : remarks from within the file
$CommandePlug$ : Plug-in configuration command.
$New$ : Displays text from the {New} section if the file is more recent than the given date.
$Date$ : File last modification date.

Do not change the section names, nor the keywords. Avoid making changes to things you do not understand, otherwise you could get ... unexpected results.