Release Notes

Dolet^® 6 for Sibelius Release Notes

Version 6.6
March 2016

Installation

Dolet 6 for Sibelius only works with Sibelius 5.1 and later. To export MusicXML files from Sibelius 2.1 through Sibelius 5.0, you will need to use the Dolet 1 for Sibelius plug-in.

If you are upgrading from an earlier version of Dolet for Sibelius, we recommend that you uninstall the earlier version first to avoid confusion between different versions of the Dolet plug-in. On Windows, uninstall using the Control Panel. On the Mac, uninstall by removing the MusicXML folder from your Sibelius plug-ins folder. For Sibelius 6, this is usually in the Library/Application Support/Sibelius Software/Sibelius 6/Plugins folder within your home directory, and in the parallel folder (Sibelius 5 vs. 6) for Sibelius 5. For Sibelius 7, this is usually the Library/Application Support/Avid/Sibelius 7/Plugins folder within your home directory, and in the parallel folder (Sibelius 7.5 vs. 7) for Sibelius 7.5. For Sibelius 8, this is usually the Library/Application Support/Avid/Sibelius/Plugins folder within your home directory.

To install on Windows, first quit Sibelius, then run the Dolet6Sibelius.msi installer program. The installation location is where this readme file and your software license are installed. The actual plug-ins are automatically installed in your folders for user copies of Sibelius 5, Sibelius 6, Sibelius 7, Sibelius 7.5, and Sibelius 8 plug-ins, depending on the versions installed on your machine.

The Windows automated installer runs on 64-bit systems. For 32-bit systems, follow the plugin installation instructions at http://www.sibelius.com/download/plugins/index.html?help=install to manually install the MusicXML folder included in the zip file.

To install on Mac, first quit out of Sibelius. In the Dolet 6 for Sibelius Finder window, drag the MusicXML folder into the appropriate Sibelius Plugins folders. The installer provides shortcuts for Sibelius 6 and later. If you are using Sibelius 5.1, or your Sibelius plugins are not in the location the Dolet for Sibelius installer expects, follow the plugin installation instructions at http://www.sibelius.com/download/plugins/index.html?help=install.

Using Dolet for Sibelius

Dolet^® software serves as a translator between music programs. These translations are done using the MusicXML file format. Dolet 6 for Sibelius writes MusicXML files, allowing you to exchange music between Sibelius and other programs that can read MusicXML files. Currently this includes Finale, capella, and Notion. You can see a full list at http://www.musicxml.com/software. Dolet 6 for Sibelius saves files in the MusicXML 3.0 format, which allows more music playback and notation information to be transferred between applications.

To save a Sibelius score as a MusicXML file, go to the Plug-ins menu and select the MusicXML submenu. Then select the “Export MusicXML” item. You will then see a standard save dialog box asking where to save the XML file. By default, this will be the same as your existing Sibelius file name, with “.xml” used instead of “.sib” for the file extension.

You may translate an entire folder of Sibelius files to MusicXML format. This batch routine will overwrite any XML files with the same name that are currently in that directory. Use the “Translate Folder of Scores to MusicXML” menu item to save MusicXML files from your Sibelius files.

For best results, do the following before exporting a score:

• If you have a transposing score, be sure to display a transposed score so the transpositions can export correctly. Otherwise the score will be exported as a concert score without transpositions.
• If you are using magnetic layout in Sibelius 6, 7, or 8, freeze the magnetic layout positions before exporting your score. Otherwise the score will export with the positions that objects would have if magnetic layout were turned off. To freeze the positions, first select everything in the score using Ctrl-A on Windows or Command-A on Mac. Then go to the Layout menu and click on the Freeze Magnetic Layout Positions item.

What’s New

Version 6.6 exports files much faster than previous versions. On Mac it can export 50% faster. On Windows, export can be 5 to 10 times faster, with more improvement for larger files. Version 6.6 also adds a manual installation option for Windows 32-bit systems.

Version 6.5 added support for Sibelius 8 in the Dolet for Sibelius installers and improves support for 64-bit Sibelius 7 and 8 in the Windows installer.

Version 6.4 added support for Sibelius 7.5, including export of gaps before measures.

Information about previous updates can be found at the Dolet for Sibelius version history at http://www.musicxml.com/dolet-plugin/dolet-6-plugin-for-sibelius-5-1-and-later/version-history/.

Translation Limits

Any type of translation has limits. Things expressed in one language sometimes cannot be expressed the same way in another language. Sometimes the translator does not yet understand all the idioms and vocabulary in both languages. Dolet and MusicXML provide much greater music notation accuracy than MIDI translations, but both types of limits apply to this software.

In particular, Dolet 6 for Sibelius is limited to the musical information provided in ManuScript. Prior to Sibelius 7, it does not have access to accurate information about stem direction, so it leaves out stem information altogether. Dolet also does not have access to custom articulations, user-defined lines and symbols, and most house style formatting information. Guitar bends are exported as slurs.

When Dolet 6 for Sibelius cannot export some notation accurately, it logs the problem in the MusicXML file using an XML processing instruction. These processing instructions start with “<?DoletSibelius”. You can search for these processing instructions in the MusicXML file after export to find known translation limits that were encountered while exporting your Sibelius score.