Files per edition

Forum for all users to discuss the implementation and operation of the ChoralWiki at CPDL
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Richard Mix
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Joined: 31 Jan 2010 04:51

Files per edition

Post by Richard Mix »

We've long had 2 approaches to instrumental parts: all in one pdf (handy for conductors/librarians, a pain for individual players) and separate parts (the other way around). Last Sunday I got complaints from a new player about the zipped format at http://www.cpdl.org/wiki/index.php/Mise ... us_Mozart) and I had difficulties of my own updating corrected parts, relying on Claude to tidy up. What are the advantages of zipping, and can the disadvantages be somehow mitigated?
choralia
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Re: Files per edition

Post by choralia »

This subject was discussed among administrators some months ago, regarding the normalization of the wiki contents into an appropriate data structure. This is what I wrote:
In printed music publishing there are usually two ways of managing parts:

1) each part is published separately, having its own ISBN or ISMN identification;

2) parts are published as a "set of parts" bound together, with a single ISBN or ISMN identification for the whole set.

I think we should mimic the same principles. If we adopt solution 1, we have to assign a CPDL edition number to each part. If we adopt solution 2, we should first bind all parts in a single pdf or zip file, and associate it to a single CPDL edition number. For solution 2 I would probably prefer the zip solution because it does not alter the actual contribution provided by the editor (the zip container is just some kind of "wrapper", like the plastic sheet that is used, in printed publishing, to ensure that no parts are lost before the whole set is delivered to the end user), and it can also be used to combine the corresponding set of sound or source files when existing as individual files.
In this specific case (instrumental parts of Misericordias Domini by Mozart) it seems that the situation is especially odd, as we have instrumental parts distributed on two zip files, and the two zip files have the same edition number. This should be corrected, using either solution 1 (i.e., assigning individual edition numbers to each part) or solution 2 (combining all parts in one zip file only).

Max
choralia
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Re: Files per edition

Post by choralia »

Addendum: I found this interesting user manual regarding the assignment and use of ISMNs:

http://www.ismn-international.org/downl ... l_2016.pdf

I wonder if CPDL may follow the above rules when assigning CPDL edition numbers, at least wherever possible/applicable.

I even wonder if CPDL may obtain an ISMN ID as a publisher, and migrate the current internal edition numbering scheme to a standard ISMN scheme.

Max
Richard Mix
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Joined: 31 Jan 2010 04:51

Re: Files per edition

Post by Richard Mix »

Max, could you point me to that discussion? I try to keep an eye on my CPDL watchlist as well as check in here from time to time, but there are several threads asking what we're trying to count with CPDL No.'s that have just petered out:
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=5137
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6767

"A separate ISMN must be assigned to each separately saleable or obtainable component of a publication."
If to obtain means to click, then this is just counting files, something that could probably be accomplished without requiring contributors to use the Add Work form for every midi, pdf, letter-size formatting...
choralia
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Re: Files per edition

Post by choralia »

Richard Mix wrote:Max, could you point me to that discussion?
The discussion is here, however it is only visible to admins (so you can read it).

In a nutshell, I created a spider that visits ChoralWiki and creates a database structure where logical relationships between various items are represented. In a nutshell:

- each file (e.g., pdf, MIDI, source) relevant to a certain CPDL edition is identified with an individual file ID (format xxxxx.yy) where the integer part is the CPDL edition number and the decimal part is a specific file progressive number within the edition file set. For example, files pursuant to edition number 12345 are identified as 12345.1, 12345.2, and so on;

- for each file, the file "class" is identified (score, sound, or source), as well as the file type (pdf, midi, mp3, Finale, ...), and also the associated icon to be displayed;

- each edition is associated to the corresponding work name and composer name;

- other edition information (editor, submission date, copyright, etc.) are also captured and stored in the database.

The database is currently being used (mostly by Claude) for maintenance purposes, as one can extract information from it much more easily than looking for keywords in the wiki page text.
Richard Mix wrote:If to obtain means to click, then this is just counting files, something that could probably be accomplished without requiring contributors to use the Add Work form for every midi, pdf, letter-size formatting...
You're right, and this is actually what I've done already by assigning a file ID to each file. File IDs may be easily converted to ISMN numbers. Then, creating and maintaining the logical relationships between all items requires the Add Work form and all the rest, and this is a completely different subject than just numbering editions and files.

Max
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