LilyPond Application Usage

# LilyPond — Usage

This file explains how to execute the programs distributed with LilyPond version 2.22.2. In addition, it suggests some “best practices” for efficient usage.

For more information about how this manual fits with the other documentation, or to read this manual in other formats, see Manuals. If you are missing any manuals, the complete documentation can be found at http://lilypond.org/.

# 1. Running `lilypond`

This chapter details the technicalities of running LilyPond.

## 1.1 Normal usage

Most users run LilyPond through a GUI; if you have not done so already, please read the Tutorial. If you use an alternate editor to write LilyPond files, see the documentation for that program.

## 1.2 Command-line usage

This section contains extra information about using LilyPond on the command-line. This may be desirable to pass extra options to the program. In addition, there are certain extra ‘helper’ programs (such as `midi2ly`) which are only available on the command-line.

By ‘command-line’, we mean the command line in the operating system. Windows users might be more familiar with the terms ‘DOS shell’ or ‘command shell’. MacOS X users might be more familiar with the terms ‘terminal’ or ‘console’. Some additional setup is required for MacOS X users; please see MacOS X.

Describing how to use this part of an operating system is outside the scope of this manual; please consult other documentation on this topic if you are unfamiliar with the command-line.

### Invoking `lilypond`

The `lilypond` executable may be called as follows from the command line.

>     lilypond [option]… file…

When invoked with a filename that has no extension, the ‘`.ly`’ extension is tried first. To read input from stdin, use a dash (`-`) for file.

When ‘`filename.ly`’ is processed it produces ‘`filename.pdf`’ as output by default. Several files can be specified; they are each processed independently.1

If ‘`filename.ly`’ contains more than one `\book` block, the rest of the scores is output in numbered files, starting with ‘`filename-1.pdf`’. In addition, the value of `output-suffix` is inserted between the basename and the number. For example, if ‘`filename.ly`’ contains

>     #(define output-suffix "violin")
>     \score { … }
>     #(define output-suffix "cello")
>     \score { … }

LilyPond outputs ‘`filename-violin.pdf`’ and ‘`filename-cello-1.pdf`’.

#### Using LilyPond with standard shell features

Since LilyPond is a command line application, features of the ‘shell’ used for calling LilyPond can also be put to good use.

For example,

>     lilypond *.ly

processes all LilyPond files in the current directory.

Redirecting the console output (e.g., to a file) may also be useful:

>     lilypond file.ly 1> stdout.txt
>     lilypond file.ly 2> stderr.txt
>     lilypond file.ly &> all.txt

The above commands divert ‘normal’ output, ‘errors’ only, or ‘everything’, respectively, to text files. Consult the documentation for your particular shell, Command (Windows), Terminal or Console applications (MacOS X) to check whether output redirection is supported or if the syntax is different.

The following example searches and processes all input files in the current directory and all directories below it recursively. The output files are located in the same directory that the command was run in, rather than in the same directories as the original input files.

>     find . -name '*.ly' -exec lilypond '{}' \;

This should also work for MacOS X users.

A Windows user would run

>     forfiles /s /M *.ly /c "cmd /c lilypond @file"

entering these commands in a `command prompt` usually found under `Start > Accessories > Command Prompt`, or by typing in the search window ‘command prompt’.

Alternatively, an explicit path to the top-level of your folder containing all the sub-folders that have input files in them can be stated using the `/p` option;

>     forfiles /s /p C:\Documents\MyScores /M *.ly /c "cmd /c lilypond @file"

If there are spaces in the path to the top-level folder, then the whole path needs to be inside double quotes;

>     forfiles /s /p "C:\Documents\My Scores" /M *.ly /c "cmd /c lilypond @file"

### Basic command line options for LilyPond

The following options are supported.

`-d`, `--define-default=`var[`=`val]

  See Advanced command line options for LilyPond.

`-e`, `--evaluate=`expr

  Evaluate the Scheme expr before parsing any ‘`.ly`’ files. Multiple ‘`-e`’ options may be given, they are evaluated sequentially.

  The expression is evaluated in the `guile-user` module, so if you want to use a definition like `(define-public a 42)` as expr, use

  >     lilypond -e '(define-public a 42)'

  on the command-line, and include

  >     #(use-modules (guile-user))

  at the top of the ‘`.ly`’ file.

  Note: Windows users must use double quotes instead of single quotes.

`-E`, `--eps`

  Generate EPS files.

  This option is equivalent to setting LilyPond’s command line options `--ps`, `-dbackend=eps`, and `-daux-files='#f'`.

`-f`, `--format=`format

  The format of the (main) output file or files. Possible values for format are `ps`, `pdf`, `png` or `svg`.

  Example: `lilypond -fpng foo.ly`

  SVG internally uses a specific backend, and therefore cannot be obtained in the same run as other formats; using `-fsvg` or `--svg` is actually equivalent to using the `-dbackend=svg` option. See Advanced command line options for LilyPond.

`-h`, `--help`

  Show a summary of usage.

`-H`, `--header=`field

  Dump a header field to file ‘`BASENAME.field`’.

  As an example, let’s assume that you have an input file ‘`foo.ly`’ containing

  >     \header { title = "bar" }
  >     \score { c1 }

  The command

  >     lilypond -H title foo.ly

  then creates a plain text file ‘`foo.title`’ containing the string `bar`.

`-i`, `--init=`file

  Set init file to file (default: ‘`init.ly`’).

`-I`, `--include=`directory

  Append directory to the search path for input files with relative paths. By default, only the current working directory gets searched.

  Multiple ‘`-I`’ options may be given. The search starts in the current working directory, and if the file to be included is not found the search continues in the directory given by the first ‘`-I`’ option, then the directory in the second ‘`-I`’ option, and so on.

  Note: Using the tilde character (`~`) with the ‘`-I`’ switch may produce unexpected results in some shells.

  Windows users need to include a trailing slash for the directory’s path.

`-j`, `--jail=`user`,`group`,`jail`,`dir

  [This option is only available if your operating system supports the `chroot` functionality. In particular, Windows doesn’t support it.]

  Run `lilypond` in a chroot jail.

  The ‘`--jail`’ option provides a more flexible alternative to ‘`-dsafe`’, when LilyPond formatting is being provided via a web server, or whenever LilyPond executes commands sent by external sources (see Advanced command line options for LilyPond).

  It works by changing the root of `lilypond` to jail just before starting the actual compilation process. The user and group are then changed to match those provided, and the current directory is changed to dir. This setup guarantees that it is not possible (at least in theory) to escape from the jail. Note that for ‘`--jail`’ to work, `lilypond` must be run as root, which is usually accomplished in a safe way using `sudo`.

  Setting up a jail can be a relatively complex matter, as we must be sure that LilyPond is able to find whatever it needs to compile the source inside the jail itself. A typical chroot jail comprises the following steps:

  Setting up a separate filesystem

    A separate filesystem should be created for LilyPond, so that it can be mounted with safe options such as `noexec`, `nodev`, and `nosuid`. In this way, it is impossible to run executables or to write directly to a device from LilyPond. If you do not want to create a separate partition, just create a file of reasonable size and use it to mount a loop device. A separate filesystem also guarantees that LilyPond cannot write more space than it is allowed.

  Setting up a separate user

    A separate user and group (say, `lily`/`lily`) with low privileges should be used to run LilyPond inside the jail. There should be a single directory writable by this user, which should be passed in dir.

  Preparing the jail

    LilyPond needs to read a number of files while running. All these files are to be copied into the jail, under the same path they appear in the real root filesystem. The entire content of the LilyPond installation (e.g., ‘`/usr/share/lilypond`’) should be copied.

    If problems arise, the simplest way to trace them down is to run LilyPond using `strace`, which allows you to determine which files are missing.

  Running LilyPond

    In a jail mounted with `noexec` it is impossible to execute any external program. Therefore LilyPond must be run with a backend that does not require any such program. As we have already mentioned, it must be run with superuser privileges (which, of course, it loses immediately), possibly using `sudo`. It is also good practice to limit the number of seconds of CPU time LilyPond can use (e.g., using `ulimit -t`), and, if your operating system supports it, the amount of memory that can be allocated. Also see LilyPond in chroot jail.

`-l`, `--loglevel=`level

  Set the verbosity of the console output to level. Possible values are:

  `NONE`

    No output at all, not even error messages.

  `ERROR`

    Only error messages, no warnings or progress messages.

  `WARN`

    Warnings and error messages, no progress.

  `BASIC_PROGRESS`

    Basic progress messages (success), warnings and errors.

  `PROGRESS`

    All progress messages, warnings and errors.

  `INFO`

    Progress messages, warnings, errors and further execution information. This is the default.

  `DEBUG`

    All possible messages, including verbose debug output.

`-o`, `--output=`file
`-o`, `--output=`folder

  Set the default output file to file or, if a folder with that name exists, direct the output to folder, taking the file name from the input file. The appropriate suffix is added (e.g., ‘`.pdf`’ for PDF) in both cases.

`-O`, `--pspdfopt=`key

  Set the PS/PDF output optimization to key. Possible values are:

  `size`

    Generate a very small PS/EPS/PDF document. This is the default.

    Using this value is equivalent to setting LilyPond’s Scheme command line options `-dmusic-font-encodings='#f'` and `-dgs-never-embed-fonts='#f'`.

  `TeX`

    Produce files that are optimized for inclusion in pdfTeX, luatex, or XeTeX documents.

    Using this value is equivalent to setting LilyPond’s Scheme command line options `-dmusic-font-encodings='#t'` and `-dgs-never-embed-fonts='#f'`.

  `TeX-GS`

    If you want to include more than one PDF generated by LilyPond in a TeX document, use this option and postprocess the PDF generated by TeX with Ghostscript.

    Using this value is equivalent to setting LilyPond’s Scheme command line options `-dmusic-font-encodings='#t'` and `-dgs-never-embed-fonts='#t'`.

`--ps`

  Generate PostScript. This option is equivalent to `-fps`.

`--png`

  Generate pictures of each page, in PNG format. This option is equivalent to `-fpng`.

  The resolution of the image may be set to N DPI with

  >     -dresolution=N

`--pdf`

  Generate PDF. This is the default, being equivalent to `-fpdf`.

`-s`, `--silent`

  Show no progress, only error messages. This is equivalent to `-lERROR`.

`--svg`

  Generate SVG files for each page. This option is equivalent to `-fsvg`.

`-v`, `--version`

  Show version information.

`-V`, `--verbose`

  Be verbose: show full paths of all files read, give timing information, etc. It is equivalent to `-lDEBUG`.

`-w`, `--warranty`

  Show the warranty with which GNU LilyPond comes. (It comes with NO WARRANTY!)

### Advanced command line options for LilyPond

Option ‘`-d`’ is the command-line interface to LilyPond’s Scheme function `ly:set-option`. This means that all options listed here can also be set within ‘`.ly`’ files.

`-d`, `--define-default=`option-name[`=`value]
`-d`, `--define-default=no-`option-name

  Set the equivalent internal Scheme symbol option-name to value. For example, the command-line option

  >     -dbackend=svg

  is equivalent to

  >     #(ly:set-option 'backend 'svg)

  in a LilyPond input file.

  If value is not supplied, use `#t` as the value (which might produce strange results if the expected value type is not boolean). The prefix `no-` may be added to option-name to switch ‘off’ an option, providing `#f` as the value. For example,

  >     -dpoint-and-click='#f'

  is the same as

  >     -dno-point-and-click

[Note that the ‘`#`’ character introduces a comment in many shells. For this reason it is recommended to always quote expressions that contain it.]

The following table lists all supported option names together with its values. Within Scheme code, option values can be read using function `ly:get-option`.

`anti-alias-factor` num

  Render at a higher resolution (using factor num, which must be a positive integer ≤8) and scale down the result to prevent ‘jaggies’ in PNG images. Default: `1`.

`aux-files` bool

  If bool is `#t`, create ‘`.tex`’, ‘`.texi`’, and ‘`.count`’ files when used with the `eps` backend option. Default: `#t`.

`backend` symbol

  Use symbol as the backend for LilyPond output. Possible values are:

  `ps`

    This is the default setting. PostScript files include TTF, Type1, and OTF fonts. No ‘subsetting’ of these fonts is done. Be aware that using ‘oriental’ character sets like Japanese can lead to very large file sizes.

    For PDF output, the `ps` backend is used, too; the resulting PS data is post-processed by Ghostscript’s `ps2pdf` script, which also does font subsetting by default.

  `eps`

    Used as the default by the `lilypond-book` command. This dumps every page as both a single file with all pages and fonts included and as separate encapsulated PostScript files for each page but without fonts included.

  `null`

    Do not output a printed score. This has the same effect as `-dno-print-pages`.

  `scm`

    This dumps out the raw, internal Scheme-based drawing commands.

  `svg`

    Scalable Vector Graphics. A single SVG file is created for every page of output. Music glyphs are encoded as vector graphics, but text fonts are not embedded in the SVG files. Any SVG viewer will therefore need the relevant text fonts to be available to it for proper rendering of both text and lyrics. It is recommended to not use font ‘lists’ or ‘aliases’ in case an SVG viewer is unable to handle them. When using Web Open Font Format (WOFF) files the additional `-dsvg-woff` switch is required.

`check-internal-types` bool

  If bool is `#t`, check every property assignment for types. Default: `#f`.

`clip-systems` bool

  If bool is `#t`, extract music fragments out of a score. This requires that the `clip-regions` function has been defined within the `\layout` block. See music Extracting fragments of music. No fragments are extracted though if used with the ‘`-dno-print-pages`’ option. Default: `#f`.

`crop` bool

  If bool is `#t`, fit all the music and headers, without margins, into a ‘single-page’ output file. Default: `#f`.

`datadir`

  Prefix for data files. This is a read-only option; setting it has no effect.

`debug-gc` bool

  If bool is `#t`, dump memory debugging statistics. Default: `#f`.

`debug-gc-assert-parsed-dead` bool

  For memory debugging: If bool is `#t`, ensure that all references to parsed objects are dead. This is an internal option, and is switched on automatically for `-ddebug-gc`. Default: `#f`.

`debug-lexer` bool

  If bool is `#t`, debug the flex lexer. Default: `#f`.

`debug-page-breaking-scoring` bool

  If bool is `#t`, dump scores for many different page breaking configurations. Default: `#f`.

`debug-parser` bool

  If bool is `#t`, debug the bison parser. Default: `#f`.

`debug-property-callbacks` bool

  If bool is `#t`, debug cyclic callback chains. Default: `#f`.

`debug-skylines` bool

  If bool is `#t`, debug skylines. Default: `#f`.

`delete-intermediate-files` bool

  If bool is `#t`, delete the unusable, intermediate ‘`.ps`’ files created during compilation. Default: `#t`.

`dump-signatures` bool

  If bool is `#t`, dump output signatures of each system. Used for regression testing. Default: `#f`.

`embed-source-code` bool

  If bool is `#t`, embed the LilyPond source files inside the generated PDF document. Default: `#f`.

`eps-box-padding` num

  Pad left edge of the output EPS bounding box by num millimeters. Default: `#f` (meaning no bounding box padding).

`font-export-dir` string

  Set directory for exporting fonts as PostScript files to string. This is useful when you want to create a PDF without embedded fonts first and later embed the fonts with Ghostscript as shown below.

  >     $ lilypond -dfont-export-dir=fontdir -dgs-never-embed-fonts foo.ly
  >     $ gs -q -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=pdfwrite \
  >          -sOutputFile=foo.embedded.pdf foo.pdf fontdir/*.font.ps

  Note: Unlike `font-ps-resdir`, this method cannot embed CID fonts with Ghostscript 9.26 and later.

  Note: Same as `font-ps-resdir`, this option skips TrueType fonts because embedding TrueType fonts later causes garbled characters. To avoid garbling characters, use `gs-never-embed-fonts`, as this embeds TrueType fonts despite its name.

  Default: `#f` (meaning not to export).

`font-ps-resdir` string

  Set directory (as string) to build a subset of the PostScript resource directory to be used for embedding fonts later. This is useful when you want to create a PDF without embedded fonts first and later embed the fonts with Ghostscript as shown below.

  >     $ lilypond -dfont-ps-resdir=resdir -dgs-never-embed-fonts foo.ly
  >     $ gs -q -dBATCH -dNOPAUSE -sDEVICE=pdfwrite \
  >          -I resdir -I resdir/Font \
  >          -sOutputFile=foo.embedded.pdf foo.pdf

  Note: It is better not to specify the directory that contains the name ‘`Resource`’ because it has a special meaning when specified with the `-I` option for Ghostscript.

  Note: Unlike `font-export-dir`, this method can embed CID fonts with Ghostscript 9.26 and later.

  Note: Same as `font-export-dir`, this option skips TrueType fonts because embedding TrueType fonts later causes garbled characters. To avoid garbling characters, use `gs-never-embed-fonts`, as this embeds TrueType fonts despite its name.

  Default: `#f` (meaning not to build).

`gs-load-fonts` bool

  If bool is `#t`, load fonts via Ghostscript. This option makes LilyPond’s output files contain only references to all fonts, which must be resolved to real fonts in a post-processing step by Ghostscript. Default: `#f`.

`gs-load-lily-fonts` bool

  If bool is `#t`, load LilyPond fonts via Ghostscript. This option makes LilyPond’s output files contain only references to its music fonts, which must be resolved to real fonts in a post-processing step by Ghostscript. All other fonts are still output as usual. Default: `#f`.

`gs-never-embed-fonts` bool

  If bool is `#t`, make Ghostscript embed only TrueType fonts and no other font format. Default: `#f`.

`gui` bool

  If bool is `#t`, make LilyPond run silently and redirect all output to a log file. Default: `#f`.

  Note to Windows users: By default, ‘`lilypond.exe`’ outputs all progress information to the command window, while ‘`lilypond-windows.exe`’ does not and returns a prompt, with no progress information, immediately at the command line. The ‘`-dgui`’ option can be used in this case to redirect output to a log file.

`help` bool

  If bool is `#t`, show this help. Default: `#f`.

`include-book-title-preview` bool

  If bool is `#t`, include book titles in preview images. Default: `#t`.

`include-eps-fonts` bool

  If bool is `#t`, include fonts in separate-system EPS files. Default: `#t`.

`include-settings` string

  Include file string for global settings, which is included before the score is processed. Default: `#f` (meaning no global settings file).

`job-count` num

  Process in parallel, using num jobs. Default: `#f` (meaning no parallel processing).

`log-file` string

  Redirect output to the log file ‘`string.log`’. Default: `#f` (meaning no log file).

`max-markup-depth` num

  Set maximum depth for the markup tree to value num. If a markup has more levels, assume it will not terminate on its own, print a warning, and return a null markup instead. Default: `1024`.

`midi-extension` string

  Set the default file extension for MIDI output files to ‘`.string`’. Default: `"midi"`.

`music-strings-to-paths` bool

  If bool is `#t`, convert text strings to paths when glyphs belong to a music font. Default: `#f`.

`paper-size` extra-quoted-string

  Set default paper size to extra-quoted-string. Note that the string must be enclosed in escaped double quotes. Default: `"\"a4\""`.

`pixmap-format` symbol

  Set Ghostscript’s output format for pixel images to symbol. Default: `png16m`.

`png-width` width
`png-height` height

  For PNG output, set the width and height (in pixels) of the created image file. If one of the options is missing, the other dimension is computed according to the EPS bounding box, retaining the aspect ratio.

  In addition to ‘`--png`’, either ‘`--eps`’, ‘`-dcrop`’, or ‘`-dpreview`’ should be used to get proper image scaling without clipping.

  Option ‘`-dresolution`’ is ignored.

  Note that there is a bug in ghostscript versions up to 9.52 for these two options: It produces empty PNG images if the height is larger than the width.

`point-and-click` bool

  If bool is `#t`, add ‘point & click’ links to PDF and SVG output. See Point and click. Default: `#t`.

`preview` bool

  If bool is `#t`, create preview images in addition to normal output. Default: `#f`.

  This option is supported by all backends (`pdf`, `png`, `ps`, `eps`, and `svg`) except `scm`. For input file name file and backend format, it generates an output file having the name ‘`file`.preview.`format`’, containing the titles and the first system of music. If `\book` or `\bookpart` blocks are used, the titles of `\book`, `\bookpart` or `\score` will appear in the output, including the first system of every `\score` block if the `\paper` variable `print-all-headers` is set to `#t`.

  To suppress the usual output, use the ‘`-dprint-pages`’ or ‘`-dno-print-pages`’ options according to your requirements.

`print-pages` bool

  If bool is `#t`, generate full pages. Default: `#t`.

  Option ‘`-dno-print-pages`’ is useful in combination with ‘`-dpreview`’ or ‘`-dcrop`’.

`profile-property-accesses` bool

  If bool is `#t`, keep statistics of `get_property()` function calls. Default: `#f`.

`protected-scheme-parsing` bool

  If bool is `#t`, continue when errors in inline Scheme code are caught in the parser. If set to `#f`, halt on errors and print a stack trace. Default: `#t`.

`read-file-list` string

  Use file ‘`string`’ that contains a list of input files to be processed. Default: `#f` (meaning no input list file).

`relative-includes` bool

  When processing an `\include` command, look for the included file relative to the current file if bool is `#t`. If set to `#f`, look for the file relative to the root file. Default: `#t`.

`resolution` num

  Set resolution for generating `PNG` pixmaps to num dpi. Default: `101`.

`safe` bool

  If bool is `#t`, do not trust the ‘`.ly`’ input. Default: `#f`.

  When LilyPond formatting is available through a web server, either the `-dsafe` or the ‘`--jail`’ option MUST be passed. The `-dsafe` option prevents inline Scheme code from wreaking havoc, e.g.,

  >     % too dangerous to write correctly
  >     #(s ystem "rm -rf /")
  >     % malicious but not destructive
  >     { c4^$(ly:gulp-file "/etc/passwd") }

  The ‘`-dsafe`’ option works by evaluating in-line Scheme expressions in a special safe module. This is derived from GUILE’s ‘`safe-r5rs`’ module, but also adds a number of functions of the LilyPond API which are listed in ‘`scm/safe-lily.scm`’.

  In addition, safe mode disallows `\include` directives and disables the use of backslashes in TeX strings. It is also not possible to import LilyPond variables into Scheme while in safe mode.

  Option ‘`-dsafe`’ does not detect resource overuse, so it is still possible to make the program hang indefinitely, for example by feeding cyclic data structures into the backend. Therefore, if using LilyPond on a publicly accessible webserver, the process should be limited in both CPU and memory usage.

  Safe mode will prevent many useful LilyPond snippets from being compiled.

  Option ‘`--jail`’ is an even more secure alternative, but requires more work to set up. See Basic command line options for LilyPond.

`separate-log-files` bool

  For input files ‘`file1.ly`’, ‘`file2.ly`’, …, output log data to files ‘`file1.log`’, ‘`file2.log`’, …, if bool is `#t`. Default: `#f`.

`show-available-fonts` bool

  If bool is `#t`, list available font names as delivered by the fontconfig library. Appended to this list LilyPond displays the configuration settings of fontconfig itself. Default: `#f`.

`strict-infinity-checking` bool

  If bool is `#t`, make `lilypond` abort on encountering `Inf` and `NaN` floating point exceptions. Default: `#f`.

`strip-output-dir` bool

  If bool is `#t`, don’t use the directory part from input file paths while constructing output file names. Default: `#t`.

`strokeadjust` bool

  If bool is `#t`, force PostScript stroke adjustment. This option is mostly relevant when a PDF is generated from PostScript output (stroke adjustment is usually enabled automatically for low-resolution bitmap devices). Without this option, PDF previewers tend to produce widely inconsistent stem widths at resolutions typical for screen display. However, the option does not noticeably affect print quality and causes large file size increases in PDF files. Default: `#f`.

`svg-woff` bool

  This option is required when using Web Open Font Format (WOFF) font files with the `svg` backend. If bool is `#t`, a single SVG file is created for every page of output. Apart from LilyPond’s own music glyphs, no other font information will be included. Any SVG viewer will therefore require the fonts be available to it for the proper rendering of both text and lyrics. It is also recommended not to use any font ‘aliases’ or ‘lists’ in case the SVG viewer cannot handle them. Default: `#f`.

`verbose`

  Verbosity level. This is a read-only option; setting it has no effect.

`warning-as-error` bool

  If bool is `#t`, change all warning and ‘programming error’ messages into errors. Default: `#f`.

### Environment variables

`lilypond` recognizes the following environment variables:

`LILYPOND_DATADIR`

  This specifies a directory where locale messages and data files are looked up by default, overriding locations defined either at compile-time or computed dynamically at run-time (see Relocation). The directory should contain subdirectories called ‘`ly`’, ‘`ps`’, ‘`tex`’, etc.

`LILYPOND_LOCALEDIR`

  Specify the directory where locale-specific files are located. This overrides the value derived from `LILYPOND_DATADIR`.

`LILYPOND_RELOCDIR`

  Specify the directory where relocation files are located. This overrides the value derived from the location of the `lilypond` binary.

`LANG`

  The language for LilyPond data sent to `stdout` and `stderr`, for example progress reports, warning messages, or debug output. Example: `LANG=de`.

`LILYPOND_LOGLEVEL`

  The default loglevel. If LilyPond is called without an explicit loglevel (i.e., no ‘`--loglevel`’ command line option), this value is used.

`LILYPOND_GC_YIELD`

  A variable, as a percentage, that tunes memory management behavior. A higher values means the program uses more memory, a smaller value means more CPU time is used. The default value is `70`.

`TMPDIR`

  This specifies the temporary directory in GNU/Linux and Mac. Default is ‘`/tmp`’. It is the directory where intermediate files (such as PostScript files) are saved during compilation. Overriding this variable might be useful, for example, if the user running lilypond does not have write access to the default temporary directory. Example: `TMPDIR=~/foo`.

### Relocation

Most programs in the Unix world use default directories for its data that are determined at configure time before compilation. LilyPond is no exception; for example, a typical installation puts the ‘`lilypond`’ binary into ‘`/usr/bin`’ and all files specific to LilyPond into subdirectories of ‘`/usr/share/lilypond/2.21.0/`’ (assuming that the current version is 2.21.0).

While this approach works fine for manual compilation and platforms that come with standardized package managers, it can cause issues where such managers are not common or not used by default. Typical examples of such platforms are Windows and MacOS, where users expect that application bundles can be installed anywhere.

The common solution to this problem is relocation support: Instead of using hard-coded paths to data files, locations of the necessary support files are computed at run time relative to the executed binary.

#### Relocation files

There’s actually a second mechanism for run-time configuration: LilyPond heavily relies on external programs and libraries, in particular the ‘FontConfig’ and ‘GUILE’ libraries to find system fonts and handle Scheme files, respectively, and the `gs` program to convert PS data to PDF files. All of them must be configured also to locate its relevant data files. To do that, the `lilypond` program parses all files in a directory called ‘`relocate`’ (if it exists; see below where this directory is searched for) to manipulate environment variables, which in turn control those external libraries and programs. The format of such relocation files is simple; each line has the syntax

>     command key=value

and empty lines get ignored.

The command directive is one of the following.

`set`

  Uncondionally set environment variable key to value. This overrides a previously set value.

`set?`

  Set environment variable key to value only if key isn’t defined yet. In other words, it doesn’t override a previously set value.

`setdir`

  If value is a directory, unconditionally set environent variable key to value. Otherwise, emit a warning.

`setfile`

  If value is a file, unconditionally set environent variable key to value. Otherwise, emit a warning.

`prependdir`

  Prepend directory value to the list of directories in environment variable key. If key doesn’t exist it gets created.

Environment variables (marked with a leading dollar sign) are allowed in value and get expanded before the directive is executed.

Here are two examples of relocation file entries, taken from GUB (see Grand Unified Builder (GUB)).

>     set? FONTCONFIG_FILE=$INSTALLER_PREFIX/etc/fonts/fonts.conf
>     prependdir GUILE_LOAD_PATH=$INSTALLER_PREFIX/share/guile/1.8

Multiple lines setting the same environment variable should be avoided in relocation files since the parsing order of files in the ‘`relocate`’ directory is arbitrary.

#### Relocation algorithm

LilyPond uses the following algorithm to find its data files.

1. Compute the directory where the currently executed `lilypond` binary is located. Let’s call this `bindir`. Set (internal) environment variable `INSTALLER_PREFIX` to ‘`bindir/..`’ (i.e., the parent directory of `bindir`).
2. Check environment variable `LILYPOND_DATADIR`. If it is set, use its value for LilyPond’s data directory, `datadir`. Otherwise use either ‘`$INSTALLER_PREFIX/share/lilypond/version`’ (with version being the current LilyPond version) or ‘`$INSTALLER_PREFIX/share/lilypond/current`’.
3. Check environment variable `LILYPOND_LOCALEDIR`. If it is set, use its value for LilyPond’s locale data directory, `localedir`. Otherwise use ‘`$INSTALLER_PREFIX/share/locale`’.
4. Check environment variable `LILYPOND_RELOCDIR`. If it is set, use its value for the directory of LilyPond’s relocation files, `relocdir`. Otherwise use ‘`$INSTALLER_PREFIX/etc/relocate`’.
5. If `datadir` doesn’t exist, use a compile-time value instead. Ditto for `localedir` (but not for `relocdir`, since it doesn’t make sense to have that).
6. If `relocdir` exists, process all files in this directory as described in Relocation files.

### LilyPond in chroot jail

Setting up the server to run LilyPond in a chroot jail is a complicated task. The steps are listed below. Examples in the steps are from Ubuntu GNU/Linux, and may require the use of `sudo` as appropriate.

- Install the necessary packages: LilyPond, Ghostscript, and ImageMagick.
- Create a new user by the name of `lily`:

  >     adduser lily

  This will create a new group for the `lily` user as well, and a home folder, `/home/lily`

- In the home folder of the `lily` user create a file to use as a separate filesystem:

  >     dd if=/dev/zero of=/home/lily/loopfile bs=1k count= 200000

  This example creates a 200MB file for use as the jail filesystem.

- Create a loop device, make a file system and mount it, then create a folder that can be written by the `lily` user:

  >     mkdir /mnt/lilyloop
  >     losetup /dev/loop0 /home/lily/loopfile
  >     mkfs -t ext3 /dev/loop0 200000
  >     mount -t ext3 /dev/loop0 /mnt/lilyloop
  >     mkdir /mnt/lilyloop/lilyhome
  >     chown lily /mnt/lilyloop/lilyhome

- In the configuration of the servers, the JAIL will be `/mnt/lilyloop` and the DIR will be `/lilyhome`.
- Create a big directory tree in the jail by copying the necessary files, as shown in the sample script below.

  You can use `sed` to create the necessary copy commands for a given executable:

  >     for i in "/usr/local/lilypond/usr/bin/lilypond" "/bin/sh" "/usr/bin/;  \
  >       do ldd $i | sed 's/.*=> \/\(.*\/\)\([^(]*\).*/mkdir -p \1 \&\&  \
  >         cp -L \/\1\2 \1\2/' | sed 's/\t\/\(.*\/\)\(.*\) (.*)$/mkdir -p  \
  >           \1 \&\& cp -L \/\1\2 \1\2/' | sed '/.*=>.*/d'; done

### Example script for 32-bit Ubuntu 8.04

>     #!/bin/sh
>     ## defaults set here

>     username=lily
>     home=/home
>     loopdevice=/dev/loop0
>     jaildir=/mnt/lilyloop
>     # the prefix (without the leading slash!)
>     lilyprefix=usr/local
>     # the directory where lilypond is installed on the system
>     lilydir=/$lilyprefix/lilypond/

>     userhome=$home/$username
>     loopfile=$userhome/loopfile
>     adduser $username
>     dd if=/dev/zero of=$loopfile bs=1k count=200000
>     mkdir $jaildir
>     losetup $loopdevice $loopfile
>     mkfs -t ext3 $loopdevice 200000
>     mount -t ext3 $loopdevice $jaildir
>     mkdir $jaildir/lilyhome
>     chown $username $jaildir/lilyhome
>     cd $jaildir

>     mkdir -p bin usr/bin usr/share usr/lib usr/share/fonts $lilyprefix tmp
>     chmod a+w tmp

>     cp -r -L $lilydir $lilyprefix
>     cp -L /bin/sh /bin/rm bin
>     cp -L /usr/bin/convert /usr/bin/gs usr/bin
>     cp -L /usr/share/fonts/truetype usr/share/fonts

>     # Now the library copying magic
>     for i in "$lilydir/usr/bin/lilypond" "$lilydir/usr/bin/guile" "/bin/sh"  \
>       "/bin/rm" "/usr/bin/gs" "/usr/bin/convert"; do ldd $i | sed 's/.*=>  \
>         \/\(.*\/\)\([^(]*\).*/mkdir -p \1 \&\& cp -L \/\1\2 \1\2/' | sed  \
>           's/\t\/\(.*\/\)\(.*\) (.*)$/mkdir -p \1 \&\& cp -L \/\1\2 \1\2/'  \
>             | sed '/.*=>.*/d'; done | sh -s

>     # The shared files for Ghostscript...
>           cp -L -r /usr/share/ghostscript usr/share
>     # The shared files for ImageMagick
>           cp -L -r /usr/lib/ImageMagick* usr/lib

>     ### Now, assuming that you have test.ly in /mnt/lilyloop/lilyhome,
>     ### you should be able to run:
>     ### Note that /$lilyprefix/bin/lilypond is a script, which sets the
>     ### LD_LIBRARY_PATH - this is crucial
>           /$lilyprefix/bin/lilypond -jlily,lily,/mnt/lilyloop,/lilyhome test.ly

## 1.3 Error messages

Different error messages can appear while compiling a file:

Warning

  Something looks suspect. If you are requesting something out of the ordinary then you will understand the message, and can ignore it. However, warnings usually indicate that something is wrong with the input file.

Error

  Something is definitely wrong. The current processing step (parsing, interpreting, or formatting) will be finished, but the next step will be skipped.

Fatal error

  Something is definitely wrong, and LilyPond cannot continue. This happens rarely. The most usual cause is misinstalled fonts.

Scheme error

  Errors that occur while executing Scheme code are caught by the Scheme interpreter. If running with the verbose option (‘`-V`’ or ‘`--verbose`’) then a call trace of the offending function call is printed.

Programming error

  There was some internal inconsistency. These error messages are intended to help the programmers and debuggers. Usually, they can be ignored. Sometimes, they come in such big quantities that they obscure other output.

Aborted (core dumped)

  This signals a serious programming error that caused the program to crash. Such errors are considered critical. If you stumble on one, send a bug-report.

If warnings and errors can be linked to some part of the input file, then error messages have the following form

>     filename:lineno:columnno: message
>     offending input line

A line-break is inserted in the offending line to indicate the column where the error was found. For example,

>     test.ly:2:19: error: not a duration: 5
>       { c'4 e'
>                5 g' }

These locations are LilyPond’s best guess about where the warning or error occurred, but (by their very nature) warnings and errors occur when something unexpected happens. If you can’t see an error in the indicated line of your input file, try checking one or two lines above the indicated position.

Please note that diagnostics can be triggered at any point during the many stages of processing. For example if there are parts of the input that are processed multiple times (i.e. in midi and layout output), or if the same music variable is used in multiple contexts the same message may appear several times. Diagnostics produced at a ‘late’ stage (i.e bar checks) might also be issued multiple times.

More information about errors is given in Common errors.

## 1.4 Common errors

The error conditions described below occur often, yet the cause is not obvious or easily found. Once seen and understood, they are easily handled.

### Music runs off the page

Music running off the page over the right margin or appearing unduly compressed is almost always due to entering an incorrect duration on a note, causing the final note in a measure to extend over the bar line. It is not invalid if the final note in a measure does not end on the automatically entered bar line, as the note is simply assumed to carry over into the next measure. But if a long sequence of such carry-over measures occurs the music can appear compressed or may flow off the page because automatic line breaks can be inserted only at the end of complete measures, i.e., where all notes end before or at the end of the measure.

Note: An incorrect duration can cause line breaks to be inhibited, leading to a line of highly compressed music or music which flows off the page.

The incorrect duration can be found easily if bar checks are used, see Bar and bar number checks.

If you actually intend to have a series of such carry-over measures you will need to insert an invisible bar line where you want the line to break. For details, see Bar lines.

### An extra staff appears

If contexts are not created explicitly with `\new` or `\context`, they will be silently created as soon as a command is encountered which cannot be applied to an existing context. In simple scores the automatic creation of contexts is useful, and most of the examples in the LilyPond manuals take advantage of this simplification. But occasionally the silent creation of contexts can give rise to unexpected new staves or scores. For example, it might be expected that the following code would cause all note heads within the following staff to be colored red, but in fact it results in two staves with the note heads remaining the default black in the lower staff.

>     \override Staff.NoteHead.color = #red
>     \new Staff { a' }

This is because a `Staff` context does not exist when the override is processed, so one is implicitly created and the override is applied to it, but then the `\new Staff` command creates another, separate, staff into which the notes are placed. The correct code to color all note heads red is

>     \new Staff {
>       \override Staff.NoteHead.color = #red
>       a'
>     }

### Error message Unbound variable %

This error message will appear at the bottom of the console output or log file together with a “GUILE signalled an error …” message every time a Scheme routine is called which (invalidly) contains a LilyPond rather than a Scheme comment.

LilyPond comments begin with a percent sign, (`%`), and must not be used within Scheme routines. Scheme comments begin with a semi-colon, (`;`).

### Error message FT_Get_Glyph_Name

This error messages appears in the console output or log file if an input file contains a non-ASCII character and was not saved in UTF-8 encoding. For details, see Text encoding.

### Warning staff affinities should only decrease

This warning can appear if there are no staves in the printed output, for example if there are just a `ChordName` context and a `Lyrics` context as in a lead sheet. The warning messages can be avoided by making one of the contexts behave as a staff by inserting

>     \override VerticalAxisGroup.staff-affinity = ##f

at its start. For details, see “Spacing of non-staff lines” in Flexible vertical spacing within systems.

### Error message unexpected `\new`

A `\score` block must contain a single music expression. If instead it contains several `\new Staff`, `\new StaffGroup` or similar contexts introduced with `\new` without them being enclosed in either curly brackets, `{ … }`, or double angle brackets, `<< … >>`, like this:

>     \score {
>       % Invalid! Generates error: syntax error, unexpected \new
>       \new Staff { … }
>       \new Staff { … }
>     }

the error message will be produced.

To avoid the error, enclose all the `\new` statements in curly or double angle brackets.

Using curly brackets will introduce the `\new` statements sequentially:

>     \score {
>       {
>         \new Staff { a' a' a' a' }
>         \new Staff { g' g' g' g' }
>       }
>     }

but more likely you should be using double angle brackets so the new staves are introduced in parallel, i.e. simultaneously:

>     \score {
>       <<
>         \new Staff { a' a' a' a' }
>         \new Staff { g' g' g' g' }
>       >>
>     }

### Warning this voice needs a `\voiceXx` or `\shiftXx` setting

If notes from two different voices with stems in the same direction occur at the same musical moment, but the voices have no voice-specific shifts specified, the warning message ‘`warning: this voice needs a \voiceXx or \shiftXx setting`’ will appear when compiling the LilyPond file. This warning will appear even when the notes have no visible stems, e.g. whole notes, if the stems for shorter notes at the same pitch would be in the same direction.

Remember that the stem direction depends on the position of the note on the staff unless the stem direction is specified, for example by using `\voiceOne`, etc. In this case the warning will appear only when the stems happen to be in the same direction, i.e. when the notes are in the same half of the staff.

By placing the notes in voices with stem directions and shifts specified, for example by using `\voiceOne`, etc., these warnings may be avoided.

Notes in higher numbered voices, `\voiceThree` etc., are automatically shifted to avoid clashing note columns. This causes a visible shift for notes with stems, but whole notes are not visibly shifted unless an actual clash of the note heads occurs, or when the voices cross over from their natural order (when `\voiceThree` is higher than `\voiceOne`, etc.)

#### See also

Explicitly instantiating voices, Real music example, Single-staff polyphony, Collision resolution.

# 2. Updating files with `convert-ly`

As LilyPond is improved, the syntax (input language) of some commands and functions can change. This can result in unexpected errors, warnings or even wrong output when input files, previously created for older versions of LilyPond are then used with later versions.

To help with this the `convert-ly` command can be used to upgrade these older input files to use the newer syntax.

## 2.1 Why does the syntax change?

Often, syntax changes are made to make the input simpler to both read and write, but occasionally the changes are made to accommodate new features or enhancements to existing functions.

To illustrate this here is a real example:

All `\paper` and `\layout` property names were supposed to be written in the form `first-second-third`. However, in LilyPond version 2.11.60, it was noticed that the `printallheaders` property did not follow this convention. Should this property be left alone (confusing new users with an inconsistent format)? Or should it be changed (annoying old users with existing LilyPond input files)?

The decision was made to change the name of the property to `print-all-headers`, and by using the `convert-ly` command the old users had a way to automatically update their existing input files.

However, the `convert-ly` command cannot always be used to manage all syntax changes. In versions of LilyPond before 2.4.2, accents and non-English characters were entered using standard LaTeX notation. For example the French word for ‘Christmas’ was entered as `No\"el`. But in LilyPond 2.6 onwards, the special `ë` must be entered directly as a UTF-8 character. The `convert-ly` command cannot change LaTeX special characters into UTF-8 characters, so older LilyPond input files have to edited manually.

The conversion rules of the `convert-ly` command work using text pattern-matching and replacement (rather than ‘understanding’ the context of what it is changing within a given input file). This has several consequences:

- The reliability of the conversion depends on the quality of each applied rule set and on the complexity of the respective change. Sometimes conversions may require additional, manual fixes, so the original input files should be kept for comparison just in case.
- Only conversions to newer syntax changes are possible: there are no rule sets to go back to older versions of LilyPond. So the input file should only be upgraded when older versions of LilyPond are no longer being maintained. Again, the original input files should be kept just in case; perhaps using version control systems (i.e. Git) to help with maintaining multiple versions of your input files.
- LilyPond is quite robust when processing ‘creatively’ placed or omitted whitespace, but the rules used by `convert-ly` often make some stylistic assumptions. Therefore following the input style as used in the LilyPond manuals is advised for painless upgrades, particularly as the examples in the manuals themselves are all upgraded using the `convert-ly` command.

## 2.2 Invoking `convert-ly`

The `convert-ly` command uses the `\version` number in the input file to detect older versions. In most cases, to upgrade your input file it is sufficient just to run;

>     convert-ly -e myfile.ly

in the directory containing the input file. This will upgrade ‘`myfile.ly`’ in-place and preserve the original file by renaming it ‘`myfile.ly~`’. The `\version` number in the upgraded input file, along with any required syntax updates, is also changed.

When run, the `convert-ly` command will output the version numbers of which conversions have been made to. If no version numbers are listed in the output for the file, it is already up to date and using the latest LilyPond syntax.

Note: For each new version of LilyPond, a new `convert-ly` command is created, however not every version of LilyPond will need syntax changes for its input files from the version before. This means that the `convert-ly` command will only convert input files up to the latest syntax change it has and this, in turn, may mean that the `version` number left in the upgraded input file is sometimes earlier than the version of `convert-ly` command itself.

To convert all input files in a single directory use;

>     convert-ly -e *.ly

Linux and MacOS X users can both use the appropriate terminal application, but MacOS X users can also execute this command directly under the menu entry `Compile > Update syntax`.

A Windows user would run the command;

>     convert-ly.py -e *.ly

entering these commands in a `command prompt` usually found under `Start > Accessories > Command Prompt` or for version 8 users, by typing in the search window ‘command prompt’.

To convert all input files that reside in different sets of subdirectories;

>     find . -name '*.ly' -exec convert-ly -e '{}' \;

This example searches and converts all input files in the current directory and all directories below it recursively. The converted files will be located in the same directory along with their renamed originals. This should also work for MacOS X users, although only via the terminal app.

Windows user would use;

>     forfiles /s /M *.ly /c "cmd /c convert-ly.py -e @file"

Alternatively, an explicit path to the top-level of your folder containing all the sub-folders that have input files in them can be stated using the `/p` option;

>     forfiles /s /p C:\Documents\MyScores /M *.ly /c "cmd /c convert-ly.py -e @file"

If there are spaces in the path to the top-level folder, then the whole path needs to be inside double quotes;

>     forfiles /s /p "C:\Documents\My Scores" /M *.ly /c "cmd /c convert-ly.py -e @file"

## 2.3 Command line options for `convert-ly`

The program is invoked as follows:

>     convert-ly [option]… filename…

The following options can be given:

`-d, --diff-version-update`

  increase the `\version` string only if the file has actually been changed. In that case, the version header will correspond to the version after the last actual change. An unstable version number will be rounded up to the next stable version number unless that would exceed the target version number. Without this option, the version will instead reflect the last attempted conversion.

`-e, --edit`

  Apply the conversions direct to the input file, modifying it in-place. The original file is renamed as ‘`myfile.ly~`’. This backup file may be a hidden file on some operating systems. Alternatively, if you want to specify a different name for the upgraded file without using the `-e` options default `~` appended to the old input file, the output can be redirected instead;

  >     convert-ly myfile.ly > mynewfile.ly

  Windows user would use;

  >     convert-ly.py myfile.ly > mynewfile.ly

`-b, --backup-numbered`

  When used with the ‘`-e`’ option, number the backup files so that no previous version is overwritten. The backup files may be hidden on some operating systems.

`-f, --from=from-patchlevel`

  Set the version to convert from. If this is not set, `convert-ly` will guess this, on the basis of `\version` strings in the file. E.g. ‘`--from=2.10.25`’

`-h, --help`

  Print usage help.

`-l loglevel, --loglevel=loglevel`

  Set the output verbosity to loglevel. Possible values, in upper case, are `PROGRESS` (the default), `NONE`, `WARNING`, `ERROR` and `DEBUG`.

`-n, --no-version`

  Normally, `convert-ly` adds a `\version` indicator to the output. Specifying this option suppresses this.

`-s, --show-rules`

  Show all known conversions and exit.

`-t, --to=to-patchlevel`

  Explicitly set which `\version` to convert to, otherwise the default is the most current value. It must be higher than the starting version.

  >     convert-ly --to=2.14.1 myfile.ly

To upgrade LilyPond fragments in texinfo files, use

>     convert-ly --from=… --to=… --no-version *.itely

To see the changes in the LilyPond syntax between two versions, use

>     convert-ly --from=… --to=… -s

## 2.4 Problems running `convert-ly`

When running convert-ly in a Command Prompt window under Windows on a file which has spaces in the filename or in the path to it, it is necessary to surround the entire input file name with three (!) sets of double quotes:

>     convert-ly """D:/My Scores/Ode.ly""" > "D:/My Scores/new Ode.ly"

If the simple `convert-ly -e *.ly` command fails because the expanded command line becomes too long, the `convert-ly` command may be placed in a loop instead. This example for UNIX will upgrade all ‘`.ly`’ files in the current directory

>     for f in *.ly; do convert-ly -e $f; done;

In the Windows Command Prompt window the corresponding command is

>     for %x in (*.ly) do convert-ly -e """%x"""

Not all language changes are handled. Only one output option can be specified. Automatically updating scheme and LilyPond scheme interfaces is quite unlikely; be prepared to tweak scheme code manually.

## 2.5 Manual conversions

In theory, a program like `convert-ly` could handle any syntax change. After all, a computer program interprets the old version and the new version, so another computer program can translate one file into another2.

However, the LilyPond project has limited resources: not all conversions are performed automatically. Below is a list of known problems.

    1.6->2.0:
     Doesn't always convert figured bass correctly, specifically things like {<
    >}.  Mats' comment on working around this:
       To be able to run convert-ly
       on it, I first replaced all occurrences of '{<' to some dummy like '{#'
       and similarly I replaced '>}' with '&}'.  After the conversion, I could
       then change back from '{ #' to '{ <' and from '& }' to '> }'.
     Doesn't convert all text markup correctly.  In the old markup syntax,
     it was possible to group a number of markup commands together within
    parentheses, e.g.
       -#'((bold italic) "string")
       This will incorrectly be converted into
       -\markup{{\bold italic} "string"}
       instead of the correct
       -\markup{\bold \italic "string"}
    2.0->2.2:
     Doesn't handle \partCombine
     Doesn't do \addlyrics => \lyricsto, this breaks some scores with multiple
    stanzas.
    2.0->2.4:
     \magnify isn't changed to \fontsize.
        - \magnify #m => \fontsize #f, where f = 6ln(m)/ln(2)
     remove-tag isn't changed.
        - \applyMusic #(remove-tag '. . .) => \keepWithTag #'. . .
     first-page-number isn't changed.
        - first-page-number no => print-first-page-number = ##f
     Line breaks in header strings aren't converted.
        - \\\\  as line break in \header strings => \markup \center-align <
          "First Line" "Second Line" >
     Crescendo and decrescendo terminators aren't converted.
        - \rced => \!
        - \rc => \!
    2.2->2.4:
     \turnOff (used in \set Staff.VoltaBracket = \turnOff) is not properly
    converted.
    2.4.2->2.5.9
     \markup{ \center-align <{ ... }> } should be converted to:
     \markup{ \center-align {\line { ... }} }
     but now, \line is missing.
    2.4->2.6
     Special LaTeX characters such as $~$ in text are not converted to UTF8.
    2.8
     \score{} must now begin with a music expression.  Anything else
     (particularly \header{}) must come after the music.

## 2.6 Writing code to support multiple versions

In some cases, especially when writing library code it is desirable to support multiple LilyPond versions across breaking syntax changes. To do this alternative portions of code can be wrapped into conditional expressions depending on the currently executed LilyPond version. The Scheme function `ly:version?` expects a comparison operator op and a reference version ver passed as a list of integers with up to three elements. Missing elements are ignored so `'(2 20)` is equivalent to any version of the 2.20 line of versions. Constructs like the following are possible:

    #(cond
      ((ly:version? > '(2 20))
       (ly:message "This is code to run for LilyPond after 2.20"))
      ((ly:version? = '(2 19 57))
       (ly:message "This will only be executed with LilyPond 2.19.57"))
      (else (ly:message "This will be executed in any other version")))

Usually this will be integrated in library functions to allow alternative syntax to be used, but it is also possible to use the comparison directly within the music like in the following example:

    {
      c' d' e' f'
      #(if (ly:version? = '(2 21))
           #{ \override NoteHead.color = #red #}
           #{ \override NoteHead.color = #blue #})
      g' a' b' c''
    }

Note: This function has been introduced in LilyPond 2.21.80, so it is not possible to compare with versions earlier than that.

# 3. Running `lilypond-book`

If you want to add pictures of music to a document, you can simply do it the way you would do with other types of pictures. The pictures are created separately, yielding PostScript output or PNG images, and those are included into a LaTeX or HTML document.

`lilypond-book` provides a way to automate this process: This program extracts snippets of music from your document, runs `lilypond` on them, and outputs the document with pictures substituted for the music. The line width and font size definitions for the music are adjusted to match the layout of your document.

This is a separate program from `lilypond` itself, and is run on the command line; for more information, see Command-line usage. If you have trouble running `lilypond-book` on Windows or Mac OS X using the command line, then see either Windows or MacOS X.

This procedure may be applied to LaTeX, HTML, Texinfo or DocBook documents.

## 3.1 An example of a musicological document

Some texts contain music examples. These texts are musicological treatises, songbooks, or manuals like this. Such texts can be made by hand, simply by importing a PostScript figure into the word processor. However, there is an automated procedure to reduce the amount of work involved in HTML, LaTeX, Texinfo and DocBook documents.

A script called `lilypond-book` will extract the music fragments, format them, and put back the resulting notation. Here we show a small example for use with LaTeX. The example also contains explanatory text, so we will not comment on it further.

### Input

>     \documentclass[a4paper]{article}

>     \begin{document}

>     Documents for \verb+lilypond-book+ may freely mix music and text.
>     For example,

>     \begin{lilypond}
>     \relative {
>       c'2 e2 \tuplet 3/2 { f8 a b } a2 e4
>     }
>     \end{lilypond}

>     Options are put in brackets.

>     \begin{lilypond}[fragment,quote,staffsize=26,verbatim]
>       c'4 f16
>     \end{lilypond}

>     Larger examples can be put into a separate file, and introduced with
>     \verb+\lilypondfile+.

>     \lilypondfile[quote,noindent]{screech-and-boink.ly}

>     (If needed, replace @file{screech-and-boink.ly} by any @file{.ly} file
>     you put in the same directory as this file.)

>     \end{document}

### Processing

Save the code above to a file called ‘`lilybook.lytex`’, then in a terminal run

>     lilypond-book --output=out --pdf lilybook.lytex
>     lilypond-book (GNU LilyPond) 2.22.2
>     Reading lilybook.lytex...
>     …lots of stuff deleted…
>     Compiling lilybook.tex...
>     cd out
>     pdflatex lilybook
>     …lots of stuff deleted…
>     xpdf lilybook
>     (replace xpdf by your favorite PDF viewer)

Running `lilypond-book` and `latex` creates a lot of temporary files, which would clutter up the working directory. To remedy this, use the ‘`--output=dir`’ option. It will create the files in a separate subdirectory ‘`dir`’.

Finally the result of the LaTeX example shown above.3 This finishes the tutorial section.

### Output

Documents for `lilypond-book` may freely mix music and text. For example,

Options are put in brackets.

>     c'4 f16

Larger examples can be put into a separate file, and introduced with `\lilypondfile`.

If a `tagline` is required, either default or custom, then the entire snippet must be enclosed in a `\book { }` construct.

    \book{
      \header{
        title = "A scale in LilyPond"
      }

      \relative {
        c' d e f g a b c
      }
    }

## 3.2 Integrating music and text

Here we explain how to integrate LilyPond with various output formats.

### 3.2.1 LaTeX

LaTeX is the de-facto standard for publishing layouts in the exact sciences. It is built on top of the TeX typesetting engine, providing the best typography available anywhere.

See The Not So Short Introduction to LaTeX for an overview on how to use LaTeX.

`lilypond-book` provides the following commands and environments to include music in LaTeX files:

- the `\lilypond{…}` command, where you can directly enter short lilypond code
- the `\begin{lilypond}…\end{lilypond}` environment, where you can directly enter longer lilypond code
- the `\lilypondfile{…}` command to insert a lilypond file
- the `\musicxmlfile{…}` command to insert a MusicXML file, which will be processed by `musicxml2ly` and `lilypond`.

In the input file, music is specified with any of the following commands:

>     \begin{lilypond}[options,go,here]
>       YOUR LILYPOND CODE
>     \end{lilypond}

>     \lilypond[options,go,here]{ YOUR LILYPOND CODE }

>     \lilypondfile[options,go,here]{filename}

>     \musicxmlfile[options,go,here]{filename}

Additionally, `\lilypondversion` displays the current version of lilypond. Running `lilypond-book` yields a file that can be further processed with LaTeX.

We show some examples here. The `lilypond` environment

>     \begin{lilypond}[quote,fragment,staffsize=26]
>       c' d' e' f' g'2 g'2
>     \end{lilypond}

produces

The short version

>     \lilypond[quote,fragment,staffsize=11]{<c' e' g'>}

produces

Currently, you cannot include `{` or `}` within `\lilypond{}`, so this command is only useful with the `fragment` option.

The default line width of the music will be adjusted by examining the commands in the document preamble, the part of the document before `\begin{document}`. The `lilypond-book` command sends these to LaTeX to find out how wide the text is. The line width for the music fragments is then adjusted to the text width. Note that this heuristic algorithm can fail easily; in such cases it is necessary to use the `line-width` music fragment option.

Each snippet will call the following macros if they have been defined by the user:

- `\preLilyPondExample` called before the music,
- `\postLilyPondExample` called after the music,
- `\betweenLilyPondSystem[1]` is called between systems if `lilypond-book` has split the snippet into several PostScript files. It must be defined as taking one parameter and will be passed the number of files already included in this snippet. The default is to simply insert a `\linebreak`.

#### Selected Snippets

Sometimes it is useful to display music elements (such as ties and slurs) as if they continued after the end of the fragment. This can be done by breaking the staff and suppressing inclusion of the rest of the LilyPond output.

In LaTeX, define `\betweenLilyPondSystem` in such a way that inclusion of other systems is terminated once the required number of systems are included. Since `\betweenLilyPondSystem` is first called after the first system, including only the first system is trivial.

>     \def\betweenLilyPondSystem#1{\endinput}

>     \begin{lilypond}[fragment]
>       c'1\( e'( c'~ \break c' d) e f\)
>     \end{lilypond}

If a greater number of systems is requested, a TeX conditional must be used before the `\endinput`. In this example, replace ‘2’ by the number of systems you want in the output.

>     \def\betweenLilyPondSystem#1{
>         \ifnum#1<2\else\expandafter\endinput\fi
>     }

(Since `\endinput` immediately stops the processing of the current input file we need `\expandafter` to delay the call of `\endinput` after executing `\fi` so that the `\if`-`\fi` clause is balanced.)

Remember that the definition of `\betweenLilyPondSystem` is effective until TeX quits the current group (such as the LaTeX environment) or is overridden by another definition (which is, in most cases, for the rest of the document). To reset your definition, write

>     \let\betweenLilyPondSystem\undefined

in your LaTeX source.

This may be simplified by defining a TeX macro

>     \def\onlyFirstNSystems#1{
>         \def\betweenLilyPondSystem##1{%
>           \ifnum##1<#1\else\expandafter\endinput\fi}
>     }

and then saying only how many systems you want before each fragment,

>     \onlyFirstNSystems{3}
>     \begin{lilypond}…\end{lilypond}
>     \onlyFirstNSystems{1}
>     \begin{lilypond}…\end{lilypond}

#### See also

There are specific `lilypond-book` command line options and other details to know when processing LaTeX documents, see Invoking `lilypond-book`.

### 3.2.2 Texinfo

Texinfo is the standard format for documentation of the GNU project. An example of a Texinfo document is this manual. The HTML, PDF, and Info versions of the manual are made from the Texinfo document.

`lilypond-book` provides the following commands and environments to include music into Texinfo files:

- the `@lilypond{…}` command, where you can directly enter short lilypond code
- the `@lilypond…@end lilypond` environment, where you can directly enter longer lilypond code
- the `@lilypondfile{…}` command to insert a lilypond file
- the `@musicxmlfile{…}` command to insert a MusicXML file, which will be processed by `musicxml2ly` and `lilypond`.

In the input file, music is specified with any of the following commands

>     @lilypond[options,go,here]
>       YOUR LILYPOND CODE
>     @end lilypond

>     @lilypond[options,go,here]{ YOUR LILYPOND CODE }

>     @lilypondfile[options,go,here]{filename}

>     @musicxmlfile[options,go,here]{filename}

Additionally, `@lilypondversion` displays the current version of lilypond.

When `lilypond-book` is run on it, this results in a Texinfo file (with extension ‘`.texi`’) containing `@image` tags for HTML, Info and printed output. `lilypond-book` generates images of the music in EPS and PDF formats for use in the printed output, and in PNG format for use in HTML and Info output.

We show two simple examples here. A `lilypond` environment

>     @lilypond[fragment]
>     c' d' e' f' g'2 g'
>     @end lilypond

produces

The short version

>     @lilypond[fragment,staffsize=11]{<c' e' g'>}

produces

Contrary to LaTeX, `@lilypond{…}` does not generate an in-line image. It always gets a paragraph of its own.

### 3.2.3 HTML

`lilypond-book` provides the following commands and environments to include music in HTML files:

- the `<lilypond … />` command, where you can directly enter short lilypond code
- the `<lilyond>…</lilypond>` environment, where you can directly enter longer lilypond code
- the `<lilypondfile>…</lilypondfile>` command to insert a lilypond file
- the `<musicxmlfile>…</musicxmlfile>` command to insert a MusicXML file, which will be processed by `musicxml2ly` and `lilypond`.

In the input file, music is specified with any of the following commands:

>     <lilypond options go here>
>       YOUR LILYPOND CODE
>     </lilypond>

>     <lilypond options go here: YOUR LILYPOND CODE />

>     <lilypondfile options go here>filename</lilypondfile>

>     <musicxmlfile options go here>filename</musicxmlfile>

For example, you can write

>     <lilypond fragment relative=2>
>     \key c \minor c4 es g2
>     </lilypond>

`lilypond-book` then produces an HTML file with appropriate image tags for the music fragments:

For inline pictures, use `<lilypond … />`, where the options are separated by a colon from the music, for example

>     Some music in <lilypond relative=2: a b c/> a line of text.

To include separate files, say

>     <lilypondfile option1 option2 …>filename</lilypondfile>

`<musicxmlfile>` uses the same syntax as `<lilypondfile>`, but simply references a MusicXML file rather than a LilyPond file.

For a list of options to use with the `lilypond` or `lilypondfile` tags, see Music fragment options.

Additionally, `<lilypondversion/>` displays the current version of lilypond.

### 3.2.4 DocBook

For inserting LilyPond snippets it is good to keep the conformity of our DocBook document, thus allowing us to use DocBook editors, validation etc. So we don’t use custom tags, only specify a convention based on the standard DocBook elements.

### Common conventions

For inserting all type of snippets we use the `mediaobject` and `inlinemediaobject` element, so our snippets can be formatted inline or not inline. The snippet formatting options are always provided in the `role` property of the innermost element (see in next sections). Tags are chosen to allow DocBook editors format the content gracefully. The DocBook files to be processed with `lilypond-book` should have the extension ‘`.lyxml`’.

### Including a LilyPond file

This is the most simple case. We must use the ‘`.ly`’ extension for the included file, and insert it as a standard `imageobject`, with the following structure:

>     <mediaobject>
>       <imageobject>
>         <imagedata fileref="music1.ly" role="printfilename" />
>       </imageobject>
>     </mediaobject>

Note that you can use `mediaobject` or `inlinemediaobject` as the outermost element as you wish.

### Including LilyPond code

Including LilyPond code is possible by using a `programlisting`, where the language is set to `lilypond` with the following structure:

>     <inlinemediaobject>
>       <textobject>
>         <programlisting language="lilypond" role="fragment verbatim staffsize=16 ragged-right relative=2">
>     \context Staff \with {
>       \remove "Time_signature_engraver"
>       \remove "Clef_engraver"}
>       { c4( fis) }
>         </programlisting>
>       </textobject>
>     </inlinemediaobject>

As you can see, the outermost element is a `mediaobject` or `inlinemediaobject`, and there is a `textobject` containing the `programlisting` inside.

### Processing the DocBook document

Running `lilypond-book` on our ‘`.lyxml`’ file will create a valid DocBook document to be further processed with ‘`.xml`’ extension. If you use dblatex, it will create a PDF file from this document automatically. For HTML (HTML Help, JavaHelp etc.) generation you can use the official DocBook XSL stylesheets, however, it is possible that you have to make some customization for it.

## 3.3 Music fragment options

In the following, a ‘LilyPond command’ refers to any command described in the previous sections which is handled by `lilypond-book` to produce a music snippet. For simplicity, LilyPond commands are only shown in LaTeX syntax.

Note that the option string is parsed from left to right; if an option occurs multiple times, the last one is taken.

The following options are available for LilyPond commands:

`staffsize=ht`

  Set staff size to ht, which is measured in points.

`ragged-right`

  Produce ragged-right lines with natural spacing, i.e., `ragged-right = ##t` is added to the LilyPond snippet. Single-line snippets will always be typeset by default as ragged-right, unless `noragged-right` is explicitly given.

`noragged-right`

  For single-line snippets, allow the staff length to be stretched to equal that of the line width, i.e., `ragged-right = ##f` is added to the LilyPond snippet.

`line-width`
`line-width=size\unit`

  Set line width to size, using unit as units. unit is one of the following strings: `cm`, `mm`, `in`, or `pt`. This option affects LilyPond output (this is, the staff length of the music snippet), not the text layout.

  If used without an argument, set line width to a default value (as computed with a heuristic algorithm).

  If no `line-width` option is given, `lilypond-book` tries to guess a default for `lilypond` environments which don’t use the `ragged-right` option.

`papersize=string`

  Where string is a paper size defined in ‘`scm/paper.scm`’ i.e. `a5`, `quarto`, `11x17` etc.

  Values not defined in ‘`scm/paper.scm`’ will be ignored, a warning will be posted and the snippet will be printed using the default `a4` size.

`notime`

  Do not print the time signature, and turns off the timing (time signature, bar lines) in the score.

`fragment`

  Make `lilypond-book` add some boilerplate code so that you can simply enter, say,

  >     c'4

  without `\layout`, `\score`, etc.

`nofragment`

  Do not add additional code to complete LilyPond code in music snippets. Since this is the default, `nofragment` is redundant normally.

`indent=size\unit`

  Set indentation of the first music system to size, using unit as units. unit is one of the following strings: `cm`, `mm`, `in`, or `pt`. This option affects LilyPond, not the text layout.

`noindent`

  Set indentation of the first music system to zero. This option affects LilyPond, not the text layout. Since no indentation is the default, `noindent` is redundant normally.

`quote`

  Reduce line length of a music snippet by 2*0.4in and put the output into a quotation block. The value ‘0.4in’ can be controlled with the `exampleindent` option.

`exampleindent`

  Set the amount by which the `quote` option indents a music snippet.

`relative`
`relative=n`

  Use relative octave mode. By default, notes are specified relative to middle C. The optional integer argument specifies the octave of the starting note, where the default `1` is middle C. `relative` option only works when `fragment` option is set, so `fragment` is automatically implied by `relative`, regardless of the presence of any `(no)fragment` option in the source.

LilyPond also uses `lilypond-book` to produce its own documentation. To do that, some more obscure music fragment options are available.

`verbatim`

  The argument of a LilyPond command is copied to the output file and enclosed in a verbatim block, followed by any text given with the `intertext` option (not implemented yet); then the actual music is displayed. This option does not work well with `\lilypond{}` if it is part of a paragraph.

  If `verbatim` is used in a `lilypondfile` command, it is possible to enclose verbatim only a part of the source file. If the source file contain a comment containing ‘`begin verbatim`’ (without quotes), quoting the source in the verbatim block will start after the last occurrence of such a comment; similarly, quoting the source verbatim will stop just before the first occurrence of a comment containing ‘`end verbatim`’, if there is any. In the following source file example, the music will be interpreted in relative mode, but the verbatim quote will not show the `relative` block, i.e.

  >     \relative { % begin verbatim
  >       c'4 e2 g4
  >       f2 e % end verbatim
  >     }

  will be printed with a verbatim block like

  >       c4 e2 g4
  >       f2 e

  If you would like to translate comments and variable names in verbatim output but not in the sources, you may set the environment variable `LYDOC_LOCALEDIR` to a directory path; the directory should contain a tree of ‘`.mo`’ message catalogs with `lilypond-doc` as a domain.

`texidoc`

  (Only for Texinfo output.) If `lilypond` is called with the ‘`--header=texidoc`’ option, and the file to be processed is called ‘`foo.ly`’, it creates a file ‘`foo.texidoc`’ if there is a `texidoc` field in the `\header`. The `texidoc` option makes `lilypond-book` include such files, adding its contents as a documentation block right before the music snippet (but outside the `example` environment generated by a `quote` option).

  Assuming the file ‘`foo.ly`’ contains

  >     \header {
  >       texidoc = "This file demonstrates a single note."
  >     }
  >     { c'4 }

  and we have this in our Texinfo document ‘`test.texinfo`’

  >     @lilypondfile[texidoc]{foo.ly}

  the following command line gives the expected result

  >     lilypond-book --pdf --process="lilypond \
  >       -dbackend=eps --header=texidoc" test.texinfo

  Most LilyPond test documents (in the ‘`input`’ directory of the distribution) are small ‘`.ly`’ files which look exactly like this.

  For localization purpose, if the Texinfo document contains `@documentlanguage LANG` and ‘`foo.ly`’ header contains a `texidocLANG` field, and if `lilypond` is called with ‘`--header=texidocLANG`’, then ‘`foo.texidocLANG`’ will be included instead of ‘`foo.texidoc`’.

`doctitle`

  (Only for Texinfo output.) This option works similarly to `texidoc` option: if `lilypond` is called with the ‘`--header=doctitle`’ option, and the file to be processed is called ‘`foo.ly`’ and contains a `doctitle` field in the `\header`, it creates a file ‘`foo.doctitle`’. When `doctitle` option is used, the contents of ‘`foo.doctitle`’, which should be a single line of text, is inserted in the Texinfo document as `@lydoctitle text`. `@lydoctitle` should be a macro defined in the Texinfo document. The same remark about `texidoc` processing with localized languages also applies to `doctitle`.

`nogettext`

  (Only for Texinfo output.) Do not translate comments and variable names in the snippet quoted verbatim.

`printfilename`

  If a LilyPond input file is included with `\lilypondfile`, print the file name right before the music snippet. For HTML output, this is a link. Only the base name of the file is printed, i.e. the directory part of the file path is stripped.

## 3.4 Invoking `lilypond-book`

`lilypond-book` produces a file with one of the following extensions: ‘`.tex`’, ‘`.texi`’, ‘`.html`’ or ‘`.xml`’, depending on the output format. All of ‘`.tex`’, ‘`.texi`’ and ‘`.xml`’ files need further processing.

### Format-specific instructions

#### LaTeX

There are two ways of processing your LaTeX document for printing or publishing: getting a PDF file directly with PDFLaTeX, or getting a PostScript file with LaTeX via a DVI to PostScript translator like `dvips`. The first way is simpler and recommended4, and whichever way you use, you can easily convert between PostScript and PDF with tools, like `ps2pdf` and `pdf2ps` included in Ghostscript package.

To produce a PDF file through PDFLaTeX, use:

>     lilypond-book --pdf yourfile.lytex
>     pdflatex yourfile.tex

To produce PDF output via LaTeX/`dvips`/`ps2pdf`:

>     lilypond-book yourfile.lytex
>     latex yourfile.tex
>     dvips -Ppdf yourfile.dvi
>     ps2pdf yourfile.ps

The ‘`.dvi`’ file created by this process will not contain note heads. This is normal; if you follow the instructions, they will be included in the ‘`.ps`’ and ‘`.pdf`’ files.

Running `dvips` may produce some warnings about fonts; these are harmless and may be ignored. If you are running `latex` in twocolumn mode, remember to add ‘`-t landscape`’ to the `dvips` options.

Environments such as;

>     \begin{lilypond} … \end{lilypond}

are not interpreted by LaTeX. Instead, `lilypond-book` extracts those ‘environments’ into files of its own and runs LilyPond on them. It then takes the resulting graphics and creates a ‘`.tex`’ file where the `\begin{lilypond}`…`\end{lilypond}` macros are then replaced by ‘graphics inclusion’ commands. It is at this time that LaTeX is run (although LaTeX will have run previously, it will have been, effectively, on an ‘empty’ document in order to calculate things like `\linewidth`).

#### Known issues and warnings

The `\pageBreak` command will not work within a `\begin{lilypond} … \end{lilypond}` environment.

Many `\paper` block variables will also not work within a `\begin{lilypond} … \end{lilypond}` environment. Use `\newcommand` with `\betweenLilyPondSystem` in the preamble;

>     \newcommand{\betweenLilyPondSystem}[1]{\vspace{36mm}\linebreak}

#### Texinfo

To produce a Texinfo document (in any output format), follow the normal procedures for Texinfo; this is, either call `texi2pdf` or `texi2dvi` or `makeinfo`, depending on the output format you want to create. By default, `texi2pdf` uses `pdftex` for processing, which you can verify in the console output. In this case, run `lilypond-book` with the ‘`--pdf`’ option so that it creates ‘`.pdf`’ snippets instead of ‘`.eps`’ files. `pdftex` is unable to include the latter ones and will output an error message otherwise.

See the documentation of Texinfo for further details.

### Command line options

`lilypond-book` accepts the following command line options:

`-f format`
`--format=format`

  Specify the document type to process: `html`, `latex`, `texi` (the default) or `docbook`. If this option is missing, `lilypond-book` tries to detect the format automatically, see Filename extensions. Currently, `texi` is the same as `texi-html`.

`-F filter`
`--filter=filter`

  Pipe snippets through filter. `lilypond-book` will not –filter and –process at the same time. For example,

  >     lilypond-book --filter='convert-ly --from=2.0.0 -' my-book.tely

`-h`
`--help`

  Print a short help message.

`-I dir`
`--include=dir`

  Add dir to the include path. `lilypond-book` also looks for already compiled snippets in the include path, and does not write them back to the output directory, so in some cases it is necessary to invoke further processing commands such as `makeinfo` or `latex` with the same ‘`-I dir`’ options.

`-l loglevel`
`--loglevel=loglevel`

  Set the output verbosity to loglevel. Possible values are `NONE`, `ERROR`, `WARNING`, `PROGRESS` (default) and `DEBUG`. If this option is not used, and the environment variable `LILYPOND_BOOK_LOGLEVEL` is set, its value is used as the loglevel.

`-o dir`
`--output=dir`

  Place generated files in directory dir. Running `lilypond-book` generates lots of small files that LilyPond will process. To avoid all that garbage in the source directory, use the ‘`--output`’ command line option, and change to that directory before running `latex` or `makeinfo`.

  >     lilypond-book --output=out yourfile.lytex
  >     cd out
  >     …

`--skip-lily-check`

  Do not fail if no lilypond output is found. It is used for LilyPond Info documentation without images.

`--skip-png-check`

  Do not fail if no PNG images are found for EPS files. It is used for LilyPond Info documentation without images.

`--lily-output-dir=dir`

  Write lily-XXX files to directory dir, link into ‘`--output`’ directory. Use this option to save building time for documents in different directories which share a lot of identical snippets.

`--lily-loglevel=loglevel`

  Set the output verbosity of the invoked `lilypond` calls to loglevel. Possible values are `NONE`, `ERROR`, `WARNING`, `BASIC_PROGRESS`, `PROGRESS`, `INFO` (default) and `DEBUG`. If this option is not used, and the environment variable `LILYPOND_LOGLEVEL` is set, its value is used as the loglevel.

`--info-images-dir=dir`

  Format Texinfo output so that Info will look for images of music in dir.

`--latex-program=prog`

  Run executable `prog` instead of `latex`. This is useful if your document is processed with `xelatex`, for example.

`--left-padding=amount`

  Pad EPS boxes by this much. amount is measured in millimeters, and is 3.0 by default. This option should be used if the lines of music stick out of the right margin.

  The width of a tightly clipped system can vary, due to notation elements that stick into the left margin, such as bar numbers and instrument names. This option will shorten each line and move each line to the right by the same amount.

`-P command`
`--process=command`

  Process LilyPond snippets using command. The default command is `lilypond`. `lilypond-book` will not ‘`--filter`’ and ‘`--process`’ at the same time.

`--pdf`

  Create PDF files for use with PDFLaTeX.

`--redirect-lilypond-output`

  By default, output is displayed on the terminal. This option redirects all output to log files in the same directory as the source files.

`--use-source-file-names`

  Write snippet output files with the same base name as their source file. This option works only for snippets included with `lilypondfile` and only if directories implied by ‘`--output-dir`’ and ‘`--lily-output-dir`’ options are different.

`-V`
`--verbose`

  Be verbose. This is equivalent to `--loglevel=DEBUG`.

`-v`
`--version`

  Print version information.

#### Known issues and warnings

The Texinfo command `@pagesizes` is not interpreted. Similarly, LaTeX commands that change margins and line widths after the preamble are ignored.

Only the first `\score` of a LilyPond block is processed.

## 3.5 Filename extensions

You can use any filename extension for the input file, but if you do not use the recommended extension for a particular format you may need to manually specify the output format; for details, see Invoking `lilypond-book`. Otherwise, `lilypond-book` automatically selects the output format based on the input filename’s extension.

> extension | output format
> ‘`.html`’ | HTML
> ‘`.htmly`’ | HTML
> ‘`.itely`’ | Texinfo
> ‘`.latex`’ | LaTeX
> ‘`.lytex`’ | LaTeX
> ‘`.lyxml`’ | DocBook
> ‘`.tely`’ | Texinfo
> ‘`.tex`’ | LaTeX
> ‘`.texi`’ | Texinfo
> ‘`.texinfo`’ | Texinfo
> ‘`.xml`’ | HTML

If you use the same filename extension for the input file than the extension `lilypond-book` uses for the output file, and if the input file is in the same directory as `lilypond-book` working directory, you must use ‘`--output`’ option to make `lilypond-book` running, otherwise it will exit with an error message like “Output would overwrite input file”.

## 3.6 lilypond-book templates

These templates are for use with `lilypond-book`. If you’re not familiar with this program, please refer to Running `lilypond-book`.

### 3.6.1 LaTeX

You can include LilyPond fragments in a LaTeX document.

>     \documentclass[]{article}

>     \begin{document}

>     Normal LaTeX text.

>     \begin{lilypond}
>     \relative {
>       a'4 b c d
>     }
>     \end{lilypond}

>     More LaTeX text, and options in square brackets.

>     \begin{lilypond}[fragment,relative=2,quote,staffsize=26,verbatim]
>     d4 c b a
>     \end{lilypond}
>     \end{document}

### 3.6.2 Texinfo

You can include LilyPond fragments in Texinfo; in fact, this entire manual is written in Texinfo.

>     \input texinfo
>     @ifnottex
>     @node Top
>     @top
>     @end ifnottex

>     Texinfo text

>     @lilypond
>     \relative {
>       a4 b c d
>     }
>     @end lilypond

>     More Texinfo text, and options in brackets.

>     @lilypond[verbatim,fragment,ragged-right]
>     d4 c b a
>     @end lilypond

>     @bye

### 3.6.3 html

>     <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
>     <!-- header_tag -->
>     <HTML>
>     <body>

>     <p>
>     Documents for lilypond-book may freely mix music and text.  For
>     example,
>     <lilypond>
>     \relative {
>       a'4 b c d
>     }
>     </lilypond>
>     </p>

>     <p>
>     Another bit of lilypond, this time with options:

>     <lilypond fragment quote staffsize=26 verbatim>
>     a4 b c d
>     </lilypond>
>     </p>

>     </body>
>     </html>

### 3.6.4 xelatex

    \documentclass{article}
    \usepackage{ifxetex}
    \ifxetex
    %xetex specific stuff
    \usepackage{xunicode,fontspec,xltxtra}
    \setmainfont[Numbers=OldStyle]{Times New Roman}
    \setsansfont{Arial}
    \else
    %This can be empty if you are not going to use pdftex
    \usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
    \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
    \usepackage{mathptmx}%Times
    \usepackage{helvet}%Helvetica
    \fi
    %Here you can insert all packages that pdftex also understands
    \usepackage[ngerman,finnish,english]{babel}
    \usepackage{graphicx}

    \begin{document}
    \title{A short document with LilyPond and xelatex}
    \maketitle

    Normal \textbf{font} commands inside the \emph{text} work,
    because they \textsf{are supported by \LaTeX{} and XeteX.}
    If you want to use specific commands like \verb+\XeTeX+, you
    should include them again in a \verb+\ifxetex+ environment.
    You can use this to print the \ifxetex \XeTeX{} command \else
    XeTeX command \fi which is not known to normal \LaTeX .

    In normal text you can easily use LilyPond commands, like this:

    \begin{lilypond}
    {a2 b c'8 c' c' c'}
    \end{lilypond}

    \noindent
    and so on.

    The fonts of snippets set with LilyPond will have to be set from
    inside
    of the snippet.  For this you should read the AU on how to use
    lilypond-book.

    \selectlanguage{ngerman}
    Auch Umlaute funktionieren ohne die \LaTeX -Befehle, wie auch alle
    anderen
    seltsamen Zeichen: __ ______, wenn sie von der Schriftart
    unterst__tzt werden.
    \end{document}

## 3.7 Sharing the table of contents

These functions already exist in the OrchestralLily package:

>     http://repo.or.cz/w/orchestrallily.git

For greater flexibility in text handling, some users prefer to export the table of contents from lilypond and read it into LaTeX.

#### Exporting the ToC from LilyPond

This assumes that your score has multiple movements in the same lilypond output file.

    #(define (oly:create-toc-file layout pages)
      (let* ((label-table (ly:output-def-lookup layout 'label-page-table)))
        (if (not (null? label-table))
          (let* ((format-line (lambda (toc-item)
                 (let* ((label (car toc-item))
                        (text  (caddr toc-item))
                        (label-page (and (list? label-table)
                                         (assoc label label-table)))
                        (page (and label-page (cdr label-page))))
                   (format #f "~a, section, 1, {~a}, ~a" page text label))))
                 (formatted-toc-items (map format-line (toc-items)))
                 (whole-string (string-join formatted-toc-items ",\n"))
                 (output-name (ly:parser-output-name))
                 (outfilename (format #f "~a.toc" output-name))
                 (outfile (open-output-file outfilename)))
            (if (output-port? outfile)
                (display whole-string outfile)
                (ly:warning (_ "Unable to open output file ~a for the TOC information") outfilename))
            (close-output-port outfile)))))

    \paper {
      #(define (page-post-process layout pages) (oly:create-toc-file layout pages))
    }

#### Importing the ToC into LaTeX

In LaTeX, the header should include:

    \usepackage{pdfpages}
    \includescore{nameofthescore}

where `\includescore` is defined as:

    %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
    % \includescore{PossibleExtension}
    %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

    % Read in the TOC entries for a PDF file from the corresponding .toc file.
    % This requires some heave latex tweaking, since reading in things from a file
    % and inserting it into the arguments of a macro is not (easily) possible

    % Solution by Patrick Fimml on #latex on April 18, 2009:
    % \readfile{filename}{\variable}
    % reads in the contents of the file into \variable (undefined if file
    % doesn't exist)
    \newread\readfile@f
    \def\readfile@line#1{%
    {\catcode`\^^M=10\global\read\readfile@f to \readfile@tmp}%
    \edef\do{\noexpand\g@addto@macro{\noexpand#1}{\readfile@tmp}}\do%
    \ifeof\readfile@f\else%
    \readfile@line{#1}%
    \fi%
    }
    \def\readfile#1#2{%
    \openin\readfile@f=#1 %
    \ifeof\readfile@f%
    \typeout{No TOC file #1 available!}%
    \else%
    \gdef#2{}%
    \readfile@line{#2}%
    \fi
    \closein\readfile@f%
    }%

    \newcommand{\includescore}[1]{
    \def\oly@fname{\oly@basename\@ifmtarg{#1}{}{_#1}}
    \let\oly@addtotoc\undefined
    \readfile{\oly@xxxxxxxxx}{\oly@addtotoc}
    \ifx\oly@addtotoc\undefined
    \includepdf[pages=-]{\oly@fname}
    \else
    \edef\includeit{\noexpand\includepdf[pages=-,addtotoc={\oly@addtotoc}]
    {\oly@fname}}\includeit
    \fi
    }

## 3.8 Alternative methods of mixing text and music

Other means of mixing text and music (without `lilypond-book`) are discussed in LilyPond output in other programs.

# 4. External programs

LilyPond can interact with other programs in various ways.

## 4.1 Point and click

Point and click lets you find notes in the input by clicking on them in the PDF viewer. This makes it easier to find input that causes some error in the sheet music.

### 4.1.1 Configuring the system

When this functionality is active, LilyPond adds hyperlinks to PDF and SVG files. These hyperlinks are sent to a ‘URI helper’ or a web-browser, which opens a text-editor with the cursor in the right place.

To make this chain work, you should configure your PDF viewer to follow hyperlinks using the ‘`lilypond-invoke-editor`’ script supplied with LilyPond.

The program ‘`lilypond-invoke-editor`’ is a small helper program. It will invoke an editor for the special `textedit` URIs, and run a web browser for others. It looks up the environment variables `EDITOR` and `LYEDITOR` to find out and launch the favorite editor to use. `LYEDITOR` will have priority over `EDITOR`, so we recommend using the former especially if you want to use one editor in the terminal and another editor for LilyPond point and click.

Every editor may have a different syntax to open a file in a specific line and column. For user’s convenience, LilyPond comes with ready commands for several editors, listed in ‘`scm/editor.scm`’. This means that you can simply write the editor binary name, e.g.:

>     export LYEDITOR=atom

and this will invoke

>     atom %(file)s:%(line)s:%(column)s

where `%(file)s`, `%(line)s` and `%(column)s` are replaced with the file, line and column respectively.

In order to use an editor not listed in ‘`scm/editor.scm`’, you should find its specific syntax and assign the full command to `LYEDITOR`. Here’s an example for Visual Studio Code editor:

>     export LYEDITOR="code --goto %(file)s:%(line)s:%(column)s"

Note: If you choose Emacs, an extra configuration is needed. You should add the line `(server-start)` to your ‘`~/.emacs`’ file, otherwise every click on an object in the PDF will open a new Emacs window.

#### Using Xpdf

For Xpdf on UNIX, the following should be present in ‘`xpdfrc`’. On UNIX, this file is found either in ‘`/etc/xpdfrc`’ or as ‘`$HOME/.xpdfrc`’.

>     urlCommand     "lilypond-invoke-editor %s"

If you are using Ubuntu, it is likely that the version of Xpdf installed with your system crashes on every PDF file: this state has been persisting for several years and is due to library mismatches. Your best bet is to install a current ‘`xpdf`’ package and the corresponding ‘`libpoppler`’ package from Debian instead. Once you have tested that this works, you might want to use

>     sudo apt-mark hold xpdf

in order to keep Ubuntu from overwriting it with the next ‘update’ of its crashing package.

#### Using GNOME 2

For using GNOME 2 (and PDF viewers integrated with it), the magic invocation for telling the system about the ‘`textedit:`’ URI is;

    gconftool-2 -t string -s /desktop/gnome/url-handlers/textedit/command "lilypond-invoke-editor %s"
    gconftool-2 -s /desktop/gnome/url-handlers/textedit/needs_terminal false -t bool
    gconftool-2 -t bool -s /desktop/gnome/url-handlers/textedit/enabled true

After that invocation;

>     gnome-open textedit:///etc/issue:1:0:0

should call ‘`lilypond-invoke-editor`’ for opening files.

#### Using GNOME 3

In GNOME 3, URIs are handled by the ‘gvfs’ layer rather than by ‘gconf’. Create a file in a local directory such as ‘`/tmp`’ that is called ‘`lilypond-invoke-editor.desktop`’ and has the contents;

>     [Desktop Entry]
>     Version=1.0
>     Name=lilypond-invoke-editor
>     GenericName=Textedit URI handler
>     Comment=URI handler for textedit:
>     Exec=lilypond-invoke-editor %u
>     Terminal=false
>     Type=Application
>     MimeType=x-scheme-handler/textedit;
>     Categories=Editor
>     NoDisplay=true

and then execute the commands

>     xdg-desktop-menu install ./lilypond-invoke-editor.desktop
>     xdg-mime default lilypond-invoke-editor.desktop x-scheme-handler/textedit

After that invocation;

>     gnome-open textedit:///etc/issue:1:0:0

should call ‘`lilypond-invoke-editor`’ for opening files.

#### Extra configuration for Evince

If `gnome-open` works, but Evince still refuses to open point and click links due to denied permissions, you might need to change the Apparmor profile of Evince which controls the kind of actions Evince is allowed to perform.

For Ubuntu, the process is to edit the file ‘`/etc/apparmor.d/local/usr.bin.evince`’ and append the following lines:

>     # For Textedit links
>     /usr/local/bin/lilypond-invoke-editor Cx -> sanitized_helper,

After adding these lines, call

>     sudo apparmor_parser -r -T -W /etc/apparmor.d/usr.bin.evince

Now Evince should be able to open point and click links. It is likely that similar configurations will work for other viewers.

### Enabling point and click

Point and click functionality is enabled by default when creating PDF or SVG files.

The point and click links enlarge the output files significantly. For reducing the size of these (and PS) files, point and click may be switched off by issuing

>     \pointAndClickOff

in a ‘`.ly`’ file. Point and click may be explicitly enabled with

>     \pointAndClickOn

Alternately, you may disable point and click with a command-line option:

>     lilypond -dno-point-and-click file.ly

Note: You should always turn off point and click in any LilyPond files to be distributed to avoid including path information about your computer in the PDF file, which can pose a security risk.

### Selective point-and-click

For some interactive applications, it may be desirable to only include certain point-and-click items. For example, if somebody wanted to create an application which played audio or video starting from a particular note, it would be awkward if clicking on the note produced the point-and-click location for an accidental or slur which occurred over that note.

This may be controlled by indicating which events to include:

- Hard-coded in the ‘`.ly`’ file:

  >     \pointAndClickTypes #'note-event
  >     \relative {
  >       c'2\f( f)
  >     }

  or

  >     #(ly:set-option 'point-and-click 'note-event)
  >     \relative {
  >       c'2\f( f)
  >     }

- Command-line:

  >     lilypond -dpoint-and-click=note-event   example.ly

Multiple events can be included:

- Hard-coded in the ‘`.ly`’ file:

  >     \pointAndClickTypes #'(note-event dynamic-event)
  >     \relative {
  >       c'2\f( f)
  >     }

  or

  >     #(ly:set-option 'point-and-click '(note-event dynamic-event))
  >     \relative {
  >       c'2\f( f)
  >     }

- Command-line:

      lilypond \
        -e"(ly:set-option 'point-and-click '(note-event dynamic-event))" \
        example.ly

## 4.2 Text editor support

There is support for different text editors for LilyPond.

### Emacs mode

Emacs has a ‘`lilypond-mode`’, which provides keyword autocompletion, indentation, LilyPond specific parenthesis matching and syntax coloring, handy compile short-cuts and reading LilyPond manuals using Info. If ‘`lilypond-mode`’ is not installed on your platform, see below.

An Emacs mode for entering music and running LilyPond is contained in the source archive in the ‘`elisp`’ directory. Do `make install` to install it to elispdir. The file ‘`lilypond-init.el`’ should be placed to load-path‘`/site-start.d/`’ or appended to your ‘`~/.emacs`’ or ‘`~/.emacs.el`’.

As a user, you may want add your source path (e.g. ‘`~/site-lisp/`’) to your load-path by appending the following line (as modified) to your ‘`~/.emacs`’

>     (setq load-path (append (list (expand-file-name "~/site-lisp")) load-path))

### Vim mode

For Vim, a filetype plugin, indent mode, and syntax-highlighting mode are available to use with LilyPond. To enable all of these features, create (or modify) your ‘`$HOME/.vimrc`’ to contain these three lines, in order:

>     filetype off
>     set runtimepath+=/usr/local/share/lilypond/current/vim/
>     filetype on
>     syntax on

If LilyPond is not installed in the ‘`/usr/local/`’ directory, change the path appropriately. This topic is discussed in Other sources of information.

### Other editors

Other editors (both text and graphical) support LilyPond, but their special configuration files are not distributed with LilyPond. Consult their documentation for more information. Such editors are listed in Easier editing.

## 4.3 Converting from other formats

Music can be entered also by importing it from other formats. This chapter documents the tools included in the distribution to do so. There are other tools that produce LilyPond input, for example GUI sequencers and XML converters. Refer to the website for more details.

These are separate programs from `lilypond` itself, and are run on the command line; see Command-line usage for more information. If you have MacOS 10.3 or 10.4 and you have trouble running some of these scripts, e.g. `convert-ly`, see MacOS X.

#### Known issues and warnings

We unfortunately do not have the resources to maintain these programs; please consider them “as-is”. Patches are appreciated, but bug reports will almost certainly not be resolved.

### 4.3.1 Invoking `midi2ly`

`midi2ly` translates a Type 1 MIDI file to a LilyPond source file.

MIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface) is a standard for digital instruments: it specifies cabling, a serial protocol and a file format. The MIDI file format is a de facto standard format for exporting music from other programs, so this capability may come in useful when importing files from a program that has a converter for a direct format.

`midi2ly` converts tracks into Staff and channels into Voice contexts. Relative mode is used for pitches, durations are only written when necessary.

It is possible to record a MIDI file using a digital keyboard, and then convert it to ‘`.ly`’. However, human players are not rhythmically exact enough to make a MIDI to LY conversion trivial. When invoked with quantizing (‘`-s`’ and ‘`-d`’ options) `midi2ly` tries to compensate for these timing errors, but is not very good at this. It is therefore not recommended to use `midi2ly` for human-generated midi files.

It is invoked from the command-line as follows,

>     midi2ly [option]… midi-file

Note that by ‘command-line’, we mean the command line of the operating system. See Converting from other formats, for more information about this.

The following options are supported by `midi2ly`.

`-a, --absolute-pitches`

  Print absolute pitches.

`-d, --duration-quant=DUR`

  Quantize note durations on DUR.

`-e, --explicit-durations`

  Print explicit durations.

`-h, --help`

  Show summary of usage.

`-k, --key=acc[:minor]`

  Set default key. acc > 0 sets number of sharps; acc < 0 sets number of flats. A minor key is indicated by `:1`.

`-o, --output=file`

  Write output to file.

`-s, --start-quant=DUR`

  Quantize note starts on DUR.

`-t, --allow-tuplet=DUR*NUM/DEN`

  Allow tuplet durations DUR*NUM/DEN.

`-v, --verbose`

  Be verbose.

`-V, --version`

  Print version number.

`-w, --warranty`

  Show warranty and copyright.

`-x, --text-lyrics`

  Treat every text as a lyric.

#### Known issues and warnings

Overlapping notes in an arpeggio will not be correctly rendered. The first note will be read and the others will be ignored. Set them all to a single duration and add phrase markings or pedal indicators.

### 4.3.2 Invoking `musicxml2ly`

MusicXML is an XML dialect for representing music notation.

`musicxml2ly` extracts notes, articulations, score structure and lyrics from ‘part-wise’ MusicXML files then writes them to a ‘`.ly`’ file. It is run from the command-line as follows;

>     musicxml2ly [option]… file.xml

Note that by ‘command-line’, we mean the command line of the operating system. See Converting from other formats, for more information about this.

If ‘`-`’ is used instead of file.xml, `musicxml2ly` reads all input directly from the command line.

The following options are supported by `musicxml2ly`:

`-a, --absolute`

  convert pitches in absolute mode.

`--fb --fretboards`

  converts `<frame>` events to a separate FretBoard voice instead of markups.

`-h, --help`

  print usage and a summary of all the available command line options.

`-l, --language=LANG`

  use LANG for pitch names, e.g. `deutsch` for note names in German.

`--loglevel=LOGLEVEL`

  Sets the output verbosity to LOGLEVEL. Possible values are `NONE`, `ERROR`, `WARNING`, `PROGRESS` (default) and `DEBUG`.

`--lxml`

  use the lxml.etree Python package for XML-parsing; uses less memory and cpu time.

`-m, --midi`

  activate the midi block in the .ly file.

`--nb, --no-beaming`

  do not convert beaming information, use LilyPond’s automatic beaming instead.

`--nd, --no-articulation-directions`

  do not convert directions (`^`, `_` or `-`) for articulations, dynamics, etc.

`--nrp, --no-rest-positions`

  do not convert exact vertical position of rests.

`--nsb, --no-system-breaks`

  ignore system breaks.

`--npl, --no-page-layout`

  do not convert the exact page layout and breaks (shortcut for `--nsb` `--npb` `--npm` options).

`--npb, --no-page-breaks`

  ignore page breaks.

`--npm, --no-page-margins`

  ignore page margins.

`--nsd, --no-stem-directions`

  ignore stem directions from MusicXML, use lilypond’s automatic stemming instead.

`-o, --output=FILE`

  set the output filename to FILE. If file is ‘`-`’, the output will be printed to stdout. If not given, xmlfile.ly will be used instead.

`-r, --relative`

  convert pitches in relative mode (default).

`--transpose=TOPITCH`

  the interval between pitch `c` and TOPITCH to transpose by.

`--sm, --shift-meter=BEATS/BEATTYPE`

  change the length|duration of notes as a function of a given time signature to make the score look faster or slower, (e.g. `4/4` or `2/2`).

`--tc, --tab-clef=TABCLEFNAME`

  switch between two versions of tab clefs (`tab` and `moderntab`).

`--sn --string-numbers=t[rue]/f[alse]`

  deactivate string number stencil with `--string-numbers` `false`. Default is `true`.

`-v, --verbose`

  be verbose.

`--version`

  show version number and exit.

`-z, --compressed`

  input file is a zip-compressed MusicXML file.

### 4.3.3 Invoking `abc2ly`

Note: This is not currently supported and may eventually be removed from future versions of LilyPond.

ABC is a fairly simple ASCII based format. It is described at the ABC site:

> http://www.walshaw.plus.com/abc/learn.html.

`abc2ly` translates from ABC to LilyPond. It is invoked as follows:

>     abc2ly [option]… abc-file

The following options are supported by `abc2ly`:

`-b, --beams=None`

  preserve ABC’s notion of beams

`-h, --help`

  this help

`-o, --output=file`

  set output filename to file.

`-s, --strict`

  be strict about success

`--version`

  print version information.

There is a rudimentary facility for adding LilyPond code to the ABC source file. For example;

>     %%LY voices \set autoBeaming = ##f

This will cause the text following the keyword ‘voices’ to be inserted into the current voice of the LilyPond output file.

Similarly,

>     %%LY slyrics more words

will cause the text following the ‘slyrics’ keyword to be inserted into the current line of lyrics.

#### Known issues and warnings

The ABC standard is not very ‘standard’. For extended features (e.g., polyphonic music) different conventions exist.

Multiple tunes in one file cannot be converted.

ABC synchronizes words and notes at the beginning of a line; `abc2ly` does not.

`abc2ly` ignores the ABC beaming.

### 4.3.4 Invoking `etf2ly`

Note: This is not currently supported and may eventually be removed from future versions of LilyPond.

ETF (Enigma Transport Format) is a format used by Coda Music Technology’s Finale product. `etf2ly` will convert part of an ETF file to a ready-to-use LilyPond file.

It is invoked from the command-line as follows;

>     etf2ly [option]… etf-file

Note that by ‘command-line’, we mean the command line of the operating system. See Converting from other formats, for more information about this.

The following options are supported by `etf2ly`:

`-h, --help`

  this help

`-o, --output=FILE`

  set output filename to FILE

`--version`

  version information

#### Known issues and warnings

The list of articulation scripts is incomplete. Empty measures confuse `etf2ly`. Sequences of grace notes are ended improperly.

### 4.3.5 Other formats

LilyPond itself does not come with support for any other formats, but some external tools can also generate LilyPond files. These are listed in Easier editing.

## 4.4 LilyPond output in other programs

This section shows methods to integrate text and music, different than the automated method with `lilypond-book`.

### 4.4.1 LuaTex

As well as `lilypond-book` to integrate LilyPond output, there is an alternative program that can be used when using LuaTex called lyluatex.

### 4.4.2 OpenOffice and LibreOffice

LilyPond notation can be added to OpenOffice.org and LibreOffice with OOoLilyPond, an OpenOffice.org extension that converts LilyPond files into images within OpenOffice.org documents. OoLilyPond (OLy) works with recent versions of LibreOffice and OpenOffice. Older versions should work as well. It has even been tested with OpenOffice 2.4 without issues.

### 4.4.3 Other programs

Other programs that can handle ‘`PNG`’, ‘`EPS`’, or ‘`PDF`’ formats should use `lilypond` instead of `lilypond-book`. Each LilyPond output file must be created and inserted separately. Consult the program’s own documentation on how to insert files from other sources.

To help reduce the white space around your LilyPond score, use the following options;

>     \paper{
>       indent=0\mm
>       line-width=120\mm
>       oddFooterMarkup=##f
>       oddHeaderMarkup=##f
>       bookTitleMarkup = ##f
>       scoreTitleMarkup = ##f
>     }

>     … music …

To produce ‘`EPS`’ images;

>     lilypond -dbackend=eps -dno-gs-load-fonts -dinclude-eps-fonts myfile.ly

To produce ‘`PNG`’ images;

>     lilypond -dbackend=eps -dno-gs-load-fonts -dinclude-eps-fonts --png myfile.ly

For transparent ‘`PNG`’ images

    lilypond -dbackend=eps -dno-gs-load-fonts -dinclude-eps-fonts -dpixmap-format=pngalpha --png myfile.ly

If you need to quote many fragments from a large score, you can also use the clip systems feature, see Extracting fragments of music.

## 4.5 Independent `include`s

Some users have produced files that can be `\include`d with LilyPond to produce certain effects and those listed below are part of the LilyPond distribution. Also see Working with input files.

### 4.5.1 MIDI articulation

The Articulate project is an attempt to enhance LilyPond’s MIDI output and works by adjusting note lengths (that are not under slurs) according to the articulation markings attached to them. For example, a ‘staccato’ halves the note value, ‘tenuto’ gives a note its full duration and so on. See Enhancing MIDI output.

# 5. Suggestions for writing files

Now you’re ready to begin writing larger LilyPond input files – not just the little examples in the tutorial, but whole pieces. But how should you go about doing it?

As long as LilyPond can understand your input files and produce the output that you want, it doesn’t matter what your input files look like. However, there are a few other things to consider when writing LilyPond input files.

- What if you make a mistake? The structure of a LilyPond file can make certain errors easier (or harder) to find.
- What if you want to share your input files with somebody else? In fact, what if you want to alter your own input files in a few years? Some LilyPond input files are understandable at first glance; others may leave you scratching your head for an hour.
- What if you want to upgrade your LilyPond file for use with a later version of LilyPond? The input syntax changes occasionally as LilyPond improves. Most changes can be done automatically with `convert-ly`, but some changes might require manual assistance. LilyPond input files can be structured in order to be easier (or harder) to update.

## 5.1 General suggestions

Here are a few suggestions that can help to avoid (and fix) the most common problems when typesetting:

- Always include a `\version` number in your input files no matter how small they are. This prevents having to remember which version of LilyPond the file was created with and is especially relevant when Updating files with `convert-ly` command (which requires the `\version` statement to be present); or if sending your input files to other users (e.g. when asking for help on the mail lists). Note that all of the LilyPond templates contain `\version` numbers.
- For each line in your input file, write one bar of music. This will make debugging any problems in your input files much simpler.
- Include Bar and bar number checks as well as Octave checks. Including ‘checks’ of this type in your input files will help pinpoint mistakes more quickly. How often checks are added will depend on the complexity of the music being typeset. For simple compositions, checks added at a few at strategic points within the music can be enough but for more complex music, with many voices and/or staves, checks may be better placed after every bar.
- Add comments within input files. References to musical themes (i.e. ‘second theme in violins’, ‘fourth variation,’ etc.), or simply including bar numbers as comments, will make navigating the input file much simpler especically if something needs to be altered later on or if passing on LilyPond input files to another person.
- Add explicit note durations at the start of ‘sections’. For example, `c4 d e f` instead of just `c d e f` can make rearranging the music later on simpler.
- Learn to indent and align braces and parallel music. Many problems are often caused by either ‘missing’ braces. Clearly indenting ‘opening’ and ‘closing’ braces (or `<<` and `>>` indicators) will help avoid such problems. For example;

  >     \new Staff {
  >       \relative {
  >         r4 g'8 g c8 c4 d |
  >         e4 r8 |
  >         % Ossia section
  >         <<
  >           { f8 c c | }
  >           \new Staff {
  >             f8 f c |
  >           }
  >         >>
  >         r4 |
  >       }
  >     }

  is much easier to follow than;

  >     \new Staff { \relative { r4 g'8 g c4 c8 d | e4 r8
  >     % Ossia section
  >     << { f8 c c } \new Staff { f8 f c } >> r4 | } }

- Keep music and style separate by putting overrides in the `\layout` block;

  >     \score {
  >       …music…
  >       \layout {
  >        \override TabStaff.Stemstencil = ##f
  >      }
  >     }

  This will not create a new context but it will apply when one is created. Also see Saving typing with variables and functions, and Style sheets.

## 5.2 Typesetting existing music

If you are entering music from an existing score (i.e., typesetting a piece of existing sheet music),

- Enter the manuscript (the physical copy of the music) into LilyPond one system at a time (but still only one bar per line of text), and check each system when you finish it. You may use the `showLastLength` or `showFirstLength` properties to speed up processing – see Skipping corrected music.
- Define `mBreak = { \break }` and insert `\mBreak` in the input file whenever the manuscript has a line break. This makes it much easier to compare the LilyPond music to the original music. When you are finished proofreading your score, you may define `mBreak = { }` to remove all those line breaks. This will allow LilyPond to place line breaks wherever it feels are best.
- When entering a part for a transposing instrument into a variable, it is recommended that the notes are wrapped in

  >     \transpose c natural-pitch {…}

  (where `natural-pitch` is the open pitch of the instrument) so that the music in the variable is effectively in C. You can transpose it back again when the variable is used, if required, but you might not want to (e.g., when printing a score in concert pitch, converting a trombone part from treble to bass clef, etc.) Mistakes in transpositions are less likely if all the music in variables is at a consistent pitch.

  Also, only ever transpose to/from C. That means that the only other keys you will use are the natural pitches of the instruments - bes for a B-flat trumpet, aes for an A-flat clarinet, etc.

## 5.3 Large projects

When working on a large project, having a clear structure to your lilypond input files becomes vital.

- Use a variable for each voice, with a minimum of structure inside the definition. The structure of the `\score` section is the most likely thing to change; the `violin` definition is extremely unlikely to change in a new version of LilyPond.

  >     violin = \relative {
  >     g'4 c'8. e16
  >     }
  >     …
  >     \score {
  >       \new GrandStaff {
  >         \new Staff {
  >           \violin
  >         }
  >       }
  >     }

- Separate tweaks from music definitions. This point was made previously, but for large projects it is absolutely vital. We might need to change the definition of `fthenp`, but then we only need to do this once, and we can still avoid touching anything inside `violin`.

  >     fthenp = _\markup{
  >       \dynamic f \italic \small { 2nd } \hspace #0.1 \dynamic p }
  >     violin = \relative {
  >     g'4\fthenp c'8. e16
  >     }

## 5.4 Troubleshooting

Sooner or later, you will write a file that LilyPond cannot compile. The messages that LilyPond gives may help you find the error, but in many cases you need to do some investigation to determine the source of the problem.

The most powerful tools for this purpose are the single line comment (indicated by `%`) and the block comment (indicated by `%{…%}`). If you don’t know where a problem is, start commenting out huge portions of your input file. After you comment out a section, try compiling the file again. If it works, then the problem must exist in the portion you just commented. If it doesn’t work, then keep on commenting out material until you have something that works.

In an extreme case, you might end up with only

>     \score {
>       <<
>         % \melody
>         % \harmony
>         % \bass
>       >>
>       \layout{}
>     }

(in other words, a file without any music)

If that happens, don’t give up. Uncomment a bit – say, the bass part – and see if it works. If it doesn’t work, then comment out all of the bass music (but leave `\bass` in the `\score` uncommented.

>     bass = \relative {
>     %{
>       c'4 c c c
>       d d d d
>     %}
>     }

Now start slowly uncommenting more and more of the `bass` part until you find the problem line.

Another very useful debugging technique is constructing Tiny examples.

## 5.5 Make and Makefiles

Pretty well all the platforms LilyPond can run on support a software facility called `make`. This software reads a special file called a `Makefile` that defines what files depend on what others and what commands you need to give the operating system to produce one file from another. For example the makefile would spell out how to produce ‘`ballad.pdf`’ and ‘`ballad.midi`’ from ‘`ballad.ly`’ by running LilyPond.

There are times when it is a good idea to create a `Makefile` for your project, either for your own convenience or as a courtesy to others who might have access to your source files. This is true for very large projects with many included files and different output options (e.g. full score, parts, conductor’s score, piano reduction, etc.), or for projects that require difficult commands to build them (such as `lilypond-book` projects). Makefiles vary greatly in complexity and flexibility, according to the needs and skills of the authors. The program GNU Make comes installed on GNU/Linux distributions and on MacOS X, and it is also available for Windows.

See the GNU Make Manual for full details on using `make`, as what follows here gives only a glimpse of what it can do.

The commands to define rules in a makefile differ according to platform; for instance the various forms of GNU/Linux and MacOS use `bash`, while Windows uses `cmd`. Note that on MacOS X, you need to configure the system to use the command-line interpreter. Here are some example makefiles, with versions for both GNU/Linux/MacOS and Windows.

The first example is for an orchestral work in four movements with a directory structure as follows:

>     Symphony/
>     |-- MIDI/
>     |-- Makefile
>     |-- Notes/
>     |   |-- cello.ily
>     |   |-- figures.ily
>     |   |-- horn.ily
>     |   |-- oboe.ily
>     |   |-- trioString.ily
>     |   |-- viola.ily
>     |   |-- violinOne.ily
>     |   `-- violinTwo.ily
>     |-- PDF/
>     |-- Parts/
>     |   |-- symphony-cello.ly
>     |   |-- symphony-horn.ly
>     |   |-- symphony-oboe.ly
>     |   |-- symphony-viola.ly
>     |   |-- symphony-violinOne.ly
>     |   `-- symphony-violinTwo.ly
>     |-- Scores/
>     |   |-- symphony.ly
>     |   |-- symphonyI.ly
>     |   |-- symphonyII.ly
>     |   |-- symphonyIII.ly
>     |   `-- symphonyIV.ly
>     `-- symphonyDefs.ily

The ‘`.ly`’ files in the ‘`Scores`’ and ‘`Parts`’ directories get their notes from ‘`.ily`’ files in the ‘`Notes`’ directory:

>     %%% top of file "symphony-cello.ly"
>     \include "../symphonyDefs.ily"
>     \include "../Notes/cello.ily"

The makefile will have targets of `score` (entire piece in full score), `movements` (individual movements in full score), and `parts` (individual parts for performers). There is also a target `archive` that will create a tarball of the source files, suitable for sharing via web or email. Here is the makefile for GNU/Linux or MacOS X. It should be saved with the name `Makefile` in the top directory of the project:

Note: When a target or pattern rule is defined, the subsequent lines must begin with tabs, not spaces.

>     # the name stem of the output files
>     piece := symphony
>     # The command to run lilypond
>     LILY_CMD := lilypond -ddelete-intermediate-files \
>                         -dno-point-and-click

>     # The suffixes used in this Makefile.
>     .SUFFIXES: .ly .ily .pdf .midi

>     .DEFAULT_GOAL := score

>     PDFDIR := PDF
>     MIDIDIR := MIDI

>     # Input and output files are searched in the directories listed in
>     # the VPATH variable.  All of them are subdirectories of the current
>     # directory (given by the GNU make variable `CURDIR').
>     VPATH := \
>       $(CURDIR)/Scores \
>       $(CURDIR)/Parts \
>       $(CURDIR)/Notes \
>       $(CURDIR)/$(PDFDIR) \
>       $(CURDIR)/$(MIDIDIR)

>     # The pattern rule to create PDF and MIDI files from a LY input file.
>     # The .pdf output files are put into the `PDF' subdirectory, and the
>     # .midi files go into the `MIDI' subdirectory.
>     %.pdf %.midi: %.ly | $(PDFDIR) $(MIDIDIR)
>     	$(LILY_CMD) $<          	# this line begins with a tab
>     	mv "$*.pdf" $(PDFDIR)/		# this line begins with a tab
>     	mv "$*.midi" $(MIDIDIR)/	# this line begins with a tab

>     $(PDFDIR):
>     	mkdir $(PDFDIR)

>     $(MIDIDIR):
>     	mkdir $(MIDIDIR)

>     common := symphonyDefs.ily

>     notes := \
>       cello.ily \
>       horn.ily \
>       oboe.ily \
>       viola.ily \
>       violinOne.ily \
>       violinTwo.ily

>     # The dependencies of the movements.
>     $(piece)I.pdf: $(piece)I.ly $(notes) $(common)
>     $(piece)II.pdf: $(piece)II.ly $(notes) $(common)
>     $(piece)III.pdf: $(piece)III.ly $(notes) $(common)
>     $(piece)IV.pdf: $(piece)IV.ly $(notes) $(common)

>     # The dependencies of the full score.
>     $(piece).pdf: $(piece).ly $(notes) $(common)

>     # The dependencies of the parts.
>     $(piece)-cello.pdf: $(piece)-cello.ly cello.ily $(common)
>     $(piece)-horn.pdf: $(piece)-horn.ly horn.ily $(common)
>     $(piece)-oboe.pdf: $(piece)-oboe.ly oboe.ily $(common)
>     $(piece)-viola.pdf: $(piece)-viola.ly viola.ily $(common)
>     $(piece)-violinOne.pdf: $(piece)-violinOne.ly violinOne.ily $(common)
>     $(piece)-violinTwo.pdf: $(piece)-violinTwo.ly violinTwo.ily $(common)

>     # Type `make score' to generate the full score of all four
>     # movements as one file.
>     .PHONY: score
>     score: $(piece).pdf

>     # Type `make parts' to generate all parts.
>     # Type `make symphony-foo.pdf' to generate the part for instrument `foo'.
>     # Example: `make symphony-cello.pdf'.
>     .PHONY: parts
>     parts: $(piece)-cello.pdf \
>            $(piece)-violinOne.pdf \
>            $(piece)-violinTwo.pdf \
>            $(piece)-viola.pdf \
>            $(piece)-oboe.pdf \
>            $(piece)-horn.pdf

>     # Type `make movements' to generate files for the
>     # four movements separately.
>     .PHONY: movements
>     movements: $(piece)I.pdf \
>                $(piece)II.pdf \
>                $(piece)III.pdf \
>                $(piece)IV.pdf

>     all: score parts movements

There are special complications on the Windows platform. After downloading and installing GNU Make for Windows, you must set the correct path in the system’s environment variables so that the DOS shell can find the Make program. To do this, right-click on "My Computer," then choose `Properties` and `Advanced`. Click `Environment Variables`, and then in the `System Variables` pane, highlight `Path`, click `edit`, and add the path to the GNU Make executable file, which will look something like this:

>     C:\Program Files\GnuWin32\bin

The makefile itself has to be altered to handle different shell commands and to deal with spaces that are present in some default system directories. Windows also has a different default extension for midi files.

>     ## WINDOWS VERSION
>     ##
>     piece := symphony
>     LILY_CMD := lilypond -ddelete-intermediate-files \
>                         -dno-point-and-click

>     #get the 8.3 name of CURDIR (workaround for spaces in PATH)
>     workdir := $(shell for /f "tokens=*" %%b in ("$(CURDIR)") \
>               do @echo %%~sb)

>     .SUFFIXES: .ly .ily .pdf .mid

>     .DEFAULT_GOAL := score

>     PDFDIR := PDF
>     MIDIDIR := MIDI

>     VPATH := \
>       $(workdir)/Scores \
>       $(workdir)/Parts \
>       $(workdir)/Notes \
>       $(workdir)/$(PDFDIR) \
>       $(workdir)/$(MIDIDIR)

>     %.pdf %.mid: %.ly | $(PDFDIR) $(MIDIDIR)
>             $(LILY_CMD) $<			# this line begins with a tab
>             move /Y "$*.pdf"  $(PDFDIR)/	# begin with tab
>             move /Y "$*.mid" $(MIDIDIR)/	# begin with tab

>     $(PDFDIR):
>         mkdir $(PDFDIR)/

>     $(MIDIDIR):
>         mkdir $(MIDIDIR)/

>     notes := \
>       cello.ily \
>       figures.ily \
>       horn.ily \
>       oboe.ily \
>       trioString.ily \
>       viola.ily \
>       violinOne.ily \
>       violinTwo.ily

>     common := symphonyDefs.ily

>     $(piece)I.pdf: $(piece)I.ly $(notes) $(common)
>     $(piece)II.pdf: $(piece)II.ly $(notes) $(common)
>     $(piece)III.pdf: $(piece)III.ly $(notes) $(common)
>     $(piece)IV.pdf: $(piece)IV.ly $(notes) $(common)

>     $(piece).pdf: $(piece).ly $(notes) $(common)

>     $(piece)-cello.pdf: $(piece)-cello.ly cello.ily $(common)
>     $(piece)-horn.pdf: $(piece)-horn.ly horn.ily $(common)
>     $(piece)-oboe.pdf: $(piece)-oboe.ly oboe.ily $(common)
>     $(piece)-viola.pdf: $(piece)-viola.ly viola.ily $(common)
>     $(piece)-violinOne.pdf: $(piece)-violinOne.ly violinOne.ily $(common)
>     $(piece)-violinTwo.pdf: $(piece)-violinTwo.ly violinTwo.ily $(common)

>     .PHONY: score
>     score: $(piece).pdf

>     .PHONY: parts
>     parts: $(piece)-cello.pdf \
>            $(piece)-violinOne.pdf \
>            $(piece)-violinTwo.pdf \
>            $(piece)-viola.pdf \
>            $(piece)-oboe.pdf \
>            $(piece)-horn.pdf

>     .PHONY: movements
>     movements: $(piece)I.pdf \
>                $(piece)II.pdf \
>                $(piece)III.pdf \
>                $(piece)IV.pdf

>     all: score parts movements

The next Makefile is for a `lilypond-book` document done in LaTeX. This project has an index, which requires that the `latex` command be run twice to update links. Output files are all stored in the `out` directory for .pdf output and in the `htmlout` directory for the html output.

>     SHELL=/bin/sh
>     FILE=myproject
>     OUTDIR=out
>     WEBDIR=htmlout
>     VIEWER=acroread
>     BROWSER=firefox
>     LILYBOOK_PDF=lilypond-book --output=$(OUTDIR) --pdf $(FILE).lytex
>     LILYBOOK_HTML=lilypond-book --output=$(WEBDIR) $(FILE).lytex
>     PDF=cd $(OUTDIR) && pdflatex $(FILE)
>     HTML=cd $(WEBDIR) && latex2html $(FILE)
>     INDEX=cd $(OUTDIR) && makeindex $(FILE)
>     PREVIEW=$(VIEWER) $(OUTDIR)/$(FILE).pdf &

>     all: pdf web keep

>     pdf:
>             $(LILYBOOK_PDF)  # begin with tab
>             $(PDF)           # begin with tab
>             $(INDEX)         # begin with tab
>             $(PDF)           # begin with tab
>             $(PREVIEW)       # begin with tab

>     web:
>             $(LILYBOOK_HTML) # begin with tab
>             $(HTML)          # begin with tab
>             cp -R $(WEBDIR)/$(FILE)/ ./  # begin with tab
>             $(BROWSER) $(FILE)/$(FILE).html &  # begin with tab

>     keep: pdf
>             cp $(OUTDIR)/$(FILE).pdf $(FILE).pdf  # begin with tab

>     clean:
>             rm -rf $(OUTDIR) # begin with tab

>     web-clean:
>             rm -rf $(WEBDIR) # begin with tab

>     archive:
>             tar -cvvf myproject.tar \ # begin this line with tab
>             --exclude=out/* \
>             --exclude=htmlout/* \
>             --exclude=myproject/* \
>             --exclude=*midi \
>             --exclude=*pdf \
>             --exclude=*~ \
>             ../MyProject/*

TODO: make this thing work on Windows

The previous makefile does not work on Windows. An alternative for Windows users would be to create a simple batch file containing the build commands. This will not keep track of dependencies the way a makefile does, but it at least reduces the build process to a single command. Save the following code as `build.bat` or `build.cmd`. The batch file can be run at the DOS prompt or by simply double-clicking its icon.

>     lilypond-book --output=out --pdf myproject.lytex
>     cd out
>     pdflatex myproject
>     makeindex myproject
>     pdflatex myproject
>     cd ..
>     copy out\myproject.pdf MyProject.pdf

#### See also

This manual: Command-line usage, Running `lilypond-book`

# A. GNU Free Documentation License

Version 1.3, 3 November 2008

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   If the Modified Version includes new front-matter sections or appendices that qualify as Secondary Sections and contain no material copied from the Document, you may at your option designate some or all of these sections as invariant. To do this, add their titles to the list of Invariant Sections in the Modified Version’s license notice. These titles must be distinct from any other section titles.

   You may add a section Entitled “Endorsements”, provided it contains nothing but endorsements of your Modified Version by various parties—for example, statements of peer review or that the text has been approved by an organization as the authoritative definition of a standard.

   You may add a passage of up to five words as a Front-Cover Text, and a passage of up to 25 words as a Back-Cover Text, to the end of the list of Cover Texts in the Modified Version. Only one passage of Front-Cover Text and one of Back-Cover Text may be added by (or through arrangements made by) any one entity. If the Document already includes a cover text for the same cover, previously added by you or by arrangement made by the same entity you are acting on behalf of, you may not add another; but you may replace the old one, on explicit permission from the previous publisher that added the old one.

   The author(s) and publisher(s) of the Document do not by this License give permission to use their names for publicity for or to assert or imply endorsement of any Modified Version.

6. COMBINING DOCUMENTS

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   The combined work need only contain one copy of this License, and multiple identical Invariant Sections may be replaced with a single copy. If there are multiple Invariant Sections with the same name but different contents, make the title of each such section unique by adding at the end of it, in parentheses, the name of the original author or publisher of that section if known, or else a unique number. Make the same adjustment to the section titles in the list of Invariant Sections in the license notice of the combined work.

   In the combination, you must combine any sections Entitled “History” in the various original documents, forming one section Entitled “History”; likewise combine any sections Entitled “Acknowledgements”, and any sections Entitled “Dedications”. You must delete all sections Entitled “Endorsements.”

7. COLLECTIONS OF DOCUMENTS

   You may make a collection consisting of the Document and other documents released under this License, and replace the individual copies of this License in the various documents with a single copy that is included in the collection, provided that you follow the rules of this License for verbatim copying of each of the documents in all other respects.

   You may extract a single document from such a collection, and distribute it individually under this License, provided you insert a copy of this License into the extracted document, and follow this License in all other respects regarding verbatim copying of that document.

8. AGGREGATION WITH INDEPENDENT WORKS

   A compilation of the Document or its derivatives with other separate and independent documents or works, in or on a volume of a storage or distribution medium, is called an “aggregate” if the copyright resulting from the compilation is not used to limit the legal rights of the compilation’s users beyond what the individual works permit. When the Document is included in an aggregate, this License does not apply to the other works in the aggregate which are not themselves derivative works of the Document.

   If the Cover Text requirement of section 3 is applicable to these copies of the Document, then if the Document is less than one half of the entire aggregate, the Document’s Cover Texts may be placed on covers that bracket the Document within the aggregate, or the electronic equivalent of covers if the Document is in electronic form. Otherwise they must appear on printed covers that bracket the whole aggregate.

9. TRANSLATION

   Translation is considered a kind of modification, so you may distribute translations of the Document under the terms of section 4. Replacing Invariant Sections with translations requires special permission from their copyright holders, but you may include translations of some or all Invariant Sections in addition to the original versions of these Invariant Sections. You may include a translation of this License, and all the license notices in the Document, and any Warranty Disclaimers, provided that you also include the original English version of this License and the original versions of those notices and disclaimers. In case of a disagreement between the translation and the original version of this License or a notice or disclaimer, the original version will prevail.

   If a section in the Document is Entitled “Acknowledgements”, “Dedications”, or “History”, the requirement (section 4) to Preserve its Title (section 1) will typically require changing the actual title.

10. TERMINATION

    You may not copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute the Document except as expressly provided under this License. Any attempt otherwise to copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute it is void, and will automatically terminate your rights under this License.

    However, if you cease all violation of this License, then your license from a particular copyright holder is reinstated (a) provisionally, unless and until the copyright holder explicitly and finally terminates your license, and (b) permanently, if the copyright holder fails to notify you of the violation by some reasonable means prior to 60 days after the cessation.

    Moreover, your license from a particular copyright holder is reinstated permanently if the copyright holder notifies you of the violation by some reasonable means, this is the first time you have received notice of violation of this License (for any work) from that copyright holder, and you cure the violation prior to 30 days after your receipt of the notice.

    Termination of your rights under this section does not terminate the licenses of parties who have received copies or rights from you under this License. If your rights have been terminated and not permanently reinstated, receipt of a copy of some or all of the same material does not give you any rights to use it.

11. FUTURE REVISIONS OF THIS LICENSE

    The Free Software Foundation may publish new, revised versions of the GNU Free Documentation License from time to time. Such new versions will be similar in spirit to the present version, but may differ in detail to address new problems or concerns. See https://www.gnu.org/licenses/.

    Each version of the License is given a distinguishing version number. If the Document specifies that a particular numbered version of this License “or any later version” applies to it, you have the option of following the terms and conditions either of that specified version or of any later version that has been published (not as a draft) by the Free Software Foundation. If the Document does not specify a version number of this License, you may choose any version ever published (not as a draft) by the Free Software Foundation. If the Document specifies that a proxy can decide which future versions of this License can be used, that proxy’s public statement of acceptance of a version permanently authorizes you to choose that version for the Document.

12. RELICENSING

    “Massive Multiauthor Collaboration Site” (or “MMC Site”) means any World Wide Web server that publishes copyrightable works and also provides prominent facilities for anybody to edit those works. A public wiki that anybody can edit is an example of such a server. A “Massive Multiauthor Collaboration” (or “MMC”) contained in the site means any set of copyrightable works thus published on the MMC site.

    “CC-BY-SA” means the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 license published by Creative Commons Corporation, a not-for-profit corporation with a principal place of business in San Francisco, California, as well as future copyleft versions of that license published by that same organization.

    “Incorporate” means to publish or republish a Document, in whole or in part, as part of another Document.

    An MMC is “eligible for relicensing” if it is licensed under this License, and if all works that were first published under this License somewhere other than this MMC, and subsequently incorporated in whole or in part into the MMC, (1) had no cover texts or invariant sections, and (2) were thus incorporated prior to November 1, 2008.

    The operator of an MMC Site may republish an MMC contained in the site under CC-BY-SA on the same site at any time before August 1, 2009, provided the MMC is eligible for relicensing.

## ADDENDUM: How to use this License for your documents

To use this License in a document you have written, include a copy of the License in the document and put the following copyright and license notices just after the title page:

      Copyright (C)  year  your name.
      Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
      under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3
      or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
      with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover
      Texts.  A copy of the license is included in the section entitled ``GNU
      Free Documentation License''.

If you have Invariant Sections, Front-Cover Texts and Back-Cover Texts, replace the “with…Texts.” line with this:

        with the Invariant Sections being list their titles, with
        the Front-Cover Texts being list, and with the Back-Cover Texts
        being list.

If you have Invariant Sections without Cover Texts, or some other combination of the three, merge those two alternatives to suit the situation.

If your document contains nontrivial examples of program code, we recommend releasing these examples in parallel under your choice of free software license, such as the GNU General Public License, to permit their use in free software.

# B. LilyPond index

Jump to: | \ A B C D E F G H I L M O P Q R S T U V W X

| Index Entry | Section
\ |  |
| \header in LaTeX documents | 3.2.1 LaTeX
A |  |
| ABC | 4.3.3 Invoking `abc2ly`
| Aborted (core dumped) | 1.3 Error messages
| Articulate project | 4.5.1 MIDI articulation
B |  |
| `Bar and bar number checks` | Music runs off the page
| `Bar and bar number checks` | 5.1 General suggestions
| `Bar lines` | Music runs off the page
C |  |
| call trace | 1.3 Error messages
| chroot jail, running inside | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| Coda Technology | 4.3.4 Invoking `etf2ly`
| `Collision resolution` | See also
| coloring, syntax | 4.2 Text editor support
| command line options for `lilypond` | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| convert-ly | 2. Updating files with `convert-ly`
| convert-ly | 2.1 Why does the syntax change?
D |  |
| directory, redirect output | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| docbook | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| DocBook, adding music | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| documents, adding music | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| dvips | LaTeX
E |  |
| `Easier editing` | Other editors
| `Easier editing` | 4.3.5 Other formats
| editors | 4.2 Text editor support
| emacs | 4.2 Text editor support
| `Enhancing MIDI output` | 4.5.1 MIDI articulation
| enigma | 4.3.4 Invoking `etf2ly`
| Enigma Transport Format | 4.3.4 Invoking `etf2ly`
| error | 1.3 Error messages
| error messages | 1.3 Error messages
| errors, message format | 1.3 Error messages
| ETF | 4.3.4 Invoking `etf2ly`
| Evince | Extra configuration for Evince
| `Explicitly instantiating voices` | See also
| expression evaluation, Scheme | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| External programs, generating LilyPond files | 4.3.5 Other formats
| `Extracting fragments of` | Advanced command line options for LilyPond
| `Extracting fragments of music` | 4.4.3 Other programs
F |  |
| fatal error | 1.3 Error messages
| file searching | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| file size, output | Enabling point and click
| Finale | 4.3.4 Invoking `etf2ly`
| `Flexible vertical spacing within systems` | Warning staff affinities should only decrease
| format, output | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| fragments, music | 4.4.3 Other programs
G |  |
| `Grand Unified Builder (GUB)` | Relocation files
H |  |
| HTML | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| HTML, adding music | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| HTML, embeddable SVG scores | Basic command line options for LilyPond
I |  |
| invoking dvips | LaTeX
| Invoking `lilypond` | Basic command line options for LilyPond
L |  |
| LANG | Environment variables
| LaTex | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| LaTeX, adding music | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| LibreOffice.org | 4.4.2 OpenOffice and LibreOffice
| LILYPOND_DATADIR | Environment variables
| LILYPOND_LOCALEDIR | Environment variables
| LILYPOND_LOGLEVEL | Environment variables
| LILYPOND_RELOCDIR | Environment variables
| loglevel | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| LuaTex | 4.4.1 LuaTex
| lyluatex | 4.4.1 LuaTex
M |  |
| `MacOS X` | 1.2 Command-line usage
| `MacOS X` | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| `MacOS X` | 4.3 Converting from other formats
| make | 5.5 Make and Makefiles
| makefiles | 5.5 Make and Makefiles
| `Manuals` | LilyPond — Usage
| `Manuals` | LilyPond — Usage
| MIDI | 4.3.1 Invoking `midi2ly`
| MIDI | 4.5.1 MIDI articulation
| modes, editor | 4.2 Text editor support
| music fragments, quoting | 4.4.3 Other programs
| musicology | 3.1 An example of a musicological document
| MusicXML | 4.3.2 Invoking `musicxml2ly`
O |  |
| `Octave checks` | 5.1 General suggestions
| OOoLilyPond | 4.4.2 OpenOffice and LibreOffice
| OpenOffice.org | 4.4.2 OpenOffice and LibreOffice
| options, command line | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| `Other sources of information` | Vim mode
| outline fonts | LaTeX
| output, directory | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| output, format | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| output, PDF (Portable Document Format) | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| output, PNG (Portable Network Graphics) | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| output, PS (PostScript) | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| output, setting filename | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| output, SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| output, verbosity | Basic command line options for LilyPond
P |  |
| PDF (Portable Document Format), output | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| PNG (Portable Network Graphics), output | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| point and click | 4.1 Point and click
| point and click, command line | Advanced command line options for LilyPond
| PostScript (PS), output | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| preview image | 3.2.3 HTML
| Programming error | 1.3 Error messages
| PS (PostScript), output | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| pspdfopt | Basic command line options for LilyPond
Q |  |
| quoting, music fragments | 4.4.3 Other programs
R |  |
| `Real music example` | See also
| relocation | Relocation
S |  |
| `Saving typing with variables and functions` | 5.1 General suggestions
| Scheme error | 1.3 Error messages
| Scheme, expression evaluation | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| search path | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| `Single-staff polyphony` | See also
| `Skipping corrected music` | 5.2 Typesetting existing music
| `Staff` | 4.3.1 Invoking `midi2ly`
| `Style sheets` | 5.1 General suggestions
| SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics), output | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| switches | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| syntax coloring | 4.2 Text editor support
T |  |
| texi | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| texinfo | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| texinfo | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| Texinfo, adding music | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| `Text encoding` | Error message FT_Get_Glyph_Name
| thumbnail | 3.2.3 HTML
| `Tiny examples` | 5.4 Troubleshooting
| titling and lilypond-book | 3.2.1 LaTeX
| titling in HTML | 3.2.3 HTML
| trace, Scheme | 1.3 Error messages
| `Tutorial` | 1.1 Normal usage
| type1 fonts | LaTeX
U |  |
| Updating a LilyPond file | 2. Updating files with `convert-ly`
| updating old input files | 2.1 Why does the syntax change?
V |  |
| vim | 4.2 Text editor support
| `Voice` | 4.3.1 Invoking `midi2ly`
W |  |
| warning | 1.3 Error messages
| web pages, SVG scores embeddable | Basic command line options for LilyPond
| `Windows` | 3. Running `lilypond-book`
| `Working with input files` | 4.5 Independent `include`s
X |  |
| Xpdf | Using Xpdf

Jump to: | \ A B C D E F G H I L M O P Q R S T U V W X

# Footnotes

[1] The status of GUILE is not reset after processing a ‘`.ly`’ file, so be careful not to change any system defaults from within Scheme.

[2] At least, this is possible in any LilyPond file which does not contain scheme. If there is scheme in the file, then the LilyPond file contains a Turing-complete language, and we run into problems with the famous “Halting Problem” in computer science.

[3] This tutorial is processed with Texinfo, so the example gives slightly different results in layout.

[4] Note that PDFLaTeX and LaTeX may not be both usable to compile any LaTeX document, that is why we explain the two ways.

# Table of Contents

#### LilyPond — Usage v2.22.2 (stable-branch).