'adding plugin from Sib v6 to Ultimate'

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adding plugin from Sib v6 to Ultimate - SteveSmith, 28 Nov 04:13PM
     Re: adding plugin from Sib v6 to Ultimate - Bob Zawalich, 30 Nov 12:59AM
         Re: adding plugin from Sib v6 to Ultimate - SteveSmith, 06 Dec 12:39AM

adding plugin from Sib v6 to Ultimate
Posted by SteveSmith - 28 Nov 04:13PM
Hi everyone--I'm a new user to Ultimate, migrating over from Sib v6. On a Mac OS Sequoia 15.6.1

I had written a plugin for Sib6 that I used for years, and in trying to import it to Ultimate (adding the plugin to the folder).

Two questions:
1. When I run the plugin, I only get a msg box with the name of the plugin. there is no code or data in the plugin itself. Could someone give me a step-by step?
2. When I couldn't get that plugin to function, I decided to populate that various methods, dialogs, and data individually. When I tried adding a dialog, I wasn't able to do anything with it or in it. The icon buttons didn't seem to do anything (and there seems to be a menu button at the top right of that box which is half-missing), and I couldn't input anything into the dialog box itself. I've enclosed a screenshot of what I'm seeing--would appreciate any help there.

And more generally, is there a good reference for all plugin writing? I have a PDF from Bob Zalawich which is great but doesn't quite cover everything I'd like.

TIA
Steve S.
Attachment Screenshot 2025-11-28 at 8.11.38 AM.jpg (42K)
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Re: adding plugin from Sib v6 to Ultimate
Posted by Bob Zawalich - 30 Nov 12:59AM
A plugin (.plg) file is just a text file. You should definitely be able to import one from Sib 6 into Ultimate, though in a few weird cases they will not work the same, due to Sibelius changes.

After you install a plugin manually you need to close and restart Sibelius before it can find and run it.

Make sure you are loading it into an appropriate subfolder of your user plugin folders.

To that end, you might try going to File>Plug-ins>Install Plugins and install the plugin "Install New Plugin". When you run that it will let you search for your .plg file and will offer you a set of appropriate folders to install it into. You can run Install New Plugin immediately after you install it, but you need to close and restart Sib after you use Install New Plugin to install your plugin.

If you have edited your plg file in a text editor, you may find that you have trashed the file, typically by using a double quote in the wrong place. After installing the plugin and restarting, if you can't find it to run it from a plugin menu or Command Search, try going to File>Plug-ins>Edit Plug-in and see if you can find the plugin there and edit it. It is is all blank, but is really not empty, that is the likely problem. You can open it in a text editor and see if you can find a mismatched bracket or double quote. Good luck with that, though. I have been doing this forever and it is still really hard to find what is wrong.

The only document Sibelius provides is the ManuScript Language Reference, which is also available at File>Plug-ins. I have a number of documents about writing plugins at bobzawalich.com/sibelius, but they are mostly specific tutorials.

Good luck!

--
Bob

An experienced user of Sibelius. Sib 1.2 - 2025+, Windows 11 Pro 64 bit, 64 G RAM. Year 2025.
Install plugins at File>Plug-ins>Install Plug-ins
Free Resources: Notating Harp Music In Sibelius: http://www.bobzawalich.com/sibelius/
Execute Commands plugin documentation: https://bobzawalich.com/execute-commands-plugin-documentation/
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Re: adding plugin from Sib v6 to Ultimate
Posted by SteveSmith - 06 Dec 12:39AM
Hi Bob--
Thnx so much for the "Install New Plugin" heads-up. Worked perfectly and my plugin is now installed and works as intended.

I do have another question regarding an addition to my plugin. I'm use txt files that have specific data to populate a score (pitches, expressions, tempo, etc.). My plugin looks for single characters in the txt file and then parses the text line for a value that is placed in the score.

I've seen in the ManuScript documentation that there is are several references to pedal/pedal off: "line.staff.pedal" and line.staff.pedal.lift" and also as a pedal symbol "48" and pedal up "50" but am having trouble with the specific code.

Let's say that I have a staff, measure, and position specified (all of which works fine, for notes, tempo markings, dynamic expression markings etc.), and want to add a pedal marking on the staff (or since its for piano, maybe system staff?) at that specific measure and position.

TIA

Steve

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Messages in this thread

adding plugin from Sib v6 to Ultimate - SteveSmith, 28 Nov 04:13PM
     Re: adding plugin from Sib v6 to Ultimate - Bob Zawalich, 30 Nov 12:59AM
         Re: adding plugin from Sib v6 to Ultimate - SteveSmith, 06 Dec 12:39AM