Finding regions that use a specific staff style

[NotaBene]

Background: Those staff styles that are actually in use in a project are preceded by a check mark in the window of staff styles. By "use" I assume it is meant that at least one region has been assigned that staff style. (Are there other ways of staff style uses that I am unaware of?) The usage information matters because only unused staff styles can be deleted.

The problem: In several of my projects I want to delete obsolete staff styles, but I can't seem to find the regions that use them. 

My question: Is there a way to find the regions that use a staff style OTHER THAN clicking through all the regions in a project?

 

[David Nahmani]

On 2/24/2023 at 1:38 AM, NotaBene said:

Is there a way to find the regions that use a staff style OTHER THAN clicking through all the regions in a project?

No, as far as I know, there's no such functionality in Logic Pro. 

[volovicg]

If I may - there is a way to do it with a bit of reverse thinking ( the goal is to find the region locking the staff style). That is to associate with each region what staff style is in use ( quickly).  Video shows this below - but I will briefly recap.

1/ open up the score editor and be sure any staff has the focus ( you will see the staff style in the inspector).

2/ open up the staff style window so you can see which staff styles are in use, and which is associated with the current context.

3/ open up the event list ( will show the event for the currently select staff/region - click the up arrow to go up a folder out of the event list into the region list. 

you now have a list of all regions in your project ( in the event list box), a visual of all the region in the arrange ( main ) window, staff styles in these staff style window and also the staff style name in the inspector.

now as you select each of the region in the region list box (on the right) - as you select regions - the staff style window will show the relationship/correlation - so you can quickly cycle through every region and see the associated staff style. The process also show every region even ones that are hidden, way out line ( from a time line perspective etc).  You will then find the associated region locking the staff style from deletion and address it. 

If you choose - you can send me your project with the staff style you want deleted and I will record the process on your actual project to show how it can be deleted. Otherwise - hope this information helps.

 

[NotaBene]

Thanks a lot, volovicg! That's a great hint.

For what it's worth, I think in my particular project I have reached an inconsistent state (a bug in Logic). Following your instructions, you can see that the staff styles "UNUSED Bass" and "UNUSED Trumpet in B" do not appear in the list, but are still check-marked as being used. These styles can't be deleted and now stick around as garbage. (It's not the end of the world, but it's somewhat annoying.)

I think this was the result of copying staff styles (of the same name) from another project. 

Edited March 2 by NotaBene
Submitted by accident before post was finished.

[Plowman]

Other points to consider:

1. There can be latent instruments -- even ones that appear only in Environment that are not assigned to a Track in Main -- that are using the Staff Style you're trying to find. They will not appear in Score. 

When the annoyance becomes too much and the file has too many regions, I'm not above copying the whole file for a tear-down, then progressively deleting chunks of regions with an eye on the checkmark, seeing if I can at least narrow it down. 

When the entire Main screen is void of any regions and the Staff Style is still in use, that's when I turn to the Environment looking for an unused instrument that has the Staff Style assigned to it.

2. There was a time when a deleted region might still use the unwanted style, and only clearing Undo would expunge the region and allow the deletion of the style. I haven't seen that in a while, but I still try it. 

3. That the point isn't lost, I too wish Logic would inform me where the "oh-fending ve-hicle" is located. The nebulous "still in use" prompt can be frustrating. 

4. Over time as a personal template develops, these problems retreat. And if a file is started from Logic's default, it can be a best practice to nuke all the styles immediately. They're not that hard to create as you go. 

5. Here's my favorite trick to find a style still used by a region: in Score's Linear View, zoom out really far and go to the top level display (All Instruments). Now locate the stubborn Staff Style in the Staff Style window and crank the Size up and down. The region may reveal itself. Even if it doesn't happen to be in Score's view, you might see a space between staves going wider and thinner. 

 

 

Edited March 2 by Plowman
Placement of movie

[David Nahmani]

Hey Plowman, for some reason your movie is not showing up? 

If you can, the best way to make screen captures to attach here is to use the (free) LiceCap app: https://www.cockos.com/licecap/

[Plowman]

I can see it here, and it does play. It's way too big for its own good, but it's there. 

I was using Licecap, but the move to Ventura seemed to invalidate it. I'll try downloading Licecap's latest version. The movie above was made with Mac OS' in-house method. 

[Plowman]

Okay, I think I fixed it. And I inserted a .gif into my original post. Thanks David.

 

Edited March 2 by Plowman
Fixed movie

[David Nahmani]

Thanks! It's working here now. 🙂 

[volovicg]

4 hours ago, NotaBene said:

Thanks a lot, volovicg! That's a great hint.

For what it's worth, I think in my particular project I have reached an inconsistent state (a bug in Logic). Following your instructions, you can see that the staff styles "UNUSED Bass" and "UNUSED Trumpet in B" do not appear in the list,

 

I still would like to take a look if you wouldn't mind mind compressing/uploading your project. 

[NotaBene]

Sure. Here is a reduced version of the project with only one instrument and one region, which shows the problem. The region seems to be assigned two staff styles. While the inspector shows "Bass" for the region, the "UNUSED Bass" style is still marked as being used.

GhostStaffStyle.logicx.zip

[volovicg]

solution -

copy or move the bass track/region you need to another region...if needed.

 

for the project you sent I....

1/ added a new track

2/ delete the bass track region

3/d deleted the bass track itself

4/ in staff style  - create a new staff style ( this releases the unused bass one)

5/ delete it. 

 

 

[NotaBene]

Thanks. That does indeed resolve this issue. (Although I still think the situation requiring such a work-around shouldn't occur in the first place.)