Contents
System Requirements
The OCVE website makes use of technologies which, for the time being, preclude the use of certain web browsers. A Windows-based PC will give the best results. A screen resolution of at least 1280 x 1024 at 32bit colour is recommended (i.e. a screen of at least 18" diagonal size).
Because of the large size of some of the images, a broadband (512kbit/s) or faster internet connection is strongly suggested. Dial-up access is not recommended.
Pop-up blocking software must be disabled to allow use of the site in Annotation Mode. For instructions on how to disable the pop-up blocking feature of Windows XP with SP2 or the Google Toolbar, see below. For other software, consult the help documentation provided.
Important note for users of Windows XP with Service Pack 2
You may find that no pop-up window appears when you click the image, and instead you see the following yellow bar appear at the top of the browser window:
This behaviour is caused by a new feature of Windows XP designed to prevent pop-ups opening without your consent. To resolve this issue, click the bar with the left mouse button. The following menu appears:
We recommend that you select the option 'Always Allow Pop-ups from This Site', and click 'Yes' when prompted.
Important note for users of the Google Toolbar
The Google Toolbar adds a feature which blocks pop-up windows from showing. If the annotation window does not appear, click the following button on your toolbar:
When clicked, the button will change to say:
You will then be able to view the pop-up annotation boxes.
Important note for users of other pop-up blocking software
Pop-up blocking software will interfere with your use of this site and should be disabled. Check the Help documentation of your pop-up blocking utility for instructions on how to temporarily disable it.
The 'Bar View' uses cookies. You should use your web browser's 'Help' documentation to ensure that your browser is configured to accept cookies if you have a problem.
Microsoft Windows
For best results, use Internet Explorer 6 on a Windows PC. Internet Explorer 5.5 will function but there may be display problems. The following browsers offer partial functionality ('Bar View' does not work properly in these browsers):
- Mozilla Firefox
- Mozilla
- Netscape Navigator 7
The following browsers are not recommended:
- Opera (any version)
- Internet Explorer < 5
- Netscape Navigator < 7
Apple Macintosh
No browser on the Mac provides optimal viewing conditions at present. The site is partially operable in Internet Explorer 5.2, Safari (all versions) and Firefox (all versions); however, 'Bar View' will not function.
Linux
Linux is not currently supported. Firefox under Linux should provide partial functionality (however 'Bar View' will not work properly). Konqueror should not be used.
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OCVE Prototype Home Page
The front page of the site gives you the option of logging in to the site or viewing the site as an 'unidentified user'. Proceeding as an unidentified user will let you view the site in Reference Mode: you will have full access to the web site, and you will also be able to view annotations made by the project team, but you will not be able to add annotations of your own. If you have been issued a username and password for the site, then by logging in at the screen you be in Annotation Mode and you will be able to add your own annotations. At present, this function is restricted to members of the project team only, but in Phase 2 of OCVE a more interactive annotation option will be made available.
- Clicking this link will take you into the site as an unidentified user. You will be in Reference Mode: you will have full access to the web site, and you will also be able to view annotations made by other people, but you will not be able to add annotations of your own
- If you have a username and password you can log in to the site. You will be in Annotation Mode and you will be able to add your own annotations.
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List of Available Works
Use this screen to select the work you wish to examine. The OCVE pilot project currently contains a full set of source material for two works: Preludes Op. 28 Nos. 4 and 20.
- You will see an additional option in the top right-hand of the corner: 'Note Tree'. Click on it for further information about the annotations (see also below).
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Version Selection
Once a work has been selected, you must select a particular version to view. Clicking a link will display a full screen image of your chosen version. Note that you may have to wait for some time for the full-size image to load, particularly if you are using a dial-up modem connection.
The information about each source includes several distinct elements. Here and throughout the OCVE website each source is abbreviated by a letter in bold type indicating the type of source:
- A for autograph manuscript
- C for scribal copy (with a superscript initial of the copyist’s surname – e.g. C Ffor the copy of Op. 28 No. 4 prepared by Julian Fontana, C S for the copy prepared by George Sand)
- F for French first edition
- G for German first edition
- E for English first edition
- S and D for the scores used by Chopin’s pupils Jane Stirling and Camille Dubois respectively
- J for the score in the collection assembled by Chopin’s sister, Ludwika Jędrzejewicz etc.
Ordinal superscript numbers indicate the number and sequence of particular items within a given source category; A 1 is thus an autograph sketch of Op. 28 No. 4, whereas A 2 is the autograph Stichvorlage (engraver’s manuscript).
Information about the current location of manuscript material is also given where available, e.g. by library sigillum and shelf mark. Dates are provided for all sources where known, and for print materials a code is provided from Christophe Grabowski and John Rink, Annotated Catalogue of Chopin’s First Editions (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, forthcoming 2005). 28–1-CAT thus represents the first impression of the French first edition of Op. 28 published by Catelin; 28–1a-CAT represents the next known impression of the French first edition, designated by the ‘a’ within the code. More complete information about the sources can be viewed by clicking on Source Details, which brings up a pop-up box drawn from the list of primary sources for the work in question.
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Page View (Reference Mode)
Once a version has been selected you will be shown a full-size image of the complete first page of the work and version you have chosen. The screen is shown below:
- The Versions link will return you to the Version List for the work you have selected.
- The Home link will return you to the home screen, where you can select a different work.
- The Login button allows you to enter login credentials (a username and password) if you have them, and switch into Annotations Mode (as noted, the facility to add annotations is currently available to the project team only).
- This part of the heading displays your chosen work. To select a different work, click the Home link in the top right-hand corner of the screen (see 2).
- This part of the heading displays the version of the work you have chosen. Clicking this part of the heading will launch a pop-up window with further information about the version.
- The Hide Annotations link can be used to toggle the display of ‘annotation anchors’ on the image. Annotations anchors are the small blue asterisks on the image which denote the presence of an annotation at a particular point (see 8).
- Copyright information showing the ownership of the image and governing its usage. Please read this information carefully.
- Annotation anchor. This blue mark indicates that an annotation has been attached to the image at this point. Note that the anchor may refer to the precise point on the page or somewhere nearby. Clicking the anchor will cause the annotation to launch in a new window. You will see the anchor you have clicked turn red to show which annotation you are currently viewing - this is helpful for pages which have numerous annotations. A blue anchor denotes an annotation that is available to all users of the site (i.e. both the project team and external users)
- Some images are too large to fit entirely on the screen. You may have to use the browser's scrollbars to view the whole image.
- Holding the mouse pointer still over a bar for a few seconds will reveal the bar number.
Viewing Annotations in Page View
Clicking on an annotation anchor will cause a popup window to launch.
- Note: If you use the Google Toolbar, Windows XP, and/or any other software which blocks popup windows, the annotation window will not appear. Please read these notes.
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Bar View
Clicking on a bar in the Page View opens up Bar View, which offers you an environment in which you can compare images of the bar you selected as it appears in each version of your currently selected work.
- To select a different work, click Home in the top right hand corner
The Bar View has several unusual features to allow you to compare the versions, including the ability to juxtapose and superimpose images, by overlaying them and moving them next to one another.
- The currently selected work; the version is no longer shown because on this page every version is displayed. Note that 'bar CS' means the bar with the clefs and key signature, i.e. before bar 1 (or, in the case of Op. 28 No. 4, before the anacrusis bar, ‘bar 0’).
- Click the Next bar link to show images of the following bar within each version. Normally a Previous bar link is also available.
- Reset Layout resets the positions of the individual bar images if you have moved them around (see below).
- Hide Annotations removes the annotation anchors (the blue asterisks indicating that an annotation has been attached to an image at a certain point).
- Shows the version of the work from which the individual bar image (directly beneath) was taken.
- Clicking Full Page will take you to the Page View for this particular version.
- The Hide button will cause the image to be hidden (see below) which can be useful if you wish to rearrange the bar images for easier comparison.
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Working in Bar View
As mentioned, the Bar View allows you to move, overlay, and hide images for the sake of easier comparison.
Moving bar images
- Moving the mouse pointer over the dark grey rectangle above a bar image (containing the information about the version on display; see 5, above) changes the pointer as follows:
- When you see this special pointer, you can click and drag with the left mouse button to move the image around. Below, one image has been moved closer to another:
- You can arrange the images however you like. Use the Hide button to hide images of versions you are not interested in:
- When you have arranged the bars in a useful way, you can move between bars (using the Next bar and Previous bar links at the top of the page) and the layout will be preserved for you.
- Use the Reset Layout button at the top of the screen to tidy the bar images back into a grid.
Overlaying images
- When you move the images over each other you will notice that they turn partially translucent. When you move the mouse pointer over the bar image, it will become opaque.
- Alternatively you can position images over each other and compare them visually, if you wish to do so:
- With careful positioning you can make the image underneath opaque by rolling the mouse over any part of it not covered by the overlying image. You can see in the examples below that the underlying image has been made more distinct:
- By alternating rapidly between opaque and translucent, it can sometimes be easier to spot variations between apparently similar printed scores.
Viewing Annotations in Bar View
Clicking on an annotation anchor will cause a popup window to launch.
- Note: If you use the Google Toolbar, Windows XP, and/or any other software which blocks popup windows, the annotation window will not appear. Please read these notes.
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Note Tree
The note tree environment provides a way for you to view annotations in a structured environment.
