FAQ PocketPipes (iphone ipad Mac application for bagpipe training)

Generally the user accepts, to learn how to use the app, before installing his own files. These files are abc or bww files from different sources. At any moment you can use the bin button to clear the data base, if you only want to install your own files.

How to load my personal files into the iPhone/iPad?

The Files App becomes more and more a powerful tool to install files

1) From a Dropbox account, an easy way also to share files within a pipe band . The process hereafter is entirely done within PocketPipes

Just look at the in-App Help, Section: Dropbox downloader

2) Install a tune coming with an email attachement

3) Install a .zip of tunes with the Files application

4) Install tunes from any Cloud with the Files App

Which tonalities are readable with PocketPipes?

For ABC files:

See the tutorial for bagpipe tunes

For BWW files:

Only one notation: Scottish – You can put alterations on the staves using naturalc and naturalf. If naturalf you must have also naturalc.

This can also be applied to flatten C or F notes as accidentals for specific notes.

What is the displayed value for the tempo?

The tempo is the beat of the tune.

ABC: See the tutorial for bagpipe tunes

BWW: The tempo is the xx of the « Tunetempo,xx » line

Is PocketPipes fully compliant with ABC standard?

To know what is done in the App, see the tutorial for bagpipe tunes

The limitations concerning ABC support are described in the Limitations topic of the PocketPipes Help book, in the App.

However … very important:

With the future V12, the abc parser will deeply change and PocketPipes will read lot of files coming from internet sources: holypiper.wordpress.com, or pipesheet.com. The strong requirement is always K:Hp or K:HP key. EasyABC will be the recommended editor to produce your files.

What to do il the app (the player) seems to run and there is no output sound

Check that the device is not in silent mode (silent Ring). If not, in IOS 7 after an system update it may happen to fall in this case, or with USB plug in/plug out with a car sound system.

Try to reset the device: Press simultaneously home button (bottom) and switch ON/OFF (top) during few seconds until the Apple appears.

After this reset the problem must have disappeared (this worked for me in the previous cases).

The synced metronome appears to be not synchronized with a particular tune

The synced metronome starts on the first beat of the tune and then « runs its own life » with no relation with following bar lines or notes.

So if it appears to be unsynced, look closely to the meters on each staff. One at least is likely to have a bad duration.

The metronome is an indicator to detect this kind of error in a tune.

How to handle the categories of tunes?

It is now a topic of the Help book inside PocketPipes.

Just have a look at it. The category editor helps you to define your categories starting with V11.1

But there is a bug on MacOS 15, because the category editor looks inactive due to a missing symbol.

It will be fixed with the V12

How to delete or edit a tune ?

Use <Files Operations> .

You can edit as well as duplicate, rename or delete.

If you want to Edit, you must know a little about abc or bww format, because edition is done in textual mode.

Before the first save of an edit session, PockePipes makes a copy (.bak) of the file, so just after the changes a <Revert> command is possible.

How to get highlighted parts of the staves on the score?

If you use Bagpipe Software to produce your abc files, you can set some highlightings on the score through the user interface.

These informations are registered in the abc files. When you produce the pdf with PocketpPipes the app will recognize highlighting directives and draw them.

it is also possible to highlight some parts of the staves for bww files using

%hs{colorname} …. some notes, bars …. %he (you have tu put the brackets around colorname)

This is non standard for bww

Color names are those from this table http://www.color-hex.com/color-names.html

With PocketPipes the names are case insensitive.

How to see the rhythm and the composer on the pdf (abc file)?

This is for abc file only.

You just have to fill two lines in the abc, after the line title (T: …) with the edit function.

Unfortunately Bagpipe Software doesn’t fill these informations.

C: … for the composer
R: … for the rhythm

My device language is neither English, nor French, how to run PocketPipes in English language?

PocketPipes is localized for English and French languages.

With the recent iOSs if you want to switch the language this can easily be done at the top of the PocketPipes settings.

On Mac OS, in the System Preferences >> Language section there is an App section and it is possible also to choose your preferred language.

Is PocketPipes fully compliant with BWW standard?

Piobaireachd features are partially supported. Send an email to signal an important missing embellishment for you.

Can I print the pdf with the App?

Select the tune with a long press in My Tunes tab, touch the <Share> action in the menu, and choose Print PDF button.

If your mobile is connected to a WI-FI network with an AirPrint Printer, printing will work.

Can I export pdf from the App?

You have several possibilities to do that with the <share> button on MyTunes tab

send the pdf file by email
print the pdf
export the pdf to Dropbox

Simply with the Files App, if you go to On may iPhone (or iPad). You’ll see the files inside PocketPipes. To see the pdf of a tune you it must have been selected once previously in PocketPipes.

The naming rule for pdf is: Tune_File_Name.pdf, so it can be MyTune.abc.pdf or MyTune.bww.pdf

This prevents overlapping pdf coming from abc and bww files

How to define and play a section of the selected tune?

You have before to set begin and end marks on the sheet music. If only begin mark exists the app assumes end mark is the end of the tune, and if only end mark exists the app starts from the beginning. A long press on the mark point opens a menu to choose the action.

Each mark must be precise, so it is recommended to zoom before setting the marks.

The play back will run between the two marks. For training it is recommended to choose the looping mode. If there is a repeat bar that throws the playback outside the section, playback stops unless in looping mode.

What is the root folder in my Dropbox account?

The root folder is an implicit folder where PocketPipes will search subfolders including your tunes.

The name depends on the localization of your Dropbox account:

/Apps/PocketsPipes for English language localization
/Applications/PocketPipes for french localization
and … <country-dependent>/PocketPipes for other countries

So you must be aware of this to clearly identify your root folder. The effective PocketPipes folder is decorated with a puzzle piece icon

PocketPipes will create this root path automatically at the first authentification with your account, of course empty.

See the two topics around Dropbox in the embedded help of PocketPipes.

Where to find an ABC tutorial?

Just have a look here. It is still under construction

Which platforms are supported?

Since V9.3 Mac OS is a supported platform.

Now PocketPipes runs , with same functionalities, on :

iOS, iPadOS downloaded from Apple Store
Mac OS downloaded from Mac App Store

It is a Universal purchase (purchase once)

How to load my personal files for the MacOS version?

Two classical ways:

Drag and drop from a Mac location on the tunes screen of PocketPipes. You can drag a zip of tunes.
Double clic on a abc or bww file, provided you previously defined PocketPipes as the default application

And as same as for the iPhone/iPad version, downloading from a Dropbox account (integrated in PocketPipes)

How to create manually a new file (abc or bww)

The function doesn’t exist but there is an easy way to create a new file.

Choose any file (abc or bww) and duplicate it. Name it as you want.

Now you can edit the new file, for instance remove all the lines and paste a new file.

It is easier on MacOS!

What to do if the app crashes when selecting a tune (iOS,iPadOS)

To fix this there is a need to get the music file and analyse the problem.

On iOS or iPadOS follow these steps:

Go to the Files App
Open the folder On My iPhone>>PocketPipes
Search the abc/bww file that makes the app crash
Share the file by e-mail to support@pocketbagpipe.fr, may be with some explanations, so that I could analyse the origin of the crash
Remove the file!

A new release will be issued …

On MacOS, how to define PocketPipes as the default App for opening abc or bww music files?

Hereafter, how to do for an abc file (same for bww):

1. Select an abc file abc in your documents, or on desktop ..
2. In the File Menu (on the menu bar) >> Get info
3. The Information windows appears, then in the section « Open with » choose Others instead of the current App.
4. Choose Enable: All the applications
5. All the apps can be selected, choose PocketPipes
6. Then Add
7. At this step any double click on an abc file will trig the importation of the file and start the playback. Same process for bww file. It is important to proceed from the File Menu as described at 2. , instead of a right click on the selected file.

Is it possible to play polyphonic music?

With V13, Poketpipes will play up to four voices at the same time. Each voice is associated to a file, following the naming rule:

some_file.1st.abc (or .bww)
some_file.2nd.abc (or .bww)
some_file.3rd.abc (or .bww)
some_file.4th.abc (or .bww)

Requirement: All the files must have the same duration when playing

Only when selecting the first, you will be proposed to play all teh voices

PocketPipes a Mac/iPhone/iPad app to play and display bagpipe music

FAQ Pocketpipes