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Text Input Problem

Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2020 12:09 am
by blobs85
Hi forum,

I'm running Sibelius 7.1.3 on mac. Recently I've found I can't input any text, no titles, no expressions or techniques or chords. The fonts are installed properly, and when I press Apple + T it shows ready to input text, but when I click anywhere all it does is flash a small square and disappear, removing the ability to input any text. Or if I click on the stave and press Apple + E, I'm just left with a small square.

I've never had this problem before. Any help would be massively appreciated

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2020 7:52 am
by MikeLyons
Are you on Big Sur or catalina? These later OSs from Apple have basic incompatibilities with earlier versions of Sibelius. Catalina is incompatible until Sib 2019.6 (?) Big Sur is not compatible with any OS earlier than 2020.9.

Don't blame Avid or Sib for this, blame Apple.

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2020 12:24 am
by blobs85
Thanks for the reply. I'm on Big Sur. That explains it. How frustrating.
I've found a pretty annoying solution though. I open up a Sibelius file which already has all the text in it (dynamics etc) and then I copy the ones I need into the new file I'm working on. Not great, but better than nothing.

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2020 8:33 am
by MikeLyons
Well, don't blame Sibelius, blame Apple.

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:34 pm
by MusicOnetoOne
Hi

Did you solve this issue with the text input. Ive got the same problem.

Has anyone got any suggestions - except blaming apple?

Thanks

RJ

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 12:40 pm
by MikeLyons
The only possible solutions are these:

1. Go back to a previous MacOS that supports your version of Sibelius.
2. Upgrade your version of Sibelius to the latest Sibelius Ultimate (If you have Sib 6.x/7.x or 8.x any other option is a serious downgrade.)
3. Get a Windows PC.

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 3:34 pm
by rimore01
Mike, I followed your advice and tried option 2 and purchased and downloaded Ultimate, but for the life of me, I cannot get Ultimate to activate. I have tried everything. I posted the activation problem as a new question on forum, so no need to answer this post. And yes, I won't blame Sibelius for the text problem, but I think Avid can make the activation process a little less cumbersome!

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:28 pm
by MikeLyons
All you get from Avid is "Well we wanted to standardise it across our entire platform!" - as if that justifies it.

It's an awful system, badly executed and I hate it with a passion and a vengeance!

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 1:20 am
by brooklynmothra
I have the same problem. On Big Sur. Would love to be able to input text and expressions! Any workaround appreciated.

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2021 7:55 am
by MikeLyons
As has been said above - your only option is to backtrack your Big Sur to an OS that supports your version of Sibelius or upgrade to the latest version of Sibelius Ultimate.

This is Apple's fault - not Avid's - and it's not often you will hear me giving Avid the benefit of the doubt.

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 6:41 pm
by inesmaya
Same problem here. Do you guys think there is any chance this problem will solve on its own?

Restoring my computer to a previous operating system sounds pretty complicated and risky, so for now I'm stuck with the "copy-paste" solution.

Or am I stuck with having to buy the latest version of Sibelius for the long run?

Thanks!

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 8:56 pm
by MikeLyons
Cheaper than buying sibelius ultimate might be to get a PC. Windows 11 still happily runs Sib 6.2 and 7.5 as well as the later versions.

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2021 7:55 pm
by andyg
I'd agree with Mike on this one.

I bought a refurbished Dell laptop a few months ago. i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, 250GB SSD. 1920 x 1200 screen. 3xUSB3 ports, 1xUSB C, LAN and HDMI ports. Legit copy Windows 10 pre-installed (though we did do a clean re-install of Windows 10 to get of anything Dell-related and then did a little 'slimming down' of Windows). Cost? Just £220 and £25 for a good Internet Security suite. No keypad, so I just plug in a USB keyboard. Will run 7.1.3 and 6.2 very snappily indeed.

You can't deactivate or activate on line, but an email to one of the Sibelius staff on the official forum will get things started.

At that price you could afford to dedicate the laptop just to Sibelius. And if there's nothing that you need in later versions of Sibelius, you never need to spend out again.

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Sun May 29, 2022 11:13 am
by Andypan
Found a fix of sorts:

When you cmd-T or cmd-E and the tiny square appears, click and drag the little square a bit to the right, this will expand the text box, double click inside the box and you'll be able to type your text.

Cumbersome and annoying but it works for me

Re: Text Input Problem

Posted: Thu Mar 09, 2023 8:30 pm
by Bassefar
Thanks for the fix, Andypan! That works for me as well. It's better than not being able to write text, but it's a bit annoying still... But thanks! :-)