Variable Widget

The Variable Widget is a floating panel that appears when you select a note or measure. It allows you to view and edit all properties of the selected element.

Overview

The Variable Widget displays:

• Header: Note/Measure ID and type
• Property rows: Each variable with evaluated and raw values
• Action sections: Add notes, evaluate, delete

Opening the Widget

1. Click on any note or measure in the workspace
2. The Variable Widget appears on the right side
3. Click empty workspace to close it

Widget Sections

Header

Shows:

• Element type: Note, Measure, or BaseNote
• ID: The unique identifier of the element

Property Rows

Each property has two values:

Field	Description
Evaluated	The computed result (e.g., "660 Hz", "1.5 seconds")
Raw	The expression that produces the evaluated value

Common Properties

Property	Description
frequency	The pitch of the note (in Hz or as ratio)
startTime	When the note begins playing
duration	How long the note plays
tempo	Beats per minute (inherited from BaseNote)
beatsPerMeasure	Time signature numerator
color	Visual color in the workspace
instrument	Sound used for playback

Editing Properties

Quick Controls

Frequency

• Octave +/-: Click to transpose up/down by octave (×2 or ÷2)

Duration

• Note icons: Click preset durations:
  • Whole note (4 beats)
  • Half note (2 beats)
  • Quarter note (1 beat)
  • Eighth note (1/2 beat)
  • Sixteenth note (1/4 beat)
• Dot modifiers: Add 50% or 75% to duration

Instrument

• Dropdown: Select from available instruments

Raw Expression Editing

1. Click on the Raw field for any property
2. Edit the expression text
3. Click Save to apply changes
4. The Evaluated value updates

Example expressions:

// Frequency: Perfect fifth above BaseNote
module.baseNote.getVariable('frequency').mul(new Fraction(3, 2))

// Start time: After note 5 ends
module.getNoteById(5).getVariable('startTime')
  .add(module.getNoteById(5).getVariable('duration'))

// Duration: Quarter note at current tempo
new Fraction(60).div(module.findTempo(module.baseNote))

Syntax Matters

Expressions must follow the exact syntax. Missing parentheses or typos will cause errors. Use Ctrl+Z to undo if something goes wrong.

Action Sections

Add Note

Create new notes relative to the selected one:

Option	Behavior
Add at Start+Duration	New note starts when this note ends
Add at Same Time	New note starts at same time (for chords)

Add Measure

Add a measure bar:

• Creates a measure marker at a position relative to the selected element

Evaluate Functions

Function	Description
Evaluate to BaseNote	Rewrites all references to use only BaseNote
Evaluate Module	Evaluates all notes in the module
Liberate Dependencies	Replaces references with raw values

Evaluate to BaseNote

Converts complex dependency chains to direct BaseNote references.

Before:

module.getNoteById(3).getVariable('frequency').mul(new Fraction(5, 4))
// Where note 3's frequency is: baseNote × 3/2

After:

module.baseNote.getVariable('frequency').mul(new Fraction(15, 8))
// Direct computation: 3/2 × 5/4 = 15/8

Liberate Dependencies

Replaces references to this note with their evaluated values.

Use this before deleting a note that other notes depend on:

1. Select the note you want to delete
2. Click Liberate Dependencies
3. Dependent notes now have their own independent values
4. Safely delete the original note

Delete Section

Option	Behavior
Delete and Remove Dependencies	Deletes this note AND all notes that depend on it
Delete and Keep Dependencies	Deletes this note but keeps dependent notes (they update their references)

Delete with Caution

"Delete and Remove Dependencies" can delete many notes at once. Check the dependency lines (red = dependents) before deleting.

Visual Feedback

Dependency Highlighting

When editing an expression, dependent notes highlight in the workspace:

• Shows which notes will be affected by your change
• Updates in real-time as you type

The ≈ Symbol

Properties showing ≈ contain irrational values (from TET expressions):

• Cannot be expressed as exact fractions
• Display shows decimal approximation
• Underlying value is preserved symbolically

Widget Positioning

• Default: Right side of the workspace
• Draggable: Click and drag the header to move
• Auto-sizing: Expands to fit content
• Bounds: Stays within the window

Tips

1. Use quick controls first - Note duration icons and octave buttons are faster than editing expressions
2. Watch dependencies - The workspace shows what will be affected by your changes
3. Liberate before deleting - If other notes depend on the one you're deleting
4. Copy expressions - Select and copy working expressions as templates for new notes
5. Check evaluated values - Verify your expression produces the expected result before saving