Merging rests automatically

When two (or more) voices on a staff share common rests, common engraving practice merges these rests into one. The following snippet takes care of that, automatically. Please note that multi-measure rests are not automatically combined.

\version "2.24.0"

%% http://lsr.di.unimi.it/LSR/Item?id=336
%% see also http://code.google.com/p/lilypond/issues/detail?id=1228

%% Usage:
%%   \new Staff \with {
%%     \override RestCollision.positioning-done = #merge-rests-on-positioning
%%   } << \somevoice \\ \othervoice >>
%% or (globally):
%%   \layout {
%%     \context {
%%       \Staff
%%       \override RestCollision.positioning-done = #merge-rests-on-positioning
%%     }
%%   } 
%%
%% Limitations:
%% - only handles two voices
%% - does not handle multi-measure/whole-measure rests

#(define (rest-score r)
  (let ((score 0)
	(yoff (ly:grob-property-data r 'Y-offset))
	(sp (ly:grob-property-data r 'staff-position)))
    (if (number? yoff)
	(set! score (+ score 2))
	(if (eq? yoff 'calculation-in-progress)
	    (set! score (- score 3))))
    (and (number? sp)
	 (<= 0 2 sp)
	 (set! score (+ score 2))
	 (set! score (- score (abs (- 1 sp)))))
    score))

#(define (merge-rests-on-positioning grob)
  (let* ((can-merge #f)
	 (elts (ly:grob-object grob 'elements))
	 (num-elts (and (ly:grob-array? elts)
			(ly:grob-array-length elts)))
	 (two-voice? (= num-elts 2)))
    (if two-voice?
	(let* ((v1-grob (ly:grob-array-ref elts 0))
	       (v2-grob (ly:grob-array-ref elts 1))
	       (v1-rest (ly:grob-object v1-grob 'rest))
	       (v2-rest (ly:grob-object v2-grob 'rest)))
	  (and
	   (ly:grob? v1-rest)
	   (ly:grob? v2-rest)	     	   
	   (let* ((v1-duration-log (ly:grob-property v1-rest 'duration-log))
		  (v2-duration-log (ly:grob-property v2-rest 'duration-log))
		  (v1-dot (ly:grob-object v1-rest 'dot))
		  (v2-dot (ly:grob-object v2-rest 'dot))
		  (v1-dot-count (and (ly:grob? v1-dot)
				     (ly:grob-property v1-dot 'dot-count -1)))
		  (v2-dot-count (and (ly:grob? v2-dot)
				     (ly:grob-property v2-dot 'dot-count -1))))
	     (set! can-merge
		   (and 
		    (number? v1-duration-log)
		    (number? v2-duration-log)
		    (= v1-duration-log v2-duration-log)
		    (eq? v1-dot-count v2-dot-count)))
	     (if can-merge
		 ;; keep the rest that looks best:
		 (let* ((keep-v1? (>= (rest-score v1-rest)
				      (rest-score v2-rest)))
			(rest-to-keep (if keep-v1? v1-rest v2-rest))
			(dot-to-kill (if keep-v1? v2-dot v1-dot)))
		   ;; uncomment if you're curious of which rest was chosen:
		   ;;(ly:grob-set-property! v1-rest 'color green)
		   ;;(ly:grob-set-property! v2-rest 'color blue)
		   (ly:grob-suicide! (if keep-v1? v2-rest v1-rest))
		   (if (ly:grob? dot-to-kill)
		       (ly:grob-suicide! dot-to-kill))
		   (ly:grob-set-property! rest-to-keep 'direction 0)
		   (ly:rest::y-offset-callback rest-to-keep)))))))
    (if can-merge
	#t
	(ly:rest-collision::calc-positioning-done grob))))


\score {
  \new Score <<
    \new Staff  <<
      s4-\markup{ LilyPond default, rests in both voices. }
      \relative c'' { c4 d e r | r2  e4 g | R1 } 
      \\
      \relative c'' { c4 b a r | r a g2   | R1 }
    >>       
    \new Staff \with {
      \override RestCollision.positioning-done = #merge-rests-on-positioning
    } 
    <<
      s4-\markup{Merge rests as per standard notation practice.}
      \relative c'' { c4 d e r | r2  e4 g | R1 } 
      \\
      \relative c'' { c4 b a r | r a g2   | R1 }
    >>   
  >>
  \layout {}
}