Separate the barlines from the preceding notes/syllables like this:

high(g)est,(e.) (::)

Yes, actually using it elsewhere and above all with Gregorio. gabc is a description language that can be used for a variety of tools/outputs, and (letter ::) is problematic; you can put other things in the same parentheses set as the notation for bars. Valid-looking output might not be so valid in another context! Or it’s hiding a problem for later on.

Thanks for posting this GABC code. You may want to submit it to the GregoBase collection of GABC files, as some other vernacular contributions are there already.

I made a couple of edits to the GABC file:

* The "::" markings are now separated from the previous note data.

* The name header now has just "Gloria".

* The "centering-scheme" header no longer has an effect in Gregorio, so I removed it. The default note-centering is Latin-style (on the vowel), but it can be modified by setting a parameter in the LaTeX document file.

* The "annotation" header now ends with a semicolon.

* The "user-notes" header has information on the source.

To see how it looks (practically the same as your previous version), you can copy and paste it into
run.gregoriochant.org .

name: Gloria;
initial-style: 1;
annotation:;
user-notes: Roman Missal Third Edition;
%%
(c4)Glo(e)ry(e) to(g) God(h) in(g) the(h) high(g)est,(e.) (::)
and(e) on(e) earth(gh) peace(h.,) to(h) peo(g)ple(h) of(g) good(g) will.(e.) (::)
We(g) praise(hg) you,(e.) (::) we(g) bless(hg) you,(e.) (::) we(g) a(h)dore(hg) you,(e.) (::)
we(g) glo(h)ri(h)fy(g) you,(e.) (::) we(h) give(g) you(h) thanks(i) for(h) your(g) great(h) glo(g)ry,(e.) (::)
Lord(e) God,(gh) hea(h)ven(h)ly(g) King,(e.,) O(g) God,(h) al(h)migh(g)ty(h) Fa(g)ther.(e.) (::)
Lord(e) Je(g)sus(h) Christ,(h.,) On(h)ly(g) Be(h)got(g)ten(g) Son,(e.) (::)
Lord(h) God,(h) Lamb(g) of(h) God,(i.,) Son(h) of(g) the(h) Fa(g)ther,(e.) (::)
you(e) take(g) a(h)way(h) the(h) sins(h) of(g) the(h) world,(i.,)
have(h) mer(g)cy(h) on(g) us;(e.) (::)
you(e) take(g) a(h)way(h) the(h) sins(h) of(g) the(h) world,(i.,)
re(h)ceive(gh) our(g) prayer;(e.) (::)
you(e) are(g) seat(h)ed(h) at(h) the(h) right(h) hand(h) of(g) the(h) Fa(i)ther,(h.,)
have(h) mer(g)cy(h) on(g) us.(e.) (::)
For(e) you(g) a(h)lone(h) are(h) the(g) Ho(h)ly(g) One,(e.) (::)
you(e) a(g)lone(h) are(h) the(g) Lord,(e.) (::)
you(e) a(g)lone(h) are(h) the(g) Most(hg) High,(e.,) Je(e)sus(g) Christ,(hih.___) (::)
with(h) the(h) Ho(g)ly(h) Spi(i)rit,(h.,)
in(h) the(h) glo(h)ry(h) of(h) God(h) the(g) Fa(higge)ther.(e.) (::) A(efwgfe)men.(de..) (::)