Congratulations on your purchase of Finale® 98 for Macintosh® and Power Macintosh®!
IMPORTANT: Read this document before you begin working with Finale 98 and print a copy of it to keep with your Finale manuals.
This file contains important information about Finale 98 as well as information about converting older files into the new version's format. Please note that Finale 98 files cannot be opened in previous versions of the application on either platform.
The Read Me contains the following sections:
• Running Finale 98
• New Features in Finale 98
• Bugs Fixed since Finale 97b
You may also visit our web site, http://www.codamusic.com, for updated information about Finale and information on new releases.
Choose the section you want to explore from the Contents menu or click on the text field at the bottom left-hand corner of the window to display the Table of Contents. Or, search each chapter for the item that you want information about; choose Find and type the word that you want to search for.
RUNNING FINALE 98
This chapter discusses information that you should be aware of when first running Finale 98 and when opening Finale documents created in earlier versions of the program.
CONVERTING FINALE 97 (AND EARLIER) DOCUMENTS
Finale 98 has a different file format than earlier versions. When you open them in version 98, Finale converts older files to the new format. You should be aware of the following points:
Older Finale files
• Finale 98 will open and convert older versions' files as "Untitled" files. The first time you save this untitled document, Finale remembers and displays the original file name, so you can click Save to rewrite over the old file if you wish. However, we recommend saving a newly converted file with a different name than the original, keeping the older unconverted file as a backup.
• Finale 97 (and earlier versions) for Macintosh and Windows cannot open any Finale 98 file, except Standard MIDI Files. To share Finale files, the Finale application must have the same (or later) version number.
Finale Preferences file
• The Finale Preferences file contains many program settings, from the configuration of your tool palette to the display colors you select. Finale stores this file in your System Folder's Preferences folder.
If you install and use both the fat binary and the 68000 or Power Macintosh versions of Finale, they will share the same Finale Preferences file.
Finale 98 also shares the preferences file with older versions of Finale. Finale 98 will automatically load your older version's settings. If you would like to take advantage of Finale 98's improved default preference settings such as pallete positions, you could simply remove your older Finale preferences file from the Preferences folder of your System Folder.
Keep in mind that just as older versions of Finale cannot read the newer version's music files, older versions cannot read the newer version's preferences. Please note that older versions of Finale will revert to default preference settings each time they sense that Finale 98 has updated the Finale Preferences file.
Text display
In addition to these changes, there are substantial changes to the handling of text with the Text Tool in Finale 3.7 and later. Here are some text-related issues to be aware of when converting files:
• If you use bitmapped fonts, converted files may display text items at a different point size than the original file. Finale 3.7's (and later version's) display of bitmapped fonts is limited to the actual point sizes installed in your system. We highly recommend the use of TrueType or PostScript fonts, which can be scaled to virtually any point size.
• Staff Names and Titles are considered text blocks in Finale 3.7 and later versions. As a result, staff names and titles in files created in earlier versions of Finale will be converted to text blocks.
When converting text blocks, Finale will convert the text so it's unique for each text block. However, if the same shape is used, Finale will not duplicate the shape. Note that in Finale 3.7 and later versions, both the text and the shapes (Standard Frame or Custom Frame) are unique for each text block that you create.
The fonts selected in the Select Default Fonts dialog box for Text Blocks, Staff Names and Group Names will be used when the text block, or staff or group name is first created. Changing the font in the Select Default Fonts dialog box will no longer change the font used for all staff names in your score; nor will it change the first font used for text blocks in your score. To change a font, you must change the font on-score for text blocks created with the Text Tool, or in the Edit Text window for staff and group names created using the Staff Attributes dialog box.
• The conversion routines go through great lengths to ensure that the position of text remains the same in converted files. This has the following implications for Text Blocks, Titles and Staff Names.
Text blocks are positioned differently starting with Finale 3.7. If you display the Frame Attributes dialog box, for a text block created in an older version of Finale, Position from Edge of Frame will be deselected. (This option is selected for text created with the new Text Tool.) If you select this option for a converted text block, you will most likely need to adjust its position in the score.
Since titles are considered text blocks, Finale calculates the position of the title from the top of the name, using the specified font. Earlier versions (before 3.7) calculated the position from the baseline of the font. When converting files, Finale adjusts the values for the positioning of the titles to maintain their previous page positioning.
Since staff names are considered text blocks, Finale calculates the position of the name from the top of the name, using the font selected at the beginning of the name. Earlier versions (before 3.7) calculated the position from the baseline of the font.
When converting files, Finale recalculates the values for the default positioning of the staff names based on the font and point size selected in the Select Default Fonts dialog box. If alternate fonts or point sizes have been set for staff names in the score, individual positioning for those staff name will be selected in the Staff Attributes dialog box. This automatic calculation of positioning values, and the selection of individual positioning for names using the non-default font and point size will maintain the correct position of staff names in your converted files.
CONVERTING FINALE DOCUMENTS (EARLIER THAN 3.5)
If you're converting documents created in versions earlier than Finale 3.5, which offered enhanced handling of text and noteheads, you should be aware of the following changes which may affect converted documents.
Improved stem connections
Finale offers better support of stem to notehead connections--its ability to sense the width of the notehead, particularly for upstem notes, is enhanced. However, this enhancement may change existing stem connection settings slightly in newly-converted documents. In general, these changes should provide subtle improvements, but you should double-check the on-screen and printed appearance if you have concerns.
Changes to "blank" noteheads
Due to the improved stem to notehead connections, Finale may change the appearance of on-screen and printed "blank" noteheads (e.g., noteheads set to Petrucci's space character). If you have documents that use the space character (slot number 32 in the Symbol Selection dialog box) as a notehead, you should create a new stem connection setting for this notehead in the converted document by following the steps outlined below.
> To fix "blank" notehead connections
• Choose Stem Connections from the Document Settings submenu in the Options menu to display the Stem Connections dialog box.
• Make sure that Use Stem Connections is selected.
• Click Create to display the Stem Connection Editor to create a new setting.
• Click Select to display the Symbol Selection dialog box. Select slot number 32 (the space character created by pressing the spacebar), then click Select.
• Enter a value of 24 EVPUs in the Upstem V: text box by typing "24 e" -- this automatically enters a value of 24 EVPUs regardless of the Measurement Units setting currently in use.
• Click OK, then click Select. Your blank noteheads should now display properly in the score.
Changes to chord spelling
Finale may display certain unusual chords differently than earlier versions did. This depends on the setting of the Chord menu command, Simplify Spelling. Using this command, you can more easily specify some chord spellings in any key, such as a B sharp chord in C major. Formerly, Finale would "simplify" this spelling to C (a change made in response to customer requests very early in Finale's history). Now, Finale offers you the choice of simplifying or not simplifying these spellings. To ensure that your chords appear as they did in earlier versions, choose Simplify Spelling from the Chord menu, if necessary, so that a checkmark appears next to the command. For more information, see More Features -- Alternate Spelling of Chords in part two of the Finale Addendum.
Chords and lyrics on hidden notes
Finale has another small change that may affect your score, both on-screen and in printout. Finale now displays chords and lyrics on notes hidden with Speedy Entry Tool's O key; chords and lyrics attached to notes you've hidden in earlier versions' documents will now appear. If you do not want them to appear, delete these elements from the hidden notes.
MORE ABOUT FINALE
Finale for the Power Macintosh
Before you continue, you should be aware of one screen display issue concerning the Power Macintosh. Due to the system software for the Power Macintosh, some characters in Petrucci (and even more in Sonata) may appear clipped on the screen. They do appear fine on printout, however. To correct the display of all the characters, remove the bit-mapped screen fonts of Petrucci and use only the TrueType font for screen display. Don't remove the PostScript printer font from your system unless you are absolutely sure you don't need it.
Stationary pads in System 7
Finale has always offered its own way of opening "Untitled" template documents. Apple's system software also offers a way of opening untitled documents through its built-in "stationery pads" feature. This feature is available in System 7 or later. To use it, select a Finale document in the Finder, then choose Get Info from the Finder's File menu. In the window that appears, click the Stationery Pad checkbox, then close the window.
If you choose to use the Stationary Pad feature, Finale offers a document icon to help you distinguish Stationary Pad documents from normal ones:
 
Finale does not distinguish stationery pad files from ordinary files, but the system software does offer some automatic support. If you open a stationery pad file from the Finder, the system will ask you for a name, make a copy of the stationery file, and then send the copy to Finale to open. If you open a stationery pad file with Finale's Open command, the system will warn you that you are editing a stationery file. (Finale will treat the stationery file like any other document once it's open, though.)
You can also use Finale's own method of opening template documents — if you select "New From Template" in the File menu, the document you select will be opened as an "Untitled" document. See Installation & Tutorial, "Making the Most of Finale — Working from templates" for more information.
QuickDraw GX
Finale cannot print when QuickDraw GX is enabled. You must turn off QuickDraw GX and restart your computer before you can print from Finale.
FreeMIDI
Finale offers three choices for MIDI systems, the Finale MIDI Driver, Apple MIDI Manager, and Open Music System (OMS). If you are a FreeMIDI user, FreeMIDI does make compatible modes available, but you may find that these modes do not provide consistent MIDI performance. If this proves to be the case, restart your computer without the FreeMIDI extension.
NEW FEATURES IN FINALE 98
• Multiple Undo and Redo are now available with keyboard shortcut Command-Z and Command-Y respectively. You can also select from an undo/redo list.
Allow Undo has been moved from Program Options to Other Program Options dialog box. Allow Undo Past Save has been added as an option in the Other Program Options dialog box. This allows you to undo actions even past the point where you have saved your document.
The Revert Button in the Edit Lyrics window and the Edit Text window has been removed.
• New Music Spacing Options to avoid collisions of Clefs, Seconds and Unisons.
• Color Printing is now available. Print your score display colors to your color printer.
• We’ve enhanced our MIDI Input and Quantization areas of the program. As a result there are a number of new features and interface improvements.
New Quantization Settings and More Quantization Settings dialog boxes allow access to all your quantization settings in one place from the Options menu. Whether you are importing a MIDI File, using the HyperScribe or Transcription Tool, or retranscribing a section of your score, the Quantization Settings dialog box is available from the Options menu.
The Quantization Settings dialog box allows you to select your smallest note value and the type of quantization you prefer: Mixed Rhythms, Space Notes Evenly (for Swing), or No Tuplets.
In the More Quantization Settings dialog box you will find the Minimize Rests feature. This will allow you to retain your smallest note values, but avoid having small duration rests. This setting will actually fill out the note to the next beat.
In the More Quantization Settings dialog box you will find additional options for dealing with very small notes and Grace Notes. You can allow grace notes, remove grace notes or convert grace notes to actual notes.
Other settings in the More Quantization Settings dialog box include Retain Key Velocities, Retain Note Durations, Include Voice Two, Allow Dotted Rests, and Soften Syncopations. Allow Dotted Rests and Soften Syncopations have been moved from the Program Options dialog box to the More Quantization Settings dialog box.
The HyperScribe menu has been updated to reflect the interface changes. The Quantization menu option has been removed. Use the Quantization Settings menu option under the Options menu, or select Quantization Settings from the HyperScribe Options dialog box. Also, the Playback option under the Beat submenu has been renamed Playback and/or Click. Selecting this option displays the Playback and/or Click dialog box.
The Playback Source dialog box has been renamed the Playback and/or Click dialog box. A palette has been added to select your beat. A button has also been added to access the Click and Countoff dialog box.
The HyperScribe Options dialog box has been simplified since all the quantization settings have been moved to the Quantization Settings dialog box.
The Duration/Division dialog box has been renamed the HyperScribe dialog box.
We’ve also provided the opportunity to hide the HyperScribe dialog box if you like with a checkbox in the HyperScribe Options dialog box.
The Tap Source dialog box has been updated to allow you to select your tap beat as well as the device providing the tap.
The Tap States dialog box has been updated to reflect the changes in HyperScribe.
The Transcribe dialog box has been renamed the Import MIDI Data from Clipboard dialog box. This dialog box has also been simplified since all the quantization settings have been moved to the Quantization Settings dialog box.
We have added a new MIDI menu as an unchanging menu. In it you will find MIDI related items previously found in the Options menu, as well as new MIDI Options such as Import MIDI File Options and Export MIDI File Options.
The menu associated with the MIDI Tool has been renamed the MIDI Tool menu as a result of the above change.
The Transcribe MIDI File dialog box has been renamed the Import MIDI File Options dialog box. This dialog box has also been simplified since all the quantization settings have been moved to the Quantization Settings dialog box. Also, we have added the option “Don’t show this dialog box during a File Open”.
The MIDI File Options dialog box has been renamed the Export MIDI File Options dialog box. Also, we have added the option “Don’t show this dialog box during a File Save As”.
The Transcription menu has been updated to reflect the consolidation of quantization settings in the Quantization Settings menu. The Transcription window has also been modified to reflect these changes.
The Retranscribe dialog box in the Mass Edit menu has been removed. Retranscribe will use the settings in the Quantization Settings dialog box.
The Implode Music dialog box now has a button to access the Quantization Settings dialog box.
The Note Mover menu has been updated to reflect the consolidation of quantization settings in the Quantization Settings dialog box.
• More Plug-ins are available for Finale 98. See our website at www.codamusic.com for more information about our developer’s kit to write your own.
The plug-ins shipped with Finale 98 include:
- Add Cue Notes. Easily place cue notes on any staves you choose. Select the percentage reduction and the layer in which to place the cue. Select text to go with them.
- Automatic Barlines. Place double-barlines automatically before all key changes and a final barline at the end of the score.
- Classic Eighth Beams. Beam Eighth notes together when using common time over the selected region.
- Change Fonts. Change fonts globally for text blocks, staff names, group names and lyrics–either all at once, or by verse, chorus and section.
- Find Range. Run this plug-in to find the highest and lowest notes in the selected region.
- Flat Beams. Run this plug-in to flatten all the beams in the selected region.
- Flat Beams (Remove). Remove all flat beams in the selected region.
- Global Staff Attributes. Apply the same staff attributes to any staves with this plug-in. Also change the font for Staff Names and Group Names. You can also apply group attributes to any groups.
- Ledger Lines (Hide) and (Show). Hide any ledger lines in the selected region. Use Ledger Lines (Show) to bring them back.
- Notes and Rests (Hide) and (Show). Hide all notes and rests in the selected region. Use Notes and Rests (Show) to bring them back.
- Number Repeated Measures. Place numbers over measures that are repeated again and again.
- Rhythmic Subdivisions. Change the selected region to eighth notes, or divide all your notes in half.
- Slash Flagged Grace Notes. Run this plug-in to slash all flagged grace notes in the selected region.
- Slash Flagged Grace Notes (Remove). Remove all slashes from flagged grace notes in the selected region.
- Staff Setup. Set up your score in one place. Select the instruments and let the plug-in do the rest.
- Word Extensions (Remove). Remove all word extensions in the selected region.
• Re-order Staff and Score Expressions, Shapes, and Articulations in their selection dialog boxes. Move one or a number of expressions up or down in the list. Dialog boxes affected include Staff Expression Selection dialog box, Score Expression Selection dialog box, Shape Selection dialog box, Executable Shape Selection dialog box, Articulation Selection dialog box, Stem Connections dialog box, Percussion Map Selection dialog box, Repeat Selection dialog box and Chord Suffix Selection dialog box.
• Align and Justify Lyrics either globally or syllable by syllable. Use the Lyrics menu to select a specific justification and alignment for the selected syllable for each note. Use Lyrics Options to select global settings for your first syllable in the score, first syllable of each system, and syllables with word extensions.
Options regarding lyrics spacing and thickness have been moved from the Notation Options dialog box to the Lyric Options dialog box.
Use the arrow keys to nudge syllables into place.
• Beam Eighth Notes in Group of Four is now a Document Option.
• Include Rests when Beaming in Groups of Four, also a new Document Option allows you to included rests between eighth notes in the beam group.
• Flat beams have been added as an option in Staff Attributes as well as a local option in Speedy Entry using the \ (backslash) key.
• Slash individual grace notes using the speedy command `.
• New Keyboard Shortcuts for Simple Entry allow you to quickly enter dotted notes with one click, change to the Grace Note tool, tie notes and more. See Keyboard Shortcuts - Simple Entry for a complete list.
• Display in Concert Pitch has been moved from a checkbox in the Document Options dialog box to the Options menu.
• New Edit MIDI Note dialog box allows you to edit key velocity and start and stop times for a specific note. Edit key velocity and start and stop times.
• A Mid-measure Clef Offset spacing, Hide Clef and Allow Vertical Drag options have been added to the Mid-measure Clef dialog box.
• Hide Clef has been added as an option to the Change Clef dialog box.
• Playback Controls have been resized to be smaller and also made easier to use.
• Break Tablature Lines at Numbers option has been added to the Document Options dialog box. This will allow you to have a little white space between the tablature lines and the tablature numbers.
• We added a simple Figured Bass library for chords called Figured Bass.lib.
• We’ve also added Engraver Font Libraries for Articulations and Text Expressions.
• Measures with Multimeasure Rests can now be resized using the Measure Attributes handle.
• Handles in the Chord Tool, Staff Expressions Tool, Score Expression Tool and Articulation Tool can now be selected by drag-enclosing, either one or a number. Also use Select All (Command-A) to select all of the handles available.
• General MIDI popup menus are now available in the Instrument Definition dialog box, the MIDI Tool–Set to Patch dialog box and Send MIDI Value dialog box, and the Text Expression and Shape Expression Designer dialog boxes.
• New From Template has been added to the File menu to allow you to easily access templates; either yours or Finale’s.
• Specify your Template folder and Temporary Files folder location in the Program Options dialog box.
• Underline Depth and Underline Thickness for PostScript settings are available in the Lines dialog box in the Document Settings submenu of the Options menu.
• Playback During Drag is now an option in the Speedy menu. Turn this item off to prevent playback when moving notes up and down in Speedy Entry.
• Double-click to select a barline in the Measure Attributes dialog box. The dialog box will automatically close with the barline selected.
• Use Up and Down arrows to move all the selected measures in the Mass Mover Tool to previous and next systems in the score.
• Lock and Unlock selected systems against reflowing with Update Layout. Icons show which staff systems are locked. Choose from the Mass Edit menu or use L to lock, and U to unlock the selected systems when you are in the Mass Mover Tool.
Icons show which systems have been locked either with the Lock command, Fit Music, or using arrows in Mass Mover Tool to move measures. Choose Show (Hide) System Locks in the View menu to turn on and off the display of the system locks.
• The “Do you want to Implode...” dialog box has been renamed to the Implode Music dialog box. The layout has also been improved and simplified.
• We’ve added additional sizes to the text menu for your convenience.
• Ignore Printer Margins for N-Up Printing option has been added to the Print Score dialog box.
• Finale will notify you after long edit actions are completed. To turn this option off deselect Chime When Edit Complete in Other Program Options dialog box.
• Increase or decrease the point size of selected text using Command-shift- . (period) and Command-shift- , (comma) keyboard shortcuts.
• Crop Marks, Registration marks and Registration filename can all be specified to print separately in the Print Score dialog box and the Print Parts dialog box.
• Internal Speaker Playback has been moved to the Options menu from the Playback Controls.
• Show Rulers in New Windows and Show Message Bar in New Windows have been moved to the Other Program Options dialog box from the Program Options dialog box.
• Send MIDI Value menu option has been moved from the MIDI Tool menu to the MIDI menu so it is always available.
• Settings are retained in the Print Score dialog box, Respace Staves dialog box, Playback Controls, and the Staff List dialog box.
• Contextual menu additions:
- Delete has been moved to the bottom of the contextual menus.
- Staff Handle: Select Clef, Edit Full Staff Name and Edit Abbreviated Staff
Name have been added.
- Measure Attributes Handle: Normal Barline, Double Barline, Final Barline,
Solid Barline, Dashed Barline, Invisible Barline, Tick Barline have been
added.
• Templates have been enhanced and upgraded.
- New TTBB template for four-part male voices has been added.
- The Articulation library has been updated with assigned metatool numbers
and letters.
- The Text Expression library has been updated with pizz. and arco for the
string templates as well as metatool numbers and letters. The dynamics
have been reordered from loudest to softest.
- Changed Conductor and Performance Time to score expressions and
assigned them to a staff list.
- Set Tuplet font to Times New Roman Bold Italic.
- Set “Display Left Barline on Single Staves” and “In C, Display Naturals at
Start of Staff System” to off.
- Set Beam Sep to 18 EVPUs, HM Beam to 0 and Max Slope to 12 EVPUs.
• Documentation Updates: Look for the on-line documentation submenu under the Help menu.
- Documentation has been slightly re-organized to account for the new
features. Plug-ins have been incorporated into the main documentation.
- Links are still denoted with underlines, but they are also a dark blue so they
should be a little easier to find.
- A new section about contextual menus was added to each tool which
contains contextual menus.
****This document is incomplete. To see the complete list of bug fixes, please see the ReadMe file installed with Finale 98.****
