Finale Forum

An articulation problem in printing: The tenuto mark with a dot prints fine when it is above the note, but when below, it won't *print* right; the dot is literally touching the line instead of having space between them.

It looks right on the screen, but when I print it out, either directly from my Finale file or from a PDF, there is no space.

What can I do to fix this? I had hoped updating to 27.4 would solve the problem, but it didn't.

I am attaching a printout directly from Finale with the problem articulations highlighted, and I am also attaching 2 pages of the Finale filed.

Mark Carlson
Mac OS 13.6.1
Finale 27.4

Your file prints OK on Windows. Hopefully someone with a Mac will try it.

motet wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 12, 2023 9:34 pm

Your file prints OK on Windows. Hopefully someone with a Mac will try it.

Thanks!

I wonder if it's actually a problem with my printer, though I have no understanding why it would print everything as it appears on screen except for that one symbol.

You said it occurs with PDF, too--have you looked at the PDF on the screen as well as actually printing it?

Also, you can use the Graphics Tool to export as PDF.

Could not hurt to try it.

Certainly worth trying. I recall other complaints about Mac print to PDF.

motet wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 12, 2023 10:07 pm

You said it occurs with PDF, too--have you looked at the PDF on the screen as well as actually printing it?

Yes, both the Finale file and the PDF look fine onscreen, which is why I wondered if there is something in the printing itself that is causing this to happen. It just seems odd to me that nothing else but this one character would print weird, when everything else prints fine. Definitely a mystery (to me, at any rate).

If I had to guess I would say it's something about the font being sent to the printer. The Mac does seem to have a lot of font problems.

Hopefully someone with a Mac will try it.

motet wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 13, 2023 4:06 am

If I had to guess I would say it's something about the font being sent to the printer. The Mac does seem to have a lot of font problems.

Hopefully someone with a Mac will try it.

Thanks! I hope it can be solved.

I printed your file directly from Finale and after creating a PDF via the "save as PDF" method - both printed exactly as expected to a Xerox 7800GX laser printer - no misalignment of the dots relative to the lines.

Mac OS Monterey, Finale 27.4 (with the most recent patch update from today)

Have you done the usual:
1. Delete Finale preferences
2. Shut down and restart your Mac
3. Re-install Finale from a fresh full install image (download it from your MM account)
4. Updated 27.4 to 27.4.1

I have so rarely had any issues with Finale, I'm not sure what else to try...

Is it possible you have duplicate copies of the Finale Maestro font installed? You can use the Font Book app to check.

I would suggest that you place the staccato dot in the staff and the tenuto above the staff, using 2 separate symbols. I think that placement is "standard practice". But only for pitches A, B and C. This might solve your problem in a roundabout way.

And while you're at it, fine tune some of those accidental positions - look at the 2 flats on the lower stave.

After having to set this aside for several months, I am happy to report that the problem has disappeared. I don't have any idea why, bit it's a big relief.

Thanks, everyone, for your help!

Well, damn it, I spoke too soon. It's fine on a couple of the inverted tenutos with dots, but mostly the problem is still there. I'm going to hope and assume that my publisher's printer will print it out correctly.