1st and 2nd repeat signs in Finale 2003 (no snickers, please)

[Jasmine123]

Hi, everyone

I searched in my Finale 2003 Help for info on 1st and 2nd repeat signs in Finale 2003 (no snickers, please).

If someone can answer where (in what Tool -- and the exact wording of the option) I am able to specify the number of measures of the first ending, I would appreciate it.

My manual mentions "Plug-ins", but I have no knowledge of plug-ins.

[Peter Thomsen]

I honestly do not recall, what features were available in Finale 2003.

The Plug-ins menu should have an icon to the right of the Tools menu.

Regarding the Finale plug-ins I can only suggest that you pull down the Plug-ins menu, and explore the menu and its sub-menus.

Among the Finale plug-ins there once upon a time was a Repeat plug-in which (If I Recall Correctly) could create 1st and 2nd endings.

In later Finale versions there is a {1st & 2nd Ending} utility in the Repeat menu.


Never mind.
A plug-in only does things you can do yourself, “manually” (the plug-in just does it faster).

In this example let us say that you need a 1st Ending of 3 measures.
Disclaimer:
These instructions are for more recent Finale versions.
Finale 2003 may be different.

You will need to add three repeat items, two for the 1st Ending, and one for the 2nd Ending.

1) In the first measure of the 1st Ending, add an Ending:

2) In the last measure of the 1st Ending, add a Back Ending:

3) In the first measure of the 2nd Ending, add an Ending:

[ebiggs1]

My manual mentions "Plug-ins", but I have no knowledge of plug-ins.

And, you are checking your 2003 manual?
I have a question, is there a reason you don't upgrade to 27.4? It is a well worth it upgrade and has a First and Second endings tool that does this automatically.

[motet]

Select the measures you want in the first ending before creating the ending. Finale has always worked this way as far as I know. Here it is in Finale 2004

[Jasmine123]

My manual mentions "Plug-ins", but I have no knowledge of plug-ins.

And, you are checking your 2003 manual?
I have a question, is there a reason you don't upgrade to 27.4? It is a well worth it upgrade and has a First and Second endings tool that does this automatically.

The ans. as to why I haven't upgraded: My understanding is that Coda Music/Make Music no longer "has a forum" for Finale, and, in the past, I relied on their forum. Then there's the "normal amount of trepidation" I have in adding a new piece of software -- because of possible (negative) interaction with other programs or the operating system on my computer. (It's not a matter of money.)

Thanks to Peter Thomsen, ebiggs1, and motet for their remarks.

[ebiggs1]

Then there's the "normal amount of trepidation" I have in adding a new piece of software --

Not to beat a dead horse but you can d/l the 27.4 demo and test it out. Its free and can be uninstalled if you find it isn't all that you hopped. It can be installed along side of your current version which both can coexist. It will ask you if you want to keep your old version.

BTW, Make Music does have a forum.

[motet]

There are several good reasons to upgrade, but being able to make first and second endings isn't one of them--Finale 2003 has that, and it hasn't fundamentally changed.

[BuonTempi]

The ans. as to why I haven't upgraded: My understanding is that Coda Music/Make Music no longer "has a forum" for Finale, and, in the past, I relied on their forum.

The MakeMusic forum was closed in 2017. This forum (which you joined in 2005!) has been the 'spiritual successor' ever since. And there is also MM's own "Help Center", though there's often little response from other users (pace Mike R!), and none from MM staff.

Then there's the "normal amount of trepidation" I have in adding a new piece of software -- because of possible (negative) interaction with other programs or the operating system on my computer. (It's not a matter of money.)

Keeping everything up-to-date is usually the easiest and least troublesome path. Updating the OS while keeping old applications (or vice versa) is often where the trouble lies, and the trouble increases as the gap gets wider. (Are you still running 20-year-old OS and hardware?) Windows does have good backward compatibility; but things do break, and MS does deprecate and remove old code features (though not as ruthlessly as Apple).

You can expect support from MM for the current version (or two) -- including direct requests for help -- and if there are any problems with the software, then they may release an update to fix it. You won't get that for 20-year-old software; and you won't find many other people with similar experiences to help you.

The upgrade price is very small. You will find that LOTS has changed, and you'll need to learn all the things that are different. Again, that's much easier to do in little chunks with each update.

My manual mentions "Plug-ins", but I have no knowledge of plug-ins.

There's a plug-ins menu, under which you'll find a host of utilities. I'm quite surprised you've never found this, or had cause to use it, in 20 years!

[ebiggs1]

... but being able to make first and second endings isn't one of them...

I don't believe I mentioned that as THE reason to upgrade! No need to repost BuonTempi's excellent reasons, though.

[motet]

It is a well worth it upgrade and has a First and Second endings tool that does this automatically.

[Jasmine123]

<<You will find that LOTS has changed, and you'll need to learn all the things that are different.>>

Okay, and maybe a feature I desired is included in the present Finale: the ability to "copy and paste" page layouts for a "certain page" in the score. Let's say that "page 2 of a score" has page layout settings that I would like to use in a page that is subsequent to pages already in the score (pages just "created", for example). Does this make sense?

In other words, I would like to be able to use a page layout that is already in the score -- in a subsequent page (one that was "added" to a score, for example).

(There's a feature in Microsoft Word called Format Painter by which already-existing "text features" in one part of a document are "pasted" on another part of the document.)

[ebiggs1]

It is a well worth it upgrade and has a First and Second endings tool that does this automatically.

You can never discount motet from making a mountain out of a hill.

Let me clarify it for you. "It is a well worth it upgrade." "Plus it has a First and Second endings tool that does this automatically."

[ebiggs1]

... the ability to "copy and paste" page layouts for a "certain page" in the score.

You might look at RPG Copy Page Layout plugin.

[Jasmine123]

Okay, thanks, guys!

I'm looking forward to using your suggestions/ideas soon.

Jasmine123

[BuonTempi]

You will find that LOTS has changed, and you'll need to learn all the things that are different.

Okay, and maybe a feature I desired is included in the present Finale: the ability to "copy and paste" page layouts for a "certain page" in the score.

Of course, you will also find that a considerable amount hasn't been improved, these last 20 years....

[motet]

As my profile shows, I still keep 2005 around to occasionally tweak old files. I'm certainly no Finale cheerleader, but I would say things are much improved since then; off the top of my head: the elimination of the Mass Edit tool in favor of the Selection tool, the Score Manager, linked parts, expression categories, the JW plug-ins.