Finale Forum

Hello,
I would like to put a double dot next to a note. I followed the user's manual, but it doesn't work. They say to press the dot on the numpad, but I have a macbook only, and the usual dot (maj + doesn't do the job. how can I do ?

Your Macbook doesn't have a period? Hard to believe.

In Simple entry, pull down the menu and look at Simple Edit Commands/Change Duration and it will show you the keyboard equivalent for an augmentation dot.

It’s the period key. Tap it twice to double dot a note.

Of course my macbook has a period, but when the note is selected, if I press the period key, no dot appears.

Found ! The keyboard short cut in the user's manual are wrong for laptop (even the laptop set section). The right answer is maj + :
It makes your cursor as a dot, with which you will click on a note to augment its duration. What an awful process to discover for such a simple thing !

Are you using a US keyboard?

Did you try what I suggested above, looking at the menu? There's got to be a keyboard command to add a dot without using the mouse.

On my UK keyboard (only slightly different from a US one), if immediately after a note value is entered full stop (period) is pressed twice you get a double dot, three times a triple dot (as in Bruckner) or even four times for a quadruple dot. Finale will then calculated the space and layout to suit. Alternatively place the cursor in the horizontal position of the note to be double-dotted and press full stop in the same way to get the same result.

Is that how you are doing it?

Rachmaninov,

You refer to maj+: as the shortcut. What is maj?

It may perhaps be a question of ‘which language?’, although I can't immediately think of one in which the English control, option (alt) or command is translated as maj.

Maj stands for Majuscules (French) and is the equivalent of Shift.

Thanks, Michel. Could his issue be with a French keyboard?

Yes, maybe (or is it another language ?), and the fact that it is a MacBook Pro.
I have an extended AZERTY keyboard, French MacOs, and in Speedy, the dot on the numeric keypad works fine : it produces all the dots needed.
But on the main keyboard, it produces.. a grace note (like ; or G).
P.S. : Shift + : doesn't do anything on my main keyboard.

P.S. 2 : on the Mac, Keyboard Maestro seems to be able to activate keys on a missing keypad. A substitute keyboard shortcut can trigger them. Maybe a solution ... ?
 

michelp wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 06, 2020 3:04 pm

Maj stands for Majuscules (French) and is the equivalent of Shift.

I certainly should have realized that: getting old, I fear!

Rachmaninov wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:34 am

It makes your cursor as a dot, with which you will click on a note to augment its duration. What an awful process to discover for such a simple thing!

I still don't understand this. Look here, where it should show you which keyboard key to press (no clicking involved) for your version.

Since he never answered the question about what keyboard he is using, I see no reason to speculate further.

We help those who help themselves.

Thanks everybody. I'm sorry to see that I didn't answer some questions. Yes I have a french keyboard. And the "maj" is the "shift" key indeed.
Thanks again for your help.

Mat