Editing the width of measures

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Pollik
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:25 pm

Post by Pollik » Tue Oct 20, 2009 11:42 am

Hi

This is my first post, so please be gentle!!

I am learning to use Finale 2009.

My problem is that the final measure in a short piece (18 measures) spans the whole with of the page...it looks a little odd, like that, so I am looking for a way to make the measure more narrow.

I have tried Fit Measures, which works up to a point (3 measure per line is too space out, 6 is too cramped).

I have tried using the measure tool and dragging the resizing handle - which works on every bar except the final one.

I have looked and tried Measure Attributes, but either the changing the width there had no effect or the results were pretty indescribable...I can't work out what figure to put in the width field or what units it uses.

I would welcome any offers of help. please?


Polly


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Peter Thomsen
Posts: 6601
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Finale Version: Finale v27.4
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:42 pm

Since the final measure spans the entire final system, you should adjust the width of the final system, not the width of the final measure.

Page Layout Tool.
Click on the final system to select it.

Page Layout menu > Systems > Edit Margins... (or go the faster way via the context menu)

By default the value for the right margin is zero. Change it to something else, and click "Apply".
You may have to experiment a bit until you find a right margin that suits your taste.
Tip: By default Finale is set to use "Inches" as Measurement Units. For layout work like this it's easier to use something smaller, e. g. "Points".

Instead of typing margin numbers in a dialog box you can also simply drag the system handle on the page.
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

peterqd
Posts: 110
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:43 pm
Finale Version: 26.3.1.520
Operating System: Windows

Post by peterqd » Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:43 pm

Hello Polly. What I usually try to do as first choice in this situation is to push the last measure up to the system above. Highlight the measure with the selection tool and press the up arrow key. Make sure you have Automatic Update Layout turned off in Edit > Program Options > Edit and choose Only Within Systems in the Reflow Measures box, otherwise any moves you make will be lost if the layout is updated again.

If this makes the music too tightly spaced in the bottom system, think about moving other measures up higher, but try not to split ties, slurs and hairpins if possible. If this doesn't work in your piece, you can increase the margin width of the final system as Peter described, but I feel this looks untidy and for me it's the final option.

peterqd
Posts: 110
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:43 pm
Finale Version: 26.3.1.520
Operating System: Windows

Post by peterqd » Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:48 pm

Peter Thomsen wrote:Tip: By default Finale is set to use "Inches" as Measurement Units. For layout work like this it's easier to use something smaller, e. g. "Points".
I completely agree Peter. I have used EVPUs since the very beginning.

Pollik
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 8:25 pm

Post by Pollik » Tue Oct 20, 2009 1:08 pm

Ah, I see now where my thinking was wrong.

Very many thanks for your help...problem solved!!



Polly

sPretzel
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 8:38 pm
Finale Version: Finale 2007
Operating System: Windows

Post by sPretzel » Tue Apr 30, 2019 5:34 am

My post is somewhat related to the title of this thread.
I am trying to replicate the widths of measures from one Finale file to another. My first problem is that I can't determine the width of the measures in the source file. My second problem is that even if I did, I can't seem to force the width of the measures in the destination file. How can I go about determining the exact width of measures in the source file and then enforcing them in the destination file?
This is for F2007 Win. Thanks.

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Peter Thomsen
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Finale Version: Finale v27.4
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Post by Peter Thomsen » Tue Apr 30, 2019 11:03 am

Since you are “trying to replicate the widths of measures from one Finale file to another”, you do not need to know the actual measure widths, you only need to replicate them.

I suppose that you are trying to replicate only the measure widths, but not the musical contents in the measures, right?

I suppose that you - for some reason I do not know - can not just open a duplicate copy of the source, and use that as destination, right?

What I would do:

1) Examine the formatting in the source:
What is the Page Scaling?
What is the System Scaling?
Is there any Staff Scaling? (probably not - unless the score is for solo instrument and piano where the solo staff is scaled down)

- and then use the same settings in the destination.
Beware that the settings may (or may not) differ from page to page, and from system to system.

2) Lock the each system in the destination with the same number of measures as in the source.
If e. g. the first system in the source holds 4 measures, then the first system in the destination should also hold 4 measures.

3) For each and every measure in the source examine its width:
Measure Tool.
Double-click the measure, to get to the Measure Attributes.

- and then use the same measure widths in the destination.
The actual width of a measure depends of (a) the measure width, and (b) the number of measures locked in the system.
Finale will distribute the total {width sum} of the system’s measures on the system’s width.

Geddit?
Mac OS X 12.6.9 (Monterey), Finale user since 1996

sPretzel
Posts: 165
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 8:38 pm
Finale Version: Finale 2007
Operating System: Windows

Post by sPretzel » Tue Apr 30, 2019 3:57 pm

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your detailed reply. Finale has given me so much headache today that I've almost forgotten what I was trying to do earlier and had to dive into it again after reading your reply.

-To answer both your questions, I think I actually started with the same source file, using it as the destination, but making slight modifications along the way like font size but also scaling. Now the page size is the same for source and destination. My understanding is that any scaling I am doing is vertical, not horizontal, and therefore should not affect measure width.

This part of your answer is of particular interest:
3) For each and every measure in the source examine its width:
Measure Tool.
Double-click the measure, to get to the Measure Attributes.

- and then use the same measure widths in the destination.
That's where I've been looking mostly to get measure width information. They are the same in both files but looking with the ruler, the measures are not positioned the same way horizontally. Maybe they are the same width though, I will have to look more in detail. But the fact that things have shifted throws me off. Perhaps the scaling is what is causing the havoc. I think I need a break. :|

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