Chord Suffix Palette

[jhelsley]

I’m trying to standardize my chord palette. After much editing for nomenclature, placement in the palette (based on frequency of use), font, size, etc., things are a little more the way I need them. However, when I save this library, and try to open it in a new document, the fonts and sizes aren’t right, and my edited suffixes are buried deep in the palette. Suggestions?

[Peter Thomsen]

We need more info.

I suggest that you attach a (small) Finale sample document with your preferred suffixes.

Then we can open your document, and try to reproduce the problem.

[jhelsley]

Yes, thanks. Here are examples:

Thank you for the help!

[Peter Thomsen]

… when I save this library, and try to open it in a new document, the fonts and sizes aren’t right, and my edited suffixes are buried deep in the palette …

I took a look at your two attached Finale documents.

As Far As I Can Tell, the two documents contain the same 200 suffixes, just not in the same order.

I can not find any examples of changed fonts or changed sizes.
However, there are several copies of the same suffix, where the different copies have different fonts/sizes.

[jhelsley]

Interesting...thank you for taking the time to look. The screenshots I posted are from the two documents, are you saying that it didn't look like that when you opened it? They are pictures of the same suffixes, but the triangle is a different font, and the half-dim symbol is a different size. (Sorry, to clarify: they are pictures of the same suffixes in the two different documents).

[jhelsley]

Additional differences

[michelp]

A reminder : loading a new library adds its components under the existing ones. So, don't forget to delete all the elements of the existing library of a document before loading your own library.

[Peter Thomsen]

OK, I see what you mean.

To me it looks like the “import” document is corrupted.

I would not trust this document, and I would not import a library into this document.

Try importing your library into the attached, empty document, and tell me how it goes.

I suspect that you will not experience any changed fonts/sizes.

[Peter Thomsen]

By The Way:

In your attached document “Preffered Template.musx” you have three copies of the suffix 7 and they do not all have the same font/size.
I wonder why?
The three copies are located in the suffix slots #1, #105, #106.

Also, in slot #107 you have a “differently looking” m7 suffix.

[jhelsley]

Interesting...thank you for the document. I opened and saved as "Empty 1." All suffixes are fine. The document you suspect to be corrupt was created with the "Setup Wizard"? How is it possible that it is corrupt? As for the various "7's," I'm assuming those are vestiges of older palettes that I hadn't deleted?

So, does the "Setup Wizard" play a role in all this?

[Peter Thomsen]

Interesting...thank you for the document. I opened and saved as "Empty 1." All suffixes are fine. The document you suspect to be corrupt, was created with the "Setup Wizard"? How is it possible that it is corrupt? …
So, does the "Setup Wizard" play a role in all this?

The document I attached as “Empty.musx”, was created from a “Document Without Libraries” (File menu > New > Document Without Libraries).

Unlike documents created from templates the “Document Without Libraries” is created from the (hardwired) Finale program code.
Hence it is unlikely that a new, fresh Document Without Libraries is corrupt.

On The Other Hand, the Document Setup Wizard creates new documents from templates (= already existing Finale documents which may have become corrupt over time).

The templates the Wizard uses, are called Document Styles.
They reside in your user account in a (hidden) folder called Document Styles.
To see the folder Document Styles, from the Finder, hold down Option, and go to
Go menu > Library (your user account’s Library folder is usually hidden)
Path from the Library folder:
~/Library/Application Support/MakeMusic/Finale/Music Files/Document Styles

I attach the Jazz Font template from my own Document Styles folder.
I believe that it is not corrupt.
You could try replacing your template with my template, and see whether that helps.

Handwritten Style (Jazz Font).musx

Disclaimer:
I do not recall whether I have modified the template.
You should check whether the document settings (line thicknesses &c.) are, as you need them.

… As for the various "7's," I'm assuming those are vestiges of older palettes that I hadn't deleted? …

Yes, you are right.

Before you save a chord suffix library with your custom suffixes, you should probably go through the 200 suffixes in your document, and delete all the suffixes you do not need.
You can select multiple suffixes before you click the Delete button.

[jhelsley]

Ok, one more complication: When I open the Empty doc, no libraries that you posted, then add the library, it's fine. If I create a new doc, no libraries from the File menu, it's messed up?

[Peter Thomsen]

If I understand you correctly, you are trying to create a fresh, new Document Without Libraries, and use that document with the Jazz font as Default Music Font, right?

Open the Empty document I posted, and go to
Document menu > Set Default Music Font…

In the top of the Font window you will see this:

Font.jpg

By default a Document Without Libraries is set up with the Maestro font as the document’s Default Music Font.

In Other Words:
As the first step for a Document Without Libraries with the Jazz font you must set the document’s Default Music Font to the Jazz font.
Then, in a later step, you can load a library (e. g. your chord suffixes) into the document.

Did you try the document “Handwritten Style (Jazz Font).musx” I attached in my previous post?