The page size of the last page is not of the same size as the others

[Tomas E]

After changing the space between systems and updating the layout the last page is not of the same
size as the rest of the score. How do I fix this?

[motet]

This is because you adjusted the other pages manually with the Page Layout tool after setting the size in Document Options/Page format. When Finale creates new pages, it uses that. If you are finished adding music and formatting, just adjust the last one manually as well.

[Tomas E]

This is because you adjusted the other pages manually with the Page Layout tool after setting the size in Document Options/Page format. When Finale creates new pages, it uses that. If you are finished adding music and formatting, just adjust the last one manually as well.

If I remember correctly I had already changed the page size before making adjustments to the staff spacing using the Staff tool. But then, after increasing the staff spacing there had to be one more page in order to fit all measures. That last page was therefore added automatically and was for some reason vertically larger.

After having selected the Page Layout tool and gone into its menu I rediscovered the Redefine Pages options. I chose to redefine all pages, and that gave all pages the same size.

[motet]

...was for some reason vertically larger.

The reason is explained above.

Redefine Pages will give you the page size specified in Document Options/Page format, which is what was used for your Page 4.

[Tomas E]

...was for some reason vertically larger.

The reason is explained above.

Redefine Pages will give you the page size specified in Document Options/Page format, which is what was used for your Page 4.

Okay, thanks!
It means that it was the three first pages that got bigger instead of the last page getting smaller.

[BuonTempi]

This whole area is one that needs massive improvement in Finale. You can set the Page Format, but nothing happens until you Redefine the Pages.
You can change individual pages, and there's even an option to update Page Format to reflect those changes (presumably because you want to apply that throughout the document), but again, nothing happens to all the other pages that were previously 'following' Page Format.

In short, there's no connection between the settings and the pages. Why not have pages automatically set to whatever values are in Page Format, unless you've made a 'local' change? (So the only reason for Redefining the page would be to clear manual adjustments.)

You could probably do away with half the menus, and make it quicker, easier, and less confusing. How many times have people posted "Help! New pages are a different size!"?

[michelp]

Years ago, I suggested to Makemusic to include a Redefine Pages button/pop up menu (with the different options) in the Page Format -> Score window. This would save us time and prevent the common omission to Redefine Pages.
No reaction.

[motet]

It means that I was the three first pages that got bigger instead of the last page getting smaller.

You probably used the Page Layout tool to change those first three pages.

There is a menu option "Update Page Format" that is supposed to update the page format when you make changes in the Page Layout tool. If MM were to make that the default, that would save a lot of confusion. It must be a rare document that has different-sized pages!

[miker]

And I’ve asked this for years. Why shouldn’t additional pages retain the same sizes as the previous ones?

[BuonTempi]

And I’ve asked this for years. Why shouldn’t additional pages retain the same sizes as the previous ones?

If new pages just follow on from the previous page, then what are "Page Format settings" for?

The current behaviour -- of creating new pages based on Page Format settings, rather than 'whatever the last page happened to be' -- is the better one, in my view: but the problem is that there's no way of knowing whether the last page has departed from the 'global' settings.

The whole thing needs bulldozing and re-building from scratch. But MM will never do that: they'll just add more stuff over the top. And so we still have Staff Size and System Scaling, etc, etc.

[Tomas E]

It must be a rare document that has different-sized pages!

Indeed!