Why are expressions not note attached?

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Jay Emmes
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Post by Jay Emmes » Wed May 25, 2022 9:13 am

Wouldn't it make more sense, or rather: wouldn't it only make sense if expressions (and smart shapes when set to be note attached) were actually note attached instead of beat attached? They may seem to be note attached, that is: when you place them, they visibly attach to notes, but when you do, say, a rebar with a new time signature or a global change of note duration e.g., the expressions and smart shapes have left the notes they pretend to be attached to and end up in limbo somewhere — which rather renders the entire rebar or note duration change for a large part useless. As such there is hardly any meaningful difference between beat and note attached smart shapes, imo.

I don't know if this has been corrected in later versions of Finale (which my machine cannot run), but I doubt it very much.
Running Finale 25.4.1.163 in OS X 10.11.6


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ebiggs1
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Post by ebiggs1 » Wed May 25, 2022 3:22 pm

You do have some control in the Expression and Category Designer editor.
... rebar with a new time signature or a global change of note duration ...
Wouldn't you expect that would throw some things off a bit?
Finale 27.4.1 - Perfect Layout Silver - Note Performer 4.4 - SmartScore Pro 64 - Windows 11
President, The Shawnee Concert Band, Composer/Arranger, retired Music Teacher.

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Jay Emmes
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Post by Jay Emmes » Wed May 25, 2022 9:23 pm

If expressions and smart shapes were actually attached to notes, it should not throw anything off. Whether that note remains in the original measure or is moved to a next measure (because of the rebar cq. change of note duration), the expression/smart shape would still be attached to that particular note. As it is now, Finale claims these elements are note attached, but they really aren't and that at least throws me off, plus makes a rebar/note duration change virtually useless because these elements are all over the place but nowhere where they should be.

Perhaps I'm asking for something that is too hard to program, but in that case MM should have phrased the option "note attached" differently.

I'm not sure what you mean with "some control in the Expression and Category Designer editor", since I can't find such an editor (is that a new feature?). In the expression editor of version 25 there is no option to make an element truly attach to notes.
Running Finale 25.4.1.163 in OS X 10.11.6

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motet
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Post by motet » Wed May 25, 2022 10:19 pm

There used to be note-attached and measure-attached expressions. I think that changed with with beat-attached smart shapes, or maybe it was with expression categories, but I don't know why.

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ebiggs1
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Post by ebiggs1 » Thu May 26, 2022 2:36 pm

... "some control in the Expression and Category Designer editor", since I can't find such an editor ...
It is in the Expressions Selection, Edit>Positioning, where you do have some control but it isn't going to let you change it to note attached. There is also an editor in the Expression Selection, Edit Categories. (bottom left button)
Wouldn't you expect that would throw some things off a bit?
I meant you shouldn't be surprised it works that way. Not that is is right or wrong.
Finale 27.4.1 - Perfect Layout Silver - Note Performer 4.4 - SmartScore Pro 64 - Windows 11
President, The Shawnee Concert Band, Composer/Arranger, retired Music Teacher.

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Jay Emmes
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Post by Jay Emmes » Thu May 26, 2022 7:04 pm

Sorry, I misunderstood and thought the "Expression and Category Designer editor" was in fact one editor.
Running Finale 25.4.1.163 in OS X 10.11.6

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motet
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Post by motet » Thu May 26, 2022 7:17 pm

Not that is has a bearing on your problem of changing note values and having the expression stick with the note, which as far as I know can't be done.

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