How to independently adjust shapes which are created at shape designer??

[teweihuang]

Recently I am working on a contemporary score which has lots of new notations and markings, so I have to create new shapes through expression/shape designer. Although these shapes are inserted in different pages and places, they all change simultaneously when I adjust one. For example, when I adjust the shape size in page one, the same shape in page two and page three also changes. It is awkward because the shape may looks nice at page one, but they are neither too wide or narrow in other pages because the length of each measure is different. The only option I see is unlink parts but it doesn't work...


Anyone knows how to unlink the shape? Thanks...

[michelp]

Make copies of the original shape and modify the copy in the score.
Better : define a metatool for the original shape. Each time it is used, it creates a copy, which you can modify in the score without altering the original.

[Peter Thomsen]

… when I adjust the shape size in page one, the same shape in page two and page three also changes. It is awkward because the shape may looks nice at page one, but they are neither too wide or narrow in other pages because the length of each measure is different …

Obviously you can solve the problem by using duplicate copies of the shape (instead of using the same shape everywhere) - as michelp points out.

But there is also another option which may (or may not) solve your problem:

In the Expression Designer, in the pane Shape you there is the option
Allow Horizontal Stretching

A) When {Allow Horizontal Stretching} is selected, the shape will adjust its width according to the measure width.
Sometimes that is exactly what you need.
See the attached example.

Four-BarRepeats2014(Maestro).musx

(54.07 KiB) Downloaded 51 times

B) When {Allow Horizontal Stretching} is de-selected, the shape will behave like a font character (= will not stretch).
Sometimes that is exactly what you need.

[teweihuang]

define a metatool for the original shape. Each time it is used, it creates a copy

Do you mean directly duplicating the shape in the expression selection? Or changing the setting of the chosen shape so that each time it is used, it creates a copy? The second option makes more sense to me. However, I have no idea how to changing the original setting of the shape to create automatic duplication.

[teweihuang]

In the Expression Designer, in the pane Shape you there is the option
Allow Horizontal Stretching
A) When {Allow Horizontal Stretching} is selected, the shape will adjust its width according to the measure width.
Sometimes that is exactly what you need.
See the attached example.

B) When {Allow Horizontal Stretching} is de-selected, the shape will behave like a font character (= will not stretch).
Sometimes that is exactly what you need.

Thank you Peter. Since my score is very complicated, I have to modify each shape individually. For example, the length and width of dynamic/hairpin(showed below) have to be modified and fit into each phrase accordingly. These shapes are all different so I have to modify them one by one.

[michelp]

Create a metatool which calls the original shape (To create it : Shift+key of choice and select the shape; to apply it, hold down that key and click in the score).
As I said, each time you use the metatool, a copy is created which can be modified in the score.

[teweihuang]

Create a metatool which calls the original shape (To create it : Shift+key of choice and select the shape; to apply it, hold down that key and click in the score).
As I said, each time you use the metatool, a copy is created which can be modified in the score.

THANK YOU!
Now I can reshape each copy individually! It is also a convenient way to insert shape into score.

[Moran35]

Good morning everyone,
I am resuming the discussion on this post because it seemed to me to be the closest issue to the one I am encountering now.
I am dealing with a large score for piano and orchestra of contemporary music. Lots of particular symbols, including tons of crescendos and diminuendos dal niente.
I created the crescendos as Expression shapes and then used Michelp's advice throughout the score "Better : define a metatool for the original shape. Each time it is used, it creates a copy, which you can modify in the score without altering the original.”
I also copied the same crescendo (same shape) on different staves using alt+up arrow/down arrow.
As far as the score is concerned everything works perfectly, but now I have come to a very painful fork in the road: PARTS!
Now, as you can imagine, changing the horizontal length of a crescendo in one part will affect all the other parts and also the score (some of these shapes being the same shape).
Is there any way in your opinion to make the crescendos independent? A way to duplicate them globally so that changing the length of a crescendo in one part leaves the others in the other parts (and in the score) unaffected?
I hope I have explained myself clearly, and thank you in advance for your answers!