Abbreviated staff names in staff styles

[mark carlson]

I'm trying to define a staff style that will allow me to display the abbreviated staff names in certain staves only in a group part, and all I get is the full staff name, which I don't want and which won't fit. The Staff Styles window has nothing in it about displaying abbreviated staff names only, but I am sure it must be possible.

Is there a way to do this?

Thanks,

Mark
OS 13.2
Finale 27.3

[motet]

The staff attributes have "show name", nothing about abbreviated or full. A staff style to turn that on where it's normally off seems to work for me (shown are the abbreviated names).

[mark carlson]

The staff attributes have "show name", nothing about abbreviated or full. A staff style to turn that on where it's normally off seems to work for me (shown are the abbreviated names).

Could that be a Mac/Windows difference? Attached is what I get.

It allows me to display "Staff name in parts", but the ends up being the full name, not the abbreviated name. I could change the name of each instrument to its abbreviated name, but then that's what will show up on the top of the page instead of the full name, which is what I want there. I just want to be able to show the abbreviated names in a few staves, just as you have them.

[motet]

Don't check "Abbr staff name." That's for if you want to change it, so you've changed it to nothing. Leave it unchecked to get whatever it is globally.

If you only want to show the staff name sometimes, uncheck "staff name in parts" in the staff attributes, and use the staff style to re-check it where applied. If you usually want to display in and only turn it off sometimes, do the reverse.

[mark carlson]

Don't check "Abbr staff name." That's for if you want to change it, so you've changed it to nothing. Leave it unchecked to get whatever it is globally.

If you only want to show the staff name sometimes, uncheck "staff name in parts" in the staff attributes, and use the staff style to re-check it where applied. If you usually want to display in and only turn it off sometimes, do the reverse.

What I want is exactly what you showed in your example: the abbreviated staff name on selected staves. If I uncheck "Abbr. staff name", I get nothing, as in the first attachment. If I check "staff name in parts" in defining a new staff style, I get the full names (oboe 2 and English horn), as in the second attachment, whereas I want Ob. 2 and EH instead in those places.

You were able to use abbreviated staff names on selected staves, as opposed to full staff names. That's exactly what I want to do, but I don't seem to be able to.

[motet]

Check the abbreviated names in the score manager.

[mark carlson]

Check the abbreviated names in the score manager.

I have, repeatedly. They are there, and they are correct. But the staff styles changes do not allow for choosing between "full name" and "abbreviated name", so I don't know what to do. You obviously did it, and I wish I knew how.

[Peter Thomsen]

mark carlson,

The terms “Full Staff Name” and “Abbreviated Staff Name” are misleading.

“Full Staff Name” means “Staff Name in System 1” (= the very first system in the document).
The “Staff Name in System 1” can be anything: a “full name” or some sort of “abbreviated name” - or whatever.

“Abbreviated Staff Name” means “Staff Name in Systems 2–∞”.
The “Staff Name in Systems 2–∞” can be anything: a “full name” or some sort of “abbreviated name” - or whatever.

Geddit?

[mark carlson]

Yes, I understand that and always have.

But the staff name that you can check a box to display is always "Staff Name in System 1", and that name is also populated at the top of the page of the part, should one use the "score/part" text insert. So if I set things so that I can use abbreviated names in place of "Staff Name in System 1", then the part name at the top of the part will be abbreviated, which I don't want.

In other words, if I want to have abbreviated names in only certain staves in the part, ie, staves that are *not* System 1—fine, I know how to do that, but I'll also end up with abbreviated names at the top of the page.

I don't understand why Finale does not allow setting Staff Styles that include "Staff Name in System 1" and “Staff Name in Systems 2–∞”, so you can opt for one or both. I guess it doesn't.

[Peter Thomsen]

mark carlson,

You do understand the difference between Staff Attributes and Staff Styles - right?

Take a good look at the attached Finale document (in v27 format).
The document is a score with two linked parts:
Oboe and English Horn.
Which means that there is a score and two linked parts.
Take a look at all three of them.

AbbreviatedStaffName.musx

(112.15 KiB) Downloaded 33 times

As Far As I Can Tell, I am unable to reproduce your problem.

If I misunderstand you, then I apologize.

[Peter Thomsen]

One more thing:

In the Staff Menu you can select
Show Staff Styles
and
Show Staff Style Names

which may be convenient, when you examine my attached Finale document.

[mark carlson]

I finally figured out how to do what I want, which I'll explain later, but first, in answer to your questions:

Yes, I absolutely do understand the difference between Staff Attributes and Staff Styles. I use them all the time!

I just looked at the score with two linked parts that you sent, and I don't think you understand what I am asking (and for all I know, I am misunderstanding what you sent, though I don't think so), which is this:

The attached part combines Oboe 2 and English Horn. Oboe 2 plays in both movements shown, but English Horn is tacet in the first movement. Because the Score/Staff Name Text Insert already identifies at the top of the page that this is the part for Oboe 2 and English Horn, I don't want full staff names attached to any staves in the part. What I do want is abbreviated names—Ob. 2; EH—on the indented staff of the first movement and all staves in the second movement.

My solution: I figured out if in "Define Staff Styles", I enter for both Full Staff Name and Abbreviated Staff Name the abbreviated staff name and check "Staff Name in Parts", I can get the abbreviated staff names on all of the staves I want them. It is necessary to check "Staff Names in Parts" in order to make this happen.

Mark