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Dual monitor issue on Mac

Posted: Fri May 21, 2021 3:50 pm
by ccmthemusicman
I'm using Finale 26 on a 2017 iMac (macOS 10.15.7) and currently use two displays configured in an L shape to fit my desk. I've got an issue where whenever I start up Finale and occasionally when I wake my computer up from sleep with Finale already open, the tool palettes and playback controls will either appear on the display opposite of where the main Finale score window opens or they'll be randomly placed somewhere across my two displays AND invisible. So if I'm wanting to use Finale on the main computer display where my piano is located, I'll open Finale from the dock on that display, have the score window show up there, but the tool palettes will appear on the other display usually setup how I normally configure them. It's a simple fix, just drag the tool palettes or the score window to the other display, but it's incredibly annoying and happens EVERY time I open the program.

I'm guessing this is just an issue of poor Mac support as it's happened with every version of Finale I've used on Mac, but any help or advice would be appreciated!

Re: Dual monitor issue on Mac

Posted: Fri May 21, 2021 4:47 pm
by michelp
I also use 2 monitors, and I also experience daily problems with the loss of positioning of the palettes and windows, each time the screens go to sleep or if I restart the computer (Mac). It has been like that in all consecutive versions of Finale.
I contacted MakeMusic, but they couldn't identify nor solve the problem. Their suggestion about the parameters of "Spaces" (MacOs feature) didn't help.
Every day, several minutes of my time are getting lost in these readjustments (Especially the Playback Controls windows behaves very erratically).
Saving preferences doesn't help, either. Working with 1 monitor only is OK.
If anyone has a suggestion... Otherwise, let's hope that the upcoming Finale 27 will solve the problem, but I'm not holding my breath.

Re: Dual monitor issue on Mac

Posted: Sat May 22, 2021 12:13 pm
by Bill Reed
It might not be the suggestion you want, but don't let your monitor go to sleep

Re: Dual monitor issue on Mac

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2022 12:33 am
by michelp
I "resurrect" this topic to share an elegant solution I found, which functions via Keyboard Maestro (macro program for Mac) and was created by Michael McClennan (Finale Palette Mover : https://michaelmcclennan.com/macros/key ... ro-macros/).
You can program 6 positions of palettes ; the macros can reposition them with a key shortcut in 2 or 3 seconds, automatically, on the monitor I want (I have 2).
To finish up, I chained a macro to position the main window the way I like.
When the macro is completed, I'm ready to work. Really nice.
Video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNPuQufl-tY&t=98s

Re: Dual monitor issue on Mac

Posted: Mon Aug 29, 2022 9:50 pm
by duzzi
The "Finale Palette Mover" solution actually does not seem to work with Finale 27.2. The palettes are "left behind" when the main window is moved to the second monitor, and are still left behind when the Keyboard Maestro macro is fired. [The solution is also far from being elegant! You would need to buy Keyboard Maestro, download and install the macros, and then learn how to use the combo. It too me a while and I am VERY computer savy.]

But besides that, it goes without saying that this is a Finale problem. Why these problems are never fixed? It is incredibly annoying to be able to move the main window to a second monitor, but having the palettes stack in the first. It would seem like a trivial programming task to have main window and palettes to move together, but at least put a quick short cut to open/close the palettes ...

Re: Dual monitor issue on Mac

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2022 1:59 am
by duzzi
duzzi wrote:
Mon Aug 29, 2022 9:50 pm
The "Finale Palette Mover" solution actually does not seem to work with Finale 27.2. The palettes are "left behind" when the main window is moved to the second monitor, and are still left behind when the Keyboard Maestro macro is fired. [The solution is also far from being elegant! You would need to buy Keyboard Maestro, download and install the macros, and then learn how to use the combo. It too me a while and I am VERY computer savy.]

But besides that, it goes without saying that this is a Finale problem. Why these problems are never fixed? It is incredibly annoying to be able to move the main window to a second monitor, but having the palettes stack in the first. It would seem like a trivial programming task to have main window and palettes to move together, but at least put a quick short cut to open/close the palettes ...
Actually it does work, after a number of steps that involve setting the displays on separate spaces, but use only one space, move the macros to the other display, set up the alternate position there, etc etc.. Thankful that this sort of fixes it (one still needs two operations to switch monitor!). The cost is $36, for Keyboard Maestro, that is 1/3 of the cost of the Finale upgrade to make it work with two monitors ...

Re: Dual monitor issue on Mac

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2022 3:20 pm
by MikeHalloran
duzzi wrote:
Tue Aug 30, 2022 1:59 am
The "Finale Palette Mover" solution actually does not seem to work with Finale 27.2. The palettes are "left behind" when the main window is moved to the second monitor, and are still left behind when the Keyboard Maestro macro is fired. [The solution is also far from being elegant! You would need to buy Keyboard Maestro, download and install the macros, and then learn how to use the combo. It too me a while and I am VERY computer savy.]
Actually it does work, after a number of steps that involve setting the displays on separate spaces, but use only one space, move the macros to the other display, set up the alternate position there, etc etc.. Thankful that this sort of fixes it (one still needs two operations to switch monitor!). The cost is $36, for Keyboard Maestro, that is 1/3 of the cost of the Finale upgrade to make it work with two monitors ...
Some of us prefer to work with the current version.

Playback Controls window stays on my second monitor in 27.2 — don't recall if that was true in 26, too. Doesn't matter; I've moved on. I find that repositioning the other windows on my 2nd and 3rd monitors is a minor annoyance. I'll live.
But besides that, it goes without saying that this is a Finale problem. Why these problems are never fixed? It is incredibly annoying to be able to move the main window to a second monitor, but having the palettes stack in the first. It would seem like a trivial programming task to have main window and palettes to move together, but at least put a quick short cut to open/close the palettes ...
Compared to some other areas where shortcuts are necessary, this is way down on the list as far as many of us are concerned—certainly doesn't make my Top 10. I'm not a programmer or anything else for MakeMusic.

Have you put in a feature request? It won't make 27.3 as that is focused on integrating 8 of the JW plug-ins. Don't know if there will be a 27.4 but there might.

Re: Dual monitor issue on Mac

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2022 10:16 pm
by duzzi
Finale 27.2 became a necessity because 27 is not back-compatible with previous versions, and I have new students who use 27. Yes, I know one can go through musicXML ... that is another way to say that files are no longer compatible. It was time to retire my old computer, and a new 32" screen + my old Wacom 22" installed over the piano is very nice to work with ... now that I found a way around the palettes issue.

BTW. If anything 26 seems more "stable" than 27.2. My version (MAC M1) after just few days of use has been plagued by installation issues, playback going nuts with tempos, midi volumes disappearing to zero, and an instance in which measures were randomly inserted in a score when re-opening it! It would have been nice if they instead appeared with some music in it!

I am actually worried about JW getting into 27. They work perfectly as plug ins, we'll see what happens when they are integrated ...

Re: Dual monitor issue on Mac

Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2023 9:34 pm
by MikeHalloran
duzzi wrote:
Tue Aug 30, 2022 10:16 pm
Finale 27.2 became a necessity because 27 is not back-compatible with previous versions, and I have new students who use 27. Yes, I know one can go through musicXML ... that is another way to say that files are no longer compatible. …
Of course it is, same as 2014 — 26 in that you can save it as a Finale 2012 file through the Export menu. That said, I insist that me students keep up and run current versions.
I am actually worried about JW getting into 27. They work perfectly as plug ins, we'll see what happens when they are integrated ...
The integration of 8 JW plugs took awhile. The 27.3 beta testers made some very needed suggestions—some were not "perfect". We didn't get everything we wanted (never do) but it appears that MakeMusic actually listened to us and those included plug-ins are better.