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Position dialog box

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How to get there

To set the global position for all full or abbreviated group names in your score, click the Staff Tool. Choose Full Group Name or Abbreviated Group Name from the Set Default Name Positions submenu of the Staff menu. The Position Full Group Name--Default or Position Abbreviated Group Name--Default dialog box appears.

To individually position a full or abbreviated group name, click the Staff Tool. Select a group handle. Choose Full Group Name or Abbreviated Group Name from the Position Names submenu of the Staff menu. Or, choose Edit Group Attributes from the Staff menu, then click the Group Name (or Abbr. Group Name) Position button in the Group Attributes dialog box. Or, option-shift-click a group handle. The Position Full Group Name or Position Abbreviated Group Name dialog box appears.

To set the position of a custom line text, click the Smart Shape Tool. Choose Smart Shape Options from the Smart Shape menu. Click Select next to Smart Line Style, then Create or Edit. Click Position. The Position Smart Line Text dialog box appears.

What it does

Use these dialog boxes to adjust the position of group names in relation to the group of staves—either globally or group-by-group; adjust either the full group name or its abbreviated name; or set the position of custom line text relative to the line. By default, Finale vertically centers all group names between the first and last staff in the group (the top line of the first staff and the bottom line of the bottom staff). A horizontal line indicates the center of the group.

Once you’re in this dialog box, you see the default group or staff name or custom line text displayed in the font and style you’ve selected as the initial font. Drag anywhere in the display area to move the text; place the text wherever you want it in relation to the beginning of the staff or line. Note that Finale measures the vertical distance from the top of the text.

Display area. Drag in the display area to adjust the position of the text relative to the staves or line.
Alignment: Left • Right • Center. From this popup list, choose how you want the text aligned, relative to the group of staves or line. The group handle that appears in the score will be placed on the left, right, or center of the name, depending on the alignment you select. When you change the alignment of a group name, Finale automatically updates the Justification drop-down list selection to match your selection. Since group names are most often single line names, you would generally want the justification (the placement of the text within a frame) to match the alignment (used for positioning and handle placement) you select.

These staff names are left-aligned (and left-justified).

These staff names are right aligned (and right-justified).

H: • V:. In these text boxes, you can precisely position the handle for the group names (or the individual group name), relative to the group of staves. The left barline of the staves is the point where H: is zero, so this value will almost always be a negative number. Finale automatically centers group names vertically between staves so the center is the point where V: is zero; the center is also indicated by the horizontal line between the staves in the display area.
Justification: Left • Right • Center • Full • Forced Full. This setting generally matches the Alignment setting (Left, Right or Center) for the group name, however, it’s provided for multi-line group names. (Position Smart Line Style Text does not have this option.)

From this drop-down list, choose how you want multi-line group names (or individual group names) justified. The longest line of text determines the width of the invisible text frame that surrounds group names. Choose Left, Right, Center, Full, or Forced Full from the Justification submenu to select how you want the text positioned in a frame. Choose Left or Right to place the text on the left or right edge of the frame, or choose Center to center the text between the left and right edges. If you want full justification, choose Forced Full to spread the text evenly between the left and right edges of the frame, including the last line if it contains two or more words. (Choosing Full for group names will left-justify each line, because each line is treated as the last line of a paragraph; choose Forced Full instead.)

Remember that Finale will automatically update the Justification popup list selection when you choose an option from the Alignment popup list.

Expand Single Word. Expand Single Word works with the full justification commands only; it affects the appearance of lines of text containing only one word. It currently has no effect for group names when you choose Full justification, since each line is treated like the last line of a paragraph. However, when Expand Single Word is selected and you choose Forced Full, Finale spreads the letters of single words on lines evenly between the left and right edges of the invisible frame. When Expand Single Word is not selected, all lines containing a single word are left-justified. (Position Smart Line Text does not have this option.)

When Expand Single Word is selected and you choose Forced Full justification, Finale spreads the text evenly between the left and right edges of the frame. In lines of text containing only one word, Finale spreads the letters of that word evenly between the left and right edges of the frame. When Expand Single Word is not selected, all lines containing a single word are left-justified.

Cancel • OK. Click OK to confirm the new position of the group names, or click Cancel to discard any changes you made to the group name positions. You return to the Group Attributes dialog box or to the score.