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Measure toolimage\Measure_Tool.gif

This tool allows you to define and edit measure numbering and edit measure spacing. (Add or delete measures with the Edit menu).

Using this tool, you can create different regions of measure numbering in your score. Each region can have a different numbering or lettering scheme; for example, you might letter the introductory measures A, B, C, and D, and then number subsequent measures beginning with 1, 2, 3, and so on. When you select Edit Measure Number Regions, the Measure Number dialog box appears, where you can define various parameters for the measure numbering in a region such as the font, positioning, enclosure shape (if any), and incidence of the measure numbers (how often they appear). See Measure numbers for full instructions.

When you click this tool, a handle appears on every barline; drag a barline’s handle (or drag within the measure) to make the measure wider or narrower. You can also double-click a measure to display the Measure Attributes dialog box, where you can specify a number of measure-specific parameters: the barline type, whether or not you want the key or time signature to appear, and so on. (See Measure Attributes dialog box for more information.)

If you’ve used the Music Spacing command on a measure, it displays two handles on the barline. If you click the second one, Finale displays a beat chart above the measure—a set of handles you can drag to change the horizontal positions of the beats in all staves at once. See Beat positions for full details.

Finally, if you’ve selected Allow Horizontal Split Points in the Measure Attributes dialog box for a measure, it displays three handles on the right barline. If you click the bottom handle, a special rectangle appears, in which you can designate permissible split points for the measure—places where Finale may break the measure over a system break if it’s too long to fit on the line; see Measures.

 

Note. Measure numbers will only appear in a staff when Measure Numbers is selected as one of the Items to Display in the Staff Attributes dialog box.

Tip. When you double-click a measure number handle, the Enclosure Designer dialog box appears displaying an additional button labeled Use Default Enclosure. When you first display this dialog box, the default enclosure set in the Measure Number dialog box for the region appears selected in the Enclosure drop-down list. Changing the shape or editing any other settings, means that the default enclosure is no longer used for the measure number. Click Use Default Enclosure to reset the enclosure and return to the document where the default enclosure, as defined in the Measure Number dialog box for this region, appears on the measure number.

 

Contextual menus are reached by right-clicking on the handle of an object. A contextual menu will be displayed where you can select various items. The Measure tool contextual menu is identical to the Selection tool context menu wen clicking measure regions.

Edit Measure Attributes

Opens the Measure Attributes dialog box where you can edit measures.

Barline submenu

Opens the barline submenu where you can select a new barline style.

Multimeasure Rest submenu

Opens the Multimeasure rest submenu where you can create, remove, or editmultimeasure rests.

Cut

Places the selected music on the Clipboard and simultaneously removes it from the document. See Edit/Cut.

Copy

Places a duplicate of the selected music on the Clipboard. See Edit/Copy.

Insert

Inserts whatever music you've cut or copied to the Clipboard between two existing beats or measures. See Edit/Insert.

Paste

Pastes whatever music you've cut or copied to the Clipboard to paste over (replace) the selected music in the target file. See Edit/Paste.

Paste Multiple

Opens the Paste Multiple dialog box where you can choose how many times you want to paste the source material.

Use Filter

Check Use Filter to use the settings in the Edit Filter dialog box while pasting.

Edit Filter

Opens the Edit Filter dialog box where you can select elements to include while pasting.

Move/Copy Layers

Opens the Move/Copy Layers dialog box where you can move and/or copy layers.

Clear All Items

Clears all items in the selected region.

Clear Selected Items

Clears all items in the region selected in the Edit Filter dialog box.

Transpose

Opens the Transpose dialog box where you can choose an interval to transpose the selected region.

Add Measures

Opens the Add Measures dialog box where you can choose the number of measures to add.

Insert Measure Stack

Opens the How Many Measures dialog box where you can choose the number of measures to insert.

Delete Measure Stack

Deletes the measure stack.

Key Signature

From this submenu, choose a key signature for the selected measure(s).

Time Signature

From this submenu, choose a time signature for the selected measure(s).

Clef

Opens the Change Clef dialog box where you can select a clef

Staff Style

From this submenu, add, edit, or define a staff style.

Repeats

With this submenu, create, edit, or remove repeats.

Edit Split Point

Displays a Split Point bar, which allows you to adjust the point at which the measure can be split across a system break.

Edit Beat Chart

Displays the Beat Chart, which allows you to edit the spacing.

 

See Also:

Main Tool Palette

Measure menu

 

 

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