To open files from earlier versions of Finale or other MakeMusic products

From the File menu (or the Launch Window), choose Open. Navigate to the file. Double-click on the file. Finale opens and converts the older version’s document with a different name than the original file, keeping the older document as a backup. If you want to save the file using the same name, choose Save As from the File menu. For conversion issues, see below:

From Finale 2004 or earlier:

• The option “Stop on Total Passes” has been removed from the Backward Repeat Bar Assignment dialog box. During playback of files created in 2004 or earlier, backward repeat bars with this setting would stop after the specified number of passes instead of jumping to the target measure. When opening an older Finale file with this setting, in the Backward Repeat Bar Assignment dialog box for these repeat bars, the Target drop-down menu is set to “Measure #” and “-1” is specified in the text box. Playback after converting to Finale 2007 format or later is not changed.

From Finale 2003 or earlier:

• Expressions convert to the Finale paradigm established in version 2004. For Expressions, the positioning settings are applied to the Positioning tab of the Expression Designer.

From Finale 2002 or earlier:

• Tablature staves from documents created in Finale 2002 or earlier will continue to use the old paradigm of a one line staff for each TAB line. In addition, if you are using a document converted from Finale 2002 or earlier, tablature staves with alternate tuning that are added to the document with the Setup Wizard will revert to the Standard Guitar instrument. For information on working with staves in Finale 2003, see Tablature.

From Finale 2001 or earlier:

• Slurs will not be converted automatically to the new Engraver Slurs. See Smart Shape tool.

From Finale 98 or earlier:

• If you used Alternate Notation in a converted file, the appropriate Staff Style will be created. If you wish to use the pre-defined Staff Styles that came with your default file, such as transpositions and 1-line staves, you will need to load the Staff Styles library. See Staff styles.

From Finale 3.7 or earlier:

• If you use bitmapped fonts, converted files may display text items at a different point size than the original file. Finale 2002’s display of bitmapped fonts is limited to the actual point sizes installed in your system. We highly recommend the use of TrueType or PostScript fonts, which can be scaled to virtually any point size.
• Staff Names and Titles are considered text blocks in later versions. As a result, staff names and titles in files created in earlier versions of Finale will be converted to text blocks.

When converting text blocks, Finale will convert the text so it's unique for each text block. However, if the same shape is used, Finale will not duplicate the shape. Note that in Finale 2002, both the text and the shapes (Standard Frame or Custom Frame) are unique for each text block that you create.

The fonts selected in the Fonts portion of the Document Options dialog box for Text Blocks, Staff Names and Group Names will be used when the text block, or staff or group name is first created. Changing the font in Document Options-Fonts will no longer change the font used for all staff names in your document; nor will it change the first font used for text blocks in your document. To change a font, you must change the font in the document for text blocks created with the Text tool, or in the Edit Text window for staff and group names.

• The conversion routines go through great lengths to ensure that the position of text remains the same in converted files. This has the following implications for Text Blocks, Titles and Staff Names.

Text blocks are positioned differently starting with Finale 3.7. If you display the Frame Attributes dialog box, for a text block created in an older version of Finale, Position from Edge of Frame will be deselected. (This option is selected for text created with the new Text tool.) If you select this option for a converted text block, you will most likely need to adjust its position on the page.

Since titles are considered text blocks, Finale calculates the position of the title from the top of the name, using the specified font. Earlier versions (before 3.7) calculated the position from the baseline of the font. When converting files, Finale adjusts the values for the positioning of the titles to maintain their previous page positioning.

Since staff names are considered text blocks, Finale calculates the position of the name from the top of the name, using the font selected at the beginning of the name. Earlier versions (before 3.7) calculated the position from the baseline of the font.

When converting files, Finale recalculates the values for the default positioning of the staff names based on the font and point size selected in the Fonts portion of the Document Options dialog box. If alternate fonts or point sizes have been set for staff names, individual positioning for those staff names will be selected. This automatic calculation of positioning values, and the selection of individual positioning for names using the non-default font and point size, will maintain the correct position of staff names in your converted files.

From Finale 3.5 or earlier:

• Finale offers better support of stem to notehead connections--its ability to sense the width of the notehead, particularly for upstem notes, is enhanced. However, this enhancement may change existing stem connection settings slightly in newly-converted documents. In general, these changes should provide subtle improvements, but you should double-check the on-screen and printed appearance if you have concerns.
• Due to the improved stem to notehead connections, Finale may change the appearance of on-screen and printed “blank” noteheads (e.g., noteheads set to Petrucci's space character). If you have documents that use the space character (slot number 32 in the Symbol Selection dialog box) as a notehead, you should create a new stem connection setting for this notehead in the converted document by following the steps outlined below.

To fix "blank" notehead connections

1. From the Document menu, choose Document Options and select Stems. Make sure that Use Stem Connections is selected.
2. Click the Stem Connections button.
3. Click Create to display the Stem Connection Editor to create a new setting.
4. Click Select to display the Symbol Selection dialog box. Select slot number 32 (the space character created by pressing the spacebar), then click Select.
5. Enter a value of 24 EVPUs in the Upstem V: text box by typing "24 e" -- this automatically enters a value of 24 EVPUs regardless of the Measurement Units setting currently in use.
6. Click OK, then click Done, then OK. Your blank noteheads should now display properly.

• Finale may display certain unusual chords differently than earlier versions did. This depends on the setting of the Chord menu command, Simplify Spelling. Using this command, you can more easily specify some chord spellings in any key, such as a B sharp chord in C major. Formerly, Finale would “simplify” this spelling to C (a change made in response to customer requests very early in Finale's history). Now, Finale offers you the choice of simplifying or not simplifying these spellings. To ensure that your chords appear as they did in earlier versions, choose Simplify Spelling from the Chord menu, if necessary, so that a checkmark appears next to the command. For more information, see Simply Spelling in the Chord menu.
• Finale has another small change that may affect your document, both on-screen and in printout. Finale now displays chords and lyrics on notes hidden with Speedy Entry tool's O key; chords and lyrics attached to notes you've hidden in earlier versions' documents will now appear. If you do not want them to appear, delete these elements from the hidden notes.

From Finale 3.0 or earlier:

• Time Signature Libraries have been replaced by the Composite Time Signature dialog box.
• Output Route Libraries have been replaced with Instrument Libraries.

From Finale 2.2 or earlier:

• Shapes created in Finale 2.2 or earlier will appear in the new version but cannot be edited. If editing is required, replace the old shape with one you’ve created in the new Shape Designer.

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