Text blocks

1. Choose the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Double-click the document window where you want to place text. The editing frame appears, with a flashing cursor to indicate the insertion point.

   A single dashed line indicates that the frame will expand vertically and /or horizontally as you type.

3. Type the text directly into the score without dragging to create a frame. Press RETURN to start a new line. The frame expands horizontally and vertically to accommodate the text you enter.
   
   

1. Choose the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Double-click the document window, and drag to create a rectangle to accommodate your text. An editing frame of the size you create appears, with a flashing cursor to indicate the insertion point. The placement of the insertion point—left, center, or right—depends on the Justification option(s) selected in the Text menu.
   
   

   A double dashed line indicates that the frame is a fixed size; it will not expand as you type.

3. Enter the text you want displayed. The words wrap when you reach the side of the frame.

   The placement of the text within the frame—left, center, or right—depends on the Justification option(s) selected in the Text menu.

4. To resize the frame to accommodate additional text, drag the side of the frame to the desired size.

1. Choose the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Double-click a text block handle. The editing frame appears around the text.
3. Click within the selected text block to edit the text. The insertion point appears where you click.
4. To change the character of text block settings, select some text and use the commands in the Text menu.
5. Choose Text > Frame Attributes and change the Alignment and Positioning options to adjust the positioning of the text block.

Finale doesn't retain the tabs or character formatting if you import text from another word processor, but the text itself will transfer.

1. In your word processor, select the text. Choose Edit > Copy (or press COMMAND+C).
2. Open your Finale document.
3. Choose where to paste the text:
   • To paste the text as lyrics, choose the Lyrics tool so the Lyrics window appears, then press COMMAND+V. The lyrics currently on the clipboard appear in the Lyrics window.
   • To paste the text into a text block, click the text block for editing and press COMMAND+V.

1. Choose the Text tool .
2. Select a text block handle or drag-enclose to select a group of handles and press DELETE.

1. Choose Document > Document Options and select Fonts. The Document Options - Fonts dialog box appears.
2. From the Text popup menu, select Text Block and click the corresponding Set Font button. The Font dialog box appears, in which you can select the font you want to use for your text blocks.
3. Click OK twice to return to your document. Any new text you create with the Text tool will use the font you selected.

1. Choose the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Click a text block handle and choose Text > Frame Attributes. Or, SHIFT+double-click a text block handle. The Frame Attributes dialog box appears.
3. Under Attach to, select Page.
4. Select an item from the popup menu.
   • Choose Single Page to show the text block on one page only.
   • Choose All Pages to show it on every page.
   • Choose Left Pages or Right Pages to show it on left or right pages only.
5. Set the page range:
   • Enter the numbers of the pages where the text block will appear.
   • To show the text block on a single page, enter the page number in the first page text box.
   • To display the text block through the end of the piece, enter zero in the second text box, or leave the text box empty.
6. Use the other settings to adjust the text block’s position in the score and click OK to return to the document.

1. Choose the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Click a text block handle and choose Text > Frame Attributes. Or, SHIFT+double-click a text block handle. The Frame Attributes dialog box appears.
3. Under Attach To, select Measure and type the measure number where you want the text block assigned in the text box.
4. From the Staff popup menu, choose the name of the staff you want associated with the measure-assigned text block. Finale aligns and positions the text block in relation to this staff.
5. Use the other settings to adjust the text block’s position in the score and click OK to return to the document.

If a standard frame is set for a text block (Text > Standard Frame is selected), you can resize the text block on-screen by dragging its frame. If you’re using a custom frame for a text block (Text > Custom Frame), see To resize a custom frame below.

1. Choose the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Double-click a text block handle. The editing frame appears around the text.
3. Drag any side of the frame to stretch the shape.

As in previous versions, custom shapes may be used for more than one text block in the score. If the shape is used elsewhere, changing the shape for one text block will change all occurrences of the shape in the score.

1. Choose the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Click a text block handle, then choose Text > Custom Frame. The Custom Frame dialog box appears.
3. Click Select.
   • If a shape was already selected for the custom frame, the Shape Designer appears.
   • If no shape was selected, click Create in the Shape Selection dialog box.
4. Resize the shape in the Shape Designer.
5. Click OK or Select until you return to the Custom Frame dialog box, where you can see how the text flows into the selected shape.
6. When the text flows into the frame the way you want it to, click OK to return to the document.

1. Choose the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
2. Drag one or more text block’s handle to adjust its placement in the score.

1. If you're not already in Scroll View, choose View > Scroll View.
2. Choose the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
3. Click a measure-assigned text block handle, then choose Text > Frame Attributes. Or, SHIFT+double-click a measure-assigned text block handle. The Frame Attributes dialog box appears.
4. Under Alignment and Positioning, set the positioning:
   • Enter a value in the H text box for the distance to position the text block horizontally from the upper-left of the staff associated with the measure. A larger value moves text to the right; a smaller value to the left.
   • Enter a value in the V text box for the distance to position the text block vertically from the upper-left of the staff associated with the measure. A larger value moves text down; a smaller value up.
5. Click OK to confirm your settings and return to the document.

When you change the horizontal or vertical page alignment, Finale clears any manual positioning that was done in the score, and resets the H: or V: settings, respectively, to the new position.

1. If you're not already in Page View, choose View > Page View.
2. Choose the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
3. Click a text block handle, then choose Text > Frame Attributes. Or, SHIFT+double-click a text block handle. The Frame Attributes dialog box appears.
4. Use the Alignment and Positioning settings to position the text block.
   • From the Horizontal popup menu, choose Left to place the text block on the left edge or margin of the page; choose Center to center it between the left and right edges or margins; or choose Right to align it on the right edge or margin.
   • From the Vertical popup menu, choose Top (Header) to place the text block on the top edge or margin of the page; choose Center to center it between the top and bottom edges or margins; or choose Bottom (Footer) to align it on the bottom edge or margin.
   • From the Position From popup menu, choose Page Margin to have Finale calculate the text block’s position starting from the page margin; or choose Page Edge to have Finale measure the text block’s position starting from the edge of the page.
   • Enter values into the H and V text boxes for the distance to position the text block horizontally and vertically on the page, respectively.

   The Horizontal, Vertical, and Position from options in the Alignment and Positioning group box are only available when you select Attach to: Page. When Attach To: Measure is selected, these options are not available, because a text block assigned to a measure only appears on the page containing that measure.

5. Click OK to confirm your settings and return to the document.

If you’re using running headers or footers in your score, you might want to position a text block in the header or footer near the “outside” edges or margins (the left or right edges, respectively) of each left-facing (even-numbered) or right-facing (odd-numbered) page, as opposed to always positioning the text block in the same place on every page. This is easily done using special positioning settings for right-facing pages in the Frame Attributes dialog box; follow the steps outlined here.

1. If you're not already in Page View, choose View > Page View.
2. Choose the Text tool . The Text menu appears.
3. Click a page-assigned text block handle, then choose Text > Frame Attributes. Or, SHIFT+double-click a page-assigned text block handle. The Frame Attributes dialog box appears.
4. Use the Alignment and Positioning settings to position the text block on every page in the selected page range. See To position page-assigned text blocks (Frame Attributes dialog box), above.
5. Under Right Page Alignment and Positioning, select Use Right Page Positioning.
6. Use the following settings to place the text block differently on right-facing (odd-numbered) pages:
   • From the Horizontal popup menu, choose Left to place the text block on the left edge or margin of the right-facing page; choose Center to center it between the left and right edges or margins; or choose Right to align it on the right edge or margin.

     Finale resets the H setting to zero so that the left, right, or center of the text block is aligned horizontally with the page edge or margin.

   • Enter values into the H and V text boxes to position the text block horizontally and vertically on right-facing pages, respectively.
7. Click OK to confirm your settings and return to the document.