Finale Scripts

Just a quick little post here about some of the tools we’ve developed here are Engraver’s Mark Music that we use everyday to increase our efficiency and lower the cost of all our services for our clients.

There can be so many repetitive tasks or functions in Finale that the ability to write a macro, or script, to handle some of these tasks becomes an extremely valuable tool and a major time saver.  The ones I want to share with you today are for calling up filters. We use these for copying elements into our templates or even in editing.

So, just a few simple scripts, for PC and Mac, that we use around the shop:
1. Copy score “architectural” elements into a template.  This copies basic structural elements from one file to another and is helpful when copying into a template

Mac:
edit filter click "none"
click checkbox "Expressions: Tempo Marks*"
check "barline styles"
check "key signatures"
check "repeats"
check "time signatures"
click "ok"

PC:
edit filter
click "none"
press "x"
press "k"
press "r"
check "barline styles"
check "time signatures"
click "ok"
selection tool


2. Copying individual staff elements (notes, rest, expressions, articulations, etc.)

Mac:
menu item "Edit/Edit Filter"
click "None"
click "Notes and Rests"
click "Markings"
click "Text" click "Tie alterations"
click "Always"
click "Staff Styles"
click checkbox  "Expressions: Tempo Marks*"
click "ok"
selection tool

PC:
edit filter
press "n"
press "o"
press "m"
press "x"
press "y"
press "l"
press "t"
press "w"
press "b"
button "ok"

Copy and paste these into FinaleScript, assign a keyboard shortcut if you wish and enjoy!
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We use dozens of other tools and scripts at Engraver’s Mark Music and we’re happy to share our knowledge.  We offer Finale tutoring sessions at $45 per hour. Send us a message and we’ll be happy to schedule a time to go over any questions you may have and help you develop new tools to make your workflow more efficient.