IWBNI it were possible to specify that the space that is placed after music within measures should be a function of the trailing item of music (e.g. slurs and ties). As it is now, the amount of space placed after music is specified using Space After Music on the Music Options dialog box. The space is not a function of the trailing item.

Offsets could be used to prevent ties and slurs that are attached to the last note of the last measure of a system from being ultra-short in the case when the duration of the last note is short (e.g. a 1/16th note or less).

This feature could be implemented by adding the following controls to the Music Options dialog box:

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Music Options Dialog Box

Offsets for Space After Music
 

Trailing Item of Music	Offset to Space After Music (EVPUs)
	Last Measure of System	Other Measures
Slur (beginning at last note)	12	0
Tie (beginning at last note)	18	0
Slur and Tie (both beginning at last note)	18	0

Use Offsets when Duration of Last Note is Less Than or Equal To: _____ EDUs (default: 256)

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The specified offsets would be used only for durations that are less than or equal to the duration specified in the control Use Offsets when Duration of Last Note is Less Than or Equal To.

The specified offsets would be used in the following way:

Case 1: Single-Staff System

To calculate the amount of space that is to be placed after music in a given bar when the bar is in a system that contains one staff, the following steps would be used. The trailing item of the bar would be identified and the offset for the item would be obtained from the table. If a cell in the table is blank the offset would be zero. If the trailing item of the music in a given bar is not listed in the table, the offset would be zero. The offset would be added to the specified Space After Music on the Music Options dialog and the resulting amount of space would be placed after the music.

Case 2: Multiple-Staff System

To calculate the amount of space that is to be placed after music in a given bar when the bar is in a system that contains several staves, the following steps would be used. First, the amount of space required for each staff would be calculated as in the single-staff system case. The space used for all staves would be equal to the maximum of the space calculated for each staff.

Created: March 31, 2000
Last Updated: March 31, 2000
Version: Finale 2000b