IWBNI there were an accidental locus-selection special tool that could be used to specify that a given accidental should be positioned automatically above (or below) the staff and the affected note.

This feature could be used, for example to automatically position an editorial accidental above the staff and affected note in a modern edition of an early music score. As it is now, such accidentals may be indicated and positioned automatically by using an articulation that looks like an accidental and is attached to the affected note. However, such pseudo-accidentals will not be adjusted automatically if the part is transposed.

When the accidental locus-selection special tool is selected a handle would be displayed on each notehead. For a given note, the accidental could be placed to the left of the notehead, above the staff and notehead, or below the staff and notehead. To cycle through the possible loci for the accidental of a given note, one would click the handle on the notehead, repeatedly.

Also, the following controls could be added to the Music Options dialog box:

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Music Options Dialog Box

Accidental Loci:
1. Left of Notehead: Space Between Accidental and Note: _____
2. Above Staff: H: _____ V: _____
3. Below Staff: H: _____ V: _____
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The control Space Between Accidental and Note would be the same as the existing control of the same name on the Music Options dialog box in the current version of Finale. The H control for Above Staff and Below Staff would be used to specify the horizontal position of the accidental, relative to the horizontal center of the notehead. The V control for Above Staff (Below Staff) would be used to specify the vertical position of the accidental, relative to the top (bottom) staff line or the top (bottom) of the notehead or stem in the case when these elements are above (below) the staff.

Created: April 29, 2000 (based on a submission from Johnson Flucker)
Last Updated: April 29, 2000
Version: Finale 2000b