IWBNI there were a setting that could be used to specify the default horizontal space to be placed after mid-measure clefs independently of the specified minimum distance between items. As it is now, if the option Avoid Collision of Clefs is selected on the Music Spacing Options dialog box and music is respaced, mid-measure clefs are positioned so that the space after the clef is equal to the value specified in the text box Minimum Distance Between Items on the Music Spacing Options dialog box.

This could be implemented by adding the following controls to the Default Clef Change section of the Notation Options dialog box:

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Notation Options Dialog Box

Default Clef Change:

Space After a Clef Change that Precedes a:
   Barline: _____
   Accidental: _____
   Stemmed Eighth Rest: _____
   Other Stemmed Rest: _____
   Otherwise: _____
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If the option Avoid Collision of Clefs is selected on the Music Spacing Options dialog box and music is respaced, mid-measure clefs would be positioned so that the space after the clef would be Barline, Accidental, Stemmed Eighth Rest, or Other Stemmed Rest, if the first item that follows the clef is a barline, accidental, stemmed eighth rest, or a stemmed rest other than an eighth rest, respectively, and Otherwise for all other cases. In each case, the space after a clef would be measured as the horizontal white space that exists between the right edge of the clef and the left edge of the item that follows the clef, except for stemmed eighth rests, where the left edge of the stem would be used in place of the left edge of the rest.

Note: A multitude of options have been proposed because some prefer to have the amount of space used after a clef be a function of the type of item that follows the clef. For example, some prefer to use a smaller space after a clef that precedes an accidental. And some prefer to have the distance from a clef to the stem of a stemmed eighth rest be the same as that to the stem of a down-stemmed quarter note. For a related suggestion, see Suggestion 647: A Setting for the Default Minimum Space Before a Clef Change.

Note: The Offset text box in the Default Clef Change section of the Notation Options dialog box could be eliminated as the Barline text box could be used instead for the same purpose.

Created: July 14, 2000
Last Updated: July 16, 2000 (added options for cases barline, stemmed eighth rest, other stemmed rest)
Version: Finale 2000b