IWBNI, for a given end-measure clef, there were options that could be used to specify the minimum horizontal space that is to be placed before the clef and the horizontal space that is to be placed after the clef when music is respaced with the option Avoid Collision of Clefs selected on the Music Spacing Options dialog box. Here, "end-measure clef" means a clef change that is placed just before a barline at the end of a measure. Such clefs are created by selecting the radio button Create a Clef Change at Beginning of Measure on the Change Clef dialog box. They are displayed before the barline of the measure in which the change is to occur or at the end of a system as a cautionary clef.

As it is now, if the option Avoid Collision of Clefs is selected and music is respaced, all end-measure clefs are positioned so that the minimum space before the clef is equal to the value specified in the text box Minimum Distance Between Items on the Music Spacing Options dialog box. The space after all end-measure clefs is equal to the value specified in the Offset text box in the Default Clef Change section of the Notation Options dialog box.

One may increase the amount of space before a given end-measure clef by performing the following steps:

1. For a given end-measure clef, temporarily set Percent in the Default Clef Change section of the Notation Options dialog box to a value that is larger than the desired value. For example, if 83% is the desired value to be used for end-measure clefs, temporarily increase the clef size to 119% or 144%. (Note: In the current version of Finale, the Offset text box on the Notation Options may not be used for this purpose because for large negative offset values, the clef will collide with music within the measure even when Avoid Collision of Clefs has been selected.)

 
2. Select the option Avoid Collision of Clefs on the Music Spacing Options dialog box.

 
3. Select the mass mover tool, select all measures in the system that contains the end-measure clef, and select the menu item Apply Note Spacing from the MassEdit>Music Spacing submenu.

 
4. Reset the clef size back to the desired value by using the Percent text box on the Notation Options dialog box. For example, if in step one the clef was changed from 83% to 144%, now change the size back to 83%.

This feature would allow to easily adjust the space before a given end-measure clef. Also, it would allow one to adjust the space after a given end-measure clef and would be useful for those who prefer to adjust such spaces as a function of the item that precedes the clef and the type of clef. Some allowance has been made for various special cases (e.g. accidentals and stemmed rests) in the global settings that have been proposed in the following related suggestions: Suggestion 647: A Setting for the Default Minimum Space Before a Clef Change and Suggestion 648: A Setting for the Default Space After a Mid-measure Clef. But, it would be impossible to anticipate all special cases and user preferences and even it it were possible, such allowances greatly increase the complexity of the global settings.

This feature could be implemented by adding the following controls to the Change Clef dialog box:

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Change Clef Dialog Box

Minimum Space Before Clef: _____ EVPUs
Space After Clef: _____ EVPUs
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These space settings would be used for a given end-measure clef, in place of Minimum Distance Between Items on the Music Spacing Options dialog box and Offset on the Notation Options dialog box, in the case when music is respaced with the option Avoid Collision of Clefs selected on the Music Spacing Options dialog box.

If a measure for which a clef change has been created is clicked, the Change Clef dialog box would be displayed as in the current version of Finale. The Minimum Space Before Clef and Space After Clef text boxes would be populated with the values that have been specified for the clef. Default values for these controls could be derived from global settings such as those proposed in Suggestion 647 and Suggestion 648.

Created: July 18, 2000
Last Updated: July 18, 2000
Version: Finale 2000b