Smart Shape menu
How to get there
Choose the Smart Shape tool . The Smart
What it does
The Smart
- Slur Contour. Choose this command to display the Slur Contour dialog box, where you can specify the default height and contour of measure-based and note-based slurs. Note that these settings only apply to slurs you are about to create. You can change Slur Contour settings at any time without affecting existing slurs.
- Smart Shape Placement. Choose this command to display the Smart Shape Placement dialog box, where you can specify how a slur, glissando and tab slide will appear in relation to a note. These settings apply to the endpoints of shapes you are about to create. They will also apply to endpoints of similar types of shapes in the score if those endpoints haven't been manually adjusted. Once you manually adjust an endpoint of an existing shape, that endpoint is no longer affected by Smart Shape Placement settings. You can manually adjust a Smart Shape endpoint by clicking on it and dragging.
- Smart Shape Options. Choose this command to display the Smart Shape Options dialog box, where you can alter the octave up or octave down symbols, alter the settings for slurs continuing over system breaks, determine the widths of crescendo/decrescendo markings, and change the overall appearance of lines, brackets, dashed lines and curves, and so on. You can also define what custom Smart Line will be associated with the Custom Smart Line Icon on the Smart Shape palette.
- Smart Slur Options. Choose this command to display the Smart Slur Options dialog box, which allows you to set various parameters regarding slurs. You can select whether to use Engraver slurs, which avoid collisions with notes and some articulations. You can also specify how much distance to allow between slurs and other items, how much slope to allow, and other settings.
- Guitar Bend Options. Choose this command to display the Guitar Bend Options dialog box, where you can customize the appearance of Guitar Bend Smart Shapes.
- Attach to Beats • Attach to Notes • Attach to Noteheads. Choose Attach to Beats to specify that the next Smart Shape you create will be attached to a beat (no notes or rests need be present). Note that this option is not available for tab slides. Choose Attach to Notes to specify that the next Smart Shape you create will be attached to notes (only available for slurs, curves, and bends). Choose Attach to Noteheads to specify that the next Smart Shape you create will be attached to noteheads (only available for glissandi and tab slides). When Attach to Notes or Attach to Noteheads is checked, Finale automatically draws and places the Smart Shape according to the Smart Shape settings.
- Snap When Attaching to Beats. Choose this command to snap the start and end points of Smart Shapes that are attached to beats, such as hairpins, to the beats within a measure. This option is checked by default. Deselect this option so that the start and end points of the Smart Shape corresponds to the exact location where you click, similar to previous versions of Finale. Note that the Smart Shape will still be attached to the corresponding notes or rests. This option does not affect Smart Shapes already placed in the document and does not apply to slurs.
- Direction. Use this submenu to override Finale's automatic slur or bend direction. See Direction submenu.
See also: