You are here: How do I... > I > Importing > Opening files from earlier versions of Finale or other MakeMusic products
From
the File menu (or the Launch Window), choose Open. Navigate to the file.
Double-click on the file. Finale opens and converts the older version’s
document with a different name than the original file, keeping the older
document as a backup. If you want to save the file using the same name,
choose Save As from the File menu. For conversion issues, see below:
From Finale 2004 or earlier:
- The
option “Stop on Total Passes” has been removed from the Backward Repeat
Bar Assignment dialog box. During playback of files created in 2004 or
earlier, backward repeat bars with this setting would stop after the specified
number of passes instead of jumping to the target measure. When opening
an older Finale file with this setting, in the Backward Repeat Bar Assignment
dialog box for these repeat bars, the Target drop-down menu is set to “Measure #” and
“-1” is specified in the text box. Playback after converting to Finale
2007 format or later is not changed.
From Finale 2003 or earlier:
- Expressions
convert to the Finale paradigm established in version 2004. For Expressions,
the positioning settings are applied to the Positioning tab of the
Expression Designer.
From Finale 2002 or earlier:
- Tablature
staves from documents created in Finale 2002 or earlier will continue
to use the old paradigm of a one line staff for each TAB line. In addition,
if you are using a document converted from Finale 2002 or earlier, tablature
staves with alternate tuning that are added to the document with the Setup
Wizard will revert to the Standard Guitar instrument. For information
on working with staves in Finale 2003, see Tablature.
From Finale 2001 or earlier:
- Slurs
will not be converted automatically to the new Engraver Slurs. See Smart Shape tool.
From Finale 98 or earlier:
- If
you used Alternate Notation in a converted file, the appropriate Staff
Style will be created. If you wish to use the predefined Staff Styles
that came with your default file, such as transpositions and 1-line staves,
you will need to load the Staff Styles library. See Staff styles.
From Finale 3.7 or earlier:
- If
you use bitmap fonts, converted files may display text items at a different
point size than the original file. Finale 2002’s display of bitmap
fonts is limited to the actual point sizes installed in your system. We
highly recommend the use of TrueType or PostScript fonts, which can be
scaled to virtually any point size.
- Staff
Names and Titles are considered text blocks in later versions. As a result,
staff names and titles in files created in earlier versions of Finale
will be converted to text blocks.
When converting text blocks, Finale will
convert the text so it's unique for each text block. However, if the same
shape is used, Finale will not duplicate the shape. Note that in Finale
2002, both the text and the shapes (Standard Frame or Custom Frame) are
unique for each text block that you create.
The fonts selected in the Fonts portion
of the Document Options dialog box for Text Blocks, Staff Names and Group
Names will be used when the text block, or staff or group name is first
created. Changing the font in Document Options-Fonts will no longer change
the font used for all staff names in your document; nor will it change
the first font used for text blocks in your document. To change a font,
you must change the font in the document for text blocks created with
the Text tool, or in the Edit Text window for staff and group names.
- The
conversion routines go through great lengths to ensure that the position
of text remains the same in converted files. This has the following implications
for Text Blocks, Titles and Staff Names.
Text blocks are positioned differently starting
with Finale 3.7. If you display the Frame Attributes dialog box, for a
text block created in an older version of Finale, Position from Edge of
Frame will be deselected. (This option is selected for text created with
the new Text tool.) If you select this option for a converted text block,
you will most likely need to adjust its position on the page.
Since titles are considered text blocks,
Finale calculates the position of the title from the top of the name,
using the specified font. Earlier versions (before 3.7) calculated the
position from the baseline of the font. When converting files, Finale
adjusts the values for the positioning of the titles to maintain their
previous page positioning.
Since staff names are considered text blocks,
Finale calculates the position of the name from the top of the name, using
the font selected at the beginning of the name. Earlier versions (before
3.7) calculated the position from the baseline of the font.
When converting files, Finale recalculates
the values for the default positioning of the staff names based on the
font and point size selected in the Fonts portion of the Document Options
dialog box. If alternate fonts or point sizes have been set for staff
names, individual positioning for those staff names will be selected. This automatic calculation of positioning
values, and the selection of individual positioning for names using the
non-default font and point size, will maintain the correct position of
staff names in your converted files.
From Finale 3.5 or earlier:
- Finale
offers better support of stem to notehead connections--its ability to
sense the width of the notehead, particularly for upstem notes, is enhanced.
However, this enhancement may change existing stem connection settings
slightly in newly-converted documents. In general, these changes should
provide subtle improvements, but you should double-check the on-screen
and printed appearance if you have concerns.
- Due
to the improved stem to notehead connections, Finale may change the appearance
of on-screen and printed “blank” noteheads (e.g., noteheads set to the Petrucci
space character). If you have documents that use the space character (slot
number 32 in the Symbol Selection dialog box) as a notehead, you should
create a new stem connection setting for this notehead in the converted
document by following the steps outlined below.
- From
the Document menu, choose Document Options and select Stems. Make sure
that Use Stem Connections is selected.
- Click
the Stem Connections button.
- Click
Create to display the Stem Connection Editor to create a new setting.
- Click
Select to display the Symbol Selection dialog box. Select slot number
32 (the space character created by pressing the SPACEBAR), then click
Select.
- Enter
a value of 24 EVPUs in the Upstem V: text box by typing "24 e"
-- this automatically enters a value of 24 EVPUs regardless of the Measurement
Units setting currently in use.
- Click
OK, then click Done, then OK. Your blank noteheads should now display
properly.
- Finale
may display certain unusual chords differently than earlier versions did.
This depends on the setting of the Chord menu command, Simplify Spelling.
Using this command, you can more easily specify some chord spellings in
any key, such as a B sharp chord in C major. Formerly, Finale would “simplify”
this spelling to C (a change made in response to customer requests very
early in Finale's history). Now, Finale offers you the choice of simplifying
or not simplifying these spellings. To ensure that your chords appear
as they did in earlier versions, choose Simplify Spelling from the Chord
menu, if necessary, so that a checkmark appears next to the command. For
more information, see Simply Spelling in the Chord
menu.
- Finale
has another small change that may affect your document, both on-screen
and in printout. Finale now displays chords and lyrics on notes hidden
with Speedy Entry tool's O key; chords and lyrics attached to notes you've
hidden in documents from earlier versions will now appear. If you do not want
them to appear, delete these elements from the hidden notes.
From Finale 3.0 or earlier:
- Time
Signature Libraries have been replaced by the Composite Time Signature
dialog box.
- Output
Route Libraries have been replaced with Instrument Libraries.
From Finale 2.2 or earlier:
- Shapes
created in Finale 2.2 or earlier will appear in the new version but cannot
be edited. If editing is required, replace the old shape with one you’ve
created in the new Shape
Designer.
