There may be times when you want a very long measure (such as a cadenza measure) to break in half if it straddles a system break. The point at which the measure can be split into two, and the latter half moved to the next system is called the horizontal split point. The following instructions result in a measure that may break at the end of a system, but only if Finale thinks it’s necessary. (You can, however, force the measure to break, as described in the note below.)

To split a measure across a system break

1. Click the Measure tool , and double-click the barline handle of the measure you want to split. The Measure Attributes dialog box appears.
2. Select Allow Horizontal Split Points. Click OK (or press ENTER). When you dismiss the dialog box, a new handle appears at the bottom of the measure’s right barline.
3. Click the handle at the bottom of the barline. A special “split-point rectangle” appears above the measure.
4. Double-click in the split-point rectangle. A handle appears. Drag it horizontally to tell Finale precisely where it may break the measure (if necessary). Double-click in as many places as you want to provide additional permissible split points. To remove a split point handle, click it and press DELETE.
5. Select the measure and press DOWN ARROW to move the portion to the right of the split point to the next measure.

If you want to force the measure to split, after you have added a split point, click the Selection tool, click the portion of the measure you want to move, and press the up or DOWN ARROW, as described in To move a measure to the previous (or next) system. (If you’ve specified more than one split point, Finale breaks the measure at the first designated split point, regardless of whether you press up or down.)

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