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Tie Contour dialog box

How to get there

Choose Document > Document Options and select Ties.
Click the Tie Contour button.

What it does

Use the Tie Contour dialog box to define global settings for the length, height, and overall shape and appearance of ties.

Ties are identified by their spans—short, medium, and long. Each span has its own settings for appearance and shape. The height of a tie varies, depending on the span and other settings in the Tie Contour dialog box. Finale uses the Height settings in the Tie Contour dialog box to calculate the curve of the arc when a tie is drawn. Separate Height settings for the left and right sides of the arc allow very precise control over the curve. Note that the "height" setting is not the tie’s actual height, but the height of the tie’s control points, which Finale uses (along with the Inset setting) to calculate the curve of the arc. When a tie is drawn, its height does not quite reach the control point height. Combined with the Height and Span settings, the Inset setting determines a tie’s overall shape. Inset controls the amount of "hook" at tie’s endpoints.

Changes to these settings affect all ties to be added to the score as well as ties already in the score (note that you can override some settings for individual ties—see Tie Alterations dialog box).

Span: Short • Medium • Long. Enter a value (in measurement units) into each text box to specify a length for each tie span (Short, Medium, and Long). Finale uses the Span settings to size ties proportionally.
Style: Short • Medium • Long • Tie Ends. This drop-down list allows you to have different settings for your ties depending on the length of the tie. The Height and Inset shown are for the style selected in this drop-down list.
Use Tie End Style. This check box is provided for compatibility with previous versions of Finale. Files created in Finale 97 should not use this check box.
Height: Left • Right. Height is not the actual height of the tie, but of its left and right control points (imaginary points above the tie’s arc that Finale uses, along with the Inset setting, to calculate the height and curve of the arc). When a tie is drawn, its arc approaches, but does not actually reach, the height of the control points. Enter a value (in measurement units) into the Left and Right Height text boxes to set the height of the left and right control points of the tie. A larger number increases the height of the arc. A smaller number decreases the height.
Inset Percent: Left • Right. The Inset value determines the amount of "hook" or "flatness" of the tie ends. When Inset Percent is the selected Inset Style, enter values into the Left and Right Inset text boxes to set the amount of "hook" of the left and right ends of the tie for each span. Inset is a percentage of the span (tie length). Enter a lower percentage to hook the end of the tie more, curving it more sharply. A higher percentage will flatten the end of the tie. You can inset all spans by the same percentage to give them the same look, or use a different percentage for each span so each has a different appearance.
Inset Fixed: Left • Right. When Inset Fixed is the selected Inset Style, enter a value (in measurement units) into the text box. Inset is a fixed number that applies to the three spans. The left and right ends of the tie are always hooked by this amount, regardless of the tie length. Enter a lower number to hook the end of the tie more, curving it more sharply. Enter a higher number to hook the end of the tie less, flattening it.
Inset Style: Inset percent • Inset Fixed. Select an inset style to specify how you want Finale to interpret the Inset value. Click Inset percent to make Inset a percentage of the tie span. When selected, the Left and Right Inset (Percent) text boxes appear for each tie span and you can enter a percentage. Click Inset Fixed to make Inset a fixed amount, regardless of the tie span. When selected, the Inset (Fixed) text box appears, and you can enter a fixed amount that applies for all three spans.
Interpolate height between short and long span. Click to select. When selected, Finale automatically calculates a proportional height for ties that fall somewhere between the short and medium, or the medium and long span lengths and their defined heights.
Use medium height between short and long span. Click to select. When selected, all ties whose lengths fall somewhere between the specified short and long span lengths, are set to the defined height of medium span ties. This can provide a consistent looking tie height across your score.
Avoid Staff Lines By ___ • In Staff Only. To always draw the peak of an arc so it avoids a staff line, check Avoid staff lines by and enter the desired distance from the staff line (in measurement units) into the text box. If you only want this behavior in the staff select In Staff Only.

Note: This setting only affects ties already in the score when Avoid Staff Lines is selected in the Tie Alterations dialog box for a tie. See Tie Alterations dialog box.

Tie Thickness: Left • Right. Enter a value (in measurement units) into the Left text box to set the thickness of the arc on the left side of a tie. Enter a value (in measurement units) into the Right text box to set the thickness of the arc on the right side of a tie. Larger numbers make the arc thicker, smaller numbers make it less pronounced.
Units: EVPUs • Inches • Centimeters • Points • Picas • Spaces. The first time you enter the Tie Options dialog box for the selected tie type, Units defaults to the current measurement unit selected in the Measurement Units submenu of the Edit menu. If you prefer, choose a different measurement unit for ties from the drop-down list.
OK • Reset • Cancel. Click Reset to restore the original settings, and Click Cancel to return to the Tie options without making any changes. Click OK to save your changes and return to the Tie options.