Of course, MusicXML works and is supported but there are a number of variables and you need to be aware of them. Please open the User Manual and search MusicXML—there are many pages. (BTW, Dolet for Finale was for 2014.5 and earlier, 32 bit only and not necessary since Finale 25. The only 64 bit version adds MusicXML 4 and 3.1 to the current versions of Sibelius).

If the manual doesn't show the solution, you need to tell us exactly what you are doing and how. Better yet, show us. You can post screenshots, .png or .jpg. Finale 27 supports MusicXML 4 all the way back to 1.0.

You might want to download and install the 27.3 Update first, available today. Run both installers in the download then reboot.

Let us know what happens.

Thanks. I am familiar with XML and its versions and have used it often in the past. The problem here is that I don't even get to do anything - any action involving XML at the Import or Export Menu crashes Finale with this message: Finale encountered an error and will shut down. Execpt that it doesn't actually shut down, it freezes Finale and I can not exit the window but have to restart the computer.
P.S.: I also just saw that the Finale 27.3 update is available now (apparently including some XML improvements). May have to do that, I imagine that this would fix it.

(tomorrow morning, though .... it's late here)

Here are a few of the screens from 27.3 for Mac:

The Finale 27.3 Update fixed it.

P.S.: What exactly do the import functions validate XSD / DTD do? (the manuaL doesn't really explain it). What choice is preferable? I did a test with the basic settings (validate XSD) - works very well, except some formatting elements, such as tuplets don't retain my settings and beams (which I have set to always flat) don't either. Is there a setting that preserves those formatting choices?

Google is your friend.

https://www.musicxml.com/for-developers/musicxml-dtd/ 

https://www.musicxml.com/for-developers/musicxml-xsd/ 

Time for a reality check. For all your self-proclaimed knowledge of the subject, you don’t appear to know that MusicXML is owned and actively maintained by MakeMusic. Michael Good, its inventor is a VP (and retiring at the end of this month).

But no way (yet?) to preserve certain formatting choices (such as I mentioned - e.g. triplets appearance, beams, etc.)

Of course there is but…

You seem to be under the mistaken impression that MusicXML is something just added to an app and then all the features and functionality are just there. That’s not how it works. MusicXML is a toolkit—what functions it supports and how well depend on its integration by an app’s developer.

You have not told us what you’re doing, only how you expect it done. What app’s files are you trying to import? If not Finale or Sibelius, no one can answer some of your questions and even then, one needs to know the versions. This is why I posted those screenshots. To my knowledge, the only other app supporting v. 4 is the current version of Sibelius with the new Dolet plugin. The most common implementation is v. 3.0 but again, it depends on how it was implemented. Notion 6 is pretty good, MuseScore isn’t, Dorico is getting better, Logic is ok, Digital Performer supports export only… five of many apps that integrate xml 3.0 to some degree. Yea, Dorico never upgraded to 3.1 (unlike Finale 25.3) and still hasn’t adopted 4.0. This list is 6 years old and lists 215 others.

https://www.musicxml.com/musicxml-now-supported-220-apps/ 

As to what’s best? It all depends. You can find more info here and even join the community.

https://www.w3.org/2021/06/musicxml40/ 

My original post was a simple question as to why XML wasn't (at the time) working. As I've said, the Finale 27.3 Update fixed it.

I use XML as back-up of work done in Finale (and also to be able to share scores with people I work with who might have other notation programs, such as Sibelius or Dorico), and I find it a very useful application. And yes, after using Finale for many years, since version 3.7, I am quite aware of who owns and has devoped XML (even having had some very useful corrspondence with Michael Good).

According to my (old) notes, that procedure apparently never worked, but it did wth the Dolet Plug-in. Which I see nowhere now and when looking for a download there seems to be only the old 32-bit version. What is the current state of affairs with Finale and XML? No longer available?