For What Is Worth, I am unable to duplicate your problem.

I can make Finale beam over rests, and in Speedy Entry I can join/break beams.

I think that we need more info from you:

1) What is the time signature? - 6/8? - 2/2? - or?

2) Finale was designed for use with American keyboard layout.

* Are you using American keyboard layout?

You can switch keyboard layout in the Operating System’s control panel Keyboard.

Thank you for your response.  Yes, U.S. keyboard.  Time signature 2/4.  Eighth-note beats and after-beats.  I've restarted Finale and rebooted machine several times with fingers crossed for magic!  First time I've used the v25 update (MacBook 10.11.6).

Randy, I know this seems counterintuitive, but you have to put the cursor on the EIGHTH REST between the two notes, then hit / (in Speedy) to connect the beams.

If you have previously been on the second 8th note and hit / an ODD number of times, this will prevent the beam from forming (because you toggled the beam off, then on, then off, in the case of 3 times.) So if the beam doesn't form when you hit / on the 8th rest the FIRST time, right-arrow to the next note and hit / ONCE.

By changing the time signature to 1/2 appearing as 2/4, you should be able to get the beams to work easily over the rests.

Wow, the Toggle thing really worked, thank you, Christopher!  Although it seemed pretty arbitrary from one bar to the next - sometimes 1st click on rest would form the beam, but next beat would be different!  Sometimes a range of clicks on note and beam, trying your suggestion, yet rarely the same for any two bars!  Oh, well, got it done, thank you!

And thanks to others giving such detail to help - very impressive, I'm very grateful for this kind and helpful and timely resource.

Thank you for explaining how to beam over rests. V25 was frustrating in their documentation. Especially since I used to do beam so easily in past versions.

Patterson plug-ins (full version) is perfect for this. I have a shortcut-triggered tiny script; select area, press one key, and voilà, no more single 8ths. A must-have for marching band music!

Hi Skjalg, I tried to use Patterson plugin for this, too, but didn't get the result I expected: no beaming at all. Please see the attached; I wish to beam the entire beat. If you don't mind sharing, I would be interested to see what you did and your script (Finale Script?). Thanks, and Happy New Year! David

Have been working with beams over rests today, and I think I have identified the source of arbitrary-ness mentioned by Randy Fisher. In the pattern rest, 8th, rest, 8th  you need to use / at the rest (to invisibly 'beam' it to the preceding 8th), then use / on the second 8th note to connect it to the now existing 'virtual' grouping.