Articulation & Expression Shortcut Keys Not Working

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Gregory Klas Posted September 28, 2017 19:20

Hello Experts:

System:

OSX 10.12.6 Sierra
Finale 2014.5.7098
Brand new Mac Magic Keyboard (no stuck keys)
Apple Wireless Mouse
iMac Mid 2011 27" screen

About my Finale file:

NOT using LAYERS (all notes in 1 layer, have not switched layers)
Problem occurs in both SCROLL and PAGE view

ARTICULATION TOOL and EXPRESSION TOOL shortcut keys are not functioning.

The behavior in question:

Click on ARTICULATION TOOL. Hold down "A" key. Left click on any note head. Accent should be placed on the note but nothing happens.

Click on ARTICULATION TOOL. Hold down "S" key. Left click on any note head. Staccato should be placed on the note but nothing happens.

Click on EXPRESSION TOOL. Hold down "4" key. Forte should be applied under the note but nothing happens.

8 comments

Date Votes

PETER THOMSEN Posted September 28, 2017 22:30

Does the problem happen in all your Finale documents - or is the problem isolated to specific documents?

DEAN CROCKER Posted September 29, 2017 00:35

Was document created with articulation and expression libraries that had keyboard shortcuts assigned? (Older files from earlier versions of Finale might not, for example.) Keyboard shortcuts are stored in the libraries. Maybe you didn't get the default for some reason?

Gregory Klas Posted September 29, 2017 03:37

Good questions Peter and Dean.

First I should explain that I'm asking for someone else (a customer I am tutoring). This is an odd issue I haven't had the opportunity to come across yet. My personal copy of 2014.5 works just fine with any documents I create. It is only on her computer.

Dean, while I'm not 100% sure I think they are the standard articulation and expression libraries. This behavior also happens with a new default document. When I enter the ARTICULATION TOOL and left click on a note, the items displayed in the dialog do display the appropriate assigned keyboard shortcut keys in the upper right hand corner of each articulation Same goes with the EXPRESSION TOOL.

To me this feels like a prefs issue, she said her old version of Finale crashed a number of times on her. Perhaps the Prefs file got corrupted in the process. Alternatively, maybe some utility that is running is preventing the keyboard message from getting through the OS to Finale.

PETER THOMSEN Posted September 29, 2017 10:49

… she said her old version of Finale crashed a number of times on her. Perhaps the Prefs file got corrupted in the process …

In that case it might be a good idea to

quit Finale,

remove the Preferences file,

launch Finale again.

Finale will then create a fresh, new Preferences file.

DAN RIDDLE Posted January 22, 2020 16:03

I deleted the Finale preference files but am still having the same issue. Shortcuts, such as 4 for forte, are not working. Finale 26.2, Mac OS Catalina 13" 2019 Macbook Pro.

J ADRIAN VERKOUTEREN Posted January 22, 2020 17:14

You could also try creating a new file and copy/pasting the old information into it (or transfer by XML).

PETER THOMSEN Posted January 22, 2020 17:16

… I deleted the Finale preference files but am still having the same issue. Shortcuts, such as 4 for forte, are not working. Finale 26.2, Mac OS Catalina 13" 2019 Macbook Pro …

If I understand you correctly, the metatools (such as 4 for forte) are already programmed in the Finale document, and displaying in the Expression Selection dialog, right?

Please specify the steps you've already taken, so that we can rule out things.

You tell that you have “deleted the Finale preferences”.

Have you tried other steps?

William Murrell III Posted February 14, 2023 16:58

I have the same issue with 25.5. Additionally, the scrub playback (option>spacebar>drag mouse) doesn't work. A reboot sometimes fixes this, but not always. Issue is with any file I open.

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