Save changes window when changing nothing

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Tobias Höglund Posted April 15, 2023 00:31

I don't get why, if I open a file and then close it, Finale askes whether or not I want to save changes to the file. To be honest, I find this a bit annoying. As I sometimes open files just to look at them, or just listen to them, and then Finale asks if I want to save changes (when I haven't done any changes). Especially when you have multiple windows open, and then have to click away the window on every one of them. It can also be confusing sometimes, leaving me thinking "did I edit anything?".

Also other programs like Microsoft Word, doesn't have it like this. If you haven't done anything to a word document, it just closes, which I think is better. So I think it would be good if that window would be gone, and having it just close if you haven't changed anything.

5 comments

Date Votes

DAVID WOHL Posted April 15, 2023 01:13

Yup, agree

JOHN RUGGERO Posted April 18, 2023 12:28

This has been a complaint for a very long time. Apparently, Finale opens something-or-other in the background unknown to the user when a file is opened, and this counts as having "changed" the file. Very annoying and time consuming when dealing with large numbers of files, and as you pointed out, possibly confusing.

MIKE HALLORAN Posted April 18, 2023 19:24

Many applications do this including a few that I use daily. Apparently, opening the file involves writing to it.

I stopped being annoyed by this 25–30 years ago. I click Yes or No and move on.

LARS FOSSUM Edited April 22, 2023 04:27

Using daws mostly, they have some condition if current project is dirty. And if dirty undo queue has something in it.

In Finale having Undo queue, it would be simple to check if that is empty - don't throw "save" dialog when closing.

- you can even keep an offset value to undo queue when last save was made

- nothing new in undo queue since last save, don't throw "save" dialog when closing.

I think like a programmer since I am a retired programmer, now making music and film full time....

JOHN RUGGERO Posted April 22, 2023 12:39

Congrats on being able to do music and film full time now, Lars. Life starts at retirement.

FInale clears Undo every time you close up the file so that's not causing this behavior. But checking Undo is certainly a good idea if one is concerned about inadvertent changes. However, keeping track of changers is something I would expect the program itself to do. It's bad design to ask the user if they want to save changes (as well as disconcerting) if they haven't done a thing, no matter how many other programs do it. Fortunately none of the other programs I use regularly like Affinity Publisher misbehave like this.

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