Finale v25 Mac file names of pdf files

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PETER KIENLE Posted August 27, 2016 19:42

I like v25 so far. It feels faster and much more responsive. Haven't tried most of the new features yet.

But here is one I don't like:

In previous versions, creating a PDF file from the Print dialog would result in a default name for the PDF that matches the Finale file name. No extra typing or correction required. In v25 the score/parts print selection dialog has been moved into the print dialog, which seems to make sense. But now, when I make a PDF through the print dialog, the default name is "Untitled.pdf" = extra typing. And what's a bit more annoying the resulting PDF file name gets a " - Score" appended. Makes sense for an actual score printout but for a lead sheet? I often have multitudes of PDFs to export and having to manually go to the Finder and change "Title - Score.pdf" to "Title.pdf" seems like a waste of time.

Peter

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Mike Mckenna Posted November 19, 2022 18:25

I'm using Finale v27.2.0.142, with macOS Monterey 12.5 on a 2021 MacBook Pro. This issue is NOT fixed, and still occurs for me every time using File... -> Print... and selecting the PDF dropdown from the Print dialog box. This occurs when creating a new file with a new name, or even when overwriting an existing file. When overwriting an existing file Finale warns about overwriting the file, but then created a new file with "- Score.pdf", leaving the original untouched.

This does not occur when using the Finale Graphics menu (Graphics -> Export Graphics... Type: PDF).

I've opened a new request wit this information, and referenced this thread.

MIKE HALLORAN Posted November 20, 2022 02:57

It’s a bug only if MakeMusic does not want this to happen. The 27 Manual for Mac is very clear that the user is to rename the file. If that’s the case, —Score.pdf is a place marker. Some apps still do this. Microsoft is one app that does this much better, of course.

Open the file in Finale.

Choose File > Print. The Print dialog box appears.

If your document contains linked parts, you are then asked to indicate which parts you would like to print. Select the desired parts/score and click OK.

Click the PDF button in the lower left and choose Save as PDF.
Give the file a name, select the destination and click Save.
OS X creates the PDF and saves it to the specified location.

If Support tells you that this is expected behavior (as I think they will), you should repost this to Feature Request. This is one of those things that many users no longer notice (myself included) but it really could be better.

Mike Mckenna Posted December 04, 2022 21:10

Update: I brought this issue up with Make Music because this was still occurring for me with Finale v27.2.0.142 (macOS Monterey 12.5 on a 2021 MacBook Pro.) Kyle, from Make Music, and I traded a few emails about this issue. I gave him the following steps to reproduce the issue, and he provided a response.

The TLDR; is "this is expected behavior for documents with linked parts".

Here's more details if you wanna know.

- Mike

There are two issues. First “- Score.pdf” is added to every file name created using “Save as PDF". Here’s how to reproduce that issue:

Close all applications
Launch Finale v27.2.0.142
Select File -> New -> Default Document
Make no changes to the document
Choose File -> Print…
From the Print Dialog box choose the “PDF” pop-up menu
From the PDF pop-up menu select “Save as PDF”
In the Save dialog box press command-D to select the Desktop as the save location. Leave the file name as “Untitled.pdf"
Select “Save”
The file is created on the desktop as “Untitled - Score.pdf”

The second issue is that overwriting an existing file using the same method generates a new file with “- Score.pdf”, leaving the previous file untouched.

Rename the file created on the Desktop from “Untitled - Score.pdf” to “Untitled.pdf”
Keep all applications closed, and only Finale v27.2.0.142 launched (no need to quit/relaunch Finale)
In Finale, make a small change to the existing open document (I used Simple Entry to add single quarter note to the first measure)
Choose File -> Print…
From the Print Dialog box choose the “PDF” pop-up menu
From the PDF pop-up menu select “Save as PDF”
In the Save dialog box press command-D to select the Desktop
In the save dialog box navigate and select the file “Untitled.pdf” in the list of Desktop file, so that the file’s save name is changed to “Untitled.pdf"
Select Save
Finale presents a warning that the file already exists and asks to replace it. Select “Replace”
A new file is created on the Desktop titled “Untitled - Score.pdf”.
From Finder, select the Desktop file “Untitled.pdf” and press the space bar to preview it. The file will be empty as expected.
From Finder, select the Desktop file “Untitled - Score.pdf” and press the space bar to preview it. The file will have a single quarter note in the first measure (the original file was not replaced)

Here's is Kyle's response:

Kyle C. (MakeMusic)

Nov 28, 2022, 4:56 PM MST

Hi Mike,

After some research and testing, I've confirmed that this behavior is actually intended behavior for any score that has linked parts. This means you'd need to delete the linked parts under Document > Manage Parts, but I would not recommend that if you're writing a score for one instrument only.

In the meantime, I would recommend exporting a PDF using the Graphics Tool's Export Pages option as you had outlined befopre. This will export a file that does not attached "- Score" to the file name: https://usermanuals.finalemusic.com/FinaleMac/Content/Finale/EXPORTG.htm

I tested this with a default document and deleted the linked part that was created and when print > pdf was executed, I had a named PDF file not containing "Score" in it.

ADAM WRIGHT Edited March 21, 2023 15:59

I am using Finale 27.3 on MacOS 13.2, 2019 iMac. Print to PDF still gives me "Untitled" instead of the File name. I have read through this thread and many others, but no one has given steps to fix this. The conversation always just seems to stop. Is there an actual solution?

This is not referring to the appending of Score or Part, this does not bother me. Finale used to auto-populate the Save As dialog with the Finale Filename. Instead it says "Untitled"

Mike Mckenna Posted March 21, 2023 16:56

Adam,

Can you give more details about how you get this behavior? Are there specific steps you are taking that always cause this to occur? Here's what I've tried with Finale v27.2.0.142 (macOS Ventura 13.1 on a 2021 MacBook Pro.)

Launch Finale, create a default document, add a few notes to the first measure, change nothing else.
Do not save the document.
Select Print, then "Save As PDF..." in the Print dialog
File name is "Untitled.pdf"
Cancel saving as PDF in the Print dialog.
Save the Finale document, giving it a name (I used "test_file.musx")
Select Print, then "Save As PDF..." in the Print dialog
File name is "test_file.pdf"

If you do these steps, does the auto-populated name in the "Save as PDF..." dialog still say "Untitled.pdf"?

PETER THOMSEN Posted March 21, 2023 17:27

… I am using Finale 27.3 on MacOS 13.2, 2019 iMac. Print to PDF still gives me "Untitled" instead of the File name …

Adam Wright,

This does not happen to me.

When I Print to a PDF file, I get the actual file name - not [Untitled].

Can you provide exact steps to reproduce the problem?

MIKE HALLORAN Posted March 21, 2023 18:35

To what Mike Mckenna posted, if the file is not saved with a name yet, the pdf will be named Untitled. If you've saved your file with a name, it should populate the Title correctly.

Is that not what's happening?

ADAM WRIGHT Edited March 25, 2023 14:34

Yes it is a file already saved with a filename.

I Go to the File Menu.

I choose Print.

Print dialog pops up.

I click the PDF button.

The Save PDF dialog pops up.

The Save As filename is "Untitled"

In the scheme of life, this would be fine, I would just type in the new file name and move on, but I work with collaborators on printing the score and parts, so I have to set the filename exactly as I need to in order to overwrite the existing PDFs when I make edits and corrections. Since you can't move the Save As dialog on the screen, I usually have to ESC out and memorize the file name, or type it into a TextEdit window. I am starting to make it part of my workflow to memorize the filename first.

This is not a system issue, as this only happens with Finale. All other apps populate the filename when I print to PDF. I have added no new apps to my computer.

If I choose "open in Preview" I get the filename, but not the appended "- Score" or "- Part" so it's more work to rename them and save to the correct folder than just memorize the filename.

Again, in the scheme of life this is no big deal, it just means with complicated filenames it adds steps and adds opportunity for error when you're working on a big collaborative project.

I have rebooted the computer several times. Trying to work on a Keyboard Maestro macro to copy the filename, but I can't figure out how to remove the appended "- Part" which shows in the Finale Window when I am editing a part.

ADAM WRIGHT Edited March 25, 2023 15:04

The only thing I can see in System Logs that happened when this started happening is "XProtectPayloads v93" was installed the same day.

Also this issue does not happen on my MacBook, only the iMac. The difference there is that the iMac is an Intel chip and the MacBook is an M2.

The only other information I can think to offer is that this started happening last year some time when I upgraded to Ventura, I found no solution and just dealt with it. Then it STOPPED happening and I moved on, and forgot about it. It just started happening again a week ago.

MIKE HALLORAN Edited March 25, 2023 16:09

The difference there is that the iMac is an Intel chip and the MacBook is an M2.

If that was the issue, my results would be the same as yours. My system is 27.3 on a 2017 iMac Pro running Ventura. The print to PDF feature is working as it should.

XProtectPayloads v93

Yea, that’s going to show up in report logs. Read more about it here. I do agree with booting in Safe Mode as that repairs System paths. I normally do this after any Apple OS or security update.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254718043

ADAM WRIGHT Posted March 27, 2023 14:51

Thank you. I did reboot in Safe mode (which took thirty minutes) and then rebooted regularly. Still the issue persists. Perhaps it has something to do with Spotlight search? That is also not working on my computer since last week, and I have been unable to repair it. When I try to rebuild the index I get an error message "spotlight search is disabled" and I have discovered that this "save as PDF" "Untitled" issue is also present on all Microsoft apps as well (Word, excel) though not on any other app, so I guess it's a system issue after all.

I sure wish I had never updated to Ventura now. I gave up trying to fix this last year and it eventually just healed itself, but now it is back. Thank you for trying to help!

MIKE HALLORAN Posted March 27, 2023 16:22

Word not behaving properly is a definite sign. This is normally a Privileges issue — except that Apple changed some of the rules with Monterey 12.2 .

Do you store your work files on your System drive [USERS/(user)/Documents] or an externally connected drive or in the cloud (iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive etc)?

ADAM WRIGHT Posted March 28, 2023 20:16

I store files in all those places depending on the project. I avoid Google Drive since the desktop app doesn’t seem to work well with Ventura (doesn’t sync correctly) but I regularly use Dropbox, external drives, and the user folder.

I reinstalled Ventura from the Recovery mode, and it made no difference on the “Untitled” Print to PDF issue.

I haven’t tested search since i figured it needed to rebuild the index.

If I try any of the Spotlight commands in Terminal as suggested many places, i just get a “Spotlight Search is disabled” message (though I haven’t tested search today since reinstalling)

MIKE HALLORAN Edited March 28, 2023 21:02

but I regularly use Dropbox, external drives, and the user folder.

Apple changed the rules and you need to make some changes to keep up. Unfortunately, you have me a shotgun answer so it's really hard to say what needs to be done here.

I'll start with Dropbox. Your Dropbox files are now stored in the Cloud. With the green box checked, they are also available offline but only if there's enough room on your System drive. If you installed in the Default location, this was handled seamlessly but, if not, there will be problems.

https://help.dropbox.com/installs/macos-support-for-expected-changes

Your sidebar should now look like this under Locations:

ADAM WRIGHT Edited March 31, 2023 14:02

I am not sure what you are asking me to do. I have been using Dropbox for a decade now. It was one of the first things I installed when I got the iMac in 2020 when it came pre-installed with Catalina. I am familiar how to use Dropbox, and how to select which folder are "available offline."

Dropbox is not under "Locations" in the sidebar however, it is under "Favorites".

As of this morning, Spotlight search is working again. I found a set of Terminal commands that worked finally to get it going again, including on Dropbox.

The repair of Spotlight however, made no difference on printing to PDF being unable to pull the file name from Finale. It still defaults to "Untitled" which I have now accepted is something that I can't fix. I have adjusted my workflow to keep the working folder open in Finder, and copy the filename to the clipboard and paste it into the Save as PDF window.

2019 iMac, 3 GHz 6-core Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, Ventura 13.3
Finale 27.3.0.160

For reference, the terminal commands are listed below. It took a full 24 hours before everything re-indexed and I could use it.

sudo mdutil -i off /

sudo rm -rf /.Spotlight*

sudo mdutil -i on /

sudo mdutil -E /

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