Cliff, I'm sorry to hear you still have no solution.  I should add that (with great difficulty) I was able to back down from High Sierra to Sierra when first attempting to get Finale 2011 to run.  I haven't yet tried reinstalling High Sierra. 

I am sympathetic to the problems rolling out a new piece of software John, the challenges are many.  I am hopeful that the fix will be free but still having not  had a confirmation either way that is all I have

Don't get me wrong there are some amazing workflows within V25 but it still grates on me when going from say Ableton 10 or Cubase 9 where the display is pristine, crisp and dare I say stunning. Then up pops my beloved Finale and a page full of blobs in contrast. urgh...

so sad I could write a song about it! :)

Am I correct in sensing that this is a problem confined to (newer) Mac Operating Systems?

I have not noticed it on my PC and do not use my Mac much with Finale.

The problem on Macs is confined to Retina displays, which are used in the last few years' larger iMacs (27").  As for the OS, I think that only Sierra and High Sierra are able to run on these models.  Comments in this thread indicate that it may also be a problem on PCs with 4K monitors, but I don't know for sure.

V25 doesn't even support the scan option.

that you haven't explained—unless you are referring to the direct scan option that was promised and MakeMusic pulled for 25.

Scanning from within the Mac version of Finale hasn't worked since OS 10.7 and was a kludge in OS 10.6. Fortunately, that is not an issue. In OS 10.8.2, Apple finally fixed Image Capture.app and that's how you scan on a Mac. It works extremely well even over wireless. From there, you import into SmartScore and output via .enf or .xml for input into Finale.

It would be nice if Musitek would update the instructions for SmartScore but they never did. It's there but you have to read past the TWAIN drivers and nonsense about unsupported HP all-in-ones etc. None of that hasn't applied to the Mac OS in eight years now. 

SorryMike I thought by stating that V25 no longer uses the scan (sheet music) option, I was obvious in my statements. So to clarify this is my chronological list of changes and upgrades

1. had finale since 2004
2. used to scan the odd piece of sheet music using the built in scanner option
3. scanning was longer than just starting from scratch for me
4. last year decided to scan some of my Saxophone arrangements for other instruments and bought usb scanner to replace old rs232 scanner
5. after scanner install my finale crashed whenever I alt and tabbed, got a message, anything really
6. rolled back install - no good
7. reinstalled scanner - no good 
8. re-installed finale - no good
9. permutations of the above all - no good
10. bought windows 10 laptop
11. finale wouldn't run - crashed when using orchestral VST
12. solution use midi only - not very good
13. upgraded to 64bit finale (2012 I think) - trialled it on the laptop - pretty sure 90%  I saw the scan (sheet music) option in the lh drop down
14. purchased upgrade - couldn't see option to scan (sheet music)
15. google results - it no longer is available
16. bought Mac for new job
17. saddled with blob interface
18. after long.......... support with polite staff told - yes this is an issue
19. gave negative support feedback regarding blob screen
20. got reminded by John about how ive been putting up with this for a long time.
21. typing this to you
22. going to take dog for a walk.
23. dog is just starting to go a little deaf so now even she is ignoring me! other than that all is well in the world. 

Thanks for that, Cliff.

1. 25 is the 64 bit version — yes, 2012 was promised to be 64 bit but that didn't happen till 25.

2. Were you really using an RS232 scanner with a Mac? What did you use for a print server? I'm probably as close to being an expert on printing and scanning on the Mac around here, having worked with Apple in OS 8 and 10.8 to resolve such issues. I also did support for a company that had tools for network printing under Windows but haven't looked at that since XT.

3. In F-2012, scan sheet music is in the drop-down but that only works on Windows with SmartScore Lite. SS-L does work on the Mac but not directly from the menu as I explained.

4. MakeMusic announced that 25 would not support scanning before it was released. Every chat board and support group had page after page complaining about that. Also, MM emailed us about it before the release.

5. If you upgraded your OS to High Sierra and 2012 still opens, then SmartScore Lite should still work as long as the JRE 6 1-2017 is installed—get it from Apple. I don't have 2012 (never did) but it works in 2014.5. 2011 does not work in High Sierra.

6. I don't know what the blob issue is but I can guess. Is it the font issue that affects some users with multiple versions on their machines? If so, I have posted step by step instructions for resolving it on the Mac and can do so again. Not having any version of Finale on my Win laptop, I'm not the person for that but others are.

So, is there a problem you'd like help in resolving?

2. I ditched rs232 way before getting a Mac Mike, 

3. Yep SSL in F2012 works on my Windows 7 PC however it is that installation of F2012 which crashes constantly. I think a reformat is in order maybe that will solve it.

Actually I bought 2012 for my Win10 laptop as F2005 was the one that crashed unless using the midi voices

I then installed F2012 naturally on my Win7. A short while later I installed the usb scanner I think to scan invoices and receipts for my business. It was then that the F2012 started crashing. Whether I used the scan software or not. 

To be clear SSL is not for me! the point that bothers me is the having to run a Mac in low res mode to make Finale usable.

The blob problem is the one shown here in the images in my post today it is still the same one we were discussing in 3rd October last year. The only solution given to me so far is to the app run in low resolution (see attached image for clarity of what I am referring to). Do you have a solution other than that Mike?

Mike, you mentioned resolving a font issue.  I searched and could only find descriptions of music font issues.  At the risk of getting off-topic, I've also got an issue with 2 text fonts.  I don't see a way to PM you.  Should I start a new topic?

Thanks.

This has been covered but good luck just finding it. Let's get some more info going. OS and version? Version of Finale? Did you upgrade or is this the first version on this computer? I assume this file is from an old version — what version and platform (Win or Mac)? Are the Chinese characters correct? What text font are you using — supplied by MakeMusic, System font or other?

There aren't as many solutions as questions but your answers will direct mine.

Happy to oblige, just don't want to break the thread rules.

This is the latest demo of Finale 25.5.0.259.  I'm sure I'll pay for the upgrade, but figured I try a test run anyway as there's no backing down at this point.  It's a new 2017 iMac, 27", had High Sierra, but I backed it down to Sierra (so I could run Finale 2011, but that didn't pan out).  I did a fresh install of High Sierra on an external drive, installed Finale and still had the problem.

The file is from Finale 2011.  We use Times Condensed (TimesCond15) for lyrics and chord suffices. Also, not shown is a logo at the bottom of the page using Murray Hill which appears as a row of the question marks you see in the chord symbols.  These are not MakeMusic or System fonts.  Strangely enough, I can enter new text with either Times Condensed or Murray Hill and it shows up fine, implying that the fonts are correctly installed.  They're both PostScript Type1 fonts.  Murray Hill has a 1990 copyright date.

We have thousands of files using these fonts since the last millennium.  Here's a correct display of the chords, lyrics, and logo.  Thanks for any light you can shine.

As an experiment, what happens if you change the lyrics to Finale Lyrics font in the Lyrics Edit Panel (on a copy of a file, if you wish)?

(Using the Lyrics Edit panel is the simplest way to do this as an experiment.)

J Adrian, thanks for the question.  I tried a number of things as a result.  First, the font comes up as TimesCond15 14 plain as expected so I need to first change it to another font.  I changed it to Arial, Chicago and a couple of other standard fonts and the Asian characters remained unchanged (and yes, I selected all of the text first).  When I changed it to Engraver Text T, the characters became boxed question marks.

Note that I can enter new text after the end of the lyrics and it displays correctly (see example).  I tried a couple of other things.  I used Finale 2011 to resave the file freshly in Sierra, but it still comes up incorrectly in Finale 25.  I also changed the font to Arial in 2011 and saved it.  Finale 25 displayed it correctly.  I'll continue trying some other tests.

As I mentioned previously, I also had this problem with a virgin install of Finale 25 and High Sierra (where I added only these 2 fonts), so I don't think it's a problem with my font installation.  I'm stumped that this isn't a problem others have seen.  These aren't common fonts, but they're PostScript Type 1 and shouldn't be problematic.

Here are some more details regarding my font problem.

Finale 14.5 does not have this problem on Sierra.  Finale 25 does have the problem on El Capitan.  So it looks like it's a problem specific to Finale 25 and not based on MacOS version.

If I export an XML file from Finale 2011 and import it in Finale 25, the fonts appear correctly.  Strange.

I just noticed this from the knowledge base:

For on-screen display, Finale 2012 and later versions of the program support TrueType, OpenType, and Unicode fonts. Finale 2012 and later can print using TrueType, OpenType, Unicode, and Postscript fonts.

Finale 2011 and previous do not support Unicode or OpenType fonts.

It seems a little confusing, implying that Postcript fonts are no longer "supported" but that they'll print properly.  The 2 fonts I have problems with are neither displaying properly not printing properly, although that is only the case with existing files.  I can enter new text in these fonts.

I guess it's time for me to start a new thread about this.

I've used a font converter to convert these 2 Postscript fonts to TrueType.  The modified fonts use the same names and attributes as the originals and Finale 25 now displays all files containing these fonts correctly.

Thank you for your comments and suggestions.  I can now go on to the next problem.  We have years worth of early Finale files which were saved without extensions.  Finale 25 will not let me load these from the Open Dialog (they're grayed out and there's no "Show all files" button).  Although this is a pain, at least I can drop these files on Finale to open them.  I may bite the bullet and mass rename them, adding .mus.

I've tried to refrain from complaining about the steps backwards I believe MakeMusic has taken in the last 10 years (the main reason we've stay with Finale 2011 until now). Thanks.

… Finale 25 will not let me load these from the Open Dialog (they're grayed out and there's no "Show all files" button).  Although this is a pain, at least I can drop these files on Finale to open them.  I may bite the bullet and mass rename them, adding .mus …

If this is merely a matter of opening the documents in Finale v25, then I would mass rename them, adding .musx - and then Finale v25 will open them directly when you double-click on them.

Thanks, Peter.  I didn't mention that I can open Finale files in Finale 25 by double-clicking in the Finder.  It requires only telling the system to open that filetype with Finale 25.  The system knows it's a Finale file even though there's no extension.  I just wish the Open File routine did.

I'm using Finale 25 on a new iMac with lots of Ram and my Finale is very laggy.  I can't resize scores without delay and when dragging staves, It takes forever to catch up.  I was hoping the version 26 would be better but it looks like finale just gave us some moveable slurs... Not helpful unless you're doing a lot of music with fingering.  

Have you tried the demo of 26? Many of us have found that the delay issue seems to be fixed.

No.  I haven't.  I'd like to know why this version is so slow, though.  I probably won't update until Finale gives us something useful in our update.  

Hi Mike,

I am a finale user since 0.1, for almost thirty years. A couple days ago I bought a newest and biggest apple. 

If I open only one staff score, finale 25.5's speed is not bad on the first page (but it is not perfect);

But if I open a string orchestra score, 25.5's speed is worse and five time slower than one staff score (delaying almost more than 1/2 second on the first page);

Also if if I open a full orchestra score, 25.5's speed is worst and five ten slower than one staff score (delaying more than 1 and 1/2 second on the first page);

You know finale's speed will be worse on every new pages.

Are you sure about 26? Will it be better than 25.5?

I am sure of nothing, except that it works for me.

There is a free demo. Only you can decide if it works on your machine.

Do you work with large group? If it works for your large group I can try 26 too. I'm just working on full orchestra and choir score now. 

I want to except it will works for me too. Last time I'll try finale with 26.

I too have been struggling with this, and it has gotten even worse with version 25.5 and MacOS Mojave. I also have a Retina display. Even my smaller scores are a drag. It takes half a second to simply enter a single note!

Has anyone seen better performance on version 26? I don't want to spend anymore money unless I know it is going to fix this problem.

I believe that everyone has seen improved performance on 4K and 5K displays with 26. You can download the demo and evaluate it for yourself.

Paul Thompson and Babur Tongue, note that earlier in this thread it was mentioned that you should "Show Info" on the Finale app and check "Open in Low Resolution".  This will significantly increase the speed but will NOT affect the onscreen resolution.  I hope that helps.

So I sort of had an ok experience with V25 on High Sierra, the lag seemed to be getting acceptable, don't know why or don't know when but it changed??? So...

I have now upgraded to Mojave as we were told that V25 is now compatible with Mojave... No fix needed! No need to get V26 (especially after just having bought V25 recently)

So you may ask what is my experience, It sucks again!!!!   The unworkable lag that happens unless you reduce the resolution to fuzzy is unworkable again so I have switched back to lo res mode (V25) see my other post if you don't know what I mean. However V26 demo doesn't have the delay so help me out guys how is V25 compatible with Mojave and... is it reasonable that I should have to shell out another £100 on fixing a glitch that was apparently know about when I purchased the V25, (unfortunately the glitch didn't show up in my research, if you don't know what to search for) - your answers and thoughts may help me smile, I am really disappointed. Again! (cue voice of Forrest Gump)

At least they have fixed the default print option - "print the whole damn score setting" -  to - "print what I have on screen options" - so in my hurry to make up time I don't get a whole shed load of notation that has no use to me, when I hit print as I grab my sandwiches and briefcase and head for the door off into the blue yonder...

What?

They haven't? 

Cut down some more trees I got a floor full of notation again Ma!

Otherwise I love the world and nature and everything else, but if you thinking of changing o/s this little treatise may be of some assistance cause support isn't.

unhappily yours,

grumpy!

I had the same problem with lag using hyperscribe. I resolved it by clicking "Reset All Preferences" in finale's preference window.