Enter in the Text Block only a space character.

There must be at least one font character, so a space will do.

You will enter the actual text block text in a Text Block inside the Shape Designer.

Don’t worry - the Shape Designer has a capable Text (sub-)Tool.

Text menu > Custom Frame…

In the Shape Designer, create the Text Block.

Create a custom rectangle.

After you have entered a rectangle, you can adjust the rectangle’s size by dragging one of the corners.

Give the rectangle zero Line Thickness, fill it with White, and send it to Back so that it goes behind the Text Block.

Hi Peter.

Thanks for the suggestion.  I tried it and I have to disagree with your comment that the Shape Designer has a capable Text Tool.  It is most "incapable".  One cannot paste text there; nor can one insert a musical character like a flat sign; on and on.  I have never liked SD in my 29 years of being a Finale user.  It needs a complete overhaul.  Make Music - are you out there???  This dialog hasn't seen any improvement in as long as I can recall.

Needless to say, this suggestion did not work for me.  Sigh.

But I was able to get the effect I wanted by creating an expression ala what I described in my original message.  When placed in the music it covered barlines perfectly so as to be eminently readable in this example I'm working on.

Thanks again.

J D Thomas ThomaStudios

… One cannot paste text there; nor can one insert a musical character like a flat sign …

You can use multiple fonts in the same Text Block, so you can enter a flat sign by changing to a font that has the flat sign.

That is what I meant by my word ‘capable’.

In old Finale versions you could not use multiple fonts in a Text Expression; hence the Shape Designer was back then the only way to use multiple fonts in an expression.

Indeed it would be nice if you could paste, or use the Text menu’s Text Insert function.

Also, it would be nice if you could resize the Shape Designer window to a bigger size.

Amen brother, to your final two comments!