… this is a recurring figure, so I'm hoping the fix isn't something that has to be done manually to each notehead …

1) Indeed the fix has to be done manually to each notehead.

Use the Special Tools Tool, sub-tool Notehead Position Tool, and move the notehead Horizontally by 6.75 Points.

You may also have to move an accidental by 6.75 Points.

2) If this is a recurring figure, then I would copy the finished measure to the other measures with the recurring figure.

Argh. Thanks for the fix & the suggestion. Will do both.

Is this a bug? what even causes this behavior?

Sigh.

… Is this a bug? …

No, this is not a bug.

A bug is by definition a case where the program does not work as described in the manual.

In Other Words:

Bug:

The documentation says that something will work, but it doesn’t.

Instead of ‘bug’ You could call it an Unmet Reasonable Expectation - or URE.

Ok. 🙂

Does the manual even address this situation? (IIRC the only examples of cross staff, reverse stem step usage are for single note or entire chord, no split chords.) What is it called if it's not even addressed in the manual?

… Does the manual even address this situation? …

As Far As I Can Tell, no.

The documentation describes Finale’s tools and menus and dialog boxes; what they do, and how to get there.

What you are asking for, is {how to solve a specific notational problem}.

The documentation contains solutions to some common notational problems.

But not solutions to all notational problems.

Fortunately some experienced Finale users have found clever solutions to difficult notational problems - sometimes by using Finale’s tools in ways the programmers had never thought of.

Whenever you are dealing with a difficult notational problem, it is a good idea to ask a question here in MakeMusic’s forum (or in the other Finale forums).

… What is it called if it's not even addressed in the manual? …

THAT is a very good question.

;-)

Michelle,

When you start asking is this a bug and then ask why this situation is not addressed n the manual or what it should be called, this sounds as if you have moved on from trying to find a solution to trying to blame someone, which really leads to no positive result. I can see why you want to put the C in the bass clef to maintain a handbell standard, and to a lesser extent why  you might want to keep the C attached to the other notes of the chord. The challenge, therefore, is to find a way to do this.

J Adriaan --

• trying to blame someone

What? I'm not blaming anyone! How in the world did you come up with that? Asking is something is a bug is not blaming! ??

And I didn't ask WHY it wasn't addressed in the manual; I stated that IIRC it wasn't addressed. (Pretty sure I do recall correctly because I looked it up before I asked my question here, as one should.) I had asked if this behavior is a bug, meaning is this an unintended result? Peter gave (what I thought was) a humorous, more specific definition of bug and suggested an alternate term. I expanded on that by presenting (what I thought was) a similarly humorous scenario in which, because it's not addressed in the manual at all, it doesn't fit in Peter's definition of bug. It's definitely a URE, but was it also perhaps an unforeseen situation? 

Look, I'm autistic & sometimes miss social clues, but both Peter and I both used emojis/emoticons, so I think I'm fairly safe in thinking that it was meant to be (at least a little) humorous.

• The challenge, therefore, is to find a way to do this.

Peter already found the way and passed it on to me. My immediate problem is solved, though I am still left wondering why the stem disappears. It seems like something you wouldn't want to happen. (That's also not me assigning blame.)

Seriously. What??