Post Edited (Jari Williamsson) : 11/4/2013 6:52:15 PM (GMT-6)

I expected to see an option for moving rest vertically under RESTS/Move and was disappointed that it wasn't there.

The plugin that comes with Finale for this chore is not modeless and can be a pain when working on dozens of cues. It would be nice if it were in JW Change (if not just to make the Rest/move feature seem more complete). Also, layer/voice selection options would make using JW Change faster (I know, I can select "show only active layer" when I want to run a command on any one layer but a few checkboxes within the plugin would be quicker, allow me to immediately see how my changes look next to the unprocessed layers and allow me to run the process on 2 or 3 layers at a time.)

Ken

Post Edited (Michel R. E.) : 1/19/2012 4:47:01 PM (GMT-6)

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1. The plugin seems to only work on the first measure of music select.
2. I'm not sure what I did to my rests in m.65 [Reh. F] but the Rest/Displacement function does not function as expected in these measures. The amount of displacement the whole rest moves (note: we're in 3/4 time here) seems different than the number of note stpes I requested. The file is attached (March of the Corn - Finale 2010 file opened in Finale 2012). Maybe you can figure out what's going on. I also seemed to have broken the function with a temporary file I created with Finale 2012a.
3. Will there be an option for "Unfloat rests"? Will there be a function to clear manual vertical positioning? Even though this exits in the "Move Rests..." plugin, including it in yours will maake you plugin seem more complete and prevent us from having to go into that other plugin (which is not modeless).
4. "On Bottom Staff Line" places whole rests on the second line. I can see you're trying to keep the position of rests relative so that "On Bottom Staff Line" is actually having rests position themselves around the bottom line (as if it were the default 3rd staff line) - meaning that most will sit on it but the whole rests will actually hang from the line above it. This explains why "Centered on Staff"  still puts the whole notes on the 4th line. The wording was a bit misleading to me given that this is a plugin that allows you to move rest exactly where you want to and since, when I'm moving rests for a 2-part staff or for cues, I often do hang a whole rest from the the line that the other rests are sitting on. E.g., whole rest hangs from top line while others sit on it. Given the vertical clearance needed for everything other than whole and half rests this provides better readbility for the other part (and a whole rest seldom appears in the same measure and layer as other rests). I think "Above Bottom/Top Staff Line" is more accurate for all types of rests and the results won't surprise anyone. You could then change the "Far Below/Above Staff" option to simply "Above/Below Staff".

Are the 7 bottom choices under Rests/Position Style simply a hardwired verison of Rests/Displacement?

Will Clefs be added to the lineup of editable musical elements in this plugin? Specifically, changing the horizontal offset of mid-measure clefs.

Ken

1. If the Rest/Displacement function does not affect the display of floating rests but does affect them if they are unfloated (either manual or through the plugin, I would clearly state that in the explaination of the option. Something like this:
   Sets the vertical displacement offset of of the rests (in note steps). Note: The verical displacement will not "display" on floating rests until their floating attribute is remove via the Speedy Edit Frame or JW Plugin Change/Rests/Position Style/Movable.
   Is it then adviseable to apply the "Movable" Position Stlye before doing any displacement so that the results are apparent?
2. When I see the term, "Floating (Clear)", as a position style it tells me that hitting Apply will "clear" the "floating" attribute of the rests. Since this is not the case and "clear" refers to clearing (putting "0" in) the displacement attribute of the rests, I would suggest using the term, "Floating (Clear Displacement)".
3. If Movable unfloats rests I would state that it does by using the term "Movable (Unfloat rests). However, I'm noticing that if I put a whole rest in a measure in both layers 1 & 2, it takes hitting "Apply" twice to unfloat the rest with this option. The first click doesn't appear to do anything and the second clicking of "Apply" places the rests under on the bottom staff line. Both the fact that it takes 2 clicks to unfloat the rests and that both rests move to the bottom line surprise and confuse me.

• "Above Staff"[v0.11] can be changed "Far Above Staff"
• "Above Top Staff Line"[v0.11] can change to "Above Staff". This looks too high to be referencing the top staff line.
• "On Top Staff Line" [v0.10] (was displacement=10, I liked that option but you seem to have removed it) can change to "Above Top Staff Line". Yes, placing something "above staff" is also placing it above the top staff line but the title draws attention to the "top staff line" so I think users will better be able to predict what where the rest will be moved - just above the top staff line. This becomes more important with the lower options and different duration rests - see below.
• What we're now missing is "On Bottom Staff Line"[v0.10] I think it was displacement=2 and I also liked this option). I would suggest renaming it to "Above Bottom Staff Line" so that it doesn't confuse people - as it did me - when a whole rest displays as hanging from the 2nd line (and not visually on the bottom staff line). (PS I just notice how weird Finale's 32nd rests look next to 16th and 8th rests. Are they really supposed to add "hooks" on the line above before adding them below the 16th rest "hook"?)
• "Below Bottom Staff Line" is perfect. That's exactly were all types of rest appear - just below the bottom line.
• "Below Staff" is perfect. Since the bottom staff line isn't mentioned I assume the rest will be plaved somewhat lower.