Problems with Finale

[Ianant]

Any one has any idea why I may not be able to make a PDF, I'm using Finale 2008, after importing an xml file in to the program? I noticed that I also cannot size the page to Letter size. It is an A4 page. I need the PDF so I can print out the lead sheet, of course. I can save the file as a .mus file, but I cannot make a PDF to print.

Couple things: I got the file from the Wikifonia website. Maybe there are known issues with with their files or maybe with Finale 2008 after importing xml files? I did a fair amount of goggling and found no solution to my problems.

If I try to print a PDF, the page comes out either blank or the sheet is rendered very tiny toward the left upper corner of the page.

I have Acrobat 8, by the way, the full program. I might add that I'm a graphic artist, so I am pretty well versed with PDF creation, proper software installation running with appropriate hardware, etc. etc. I have an Intel Mac running Leopard. It's not a gear problem. I make PDFs from every other app. This is some problem with Finale or those xml files. Any help would be appreciated.

I thank you in advance for you kindness and generosity, and I remain, you most humble and obedient servant.


IA

[jazz oud]

A few questions:

Are you choosing PDF from the print menu? You can't "save" PDF in Finale, only "print" to a PDF file.

How are you trying to resize the page? You should try the following:

a) Use the Document menu, choose "Page Format", choose "score" and choose the settings you want. After doing this, you may have to choose the page layout tool and "redefine pages"

or

b) Using the Page Layout tool, go to the Page Layout drop-down menu. Choose "Page Size" and choose the settings you want. Again, you may need to follow up with "redefine pages"

[Ianant]

Originally Posted by jazz oud

A few questions:

Are you choosing PDF from the print menu? You can't "save" PDF in Finale, only "print" to a PDF file.

How are you trying to resize the page? You should try the following:

a) Use the Document menu, choose "Page Format", choose "score" and choose the settings you want. After doing this, you may have to choose the page layout tool and "redefine pages"

or

b) Using the Page Layout tool, go to the Page Layout drop-down menu. Choose "Page Size" and choose the settings you want. Again, you may need to follow up with "redefine pages"

Yeah, did all that, Oud. It's something with Finale or the .xml files from that site? Most likely Finale or you know what? It could be a combo of both that and the .xml files. I can say this assuredly because after my initial post I downloaded MuseScore and I was able to make PDFs through that. No problem. The only issue I encountered was at least on one file it squished the letters of the chords in some places. I could not resolve this, which is probably largely because I don't know how to use that program. I tried all the font editing options I could find there. Nada. Nothing worked in the way of my fixing the squished up letters.

Anyway, it's not industry standard so I never gave much of any time toward trying to learn it. I got it solely to try and see if I could output a PDF I could print from an .xml file, which I exported from Finale after formatting, mind you, and that worked, with those minor issues I mentioned.

BTW: If you or anyone wants to humor themselves to see if you can make a PDF from one of those Finale 2008 .mus files I mentioned, I'll gladly send one your way via email. You will be able to see if it works or not, which should shed some like on whether there is a problem on my end.

[Mike A]

I'm sometimes able to resolve problems with a mus file by selecting all measures of the score, copying them, and then pasting them into a new, clean score from my template which I've set up with the same key signature and time signature.

[page]

Ian, ok. As you know I don't have Finale but Sibelius, however I have some of those same files. Did you convert the mxl to xml first? I have tried it out since I couldn't find an earlier file and it works fine for me.
I do think it must be your settings for Finale since I am able to adjust the xml file in Sibelius.
You could download MuseScore when you keep running into this problem, it is free. Since there are things going on with the companies of Finale and Sibelius I did that just to not be without a notation program if it comes to that. All those mxl/xml files there are made with this program.

[Ianant]

Originally Posted by page

Ian, ok. As you know I don't have Finale but Sibelius, however I have some of those same files. Did you convert the mxl to xml first? I have tried it out since I couldn't find an earlier file and it works fine for me.
I do think it must be your settings for Finale since I am able to adjust the xml file in Sibelius.
You could download MuseScore when you keep running into this problem, it is free. Since there are things going on with the companies of Finale and Sibelius I did that just to not be without a notation program if it comes to that. All those mxl/xml files there are made with this program.

Page, Finale imports the mxl directly. I'm unaware that you have to convert the mxl first, and I don't think there is any option for that in Finale. It asks you to import the mxl or if you already have an xml file then I am able to edit it at will once I bring it into the program. The problem is printing it out afterwords. You do this by first making a PDF.

In other words, you can spend a ton of time formatting only to find out you can't print the file afterwards.

[page]

Here's the way to convert: make a copy of the mxl. Change the name of the copy (always keep the original somewhere and not change that one) to name.zip or name.rar whatever program you have. Open the zip or rar file and you'll find the xml file which you can open in Finale.
I can only import xml files. I can't export them with my Sibelius unfortunately. I can't import mxl files at all.

[jazz oud]

Ian, you've made me curious. If you'll send me the file, I'd like to try to troubleshoot this.

[Ianant]

Originally Posted by jazz oud

Ian, you've made me curious. If you'll send me the file, I'd like to try to troubleshoot this.

Oud, and to whomever would like to satisfy their curiosity really: here is a link to one of the files after I brought it into Finale 2008 and edited it for bass clef.
http://www.mediafire.com/?u1gqjsn2yf5xr17

Here is a link to the original mxl file:
http://www.mediafire.com/?cf790tasqps6z80

You can try in your programs and let me know what results you get.

Page, what you mentioned above is a nifty little scheme for converting mxl to xml but unfortunately when I bring the converted file into Finale, I still cannot make a PDF.

Thanks Oud, and Page and Mike for taking the time to respond to this post.

[jazz oud]

Ian, I just tried it in my version of Finale (2009) and was able to print, make a pdf, and change the page size.

If I recall correctly, there were some major upgrades between 2008 and 2009, perhaps there is some bug in the older version's handling of xml files.

I was able to make a pdf using the free Finale Reader, but not to change page sizes.

[Ianant]

Originally Posted by jazz oud

Ian, I just tried it in my version of Finale (2009) and was able to print, make a pdf, and change the page size.

If I recall correctly, there were some major upgrades between 2008 and 2009, perhaps there is some bug in the older version's handling of xml files.

I was able to make a pdf using the free Finale Reader, but not to change page sizes.

Ok, I figured it was some issue with the app, because as I said earlier, MuseScore allows me to make and print a PDF with little to no worries.

I had the same issues with changing page sizes too, btw. In any event, thanks for looking into it.

[engelbach]

Ian,

Your file opened automatically for me in the free program Musescore, in which I was able to print it to PDF.

I was also able to import it into Finale 2010 and print it to PDF.

Have you tried trashing your Finale Preferences file? A corrupt Preferences file has been the cause of many problems in Finale.

Cheers,
Jer

[Ianant]

Originally Posted by engelbach

Ian,

Your file opened automatically for me in the free program Musescore, in which I was able to print it to PDF.

I was also able to import it into Finale 2010 and print it to PDF.

Have you tried trashing your Finale Preferences file? A corrupt Preferences file has been the cause of many problems in Finale.

Cheers,
Jer

Jer, I was able to print using Musescore as well. I, however, have not tried trashing my Preferences file. Food for thought. Will give that a shot. Thanks.

[jazz oud]

Originally Posted by engelbach

Have you tried trashing your Finale Preferences file? A corrupt Preferences file has been the cause of many problems in Finale.

Good point and good suggestion. I don't recall it happening to me, but it certainly has come up a number of times on the Finale forums as a potential solution to certain problems.