Repeat Tool

Using this tool, you can create and edit repeat signs and text repeats (such as D.S. al Coda) in your score. These repeats can be defined for playback, if you wish, so that Finale, playing back your score, responds to them just as a musician would.

Use this tool to create first and second endings, functional Coda and D.S. symbols, and even endless repeats.

Double-click a measure to display the Repeat Selection box, where you can create either a repeat barline or a text repeat to insert into the score (and define it for playback, if you wish).
Click a text repeat handle to select it; Shift+click to select an additional one. Press delete to remove any selected text repeats.
Drag a text repeat handle to move the text repeat in any direction (in all staves simultaneously).
Click a repeat barline handle to select it; press delete to remove it.
Drag a repeat barline bracket handle up or down to make the bracket taller or shorter (or, in the case of the open end of the bracket, drag left or right to lengthen or shorten the bracket). (If you want to drag the bracket so that it's longer than a measure or so, double-click its handle, select Individual Positioning, and click OK.)
Double-click a text repeat handle to display the Text Repeat Assignment dialog box, where you can change the spelling, font, or justification of the text repeat.
Double-click a repeat barline handle (or its bracket handle) to display its Repeat Bar Assignment dialog box, where you can change the playback effects of the repeat barline.
Shift+double-click a text repeat handle to display the Repeat Designer dialog box, where you can change the playback effects of the text repeat.

You can create Repeat Metatools—one-key equivalents for repeat signs—that can save you time if you need to insert many repeat signs into your score.

To program a Repeat Metatool

Click the Repeat Tool. Press shift and a letter or number key. Finale displays the Repeat Selection dialog box; double-click the repeat barline or the text repeat you want to correspond to the letter or number you pressed (or, if the text repeat you want doesn’t appear in the list, click Create and design it at this point). Click Select.

To use a Repeat Metatool

Click the Repeat Tool. While pressing the letter or number key corresponding to the Metatool you programmed, click a measure. If the Metatool was programmed to insert a repeat barline, Finale displays the Backward Repeat Bar Assignment dialog box, where you can specify the playback effects of the barline (unless it was the purely graphic Forward Repeat barline). If the Metatool was programmed to insert a text repeat, Finale displays the Text Repeat Assignment dialog box, where you can specify the playback effects of the text repeat.

Contextual menus are reached by right+clicking on a measure or the handle of an object. A contextual menu will be displayed where you can select various items. Some context commands, such as Create Simple Repeat requires a measure selection. See Selecting music.

Measure selection contextual menu for repeats

Menu item	What it does
Create Simple Repeat	Encloses selected measures with repeat barlines
Create First and Second Ending	Adds a first ending on selected measure(s) and a second ending on the measure following the selection
Create Ending	Opens the Create Ending dialog box where you can define a repeat ending on the highlighted measures
Create Forward Repeat Bar	Creates a forward repeat bar
Create Backward Repeat Bar	Creates a backward repeat bar
Align Brackets	Aligns brackets for all endings in selected region vertically
Reset Bracket Position	Resets ending brackets to default positioning for endings in the selected region
Delete	Deletes all repeat barlines, endings, and text repeats in selected region

Backward repeat barline handles

Menu item	What it does
Edit Repeat Assignment	Displays the Backward Repeat Assignment dialog box or the Ending Repeat Bar Assignment dialog box
Allow Individual Edits per Staff	Allows you to adjust the positioning of ending brackets on each staff of the system individually.
Align Brackets	Aligns the first and second (and other selected) ending brackets vertically
Reset Bracket Position	Resets ending brackets to default positioning.
Show	Check this option to show, or uncheck to hide (on the printed page)
Relink to Score (parts only)	Restore the link to its corresponding score item
Unlink In All Parts (score only)	Break the link between the score and this item in all parts
Relink In All Parts (score only)	Restore the link to all corresponding items in parts
Delete	Removes selected repeat

Text Repeat handles

Menu item	What it does
Edit Repeat Assignment	Display the Text Repeat Assignment dialog box
Edit Ending (available when context-clicking an ending bracket)	Displays the Edit Ending dialog box where the ending number and playback effects can be edited
Edit Repeat Definition	Display the Repeat Designer dialog box
Allow Individual Edits per Staff	Allows you to adjust the positioning of text repeats individually (for text repeats assigned to more than one staff).
Show	Check this option to show, or uncheck to hide (on the printed page)
Relink to Score (parts only)	Restore the link to its corresponding score item
Unlink In All Parts (score only)	Break the link between the score and this item in all parts
Relink In All Parts (score only)	Restore the link to all corresponding items in parts
Delete	Removes selected repeat