Finale v26.3.0.634 offers several new features for both Mac and Windows users as well as a fistful of bug fixes.
Dark Mode Support (Mac Only)
Finale now includes a more cohesive user experience when running the application while in macOS Dark Mode.
Finale’s Dark Mode follows your settings in System Preferences. (This is similar to the way that Finale follows your system preferences for the number of available Recent Items in the menu).
Note that because Finale’s settings are linked to the Mac’s Dark Mode settings in System Preferences, there is currently no way to have Finale’s settings set differently from the operating system settings as they are in some other programs.
Finale power user Nick Mazuk has put together this video walkthrough to explain Finale’s Dark Mode on Mac in more detail; a worthwhile walkthrough before updating:
For both Mac and Windows users, there are some other nice enhancements in this most recent offering.
Navigation
Finale’s underlying drawing mechanism has been updated to offer better performance and responsiveness while editing and scrolling.
Saving
If Finale encounters a problem saving a document, a warning is displayed with suggestions for further action.
MusicXML
Music written with percussion clefs using standard rather than percussion notation now exports correctly.
Music written on 2- or 3-line percussion staves now exports and imports more accurately.
Percussion notation rests set to a specific staff position now export and import more accurately.
Custom Clef Designer definitions are now exported.
Stacked chord symbols are now exported and imported.
Measure numbers now export more accurately from documents with multiple measure number regions.
Stems shortened to nothing using the stem length tool are now exported correctly.
MusicXML import no longer changes MIDI quantization settings.
When notes display in other layers when rhythmic notation is applied, their stem directions now export correctly and articulations are displayed after import.
MakeMusic has also released Spanish Finale v26!. (en Español)
Fixes in Finale 26.3
Stems now maintain their correct thickness at all zoom levels in Simple Entry.
The order of font-family submenus has been corrected for macOS 10.15 Catalina.
Zero-width text characters now display correctly regardless of their zoom level, font size, and proximity to page edge.
Rotated text (such as in custom Smart Lines) now displays correctly at all combinations of staff reduction and zoom level.
EPS graphics exported from Finale now import and display correctly.
The Handwritten document style now uses consistent fonts for chord symbols, and chord symbols with flats are now recognized in Type Into Score mode.