# Choosing which individual barlines connect through all the staves **URL:** \ **Category:** Dorico\ **Created:** [March 8, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/choosing-which-individual-barlines-connect-through-all-the-staves/977000 "2025-03-08T17:10:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![joonas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@joonas](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/joonas)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 5:10pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/choosing-which-individual-barlines-connect-through-all-the-staves/977000/1 "2025-03-08T17:10:56Z")
Hi! Is this possible? I am working on a saxophone quartet, where in each part there are repeat sections, which are not aligned and different length. I can get those with individual time signatures. But after what actually seems like one bar in the end product, there is this barline going through all the staves and the “bar number” is actually a rehearsal mark at the top. Is there some way (even of it is manual and painful) to choose which barline crosses the staves and which don’t? ![Screenshot_2025-03-08-19-08-36-029_com.google.android.apps.docs-edit](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/original/4X/1/3/f/13ff63987ab4bb9a0f4262a48b162e204f8497fc.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![jesele](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/jesele/32/1542_2.png) [@jesele](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/jesele)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 5:27pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/choosing-which-individual-barlines-connect-through-all-the-staves/977000/2 "2025-03-08T17:27:34Z")
See this recent thread. Jesper > [@Floating repeats in multiple staves](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/floating-repeats-in-multiple-staves/973499/2): > > First you have to create local time signatures with alt/opt-return. For open meter shift-M x or open alt/opt-return. Then insert the repeats in the same way with shift-B |: alt/opt-return and shift-B expressionless alt/opt-return. To keep the space it’s probably best to make the rests invisible with the color opacity (alpha channel) set to zero. Winged repeats in Library-\>Engraving Options-\>Barlines Jesper Short ugly example: [repeats.dorico](https://forums.steinberg.net/uploads/short-url/6oA1INZoc3P2amXqYlbBphCO1g4.dorico) (498.7 KB) and with a line > [@Floating repeats in multiple staves](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/floating-repeats-in-multiple-staves/973499/6): > > Great, another perhaps simpler solution is to use a line. Sorry no winged repeats but possible to create. Jesper [line repeat.dorico](https://forums.steinberg.net/uploads/short-url/a9TopEnXVwkgflohpsXpPEYgJtN.dorico) (511.9 KB) ---
**Author:** ![joonas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ed655f/32.png) [@joonas](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/joonas)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 6:06pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/choosing-which-individual-barlines-connect-through-all-the-staves/977000/3 "2025-03-08T18:06:34Z")
Thanks for your answer! I specified that I know how to make the repeats but I am asking about barlines as the title suggests. Perhaps I’m not underatanding how that thread helps me? ---
**Author:** ![jesele](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/jesele/32/1542_2.png) [@jesele](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/jesele)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 6:24pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/choosing-which-individual-barlines-connect-through-all-the-staves/977000/4 "2025-03-08T18:24:29Z")
Ah, sorry @joonas I read too quickly. Something like this with local (hidden) open time signatures in the beginning and a global (hidden) one where you want the barline. Jesper [barlines.dorico](https://forums.steinberg.net/uploads/short-url/xqMFHVHOVbkBMOag3B45Gu27sX0.dorico) (483.8 KB) ![image](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/original/4X/1/0/6/106730f52f0a229a0e99e722c85449323a84ea0b.png) ---
**Author:** ![Christian\_R](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/user_avatar/forums.steinberg.net/christian_r/32/188142_2.png) [@Christian\_R](https://forums.steinberg.net/u/Christian_R)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 6:28pm UTC](https://forums.steinberg.net/t/choosing-which-individual-barlines-connect-through-all-the-staves/977000/5 "2025-03-08T18:28:44Z")
Hi @joonas, as in your example the barlines (with the numbers) seem to be consistent, I would also opt for a custom horizontal line\* to indicate the start and end repeats, without using local meters. (\*As @jesele suggested while I was preparing my crazy screenshots 🙂 I leave my detailed explanation here below, in case it could be useful for someone) Here a visual workflow: 1. Create the invisible line using Music Symbols as start and end caps: ![CleanShot 2025-03-08 at 18.42.05@2x](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/original/4X/8/f/a/8fa7d89e0a0a3c57d6eb6198af2f77849550e136.jpeg) 1. Apply the line with the barlines as start and end: ![CleanShot 2025-03-08 at 18.59.32@2x](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/original/4X/4/9/0/4909a340791e5fa3e529b37c482658bf91c50d2c.png) 1. Change the spacing for the first control point: ![CleanShot 2025-03-08 at 18.50.01@2x](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/original/4X/a/8/e/a8e302fbdf69fca5d14132ab215edb955205b295.png) 1. Adjust the start and end position: ![CleanShot 2025-03-08 at 18.36.19@2x](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/original/4X/c/4/1/c4131ace66e7fa6292f2a03fa8d75dee07598ccf.png) Result: ![CleanShot 2025-03-08 at 19.27.30@2x](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/steinberg/original/4X/0/0/f/00f3cd86903202cce3d09a3469aa1d80c9219cf4.png) Dorico file example: [repeat and end as line.dorico](https://forums.steinberg.net/uploads/short-url/zBdZREtPEkCkczNYTjbfE7Vj0LB.dorico) (596.9 KB)