I have been having this issue for a while that with bar numbers shown below every bar line, Dorico defaults to a quite extensive spacing with dynamics as seen here:
I experimented with the vertical distancing settings for Dynamics in Engraving Mode as well the settings for Bar Numbers in Layout Options but none get me to a point where Dorico moves that dynamic closer to the staff. I presume that some collision avoidance between dynamics and bar numbers is going on there as a “slimer” dynamic like p is working better:
I of course always could adjust manually but is there a setting that I’m currently not considering which could optimize that spacing automatically?
Thanks
Robin
Try reducing Minimum distance between dynamic and other items in the Below the staff group of the Vertical Position section of the Dynamics page of Engraving Options. You might also try reducing the value of Minimum distance from other objects on the Bar Numbers page of Layout Options.
Thanks @dspreadbury, I tried both options. Decreasing the value in the first option does indeed help in this specific situation but creates too tight results in others (eg slurs and dynamics).
Changing the bar number minimum distance from other objects value has no effect whatsoever in this case.
It feels like these dynamics take some extra space around them that other objects don’t.
Robin
I think the issue is that because they’re oblique/italic, you might imagine that the void in the top left corner of e.g. an “m” might be possible to be occupied by another item, but in fact Dorico uses the bounding rectangle for the text rather than a tight bounding shape to perform collision avoidance for things like dynamics (it does something more sophisticated for noteheads, but that’s more or less the extent of it).
Thanks for the clarification. Would be great seeing these issues improved in further versions.