System spacing inconsistencies

Hello, I’m using Dorico 4 and struggling to get a consistent distribution of systems on the page.

I am using Full Score page template, no defaults changed. No overrides on any pages. All pages are Default.

I want 2 systems per page, and have tried making this happen by setting it in Layout options, and I have alternatively tried inserting system breaks appropriately. However I do it, Dorico spaces the two systems either to cover the page (nice) on the first 2 pages of the score, an positions them at the upper part leaving a gap below (not) - on alll the rest.

If I request a fixed no. of bars per system, this only works on the pages that are distributed correctly.

What am I missing?!

The difference is vertical justification, and whether pages are sufficiently full to go above this threshold. You can lower the threshold if you want more pages, even less full ones, to justify vertically:

As to why some pages aren’t following your fixed casting off of two systems per page: are there any manual frame breaks in the layout? These override the casting off.

Many thanks Lillie :slight_smile:
There are no manual frame breaks, no.
I’ve made some progress with the justification but there is still something inconsistent with pages 1 and 2. Please see attached screenshot.

Do you have any manual staff spacing changes on those pages?

Can you upload your file for someone to check out?

Try adjusting the options in the Vertical Justification section of the Vertical Spacing page of Layout Options. I can’t see from your image how full your pages really are vertically (in percentage terms), but if you switch to Engrave mode and look at the fullness indicator at the bottom of the frame, you’ll see which of the two options in that section is taking effect.

I’ve played more with the vertical spacing in combination with the staff-to-staff ideal gaps. Getting there I think!

Thanks everyone.

On pages 1-2, only the systems are justified. On the other pages, both systems and the staves within them are justified.

The difference is the two values for justification in Layout Options (described on the page I linked in my previous reply). Pages that are fuller than both values, only have their systems justified (ie the two systems are filling the page, but the staves inside each system are only using your minimum gaps between staves).

Try setting the 2nd value, for only systems justify, to something quite a bit higher – like 90%.

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