Time Signature placement questions

I am new to Dorico, so some of these questions may be easily answered…
In a previous thread an engraving option to shift Gap between top of staff and time signature was mentioned, but I cannot find it…
The placement of Time sigs in system positions changes the relationship of a note duration denominator to horizontal. (I can understand the potential vertical spacing issues, but I have never seen a published score with that change before.) Also, duration denominators attached to staves are down stem, but up stem in system placement?
Given the stem length, the vertical space taken by a duration denominator in a staff centered placement looks out of proportion (to me) to the space extending above the staff. But there is no way to adjust font size of numerator separately (or use different fonts for top and bottom)…
Is a single time sig in between a braced pair of staves determined as the same as a one sig for a bracketed group? (Not that this sounds good, but correct placement of between stave sigs in a piano part means that single sig in a wind bracket cannot be attached to top wind staff.)
Thanks in advance for any and all info and insight.

Welcome to the forum, @RVSLee. I’m struggling a little bit to visualise exactly what you’re asking about – would you be able to attach a picture or a project that shows the issue you’re experiencing?

If I’m understanding your enquiry correctly, you’re worried about the relative size of the note value shown for the time signature denominator when you choose to show the denominator using a note rather than numerals: is that right? If so, there’s no independent control over the relative size of the denominator note.

Daniel, thanks ever so much for the quick response, and confirming my guess about different fonts for numerator/denominator not being possible.
But what I’m hoping for is placing “note duration” denominator time sigs essentially in system text positions, but laid out the same way they would be if they were attached to staves - with the note still in denominator position. That could probably be approximated if the vertical offset engraving option I saw mentioned in an earlier thread were still available in D 5. (But am I correct that it is not?)
I am currently exploring laying out time sigs on zero line staves that would otherwise be completely hidden. That would also involve alternative placement of Tempos, etc., but that is fine. (And yes, I know it will create horizontal layout issues, just as they would be created by simple vertical offset.)
FWIW, the use of completely blank staves is one of the cleanest ways to layout stage directions and spoken text blocks in music theater scores in Finale.
Any further advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry. a simple user here? Find it difficult to understand what you are asking for. Is this something you have in another program? Or is it something another engraver uses? I cannot find anything corresponding in Gould Behind bars. Is this is a philosphical question or is it something about a future direction of enbraving? It would help if you could show some examples.

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It is in Engraving Options > Time Signatures > Time Signatures at System Object Positions.

Gotcha… I misread the thread and thought that Y offset was meant for staff attached time sigs.

And… Time sigs as system objects makes every sense to me as far as placement, but… the distinct design placing the duration ‘denominator’ to the right of the beat count ‘numerator’ instead of under (as it would be if it were centered on or between staves) and also using an upstem rather than downstem note, is something I personally find visually confusing.