I’ve been struggling with time signatures in Dorico since coming from Sibelius. My default way to change time signature is to select the bars that I want to change it for and then use the popover to type in the new one. However, this does not revert back to the original time signature afterwards and, as a result, I have to spend time ensuring it is written correctly when adding the return signature. I have done this in a current project I’m working on and all seems good apart from this weird non-definitive bar which, when deleted, causes all music afterwards to bunch up (as shown).
Any ideas?
Also just noticed that the bar numbers now have square brackets around them which they’re not supposed to…
Since a time signature change affects bars until the next change, many users find that it’s better to add the return time signature (the recurrence of the original time signature) first, then go back and put in the changed time signature.
If you go to Engrave mode and make sure you have signposts on, you’ll see that you have a frame or system break at the beginning of that system. Select it and open the bottom Properties panel, and untick the “Wait for next break” property.
@KingCharlesVII
Those bars that have the squared bar numbers are partial bars that are separated by a system break (the first part of those bars lives in the preceding system). Dorico is telling you, with the bracket, that the bar number is the continuation of the preceding bar.
You can deactivate system breaks to divide bars, from the Preferences, activating Snap system and frame breaks to barlines when creating:
To handle the existing breaks, you can move them to barlines in Write mode (select and use the move shortcuts Option(Alt)+right or left arrow.
If this is a XML import, and you want Dorico to handle the breaks, instead, make sure you deactivate Import system and frame breaks, and reimport your file:
