What did you do to my Finale?

[bobcates]

Longtime Finale user.
I purchased, downloaded, and installed Dorico 5. Windows 10 on desktop.
Still want to use Finale while I am learning Dorico.
Now I cannot use my Finale. Can open an existing file but can do nothing to it except scroll up/down.
This must have been something about the Dorico set-up because I have done nothing else, in terms of programs, to the computer.
Thank you,
Bob Cates

[FredGUnn]

The Dorico install did nothing to Finale. Seriously. I use both simultaneously along with a zillion other audio programs all the time. I have no idea how you have Win10 configured, but it’s entirely possible you still have the Windows default settings that allow programs to take exclusive control over your audio device. Open the properties for your audio device and make sure this isn’t clicked.

If you’re allowing Dorico or another audio program to monopolize your sound card / DAC / interface, then it won’t be available to Finale. But that’s the fault of your settings, not Dorico.

[BillMiller]

Correlation =/= causation. Believe it or not, there are dozens of things that could be messing with your Finale installation that have nothing to do with Dorico.

1. FredGUnn just described one setting that can wreak havoc if selected…definitely check this.

2. Could be an outdated graphics driver. This has been the cause of many issues I’ve had in the past on Windows in general.

3. Could be a corrupted graphics driver update. New updates can mess things up all the time.

4. You might have a Windows update pending, or a recent install of a Windows update messed with some of your settings.

5. Finale might have experienced issues with loading. It happens. Restarting the program might fix the problem.

6. Have you tried turning your computer off and then on again? It sounds dumb, but system restarts fix a vast majority of problems.

7. Could be that the project file is corrupted somehow…if you have an earlier version of the file, open it and see if you encounter the same problem…

My point is, there’s so much troubleshooting that can and should be done before pointing the finger at Dorico.

[bobcates]

Thanks to BillMiller and FredGUnn.

• Negative positive results.
• Restarted Finale, re-booted computer, and started Finale again, and “no change”. Most of Finale’s “task options” under the command headings are greyed out. Hit the “play” button after re-opening a previous file and a small green inverted caret shows up and does not move.
• Have searched for new drivers for graphics and audio devices and cannot locate the image that FredGUnn shows.
• Tried closing the file but no option, had to exit Finale.
• Opened a 2020 Finale Legacy Notation file (.mus?), same result, no commands, no play, etc.

Did not mean to directly accuse Dorico (yet), but I have changed nothing, programmatically, since installing Dorico 5. Had problem getting any sound volume from Dorico, but have a work-around based on info from Ulf, max settings on the “faders”.

Am considering downloading Finale again, and re-installing, based on previous emails from Finale to see what happens.

Thanks,

Bob Cates

| BillMiller
October 2 |

• | - |

Correlation =/= causation. Believe it or not, there are dozens of things that could be messing with your Finale installation that have nothing to do with Dorico.

1. FredGUnn just described one setting that can wreak havoc if selected…definitely check this.

2. Could be an outdated graphics driver. This has been the cause of many issues I’ve had in the past on Windows in general.

3. Could be a corrupted graphics driver update. New updates can mess things up all the time.

4. You might have a Windows update pending, or a recent install of a Windows update messed with some of your settings.

5. Finale might have experienced issues with loading. It happens. Restarting the program might fix the problem.

6. Have you tried turning your computer off and then on again? It sounds dumb, but system restarts fix a vast majority of problems.

7. Could be that the project file is corrupted somehow…if you have an earlier version of the file, open it and see if you encounter the same problem…

My point is, there’s so much troubleshooting that can and should be done before pointing the finger at Dorico.

[FredGUnn]

@bobcates

Have searched for new drivers for graphics and audio devices and cannot locate the image that FredGUnn shows.

I’m on Win11 and can’t remember if this changed from Win10, but in Windows go to Settings / Sound Settings, then scroll down to Advanced / More Sound Settings. Make sure every device on that list is set to the same sample rate (whether active or not) and make sure all are set to not allow exclusive mode.

[bobcates]

I think that the problem is more than just sound. Finale will open. I can open a file from the popup box but that is not available through the normal File/Open procedure.

Must have changed from 10 to 11, because nothing like what you describe can be found.
Have Settings/System/Sound/Advanced Sound Options, and have (see attached jpg). Nothing about any “sample rate”.

Bedtime. Will check email 1st thing in the A.M.

Thank you,

Bob Cates

(attachments)

[benwiggy]

If Finale itself isn’t fundamentally working, then you should reinstall it. You could also try resetting the Preferences.

However, there are thousands of Finale users who have installed Dorico, and I haven’t seen a similar problem. It is very unlikely to be “enemy action”.

FWIW, I’m on a Mac, and Finale continues to work as it has always done, alongside Dorico.

[phase_Shift]

Audio settings are the first place to look, and FInale has gone “Error Code 7” on me a number of times (I’m on a Mac) due to competing audio settings with other applications, usually my DAW. Usually quitting both programs then reopening Finale fixes this one for me, typically it’s related to my input device (I alternate mic and midi controller - I sometimes unplug that, too).

[mzungu]

I’m having a similar problem right now after installing Dorico, see

Playhead lags in Finale after Dorico installation

Hi! I have just installed Dorico ES on an older computer (W10). Since the installation I have a problem in Finale, which is also installed there: The playhead is WAY behind the audio, I guess more than 5 seconds. I have not seen this before. The fact that this happens at the same time as the Dorico installation is probably an absolute coincidence, and I don’t actually assume that the problems are/were caused by Dorico. Now I know that this is the Dorico forum, and I certainly don’t want this …

I’m not saying it is caused by Dorico, but I haven’t had that problem ever before. I’m absolutely clueless…

[benwiggy]

You could upload a Diagnostic report from Dorico (in the Help menu), which might give some clue as to the setup on your machine(s).

Playback and user interface problems are likely to be different. Probably best to keep these problems in different threads, to avoid confusion.

[FredGUnn]

@bobcates

Settings/System/Sound/Advanced Sound Options

I don’t have Win10 on any PC anymore, but here’s a gif of where that exclusive mode setting is on Win11. It must be somewhere similar on Win10.

[mzungu]

“You could upload a Diagnostic report from Dorico”

Thank you, here it is

Dorico Diagnostics.zip (611.5 KB)

[bobcates]

FredGUnn, et al.

Could not use your attached .gif file. It opened automatically, and scrolled past so quickly that I could not follow or understand it.

However, I also queried Finale folks and they provided a very clear, possible, solution that I was able to implement, and now Finale is working properly. I copy it below just in case the information may be useful to you or anyone else with the same problem. Have not looked for any similar file in Dorico.

1. Close Finale
2. Hold down your Windows key (to the left of the spacebar, between the and keys) and type the letter “R” - this will open the ‘Run’ dialog box
3. Type “%appdata%” (without quotation marks) and click ‘OK’
4. Navigate to MakeMusic\Finale 27 (*note: for older versions of Finale this folder name will show the version - ex: “Finale 2014.5”)
5. In this folder, double-click the file named “FINMIDI.ini” - this should open the file in a text editor (e.g. Notepad)
6. Near bottom of the file until you see a section that looks like this:
   • [AUDIOAPIPREFS]
   • EngineLoaded=1
   • ASIOEnabled=1
   • DirectSoundEnabled=1
   • WASAPIEnabled=1
7. Make sure that the EngineLoaded value is 1, so that line should now read “EngineLoaded=1”
8. Change the ASIOEnabled value from 1 to 0, so that line should now read “ASIOEnabled=0”
9. Change the WASAPIEnabled value from 1 to 0, so that line should now read “WASAPIEnabled=0”
10. Save and close the file, then relaunch Finale to see if the issue has been resolved.

Finale now back and running, while an “old man” still tries to “learn” Dorico 5.

Thanks,

Bob Cates