If you ever need to make a backup of your My Effects collection or your Finale Inventory products list, you can copy and paste from the effects window to an Excel XLSX file, or you can save your effects as a Finale 3D FDB effects database file. Both methods are easy to do, and you will not lose any data. If you backup your effects to an Excel spreadsheet, you can copy and paste your effects back into a Finale 3D anytime. If you backup your effects using an (.fdb) effects file, the collection will automatically be loaded into the effects window each time you launch Finale 3D. Please note: if you are having trouble syncing with the network (e.g. due to an internet connection issue or some other error), it’s critical that you make a backup before closing Finale 3D. If you don’t make a backup and Finale 3D is closed without successfully syncing, any unsaved changes to your effects will be lost.
Procedure to save effects list as Excel XLSX file (Lite, Hobbyist, Pro)
- In the effects window, view the collection you would like to backup.
- Press Ctrl+A to select all (your entire effects collection should now be highlighted yellow).
- Press Ctrl+C to copy the effect collection.
- Open a blank Excel spreadsheet and press Ctrl+V to paste.
- Save the spreadsheet.
To restore your effects later on:
- Open the Excel spreadsheet with your effects, press Ctrl+A to select all, then Ctrl+C to copy.
- Go back to the effects window in Finale 3D, press Ctrl+A to select all, then press Delete on your keyboard to delete everything.
- Finally, press Ctrl+V to paste the backup you copied from Excel into the effects window.
- If you are restoring My Effects or another online effect collection, be sure to do File > Sync with network to save.
Procedure to save effects list as an FDB file (Hobbyist, Pro)
- In the effects window, view the collection you would like to backup.
- Press Ctrl+A to select all (your entire effects collection should now be highlighted yellow).
- Press Ctrl+C to copy the effect collection.
- Go to File > Effects files > New effects file, to add a new ‘Unnamed effects file’ to the effects window.
- Looking at the empty/new effects file in the effects window, press Ctrl+V to paste.
- Go to File > Effects files > Save (fdb format), to save the effects file on your computer. Unless you move the (.fdb) file to another location on your computer, it will automatically be loaded each time you launch Finale 3D.
- Later on, you can restore from the backup by viewing the contents of the (.fdb) file in the effects window, pressing Ctrl+A to select all, then Ctrl+C to copy, then switch to view the effects collection you want to paste into, then go to Effects > Paste clipboard into effects window, add or update.