joelinvan wrote: Hello,   Two questions about developing specific looks for effects:   1. Is there a way to affect the density of stars in a shell? For example; I want to make a brocade, but I only want 27 stars to come out of it. For context, and in case someone has a better idea, I’m working with an individual who has a vision for a show and we’re trying to develop it. He has described the look he is trying to get as ’27 comets exploding like a star in random directions high in the sky’.   Fon context, there are two ways to tune an effect in Finale 3D. The most common is just by typing words (VDL). You can adjust the number of stars in a shell using VDL adjustment terms. For example, if you want few stars you can use "Slightly Sparse", "Sparse", or "Very Sparse". For a complete list of VDL adjustment terms, see: https://finale3d.com/documentation/vdl-effect-adjustment-terms-big-bright-etc   You can also adjust the number of stars (and virtually any other characteristic) in a shell using the effect editor. The effect editor is accessible by right clicking on an existing effect in the Effect window and selecting ‘Customize this effect simulation’s parameters'. To adjust the number of stars in the effect editor, select the 'Break' node and then adjust the star-count parameter. The benefit of using the effect editor is you can specify the exact number of stars, like 27, which can't be done using VDL. However, keep in mind that an effect can either be a "VDL effect" (represented by words), or a "Custom effect" that can ONLY be edited in the effect editor, but it can't be both. This means, once you customize an effect using the effect editor, you always have to come back to the effect editor to adjust it.     2. Are there resources to better understand building macros? Specifically, I’m working on a girandola effect right now trying to get it to look the way I want, but this may inform question 1 as well. I see that I can attach different effects to different stages of the girandola, but no matter what effects I attach they continue to look very similar. In my case, we get a bit of a sparkling herb look on the ground, but when it rises it just has a blue glow, then goes gold and burns out. It seems I should be able to build a multi-stage piece where it has a nice fountain coming out of it, then it changes colours, and then maybe even engages another engine that flies it further into the air.   Thanks all!     Effect macros documentation: https://finale3d.com/documentation/effect-macros   The macro functionality probably won't help you with the girandola. The best you can probably do is a combination of custom effects and set of options available in 'Script > Insert moving effect > Insert girandola'. With a multi-stage girandola, you can have one effect per stage. The effect can either be a VDL effect (represented by words), or a custom simulation that you make in the effect editor (represented by a long string of characters in {curly braces}).    

There are two ways to make an effect in Finale 3D. The most common is by typing words (VDL). Another way is to use the Effect Editor. The effect editor is accessible by right clicking on an effect in the Effect window and selecting 'Customize this effect simulation's parameters'. I would call the effect in your cake "Lace". VDL doesn't support this effect yet, but we are working on it. In the meantime, I created the effect for you using the customer effect editor. Below is the input description for your cake including the custom "Lace" effect. Here's a quick tutorial on how to put the input description back into Finale 3D:   https://www.loom.com/share/fd9158dff0394eada4d5e93922db66a4     35mm 110.0m 18.30s 16 Shot (a) {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} Cake, 4 Rows, Rows 1,2,3 (1.5/aaaa/STR/4.5), Row 4 (1.5/aaaa/STR/0.3)

Dear Hive! I was wondering how to create the effect linked below, I tried "plum" and "ghost" already but it does not leave me satisfied(happens more often :D).   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdYJeMK47qU   Thanks a lot in advance! (already posted on facebook)    

Hi All,   I've been using Finale on and off for a couple of years, and have been lurking on the forums just as long. I've started quite a large and ambitious project, so I thought I would come out of hiding and introduce myself. I'm based in Vancouver, BC. I write and produce shows and attractions. Sometimes they have fireworks in them. I also work as a technician for the larger NYE, Canada Day and Halloween shows around town when they are actually happening.   Hello!

Two questions about sound and music:   1. I have a single-track, 15-minute-long piece of music. Is there a way for me to break that into sections that I can jump to?   2. When I import the song into Finale, does it stay as a stereo track, or does it get mixed down to mono? Similarly, when I export a video is the audio in mono or stereo?

Hello,   Two questions about developing specific looks for effects:   1. Is there a way to affect the density of stars in a shell? For example; I want to make a brocade, but I only want 27 stars to come out of it. For context, and in case someone has a better idea, I'm working with an individual who has a vision for a show and we're trying to develop it. He has described the look he is trying to get as '27 comets exploding like a star in random directions high in the sky'.   2. Are there resources to better understand building macros? Specifically, I'm working on a girandola effect right now trying to get it to look the way I want, but this may inform question 1 as well. I see that I can attach different effects to different stages of the girandola, but no matter what effects I attach they continue to look very similar. In my case, we get a bit of a sparkling herb look on the ground, but when it rises it just has a blue glow, then goes gold and burns out. It seems I should be able to build a multi-stage piece where it has a nice fountain coming out of it, then it changes colours, and then maybe even engages another engine that flies it further into the air.   Thanks all!  

  Pyro_66960000 wrote: New Feature request :   Remember me button on login screen, so we don’t need to enter the password each time Finale is launched. Great suggestion. Tip: You can login without entering your password by checking 'Login offline'. This will also skip syncing with the network. If you need to sync after logging in offline, you can still do from the Effects window drop-down list or File > Sync with network.   When importing audio, can finale remember which folder was used last time? It already does this when exporting reports, but importing music always defaults back to a generic Finale folder. Yes, we'll make this happen at some point.

New Feature request :   Remember me button on login screen, so we don't need to enter the password each time Finale is launched. When importing audio, can finale remember which folder was used last time? It already does this when exporting reports, but importing music always defaults back to a generic Finale folder.

New Feature request: Custom logo in Sim Intro, and overlay logo in corner during sim like was in finale business.

The answer is an emphatic and resounding YES!   Although we are working on multiple projects concurrently, one of our absolute highest priorities is to improve the quality and expand the selection of products in supplier catalogs. In simple terms, the project has two major phases. The first phase is to improve VDL, and the second phase is to leverage the VDL improvements to take supplier catalogs to a whole new level. The VDL improvements are happening right now. For example, we recently add new VDL terms "Ragged" and "Uniform". We also tuned the defaults to make effects look better. For example, if you create a 1" Red Peony, the break will no longer be perfect a perfect sphere. Instead, by default, it will have a more splattered appearance (just like cakes shots do in real life). This is just a small example, but it's something that wasn't possible until now, and there are many more improvements like this to come.   Long term, we also plan to have a way for all Finale 3D users to easily share effects. We aren't working on it right now, but we know how great of a feature it would be (regardless of how good supplier catalogs become).