Table of Contents

Special Configuration on 64-bit Finale

On 32-bit Finale versions, there's a utility called JW Plug-in Tool that allows you to configure certain global aspects of the plug-ins (such as “macro friendly mode”, “window shade mode”, etc). For technical reasons, I have never ported this plug-in to 64-bit Finale.

You can manually change the configuration on 64-bit Finale as well, even if it is a bit technical:

  1. Make sure that you have run a “JW” plug-in at least once in your Finale version (that assures that a preference file has been saved).
  2. Search and locate the folder for the jwpluginprefs.txt file for the Finale version you're using. (It should be in a folder named something like MakeMusic/Finale or MakeMusic/Finale 26 in the user options folder on your computer).
  3. In that same folder, create a text file (it must be a pure text file) named jwpluginoptions.txt with a text editor
  4. Add the code line from the table below for the required effect
  5. Save the text file
  6. Restart Finale

In the table below: 1 means ON and 0 means OFF

Plug-in Code line Description
JW Accidentals KEY_JWACCIDENTALS_WINDOWSHADE=1 Changes the modeless window to use window shade when not being active
JW Accidentals KEY_JWACCIDENTALS_WINDOWALPHA=1 Changes the modeless window to become semi-transparent when not being active
JW Change KEY_JWCHANGE_MACROFRIENDLYMODE=1 Changes the window UI to “macro friendly”
JW Change KEY_JWCHANGE_SINGLE_PITCH_REMOVE_UNISONS=1 Removes unisons in the “Single Pitch” tool.
JW Measure Numbers KEY_JWMEASURENUMBERS_WINDOWSHADE=1 Changes the modeless window to use window shade when not being active
JW Meter & Rhythm KEY_JWMETERANDRHYTHM_WINDOWSHADE=1 Changes the modeless window to use window shade when not being active
JW Navigate KEY_JWNAVIGATE_WINDOWSHADE=1 Changes the modeless window to use window shade when not being active
JW Navigate KEY_JWNAVIGATE_THINWINDOW=1 Changes the modeless window to a vertically thin + horizontally long layout
JW Staff Polyphony KEY_JWSTAFFPOLYPHONY_MACROFRIENDLYMODE=1 Changes the window UI to “macro friendly”
JW Staff Polyphony KEY_JWSTAFFPOLYPHONY_WINDOWSHADE=1 Changes the modeless window to use window shade when not being active
JW Staff Set Panel KEY_JWSTAFFSETPANEL_WINDOWSHADE=1 Changes the modeless window to use window shade when not being active

If you need multiple features, use one line per command. A jwpluginoptions.txt file might for example look like this: 

KEY_JWCHANGE_MACROFRIENDLYMODE=1
KEY_JWCHANGE_SINGLE_PITCH_REMOVE_UNISONS=1
KEY_JWSTAFFPOLYPHONY_MACROFRIENDLYMODE=1
KEY_JWSTAFFPOLYPHONY_WINDOWSHADE=1

Windows

For Windows users, here's a page on how to use AutoHotkey (a freeware macro program) with JW Freeware plug-ins on Windows.

Mac