To create Expression Metatools

When you have many expression marks to place in your score, you can use a Metatool to bypass all the dialog boxes and button-clicks required in the expression-placing procedures described above. A Metatool is simply a keyboard equivalent for a certain expression marking; you use letter or number keys on your keyboard.

Furthermore, Expression Metatools are extremely important if you want to place more than one of any particular Shape Expression into the score. If you don’t place them into the score using Metatools, you’ll find that the shapes aren’t individually reshapable; if you change one, they all change.

1. Click the Expression Tool  .
2. Double-click a staff. The Expression Selection dialog box appears. Note the number or letter to the upper right of each expression slot. This is its metatool assignment.
3. Choose an expression, then hold down Shift and press a key to assign it to the marking. The new metatool assignment appears in the upper right corner of the slot. Repeat for any other metatools you wish to assign.
4. Click Cancel (or Select to add the selected expression). You can now hold down the metatool key and click to add the expression you just defined.

Alternatively, you can also assign metatools in the traditional way...

1. While pressing shift, press any letter or number key. The key you press is the Metatool key to which you’re assigning the marking. When you do this, the selection box appears. If the marking isn’t present in the palette, you can create it in the usual way; see To create an expression. 
2. Double-click the desired marking. Press enter as necessary to exit the dialog boxes. You return to the document, having successfully prepared the Metatool for use. You’re now ready to place the marking in the score select the proper tool).
3. While pressing the appropriate letter or number key, click where you want the marking to appear.

Again, remember to use this Metatool technique all the time if you plan to place Shape Expressions into the score; doing so will ensure that each occurrence of a shape is individually reshapable, because each time you use a Metatool, it creates a copy of the original shape.

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