You are here: Encyclopedia > C > Copying music > Copying multiple passages of music to another document (using Clip Files)

Although you could use the clipboard to copy individual regions of music from one document to another (see To copy and paste using the clipboard), Finale’s Clip Files feature gives you, in effect, multiple Clipboards, each containing a different passage of music. By making Clip Files, you can copy many sections from a single document before pasting them, one by one, into a new document. These files are stored on your hard disk, where you can easily retrieve them for use in any document—a handy feature when you want to re-use motifs. All  items can be transferred from one document to another using Clip Files (see Edit Filter dialog box).

To copy multiple passages of music to another document (using Clip Files)

  1. Select the region you would like to copy. See Selecting music.
  2. Specify the musical elements you would like to copy in the Edit Filter dialog box. See To specify what you want to copy. Or, to copy everything, ensure Edit Filter is unchecked under the Edit menu.
  3. While pressing CTRL, choose Edit > Copy to Clip File. When you CTRL+Copy in this way, you tell Finale to place the copied material into a file of its own, called a Clip File, instead of on the invisible Clipboard. A dialog box appears, asking you to name your Clipboard File.
  4. Name the Clip File, and click Save (or press ENTER). Repeat the process with as many other sections as you want: select the region, choose Copy while pressing CTRL, name and save the Clip File.
  5. Choose File > Open, and select the target document (if it’s not already open).
  6. If you want to insert the copied music between two existing measures, click the measure just after the insertion point. While pressing CTRL, choose Edit > Insert from Clip File. Once again, the CTRL key tells Finale you intend to access a Clip File. When you choose Insert, the Paste dialog box appears, displaying the names of the Clip Files you’ve created. Double-click the name of the desired Clip File.
  7. If you want the copied music to replace (overwrite) the music in the target document, select the beginning of the target region.
  8. While pressing CTRL, choose Edit > Paste from Clip File. A list box appears, displaying the names of the Clip Files you’ve created. Double-click the name of the desired Clip File. If you want to Insert, instead of choosing Edit > Paste from Clip File, choose Edit > Insert from Clip File.

 

 

User Manual Home