Signposts

In Dorico Elements, signposts indicate the positions of important items or changes that cannot be seen in the score, such as key signatures with no accidentals, hidden items, and note spacing changes.

Signposts have different colors depending on the item they mark because many items can show signposts, such as hidden bar numbers and time signatures. They are selectable, meaning you can use signposts to change properties of hidden/invisible items, for example, by selecting system break signposts in order to change the staff size from that position.

Signposts include a text summary of the hidden/invisible item to help you identify it. For example, time signature signposts include the time signature, expressed as a fraction, and its beat subdivision.

Figure 1. The signpost of a hidden time signature

You can hide/show signposts for the following items:

  • Accidentals

  • Chord symbols

  • Bracket and barline changes

  • Clefs

  • Cues

  • Dynamics

  • Frame breaks

  • Key signatures

  • Pedal lines

  • System breaks

  • Tempo marks

  • Text, both system and staff

  • Percussion legends

  • Time signatures

  • Tuplets

When multiple signposts can exist at a single rhythmic position, they stack vertically so that they do not overlap and remain legible.

Figure 2. Multiple signposts for different items at the same rhythmic position
Note

By default, signposts are not printed or included when you export graphics files.