Preserve Width (Anchor/Custom Pointer)

You will see the option to Preserve Width in dialog boxes under Placement. One example is Insert: Text. If you check Preserve Width, the text will take up its own width on the staff and notes will start after the text. If you do not check Preserve Width, the text will not take any width on the staff. In this case, text placed at the top of the staff will allow notes to be entered under the text. If you do not Preserve Width, the symbol or text you are entering will appear with an anchor beside it. Since the item has no width of its own, the anchor gives you something to select for editing or deleting. The anchor will not appear in your prints (the anchor may be changed to a custom pointer with Tools: Options, Editor, My Expression Anchor).

Text entered with Insert: Text can be deleted, copied and pasted, and edited. Depending on whether you Preserved Width or not, the focus of the commands will be different. If you Preserved Width, the focus will be on the text. If you did not Preserve Width, the focus will be the anchor.

To delete the text, place the insertion point to the left of the focus and press delete. Or, place the insertion point to the right of the focus and press back space. Or, select the focus and press delete. To copy the text, select the focus and press Ctrl+C. To edit the text, select the focus and press Alt+Enter.