convertor

How can I convert the finale 2006 file to sib 5 ??

Well, one can try via export/import in MusicXML format (do both programs support that in those versions?), but generally, as soon as it gets a bit more complex or some extended layout stuff is going on there isn't really a reliable way to get something from one program to the other. Kind of sucks that there's no standard there.

Yeah the MusicXML is the only way I think, but doesn't work very well.....

I don't remember well, but .... there was not the extension .mus in the "save as" function of an old Sibelius .... v.2 or v.3 ?

I kinda remember something like that but maybe I'm wrong......

What about printing to .pdf and then scanning in via--what is it?--Photoscore Lite that comes with Sibelius?

Well, yeah, you can use OCR (what you suggest), but that's really far from reliable. It will only produce somewhat satisfying results if your score is very simple, and even then you'll have to carefully read through it and correct the mistakes the software has done.

And as soon as a score gets a bit complex, there really isn't much you can do but typing it all in again.

MusicXML does work, well, I have only done Finale 2009 to Finale 2008 but that worked for 6 instruments. Sometimes a decent score (the notes at least) can be recovered from midi.

I suspect Gardener is correct - as soon as a score gets large and complex, game over for the software conversion.

You might try MusicXML first and then midi as a bridging format before you do it all by hand.

as soon as a score gets large and complex, game over for the software conversion.

Absolutely, and that idea about pdf-photoscore is the worst option, I'd prefer to spend time fixing a MIDI, ...