OK...I am attempting to use staff styles to change the note layout for the Rack Combo A instrument on layer 2 of a mallet instrument (marimba for example).  This is something that I have done before 2010 and had no problems.  I have the correct map loaded in both the instrument list and in the staff style layout.  However, cymbal notations are still showing 4 and 5 ledger lines above the staff.  I have gone into the percussion layout designer and made sure that all of the sounds and note positions are setup correctly but with the same problem occurring.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. I have tried to search other threads for more insight, and it appears that other may have had similar issues.  I think I have gone through and checked all of the usual suspects.  Maybe I'm missing something obvious (I hope).

Justin or Scott might be able to elaborate more, but the long of the short is that in Finale 2010, you can't go between a pitched and unpitched instrument on the same staff and have it show up and function properly.

You're not missing anything, it just doesn't work like it did prior to 2010.

The playback isn't an issue. It seems to playback exactly as it should. It's the way it looks. Since I'm writing for a client and not just myself, I would like for it to look correct. 

Are you trying to go from Marimba to Rack Combo A, or are you modifying Rack Combo A to another instrument?

I am switching from marimba to rack A on the same staff and then applying a staff style change to the measures. I have also tried applying the style change first and then inputting the notes with the same results.

It took some tweaking, but I did it!  I am now able to switch from Vibraphone notation and playback on layer 1 and Rack Combo A notation and playback on layer 2 using Finale 2010.  I didn't want to have to upgrade to Finale 2011 plus new VDL templates when I just got 2010 a couple months ago. 

First make sure you have both instruments loaded into your VST instrument setup (Kontakt 2) and make note of which channel they are set to.

In the instrument list, I have my Vibraphone staff layer 1 set to an instrument called ";Vibraphone"; (duh) and using Chan. 7.  Same staff but layer 2 set to instrument ";Rack A"; and using Chan. 12.  I'm ignoring the GM setting because I'm always using the VST sounds.  Here is the catch - in the normal instrument list the Perc. MIDI Map display is blank for the Vibraphone staff.  But, if you click ";View by Instruments"; in the bottow left corner of the window you can edit each instrument's Perc. MIDI Map individually.  So, now I make sure I have an instrument labeled Rack A using Chan. 12 (or whatever you've loaded into the Kontakt2) and I can use Perc. MIDI Map Rack Combo A.

Next, it's time to create and then Apply the staff styles.  I created a ";New"; staff style and called it VDL Rack Combo for Keys.
I checked ";Copyable"; and ";Display in context menu";. 
First Clef: Select... Neutral Percussion clef
Staff:  (no change) 
Transposition: unchecked
Notation style: Percussion and Select... VDL 2.5 Rack Combo A
Options: checked ";Ignore Key Sig";
Independent Elements: checked Notehead Font Select... Maestro Percussion
Items to Display: checked Clefs

Now unfortunately I'm not getting the neutral clef to show up automatically.  But it isn't a big deal to use the clef button to change the clef for the appropriate measures.  And you can only change staff styles for complete measures, not partial ones.  Further, I'm presuming you cannot have staff style changes apply to only certain layers.  So that would mean I couldn't have the notation and playback work correctly if I wanted a single player to play vibe in one hand and add a ride cym part in the other and have it all show up on the same printed staff.

FWIW: I did this NOT using my newly downloaded Finale 2010b VDL2.5.2 template.  But, I have installed the templates and the Percussion layouts and XML files.  And, I did load the VDL Percussion layouts and Text Expressions into the file I used.

Whew.  I feel better.  I hope this helps other people struggling to get this to work.

-Brian Bennett
Finale 2010b.r1
VDL2.5.2
Windows 7

P.S.  Man, is it just me or does the post reply window jump around when you type longer posts.  VERY ANNOYING!!