Managing Text Properties

The Text Properties dialog has six tabs - General, Properties, Outline, Filling, Shadow and Text Effects. You can perform additional text modification from the Text Style palette (not included in the Properties dialog).

The General tab for text:

Example of the General tab for text

For information about the General tab see the section titled Managing Object Properties. The General tab for the Text Properties contains one additional item:

Tag ID:

Allows you to define the correspondence between the selected text and the Title, Sub Title, Text fields in The New Project wizard (step 4). For details refer to the section titled Saving a Version as Template.

The Properties tab for text:

Example of the Properties tab for text

The elements of the Properties tab for text have the following meaning:

x, y:

Define the coordinates of the text frame center.

Width, Height:

Define the width and height of a text frame.

The Outline tab for text:

Example of the Outline tab for text

The elements of the Outline tab for text have the following meaning:

Style:

From this combo box select the line style you want to apply to the text.

Thickness:

From this combo box select the line thickness you want to apply to the text.

Color:

From this combo box select the color you want to apply to the text.

Sample:

Displays the line sample for text with attributes you defined.

Note: You can edit the Outline tab only for the text with the applied effect.

The Filling tab for text:

Example of the Filling tab for text

The elements of the Filling tab for text are described in the table below:

None:

When selected the object remains transparent.

Solid:

Allows you to fill with the help of a single foreground color.

Blend:

Allows filling with a gradient spanning both foreground and background color. The angle of the gradient and other gradient parameters can also be modified. The blend style can be: Linear, Circle, or Diamond. For further information refer to the section titled Setting Blend Options.

Pattern:

Allows filling with a specified pattern, using the foreground color along with the background color. Some sample pattern fills are: Vertical, Horizontal.

Image:

Allows filling a text with a specified image. An image is selected using the standard Load Image dialog by clicking Browse. For more information see the section titled Setting Images.

Sample:

Displays the text fill sample.

Note: You can edit the Filling tab only for the text with the applied effect.

The Shadow tab for text:

Example of the Shadow tab for text

The elements of the Shadow tab for text are described in the table below:

Offset:

Allows you to define the offset for a shadow.

Angle:

Allows you to define the angle of deflection for a shadow.

None:

When selected the object remains transparent.

Solid:

Allows filling with the help of a single foreground color.

Blend:

Allows you filling with a gradient spanning both foreground and background color. The angle of the gradient and other gradient parameters can also be modified. The blend filling can be: Linear, Circle, or Diamond. For further information refer to the section titled Setting Blend Options.

Pattern:

Allows filling with the specified pattern, using the foreground color along with the background color. Some sample pattern fills are: Vertical, Horizontal.

Image:

Allows filling a text with a specified image used as shadow. An image is selected using the standard Load Image dialog by clicking Browse. For more information see the section titled Setting Images.

Sample:

Displays the sample of a shadow.

Note: You can edit the Shadow tab only for the text with the applied effect.

The Text Effects tab for text:

Example of the Text Effects tab for text

The Text Effects tab for text contains thumbnails with samples of different text effects. Select the thumbnail you prefer.

When you select a text effect such as Curved, the application displays a pane like the one shown below with the parameters described in the table. These parameters are only shown in the Object Properties dialog not in the Text Effects palette.

Center X:

Defines the X co-ordinate of the center of the text circle.

Center Y:

Defines the Y co-ordinate of the center of the text circle.

Radius:

Defines the radius of the text circle.

Spacing:

Allows to define the spacing between the letters in the text line. The spacing value is measured in relative units and depends on the selected font.

Angle:

Defines the angle between the the default position and the newly specified position of the central reference point of the text effect.

Inverted:

When selected, it displays the text in the same position, only upside down.

When you select such text effects as Top Arc, Bottom Arc, and Circle, the application displays a pane like the one shown below with a Thickness parameter, which allows you to select the line thickness.

When you select a text effect such as Spiral, the application displays a pane like the one shown below with the parameters described in the table. These parameters are only shown in the Object Properties dialog not in the Text Effects palette.

Radius:

Defines the spiral radius in the units you set.

Quarters:

Allows you to define the quarter where a spiral will be drawn. Possible values are: 1, 2, 3, or 4.

Offset:

Defines a spiral offset to the right (positive values) or to the left (negative values).

Clockwise:

When selected it depicts the spiral twisted clockwise. Otherwise the spiral is twisted counter-clockwise.

Note: There is another alternative to change the text. To edit text in the text frame, click the text frame in order to switch it to the edit text mode. Thereafter you can modify the text body (and format it using the Text Style palette).