Use this menu option to create vector text. The Tool Settings: Text Tool panel is displayed.
button on the
Design and
Design Tools toolbars is a shortcut for this menu option.
The panel contains the following settings:
- Style — Use the options in this area to change the style of the text. Click the control bar to expand or hide the
Style area.
Cut — Remove the selected vector text and place it on the clipboard.
Copy — Create a duplicate of the selected vector text and place it on the clipboard.
Paste — Paste a copy of the vector text, overlaying any currently selected text.
Note: If you copy a block of text that contains multiple fonts, when you use the Paste button, the vector text is written in the font currently selected in the
Tool Settings: Text Tool panel.
Bold — Add or remove bold formatting to vector text.
Italic — Add or remove italic formatting to vector text.
Align Left — Align the selected vector text to the left of the bounding box.
Centred — Position the vector text in the centre of the bounding box.
Align Right — Align vector text to the tight of the bounding box.
Toggle Vertical Text Flow — Display vector text vertically instead of horizontally. If selected, the following buttons replace Align Left, Centred, and Align Right:
Align Top — Align vector text with the top of the bounding box.
Centred — Position vector text in the centre of the bounding box.
Align Bottom — Align vector text with the bottom of the bounding box.
- Font — Select the font you want to use from the list.
Note: You can use glyph (closed-vector) or single-stroke (engraving) fonts. All single-stroke fonts are listed with an '(AFN)' prefix in the Font list.
- Preview — This box displays a preview of the currently selected font.
- Script — Select which script you are using from the list.
- Size — Specify the font size. Enter a value in the box or use the
icons to change the value incrementally. You can select the unit of measurement from the list beside the
Size box.
When points is selected, each click of the
icon increases the font size by 3 points by default, while each click on the
arrow decreases the font size by 3 points.
When mm is selected, each click of the
icon increases the font size by 1 mm by default, while each click of the
icon decreases the font size by 1 mm.
When inches is selected, each click of the
icon increases the font size by 0.04 inches by default, while each click of the
icon decreases the font size by 0.04 inches.
Note: You can set the default increments in the Text Defaults area of the Options panel.
- Transform — Use the options in this area to perform transformations on the selected vector text, or as you type.
- Scale width — Specify the percentage by which you want to scale the width of the text.
- Scale height — Specify the percentage by which you want to scale the width of the text.
- Shear width — Specify the angle by which you want to shear the text.
- Rotation — Specify the angle by which you want to rotate the text.
- Spacing — Use the options in this area to control the amount of white space around each character and between each line.
- Character — Specify the distance you want to place between each character.
- Line — Specify the distance you want to place between each line.
- Kerning — Select whether you want Kerning On or Off.
- Constraints — Use the options in this area to change the size of the bounding box and the position of the vector text within the bounding box. This area is not available if you have a curve selected.
Align Top — Position the vector text at the top of the bounding box.
Centred — Position the vector text at the centre of the bounding box.
Align Bottom — Position the vector text at the bottom of the bounding box.
- Method — Select the method by which the text is constrained by the bounding box.
Note: If Limit by Box or Scale to Box is selected, the On a Curve area is unavailable.
- None — The vector text is not constrained by the bounding box.
- Limit by Box — This option enables you to type vector text at the size specified in the Size box, until it reaches the edge of the bounding box. After reaching its edge, the vector text continues to reduce in size as you type, so that all characters can be contained within the bounding box.
- Scale to Box — This option scales the vector text as you type, so that it fills as much of the area within the bounding box as possible.
- Width — Specify the width of the bounding box.
- Height — Specify the height of the bounding box.
- On a curve — Use the options in this area to control how text is wrapped to a curve.
- Select Curve — Click this option, then select the curve along which you want to wrap the text. If you have a curve selected before opening the Text Tool, then it is selected automatically. When a curve is selected, it turns pink and a dark blue anchor point indicates the origin of the text.
- Cancel — Click this option to cancel your curve selection.
- Text Position — Select an option from the list to control the position of the text relative to the curve:
Above Line — Position the vector text just above the curve.
Base Line — Position the base of the vector text directly on the curve.
Centre on Ascent — Position the ascending part of the characters on the curve.
Centre on Strikeout — Position the vector text so that the curve is used as a strikeout through the middle of the vector text.
Below Line — Position the vector text below the curve.
Specify — Specify the distance of the vector text from the curve in the adjacent box.
- Text on other side — Select this option to reverse the direction of the curve.
- Text Alignment — Select how you want to align the text to the curve:
Vertical — Align the text vertical to the curve.
Align to curve — Align the text perpendicular to the curve.
Sweep around curve — Sweep the text around the curve.
Stretch to curve — Stretch the characters within the block of vector text along the length of the curve.