Breaking Apart Text

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Flash allows you to break apart textthat is, divide one text block containing multiple editable characters into multiple blocks, each containing one editable character. This feature allows you to scale, reposition, or distort individual letters. (You learn to make these kinds of modifications to graphic elements in Chapter 3.) The ability to place letters in separate text boxes also comes in handy for animating text. (You learn more about animation techniques in chapters 8 through 11.)

To divide text blocks into single-letter text boxes:

1. Using the techniques from the preceding exercises, create a block of text.

2. While the text tool's blinking insertion point is still in the text box, choose Modify > Break Apart (Figure 2.73).

   Figure 2.73. Choose Modify > Break Apart to place each letter of a text block in its own text box.

   

   Flash places each letter in its own text box and selects all the text boxes. Each text box is just wide enough to hold one letter. Each letter is fully editable on its own, though the group is no longer linked.

You can use the Break Apart command to transform single letters into graphic objects.

Tip

• You don't have to break text apart immediately after creating it. You can reactivate a text box by clicking it with the text tool. Or you can simply select the text box with the arrow tool and then choose Modify > Break Apart.

To transform letters into raw shapes :

1. Follow the steps in the preceding exercise to place letters in individual text boxes.

2. From the Modify menu, choose Break Apart.

   This second Break Apart command transforms the editable letters into raw shapes on the Stage (Figure 2.74). You can edit them as you would any other fill, but you can no longer change their text attributes with the text tool.

   Figure 2.74. Applying the Break Apart command once transforms selected text (top) into single-letter text boxes (middle); applying the command again creates raw fill shapes out of the indivdual letters (bottom).

   

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