Working With Text

Draw has extensive text formatting capabilities; you have the same character formatting options as in Impress and Writer.

Text Tools

Use the tools available from the Text icon in the toolbar at the left side of the work area to create text.

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To create text, just click on any of the text icons, draw a text frame in the work area, and type the text. (If you don't type something before you click elsewhere, the frame will disappear and you'll have to start over.) Text entry and text formatting features are the same in Impress; refer to Adding Text on page 679 and Formatting Text on page 685 for more information.

Note

For advanced text effects, see Distorting and Curving Text and Objects With the Effects Tools on page 817, and Distorting and Curving Text Using FontWork on page 818.


Writing Inside an Object

Double-click any object and start typing when you see the cursor appear inside the object. You can't do this to 3D objects until you've converted them to polygons, bitmaps, etc.

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To control whether the text expands beyond the object or stays within it, right click the border of the object and choose Text. Select Fit to Frame to scrunch the text within the object; leave it deselected for normal formatting.

Writing Sideways (Using the Vertical Text Tool)

Note

To enable the vertical text, choose Tools > Options > Language Settings > Language and select the Enable option for Asian Languages.


Then just click on the Text tool on the main toolbar and select the vertical text tool. Click in the document and start typing away.

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Vertical text is great for backgrounds (see the background coverage for Impress), and you can create some cool effects by applying FontWork (Format > FontWork).

Creating Vertical Text Inside an Object

  1. Draw the object. Determine what proportions you want the object to have once it's rotated 90 degrees and change the shape. For instance, if the object is a rectangle that you want to be 2 inches across by 1 inch high, you'll need to draw it 1 inch wide by 2 inches high.

  2. Double-click in the object and type the text normally in an object as described in the following procedure.

  3. Click the Rotate icon and rotate the object 90 degrees. You can also right-click the object and choose Position and Size, and make the changes in that window.

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Formatting Text Using the Object Bar

When you type or select text, the object bar icons (Figure 29-16) change to tools you can use with text. Tooltips describe the function of each icon.

Figure 29-16. Quick formatting using the object bar for text

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Note

To see more icons on the object bar or remove them, right-click in a blank spot and choose Visible Buttons. Select the items you want to add to or remove from the object bar.


The default text values for any text that you enter is shown in the object bar. To change these values, first be sure no text is selected in the work area. Then choose Format > Character and make the appropriate selections.

Applying Standard Text Formatting Using the Character Window

The Character window (choose Format > Character as shown at right) lets you apply standard text formatting attributes like font and point size. Use this window in Drawing, Handout, or Notes view. See Using the Character Formatting Window on page 202 for more information.

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Formatting Text With Bitmaps, Gradients, and Hatches

Not only can you apply preexisting or your own colors to text, you can convert them to vector objects and then fill them with bitmaps, gradients, or hatches (all of which you can create yourself, as well).

Note

To create bitmaps, gradients, and hatches, see Creating and Modifying Gradients, Hatches, and Bitmaps on page 804. For extra effects once you've converted text to vector objects, see Distorting and Curving Text and Objects With the Effects Tools on page 817.


  1. Type the text, then select the text frame.

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  2. Right-click and choose Convert, then convert the text to a Polygon, Curve, Contour, or 3D (not 3D rotation object). Selecting Contour preserves the ability to set a color for the outline of each letter using the Line Color dropdown list on the object bar.

  3. Select the converted text.

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  4. Choose the type of fill you want, then the actual fill, from the dropdown lists on the object bar (or from the Character window by choosing Format > Character).

  5. The selected fill will appear in the text.

    The text, since you converted it, is no longer editable as standard text.

    However, you can resize it, widen it, and lengthen it, just as you would any other object, by dragging or using the Resize window.

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Embossing, Engraving, Outlining, or Shadowing Text

Select the text and choose Format > Character. In the Font Effects tab, under Relief, select Embossed or Engraved. To apply a shadow or outline, select None, then select Outline or Shadow.

Creating an Instant Text Background

You can do this two ways:

  • Draw the background, such as a rectangle or even 3D object, then double-click in it and start typing.

  • Type the text, then choose Format > Area and apply a color, bitmap, shading, gradient, etc. You can get even cooler effects by making the text 3D first.

Figure 29-17. Applying a gradient to existing text

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OpenOffice. org 1.0 Resource Kit
OpenOffice.Org 1.0 Resource Kit
ISBN: 0131407457
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2005
Pages: 407

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