Converting Text to Paths

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When you use the Text tool, you create editable text. That means that you can change the font, size, and color of the text or change the text itself. There are occasions when you might want to work with the text as if it were a graphic element. To do that, you convert the text to a path. Converting text to paths changes the text outline to a graphic object; the text can no longer be edited as text. However, after conversion, you can alter the look of the text shape by moving or reshaping the path.

1.

Select the Text tool and type some text on a page for example, type Smooth Jazz as you did in the last exercise. Choose a font and point size.

For the font, choose an unusual typeface you might have on your computer and use a large point size such as 64 points.

2.

Choose Text > Convert to Paths.

The text is converted to a graphic. The look of the text on the screen should not change, but four corner handles should appear. All of the converted characters are grouped together. If you want to work with individual characters, choose Modify > Ungroup to ungroup the paths. If you want to work with the text as a single composite path, choose Modify > Combine Paths > Join.

In the next exercise, you will use the text graphic and change its shape and orientation.

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    Macromedia Fireworks 8(c) Training from the Source
    Macromedia Fireworks 8: Training from the Source
    ISBN: 0321335910
    EAN: 2147483647
    Year: 2005
    Pages: 239
    Authors: Patti Schulze

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