Applying styles in Macromedia

Applying styles

You can apply styles to text by selecting the style in the Styles panel, dragging the style from the Styles panel, or copying and pasting attributes from selected text.

To apply a style, do one of the following:

v  Use the Text tool to select a paragraph or text block to which you want to apply a style. In the Styles panel, click the style you want to apply.

v  Use the Text tool to click in a paragraph or text block to which you want to apply a style. Drag a style from the Styles panel onto the selection.

v  Choose Window > Inspectors > Text and click the Character button. Select a style from the Style pop-up menu at the bottom of the Text Character inspector.

To apply style attributes by copying and pasting:

1.      Select the text whose attributes you want to copy, and choose Edit > Copy Attributes.

2.      Select the text to which you want to apply the attributes, and choose Edit > Paste Attributes.

Note: You can also use this method to copy attributes of text that has no paragraph style applied.

Applying text effects

In FreeHand, you can create many special effects with text. You can attach and align text to a path, wrap text around graphics, create inline graphics, and apply built-in special text effects such as shadows and underlines.

Attaching text to paths

You can align text to a path that is open or closed, with curve or corner points. The text can be linked to other paths or text blocks. Type specifications of text attached to a path remain intact. You can apply transformations to text attached to a path as you would any other object.

Text flows along the top of a closed path and center-aligns by default. On an open path, only characters up to the first carriage return or tab appear. An indicator dot appears in the text's link box if the text overflows the path. Left-aligned text on a curved path is re-spaced automatically to avoid overlapping letters.

You can also make text flow inside a path.

To attach text to a path:

1.      Select a text block and a path.

2.      Choose Text > Attach to Path, or click the Attach to Path button on the Text toolbar.

You can edit text directly on the path or use the Text Editor.

To place text on the top and bottom of an ellipse:

1.      Position the Text tool in a text block at the point where the text should split between the top and bottom of the ellipse, and press Enter to insert a carriage return.

2.      Shift-click to select the text block and an ellipse.

3.      Choose Text > Attach to Path.

4.      If necessary, do one of the following:

v  If the text disappears, choose Window > Inspectors > Object. In the Object inspector, choose None from both the Top and Bottom text alignment menus.

v  If the text flows in the wrong direction, Alt-click the path to select it. Choose Modify > Alter Path > Reverse Direction.

Aligning text on a path

You can adjust the alignment and orientation of text on a path using the Object inspector.

Text flows in the direction of the path, from left to right (clockwise) or from right to left (counterclockwise). To reverse the direction of the text, you reverse the direction of the path.