Macromedia Creating text

Creating text

In FreeHand, you create text by clicking or dragging with the Text tool to create a text block, and then typing in the text block to enter text. New type that you enter in FreeHand is formatted with the current specifications in the Text inspector. By default, clicking with the Text tool creates an auto-expanding text block that expands as you enter type. Dragging with the Text tool creates a fixed-size text block in which text automatically wraps from one line to the next. You can reverse these behaviors by setting text preferences. When you use the Text tool to create or select a text block, or text in the text block, the text ruler is displayed.

To create text:

1.      Click the Text tool in the Tools panel.

2.      Do one of the following:

v  To create an auto-expanding text block, click in the Document window and begin typing to enter text. To create a line break, press Enter.

v  To create a fixed-size text block, drag in the Document window and begin typing in the text block that appears. The text automatically wraps within the text block; to create a new paragraph, press Enter.

v  To open the Text Editor as you create a new text block, hold down Alt as you click in the Document window with the Text tool.

v  To set an insertion point in an existing text block, click within the text block and start typing.

3.      To complete entering text, click outside of the text block.

Note: By default, the Text tool reverts to the Pointer tool after you create a text block and move the pointer outside the text block. To change this behavior, choose Edit > Preferences, click Text, and deselect Text Tool Reverts to Pointer.

Moving, deleting, and resizing text blocks

You can move text blocks, and delete selected text blocks or all empty text blocks in a page or document. By dragging their selection handles, you can resize fixed-size text blocks. When working in Preview mode, you can turn selection highlights for text blocks on or off.

To move or delete a text block:

1.      Select the Pointer tool and click the text block.

2.      Do one of the following:

v  To move the text block, drag it.

v  To delete a text block, press Delete or choose Edit > Clear. To delete an empty auto-expanding text block, deselect the block.

To delete all the empty text blocks in a page or document, do one of the following:

v  Choose Xtras > Delete > Empty Text Blocks. All empty text blocks in the document are removed.

To resize a fixed-size text block:

1.      Select the Pointer tool.

2.      Do one of the following:

v  To adjust the size of a text block, drag a corner handle. Text within the container reflows to fill the new size.

v  To scale a text block proportionally, Shift-drag a corner handle. Text within the container reflows to fill the new size.

v  To scale a text block and its font size, hold down Alt and drag a corner handle.

v  To scale a text block and its font size proportionally, hold down Shift+Alt and drag a corner handle.

v  To reduce the size of a text block to fit the text, double-click the link box at the lower right corner of the text block with the Pointer tool.