Using the Text Tool

Use the Text tool to create new text objects, type text into a document, and edit text.

When you create text objects with the Text tool, you can choose whether or not to set the column width before typing.

• If you set the column width before typing, text wraps to the next line when it reaches the right boundary of the text object.
• If you don’t set the column width before typing, the right margin expands indefinitely to accommodate the amount of text you type. This is called a “caption” text object.

Whether you should set the column width before or after typing depends on the amount of text you want to type. For short labels and callouts, you might find it easier to simply type and let Canvas X Draw adjust the right margin. However, for paragraphs or newsletter columns, it is probably easier to set the column width before typing.

You can change the size of the text object by selecting it and dragging a selection handle.

To Type Text with the Text Tool:

1. Select the Text tool from the Toolbox. 
2. Do one of the following to set the location and type the text:
   • To enter one line of text: Click in the document. An insertion point appears where you click. Begin typing and the right margin extends to fit the line of text that you type.
   • To define a text column: Drag diagonally to create a rectangular text object. The object’s width matters, but not its length. Canvas X Draw contracts or expands the length to accommodate the text you type. An insertion point appears at the top of the object. Begin typing, and when you reach the right margin, Canvas X Draw wraps the text to the next line.
3. Press Esc to exit Text Editing mode when you finish typing. The text object remains selected.

You can identify whether you are in Text Edit mode by the Status bar.

4. Press Esc to deselect the text object or select another object. You can also click outside the object.

Attributes of New Text

When you type text, Canvas X Draw applies the current attributes and the current type format settings to the characters you type. For more information about changing ink and stroke attributes, see Text Inks and Strokes.

• Type formatting: Canvas X Draw applies the current settings for the font, style, type size, justification (alignment), leading, and kerning to the characters you type. These settings are selected from the Text menu, Type palette, or the Properties bar. (See Applying Text Formats.)
• Fill inks: Canvas X Draw applies the current fill ink, if it’s a solid color fill ink, to the text characters.

If the current fill ink is a gradient, hatch, symbol, or texture, Canvas X Draw applies 100% black to the text characters.

• Pen inks: The pen ink for text you type is always 100% black, and is not visible until you apply a pen stroke to the text.
• Strokes: Canvas X Draw applies no stroke to text characters you type. This means that no outline appears on the characters, and the pen ink applied to the text is not visible because the pen ink appears only when an object or text has a visible stroke.

Using the Text Format Brush

Use the Text Format Brush to copy text attributes, such as font, font style, fill ink, pen ink, as well as pen stroke, so that you can apply them to other text. This tool does not copy frame ink, frame stroke, or background ink. To apply these items to text, see To Apply a Background Ink, To Apply a Frame Stroke, and To Apply a Frame Ink.

To Copy and Apply Text Attributes:

1. Select the Text Format Brush tool. 

   The cursor changes to an eyedropper.

2. Click on a text object to copy the text attributes.
3. Then, click on the text object to which you want to apply the text attributes.

If you want to apply the text attributes to a single character or group of characters, drag across the character or characters until they are all selected. When you release the mouse, the text attributes will be applied.

See Also:

• Applying Text Formats
• Text Inks and Strokes