Fit Text to Contour

users
#1

I'm trying to use Draw to make up some text to put around pictures in Writer.

The help says:
  "Adjust to contour - Adapts the text flow so that it matches the contours of
the selected drawing
object."

For the life of me I can't figure how to connect the text to a shape. I have
a text box with text in it and a curve that I drew, but to get the text to
follow that curve seems beyond me. I've selected the shape and gone to the
menu Format/Text and selected adjust to contour as it says to do, but nothing
happens.

Then I selected both at the same time and still nothing. When I double click
the line and start typing the text writes on a horizontal line and covers the
line where it intersects it.

This also in Help: To enter text on a line, double-click the line and type or
paste your text. The text direction corresponds to the direction you dragged
to draw the line. To hide the line, select Invisible in the Line Style box on
the Drawing Object Properties bar.

Can't make that work either.

It seems as it I am blind or some key is missing in the help. Any help will
be greatly appreciated.

Cliff

#2

Hi :slight_smile:
Do you have the text-box in the background? Then the image
overlapping the text-box. Set the wrap options for the image to make
the text flow around it? Perhaps "optimal page wrap" or something?
Regards from
Tom :slight_smile:

#3

** Reply to message from Tom Davies <tomcecf@gmail.com> on Fri, 24 Jan 2014
13:32:17 +0000

Tom,

This is not about wrapping, but making text fit a contour that I define.

Cliff

#4

Better late than never...

I'm trying to use Draw to make up some text to put around pictures in Writer.

The help says:
  "Adjust to contour - Adapts the text flow so that it matches the contours of
the selected drawing
object."

For the life of me I can't figure how to connect the text to a shape. I have
a text box with text in it and a curve that I drew, but to get the text to
follow that curve seems beyond me. I've selected the shape and gone to the
menu Format/Text and selected adjust to contour as it says to do, but nothing
happens.

You'll get what you're looking if you add the Fontwork *toolbutton* (not
Fontwork Toolbar) by:

a. Tools > Customize.
b. In Toolbars page select the toolbar you want to add the button to
then click Add.
c. In the new dialog, select the Format category, Fontwork command.
Validate

Now you've got the right tool to get going.

Usage:
1. draw a line or a shape.
2. enter the associated text to the line/shape, as usual
3. click the Fontwork button and enjoy!

HTH,

#5

Yes, of course. Just draw a line by hand and associate (enter) the text
you want. While it is selected, call the Fontwork tool. There, do *not*
use the upper rounded shapes. Instead, use directly one of the four
tools just below to setup the text along the line you drew.
You should achieve what you're looking for.

#6

** Reply to message from Jean-Francois Nifenecker
<jean-francois.nifenecker@laposte.net> on Mon, 10 Feb 2014 18:20:10 +0100

> One question remains: Is there a way to put the
> text on a free form line or only on the shapes the Fontwork Button dialog box
> has?

Yes, of course. Just draw a line by hand and associate (enter) the text
you want. While it is selected, call the Fontwork tool. There, do *not*
use the upper rounded shapes. Instead, use directly one of the four
tools just below to setup the text along the line you drew.
You should achieve what you're looking for.

Jean-Francois

Tried that and somehow I'm missing something important. I draw a line using
the "Freeform Line" tool from the Draw toolbar. I then use the text tool from
the Draw toolbar to enter text. When I enter the text the Fontwork window
opens. I then choose one of the 4 tools you suggest and the text follows the
contour of the text box. The line is totally ignored. If I select the line
the Fontworks tool is grayed out and unavailable.

This takes me back to the same problem as I had initially, how do I get the
text to be associated with the line. Writer will not let me select both the
text box and the line at the same time. Could you give me a detailed step by
step what works on your system? Thanks.

Cliff

#7

Hello Cliff,

Tried that and somehow I'm missing something important. I draw a line using
the "Freeform Line" tool from the Draw toolbar. I then use the text tool from
the Draw toolbar to enter text.

Nope. You select the line and hit F2, so that the text box associated
with the line opens, then you enter the text :slight_smile:
I guess I didn't make me clear enough. Perhaps the verb "associated" is
not the right one...

This takes me back to the same problem as I had initially, how do I get the
text to be associated with the line. Writer will not let me select both the
text box and the line at the same time. Could you give me a detailed step by
step what works on your system? Thanks.

see above.

HTH,

#8

** Reply to message from Jean-Francois Nifenecker
<jean-francois.nifenecker@laposte.net> on Tue, 11 Feb 2014 07:33:15 +0100

Hi Jean-Francois,

Ok. I haven't used Draw very much at all. F2 was the key. Interesting that if
I use the Fontworks Gallery in Writer then the Fontwork functions will let me
modify that to my hearts content. The only thing I can't do is to enter the
free form line and get text to associate with it.

Thanks for hanging in there with me. Your help is much appreciated.

Cliff

#9

Hi Cliff,

Ok. I haven't used Draw very much at all. F2 was the key. Interesting that if
I use the Fontworks Gallery in Writer then the Fontwork functions will let me
modify that to my hearts content. The only thing I can't do is to enter the
free form line and get text to associate with it.

Have a look at that:
http://cjoint.com/?0BlsQiybolW

I've created and duplicated a free form line with a text.
The line above is raw, just after text creation.
The line at the bottom is after applying the Fontwork effects (I have
hidden the line using the "S"-y tool.

HTH,

#10

** Reply to message from Jean-Francois Nifenecker
<jean-francois.nifenecker@laposte.net> on Tue, 11 Feb 2014 18:43:50 +0100

Hi Cliff,

>
> Ok. I haven't used Draw very much at all. F2 was the key. Interesting that if
> I use the Fontworks Gallery in Writer then the Fontwork functions will let me
> modify that to my hearts content. The only thing I can't do is to enter the
> free form line and get text to associate with it.
>

Have a look at that:
http://cjoint.com/?0BlsQiybolW

I've created and duplicated a free form line with a text.
The line above is raw, just after text creation.
The line at the bottom is after applying the Fontwork effects (I have
hidden the line using the "S"-y tool.

Thanks. I can do it just fine in Draw thanks to your help. Wish it was
possible in Writer also, but guess will just have to do it in Draw and import
that to Writer.

Cliff

#11

Hello Cliff,

glad you could tame the thing!

Wish it was
possible in Writer also, but guess will just have to do it in Draw and import
that to Writer.

I usually prefer that: to each according to its own merits. The Draw to
Writer method is by far the best option, imo.

All the best,