Text Frame Lock with Edit Capability

[MaxClass]

I know I’m not the only one who works with Publisher on a daily basis and accidentally moves a text frame that was not intended.

I would like to see a way to allow the user the ability to lock a text frame into place and still be able to edit the text with it. I know it can be locked in the ‘Layers” panel and I do use that when needed but for every day documents but for projects like books where the basic layout is well established being able to lock the page text frames while making editing adjustments would be a boon.

My suggestion would be to possibly add a lock (toggle) icon in the contextual bar above the view area like just to the right of the “Frame text ruler” icon that would allow one to simply click on it when needed to lock text frames from moving during editing and unlock it if needed to move or adjust the text frame as required.

This seems to me that it would be a unique, but very handy, addition to publisher for all those who love a text frame unintentionally when they didn’t want too.

Thank you for listening.

MaxClass

[walt.farrell]

It sounds like you may have your Text Frames created directly on the document pages, rather than using Master Pages? If the frames on the document pages were inherited from Master Pages, you would automatically have the lock you're looking for, if I understand your request. You would be able to edit the text, but in order to adjust the frame you would need to select the master page in the Layers panel and use Edit Detached.

[MaxClass]

Walt,

 

Thanks for your response but many times I have multiple text frames on different pages that would make putting them on individual Master Pages unreasonable to work with.

Not all my document formats use a strict Master Page regiment, although your point is well taken. I do make judicious use of Master Pages where I feel they are needed.

Just that many times a single text frame may need to be created that would interfere with the Master Page currently in use so a text frame is added onto the document page and that can not be lock into place without loosing editing capability.

Publisher is all about allowing the user flexibility to do whatever they want whenever they want anywhere they want so I still stand with my original post with the idea of being able to temporarily lock a text frame into place and still be able to fully edit it. The locking feature (icon) would be a toggle On/Off option.

—MaxClass

[carl123]

4 hours ago, MaxClass said:

so a text frame is added onto the document page and that can not be lock into place without loosing editing capability.

You can edit a Text Frame (on a normal document page) that is locked in the layers panel

But you can't select it with the Move Tool (or Frame Text Tool) directly on the canvas

So, first select (highlight) the text layer in the Layers panel, then select the Frame Text Tool and now the text will be editable

or

First, select the Frame Text Tool then select the text layer in the Layers panel and now the text will be editable

[MaxClass]

Carl123,

Thanks for that trick and it does work, but for an overall solution it’s cumbersome.

Say you have a twenty page documents that your working through and would like to lock all text frame and still be able to edit them.

This would mean that you have to go to every page and select any or all text frames on the page and lock them in the Layers Panel or would like to unlock all of them at the same time. As you know you can’t do that to my knowledge.

Thus having a Text Frame Lock icon in the context tool bar as a Toggle On/Off option that would allow you to lock all text frames with a single click on the icon would be very handy to have. As you know, not all pages might have identical text frame(s) and positions so being able to lock all throughout an entire document with a single click can be very useful. We’ve all accidentally moved text frame when we didn’t want to.

Also, this should not affect a text frame locked in the Layers Panel as it would be an internal editing flag only.

Thanks again for your option which works but only locally. I stand by my original request and the reasons why I think it’s a viable option for Publisher.

MaxClass

 

[carl123]

29 minutes ago, MaxClass said:

We’ve all accidentally moved text frame when we didn’t want to.

Sure have...

and images, shapes, assets, curves, embedded/linked documents, "symbols", picture frames, etc.