text on path - edit path attributes

[Poziomka]

Hi

On Publisher I can enter the text on the formatted path (stroke and endings).

However, I have a problem with changing the path attributes!

The stroke palette formats the text on the path!

Any idea?

[PixelPest]

Afaik the path is then an attribute of the text - you just can alter the shape/form of the path with the Node-tool. If you want to have the stroke as part of the design you might need to double it before making artistic text out of it.

Cheers

[Dave Harris]

Use View > Studio > Text Frame, and change the path using the controls at the top of the panel.

[PixelPest]

Cool - well hidden. Thanks for the hint.

Cheers

[Poziomka]

Thank you Dave,

I would not have thought of looking for these attributes in the text frame options!

Half the work is ready, but the start and the end doesn't work.
I can control variable thickness, but I can't add endings!

Maybe in the next version

Thank you

 

[PaulEC]

14 minutes ago, Poziomka said:

I can control variable thickness, but I can't add endings!

If you mean things like arrow heads, convert to curves, then select the line and use the normal stroke tab. Be aware that you won't be able to edit the text after converting to curves.

(Or just draw another line with the pen tool where you want it.)

[PixelPest]

2 minutes ago, PaulEC said:

If you mean things like arrow heads, select the line and use the normal stroke tab.

 

This will affect the text - not the path.

[Poziomka]

Yes arrow heads.

I wanted to do it flexibly, not every elements separately. I can do it separately.
The point is that when I change the path (I change nodes and curves), the text and other attributes will adjust automatically!

At the moment I will be satisfied with the line without endings.

I look forward to the new version.

[thomaso]

1 hour ago, PixelPest said:

1 hour ago, PaulEC said:

If you mean things like arrow heads, select the line and use the normal stroke tab.

This will affect the text - not the path.

It seems to be bit more complex by the confusing UI:

– Yes, you may assign a stroke color and width via text frame panel:

– If you convert the text to curves –> then the path stroke option in text panel disappears. Ok, it's no textframe any more – but where is the stroke defined?
– It appears now the stroke panel is relevant: you can assign arrow heads. But it tells a stroke width of 0,2 – though it still is 8 indeed.

– A close zoom shows the 0,2 are for the text: Text gets a stroke just with converting to curves (without having it assigned before to text) and it also gets the paths' arrow heads:

– If I change now the stroke width (or color) it effects both: text AND path.

So I assume this is not a recommendable workflow to make a text paths visible in case you will convert it to curves in the sake of applying arrow heads.

EDIT: Sorry, stupid me. I hadn't noticed that curving text creates a grouped layer.
So it is recommended "Always have a look on the bright side of Layers Panel"

 

[PaulEC]

In the long run the easiest thing seems to be to just create a duplicate path for any "fancy" effects!

[Dave Harris]

5 hours ago, Poziomka said:

Thank you Dave,

I would not have thought of looking for these attributes in the text frame options!

Half the work is ready, but the start and the end doesn't work.
I can control variable thickness, but I can't add endings!

Maybe in the next version

Thank you

 

That is supposed to work; it's a bug that it doesn't.

There actually is another way, but it is even more obscure. Select the path text and then the Fill tool. In the context toolbar should be a pair of controls labelled Context. Change the second one from Text to Frame. Then most of the UI for stroke and fill will affect the path rather than the text. The arrow head controls on Stroke panel seem OK. This also works for text frames and art text. You can use the Fill tool for direct manipulation of gradients.

Only Publisher has that Text/Frame context control. We are intending to improve this, but it won't be until 1.8.

[R C-R]

15 hours ago, PaulEC said:

(Or just draw another line with the pen tool where you want it.)

One of the forum regulars* posted a great tip that is relevant to this:

Suppose you already have converted the path to a text path. Instead of trying to draw another path that exactly matches the now converted one, you can duplicate it, select the text tool & all of the text in it, then delete it, leaving a duplicate text path empty of all text. To recover the path, simply select the duplicate with the Move Tool & from the context menu select "Convert to Curves." Just by doing that, the duplicate becomes a regular path that exactly duplicates the path of the one converted to a text path.

* I think it was @PixelPest but if I am wrong about that, I hope the real tipster will correct me.

[Poziomka]

Thank you David

It's just hidden! I like this feature of adding endings in a frame - it's probably unique.

I need to browse the menu more thoroughly.

[Colin uk]

I was reading this 2019 question, I can confirm that in my version 1.10 in the Text Frame Options I can click the line next to the stroke width and add arrowheads, dotted lines and other options