Adding Text and Textboxes

Use the Graphics Editor Text tool to write a single line of text with no wrapping. Use the Graphics Editor Textbox tool to write one or several lines of text that are wrapped within the specified box.

You can edit and format the text by using the standard formatting tools.

A text path is a free form curve of text. You use the text path to make the characters independent of any font library. The disadvantage of this is that you can no longer edit the characters as text.

When you create a path of text, you create a copy, which can be treated as an ordinary closed curve. You can set Stroke and Fill color for the text path.

The original text remains unchanged and if required you can delete it.

Text Tool

Text is typically used for adding labels or informative comments within your graphic. You add a single line of text using the Text tool. Textboxes are used when you need to wrap text.

To add text using the Text tool:

  1. In Graphics Editor, in the Layers pane, select the layer you want to add the text on.
  2. On the Drawing toolbar, click Text.
  3. Click in the work area where you want the text to start.
  4. Type the text you want to add to the graphic.
  5. Press Enter.
  6. On the Drawing toolbar, click Select.
  7. In the Properties pane, in the Name box, type the name of the text.

    NOTE: You only need to name the drawing object if you will be binding the object. Naming the object now will help you identify the object later.

  8. On the Options toolbar or in the Properties pane, adjust the appearance of the text.
  9. On the File menu, click Save.

You can make text content dynamic so that the text changes according to the value of the variable it is bound to. This way you use only one text object to show different texts depending on the value of the variable.

To make text content dynamic:

  1. In Graphics Editor, in the Layers pane, select the layer that contains the text you want to make dynamic.
  2. In the work area, select the text you want to make dynamic.
  3. In the Object pane, right-click Text, point to New, and then click Bind.
  4. In the Properties pane, in the Name box, type the name of the Bind object.
  5. In the Attribute box, select Content.
  6. In the Objects pane, right-click Bind, point to New, and then click ConvertValue.
  7. In the Properties pane, in the Name box, type a name for the ConvertValue object.
  8. In the AttributeValue box, type the text that you want to display in the graphic.
  9. In the SignalEqualTo box, type the value when the text is to be displayed.
  10. Add more ConvertValue objects to the Bind object, one for each value of the variable that is to be displayed as text.
  11. In the Objects pane, right-click the Text, point to Group as, and then click Component.
  12. In the Properties pane, in the Name box, type the name of the component.
  13. On the File menu, click Save.

Textbox Tool

You add text within a textbox when you want to add several lines of text with automatic line wrap within a defined area.

To add text using the Textbox tool:

  1. In Graphics Editor, in the Layers pane, select the layer you want to add the text on.
  2. On the Drawing toolbar, click Textbox.
  3. In the work area, click where you want to locate the upper-left corner of the textbox.
  4. Drag the pointer to where the lower-right corner of the textbox is to end.
  5. Type the text you want to add to the graphic.
  6. On the drawing toolbar, click Select.
  7. Adjust the size of the textbox.
  8. In the Properties pane, in the Name box, type the name of the textbox.

    NOTE: You only need to name the drawing object if you will be binding the object. Naming the object now will help you identify the object later.

  9. On the Options toolbar or in the Properties pane, adjust the appearance of the text.
  10. On the File menu, click Save.