Text

[Marpel]

Unless I am doing something wrong....

If I pause too long (like only a second or two) while typing a text (being a poor typist, I have to pause and look from the screen to the keyboard), then type a letter, the picker comes up with the transform list related to the letter I just typed. Of course, each time I then have to X the list and re-position the cursor in the text box.

And, if I move the text box into an area (in this example, I was trying to fit the text inside a conversation bubble), and find the text is too long for the space, when I place the cursor at the beginning of a word/rest of a sentence I wish to drop down, then hit enter, the text drops as expected, but the text box jumps from where it was aligned and moves away from that position. Is there, or should there be, an alignment point, like the top left of the box, that retains it's position and the new box merely reshapes itself to fit the new text?

Marv

[jsachs]

I agree this can be annoying. You can set the text delay in File/Preferences up to 3 seconds. Let me know if that is not long enough and I can increase the maximum setting. Otherwise I could add an extra button you would need to click before changes in the text are recognized, but if you forgot to click it, any changes could be ignored.

You can set the relationship between the text box and the alignment point in the Text transformation using the Alignment control.

[Marpel]

Thanks for the response.

When I was using Text prior to my first post, the text delay was set at 2 seconds (was not aware that the delay could be changed). I tried again after changing it to 3. It is a bit better, but for my typing abilities, just on the edge of too short. Having said that, as no one else has mentioned a problem with this, I would suggest leaving it as is. Now that I am aware of it, I can manage.

Also, as I was working on a document which required text in multiple locations, am I correct that PWP only allows one placement, then OK the transform, followed by another run at Text on the resultant image, etc?

And, regarding the alignment, I initially thought the alignment box was for the placement of the text itself (ie left edge, center, right edge...), not the box. Thanks for making me aware of this as well.

Marv

[tomczak]

Arrow, Line and Tex tool should allow for multiple text boxes in a single transformation instance. Layout may be another way.

[jsachs]

Exactly.

The Line Arrow & Text tool lets you place multiple text boxes on an image, each with an optional background color, border and a line and arrow that points to part of the image.

[jsachs]

For the next release I increased the maximum text delay to 5 sec.

[Marpel]

Thanks Maciej and Jonathan for the replies.

Funny thing, although I have used the Line and Arrow tool multiple times for placing straight and curved lines, until it was mentioned here related to Text, it just never occurred to me that this tool could also do text. Go figure.

OK, someone is going to have to tell me the trick to doing multiple text boxes with Line, Arrow and Text, cause I just can't figure it out.
If I position a text box, by single clicking in the image, the only way I can commit that text to that location is by OK or Apply, but neither brings up another blank text dialogue. Pressing Enter just moves the cursor down to the next text line in the same text box. If I click a second time, outside the text box to another location, I get a line extending from the text box to that position.

I'm sure it is something simple, but I can't even find the answer in the Help files.

Marv

[jsachs]

The first click creates one endpoint of the line or arrow. The next click defines the other end of the line or arrow. If you then click away from either end of the line or arrow, a new line is started, and so on. To add text to a line, click the T icon and enter the text you want. If you just want text and no line or arrow, go back and Ctrl-click on the other end of the line to remove it.

To select a line, click near one of its control points. To add a new control point to a selected line, Shift-Click where you want the new control point and it will be inserted between the nearest two existing control points or at one end or the other if it decides that makes more sense.

[Marpel]

OK, just playing with Line Arrow Text to see how things work, and found the following - if I am doing some command wrong, please advise:

Disregarding laying down a line for now, as I think I have the basics on that.

If I open the text portion, I can click in the input image prior to typing the text or after. However, once typed, and after a few seconds, the text appears as placed, in the output image, as expected, and a corresponding box outline is shown in the input image, with an alignment point (circle) located in that box, dependent on the location chosen in the dialogue. So far, so good.

The only way I can figure to place another text/box elsewhere in the image, is by clicking a second time in the input image box. This shows as another point/circle in the box (in the input image), but it allows me to place a point elsewhere in the image for the subsequent box. I can't just place the second point outside the first box, because that results in a line from that point back to the first point in the box (which shows in the output image). I then have to delete the text within the text dialogue and replace with new text, if I wish to change that text (if not, that text is duplicated elsewhere).

A couple observations:

If I make the background transparent, a line is visible in the output image, from the very first alignment point for the box to the second point placed in the box (to allow another box to be made). If the background is opaque, that line is not visible.

Once a subsequent text/box is made/placed, I can go back to previous boxes (in the input image) and click on the alignment point, then move that box and text. However, a line is drawn from the second point in that original box to the new location of that alignment point. Again, if the background is opaque, the line is shown going from the exterior of the box only (and it shows in the output image), but if the background is transparent, the line shows going through the box (and text in the output image).

If I am "releasing" the first box incorrectly, then these observations will likely be moot.

Marv

[jsachs]

In describing how this currently works, I am aware that the process in confusing, and I am working on simplifying it.

Here is how it works right now:

1) Click on the input image to insert a single control point and then click on the T icon to open the text box. Enter the text and adjust any of the text settings as necessary.

2) Click on the input image well outside the text box. This inserts a second control point and connects it to the first control point with a line. Ignore this extra line for now.

3) Click somewhere on the input image far from any of the existing control points. This is like going back to Step 1 -- namely it starts a new line with a text box in it. Initially it will contain the same text as the previous text box -- edit the text and text settings as necessary.

Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have as many text boxes as you need.

4) To remove the superfluous lines created in Step 2, now go back and Ctrl-click on the second control point for each one (the one outside the text box). This leaves just the text boxes.