text indentation to shape 1

[ikswoktur]

Is there a way to have a paragraph of text auto indent to form to the edge of a shape? I am trying to get the text to remain horizontal but the paragraph effect of the indents would be a hexagon, or star, or circle.

 

[blueark]

Draw the shape you want the text to conform to. Now, press and hold the text tool until a few optional tools come out. Select the one that looks like an enclosed shape with the letter T inside it. Click on the shape and start typing. The shape will become invisible, but the text will stay within it's bounds.

 

[mondy]

This is kind of along the same lines.....
How do you type text along a path while keeping the letters right side up and reading left to right? I know how to do it so the text is like an arch on top of a circle, but I can't seem to get it so that the text conforms to the bottom of a circle while retaining its right side up and left to right legibility. I know I'm gonna kick myself when I get the answer. :O)

 

[blueark]

Actually, I don't think it's that simple. Certain cases can be approximated by using Object > Envelope Distort > Make With Warp (Illustrator 10). Other than that, I'm not sure if there is an automated way of doing it, but I could be wrong!

 

[ikswoktur]

Actually, I would like the text to appear outside of the shape, not inside. Is there a way to use that tool for this too?

 

[blueark]

Ahh, I see. You have a block of text, and you want to place a shape over it, pushing the text out of the way, is that right?

To do this, you need to use the normal text tool, and draw a block of text. In other words, don't click and type, but click, drag and type, so you have a defined block to work in. Next, draw your shape and make sure it's on top of the text. Select the object and the text, go to Type > Wrap > Make. That should do it.

 

[mondy]

I'm not sure that I see the answer to my question in the above responses. Can you clarify which issue you are directing your answer to? Thanks.

 

[blueark]

Sorry for not being clear. 3 answers:

1: Answering ikswoktur
2: Answering mondy
3: Answering ikswoktur

 

[ylustrata]

See why a picture is worth a thousand words? We need the means to post pictures of what we are trying to do - whether by the person asking the question or by the person responding

 

[dimoj]

What part of posting a picture are you unsure of? All the info you need is right there on the screen when you preview your post!

 

[mondy]

Actually, I was hoping to learn how to type test along a path in the shape of an upside-down arch. The thing is, I can make it so the text follows the path of a regular arch standing upright, but I can't make the text follow the path of an upside down arch while still reading left to right.

 

[blueark]

Do you mean so that the top of the text touches the bottom of the arch? If that's the case, type your text on top of the arch, and set the baseline shift to a negative amount until it's where you want it.

You can find baseline shift in AI10 by going to Window > Type > Charactor. It's one of the options at the bottom of that palette (unless you have 'Hide Options' selected in the flyout menu for that palette).

 

[mondy]

Yah, that's it! I'll try that. Thanks, blueark.