Visual Thought User's Guide
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Chapter 13

Using Text

 Visual Thought allows you to add text to objects, create new objects containing text, and then edit and manipulate the text. For example, you can add text to any shape, and the text will wrap to fit within that shape. Or you can add text labels to connections, and the labels will follow when the connection is moved and resized. You can also change text attributes: font, size, style, color, scripting, and others.

Using Text in Visual Thought

Labeling objects and creating text in traditional drawing tools is often a laborious task. Visual Thought has streamlined much of this process.

Entering Text from the Select Tool

 The simplest and quickest way to edit text in an object is to

Entering Text from the Text Tool

 You can also enter text using the Text tool. First, enter Text mode by clicking on the Text tool icon in the Tool Bar, or type 2. Notice that the cursor changes to an I-beam. Then,

Text and Edit Modes

 There are two modes within Text tool, the Text mode and the Edit submode.

Changing the Edit Focus

 In each View, you can edit the text of only one object at a time. An object whose text is being edited has the Edit focus. You can change the object that has the Edit focus in three ways:

Formatting Text

 There are three ways of formatting text:


For further information on using the Inspector, see the chapter entitled "Editing Objects Using the Inspector" on page 81.



For further information on using accelerators, see the appendix entitled "Tool Key and Button Bindings" on page 251.



For further information on using the Arrange and Text menus, see "Arrange Menu" on page 176 and "Text Menu" on page 182.

Examples of Creating Text

 Examples of editing and formatting text using the three methods discussed in the previous section are provided below.

Adding Text to a Shape


Double-click selects a word; triple-click selects an entire line.

You will not be able to see most of the text you type after it scrolls off the top of the object.

Examples of Editing and Formatting Text

 You can easily show or hide the text in your objects, as well as perform standard formatting on it such as bolding, italicizing, etc. You can also change the location of the text within the object.

Text Attributes That Can Be Changed

Text Attribute

Window or Keyboard Accelerator

Show or Hide Text

 Inspector Text panel

Font

 Inspector Text panel or

Ctrl-T

Style

Strikethru

Underline

Italic

Bold

Plain

Increase Size

Decrease Size

 Inspector Text panel

Ctrl-M

Ctrl-U

Ctrl-I

Ctrl-B

Ctrl-Y

Ctrl-Shift->

Ctrl-Shift-<

Scripting

Superscript

Unscript

Subscript

 Inspector Text panel

Ctrl-/ (forward slash)

Ctrl-Shift-_ (underscore)

Ctrl-Shift-\ (backslash)

Justification

Left Justify

Center Justify

Right Justify

 Inspector Text panel

Ctrl-[

Ctrl-Shift-| (vertical slash)

Ctrl-]

Color

 Inspector Text panel

Shape Text Vertical Alignment

 Inspector Text panel

Connection Text Distance

 Inspector Text panel

Connection Text Offset

 Inspector Text panel

Connection Text Width

 Inspector Text panel

Using the Inspector Text Panel
  • Create a circle and add text to it, making sure to press Esc to re-enter Select mode afterward.

    For a complete description of this panel, please see the section titled     "Text Menu" on page 182.

  • Click on the Text panel selector button in the Inspector. You can edit a variety of text properties in this Inspector panel.

    Showing or Hiding Text

    Bolding and Italicizing Text

    Entering and Changing the Location of Text on a Connection
    You can change the location of the connection label along the connection, as well as how far the label is offset from the connection. You can do this whenever the connection is selected, not just when you are in Edit mode.


    Visual Thought sliders always have numeric fields above them. You can move the slider or enter an exact value, whichever you prefer.

    Formatting Text of Multiple Objects

     Visual Thought allows you to easily modify the text of all selected objects in your diagram. You can use all the text formatting commands that are available for single objects on multiple objects.

    This feature allows you to make global changes to the text in your document quickly and easily.


    Visual Thought User's Guide
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