Text over a path.-
To write curved text is a capability already existing in other previous versions of Metagraf. Now, with Mg5 the process of writing curved text, although basically the same as before, has been simplified in some way.
The biggest difference with previous versions has been to include all the operations needed in a specific window that is launched when the corresponding menu item is selected. When done, the window shown in the next image is shown:
In this window it has been marked the steps to be done to create curved text. First it should be written the desired text on the uppermost text field. Then, it is imperative to select some kind of fonts to be used, so the button at right must be clicked. If clicking in the chooser that will appear the button O.K. without any other action, the font regular “helvetica” will be employed.
If the path to be used has not been selected or created before, this must be done now as before going to the fourth step it is imperative to have an existing selected object (that should be an object able to support curved text).
The last step is the complete definition of the remaining characteristics of the curved text. Usually, only the scale of the fonts and the separation of the characters are used. If nothing is selected (nothing written and no radio button clicked) the default values will be chosen. The same is true for the values of the buttons not clicked.
As it is frequent to use the same scale for horizontal and vertical values of the glyphs, the value written for the x-scale will remain in the text field so that the buttons for both scales can be clicked one after the other. Otherwise, all values included in the text field are erased when used.
It is important to mention that curved text is a “compound object”; one is the text string and the other is the object used to establish the path. Mg5 has been written in such a way that those two object should be placed consecutively. In the stack, the text object should come first and the “object path” above it. This is done automatically when creating curved text.
The order of the compound object should be maintained, and care should be taken to respect it. This is specially true if many objects are present in the drawing and layer changed. One way to “secure” curved text is to group the compound object once it has been created. In this way, the needed order will be maintained.
By default, when curved text is created the string is placed on the upper left corner. It can be let in this place or move it near the object path, Nothing will change but it can be easier to have the object grouped having the two nearby. Inasmuch that when creating more than one curved text the strings will be placed one above the other making it difficult to read or work with them.
Once a curved text compound object has been created it can be edited as any other object. This will be explained in what follows:
To modify the string of text, the fonts used and the text written can be edited in the same way as a standard string of text. Selecting it and changing the words or opening the fonts chooser window.
To change the shape of the path, the object used as support can be edited as any standard object, changing its defining points, rotating it or scaling it.
The color of the text can be defined as with any standard text, with the color chooser.
Finally, if some of the parameters specific to curved text are wanted to be modified, the object support should be selected and the “curved text window” reopen. Then the fourth and last step can be redone knowing that the old parameter will be maintained with the exception of those that are modified clicking the corresponding radio buttons after new values have been inputed on due text field.
Madrid, January 2006 |
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