Getting text to follow a freeform curved path.

[johnjlevy@yahoo.com]

Running V10 of PI and I am trying to get some text to follow a particular free form path. I have tried the gallery and I can get it to come close but even running some custom mods in the properties box, no can do. It seems to me that I used to be able to draw a curve and fit the text to it in earlier versions but here in 10 I can't for the life of me figure it out.

Could someone please point me in the right direction. I have searched through help and run some searches on the forums but nobody seems to want to do this particular thing and not have been able to do it.

Any and all help would be appreciated.

John

[Ron P.]

This works in PI-11 and 12, and I think it should work for V10.

Draw your path, then with your path still active, right-click and select, Wrap, Add Text to Active Path.

[johnjlevy@yahoo.com]

Vidoman,

Thanks for your help. I did get it to work but what is with all of the "Enter Text Here" repeating and if you erase it and start new your text repeats over and over until you either make the text you want to have follow the complete and exact path. Seems like it is a bit bulky to me. Has this been delt with in V11 or V12?

Thanks again for your help.

John

[Ron P.]

I've only become acquainted with PI since version 11, it is the same. Since I have other graphic applications, that approach this differently, I find PI's method different, and more difficult to work with. However that is how PI applies text to paths. It would be much better if you were allowed to type your text, then with a menu command apply it to a path.

One way that you could use, if you are wanting to wrap your text to a circle or half of it, is through the Easy Palette. With your text selected, go to the Easy Palette Galleries, scoll down to the Text/Path Effects>Wrap>Bend Text. Then Right-click on one of the effects, and choose Modify Properties and apply. This will open a customization menu, where you can change various attributes, and preview them before applying.

[johnjlevy@yahoo.com]

Hi Vidoman,

I did try the easy palette through many trials and many errors and modify as I might I could never get it to follow the path that I wanted it too. The modifiers don't even make a lot of sense either. When making the numerical changes it allows the change never seems to make the path change in the way you think it should.

It is much easier to do this type of thing in other programs but PI is the only software that I have used that allows the kind of 3d attributes to be applied to true type fonts. I have never been able to generate the look and depth that I want in any other software. I have been using PI since V4 I believe.

Thanks again,

John