Can't Move Vector Text

[kellycraven]

I can no longer move, rotate, or resize vector text. This is in a project created new in PSPX9 just yesterday. Yesterday I could move. rotate, and resize vector text. Today went to add one more line of text and it's buggy.

I searched the forum for solution, and see some posts explaining about a new justification feature of text. The buttons, etc, these solutions speak of do not exist where they say they should be. I have reset preferences as suggested but those buttons did not show up.

I'm at a total loss how to do text with PSPX9 as it is, even though it worked fine yesterday. New projects today all have this issue. If it was an issue yesterday I would not have been able to get my project started. I'm not a newbie, having used PSP for many years. This is a totally new and unexpected issue.

Select the text tool.
Click to place text as vector (text size, font, alignment, direction, wrap, kerning, etc, seems to work fine while entering text).
It defaults to the upper left of the layer (changing direction changes the location on the screen, but it still ends up in one of the corners).
After it's been entered, accept the text.
Select the Pick Tool.
Text is locked (no moving, resize, nor rotate).

The only solution seems to be to convert to raster, which of course is not what I want to do, and not what was ever required before.

Seems like a bug, or a well hidden feature.

[LeviFiction]

Force Justify and them are in PSP2018 not PSPX9.

As for what you're experiencing, do you have any other vectors or selections on the image at the time that you try to add text? Does the cursor look like this [T] ? If so, you seem to be suffering from Text Wrapping.

Text Wrapping uses either a vector shape or an active selection as a text box forcing your text to wrap inside of this box to conform to its shape. A handy layout tool. However, it has some bad side-effects such as being unable to scale, move or rotate the text. If it's attached to a vector shape you can move the shape and the text will move with it. If it's attached to a selection you can move the text but you can't resize or rotate it.

If you see your cursor looks like this [T] that means it's going to try and attach your text to either a vector shape or a selection for text wrapping. PSP forces text wrapping if your cursor is over a selection, but if it's over a vector you can hold the ALT key to turn off text wrapping before you click.

If you're uncertain if you have a selection active, you can just go to Selections -> None to turn off all selections.

It should be noted that it is possible to detach a text object from a vector shape ending the text wrapping, but it will still be impossible to resize or rotate the text. So if you want/need to rotate or resize the text you'll want to make sure you don't ever use text wrapping in the first place.

[kellycraven]

Yes, the cursor is [T] beside a larger +. No, there are no other vectors selected, but there are vectors in the project on other layers. I tried making sure nothing else was selected as suggested, but it makes no difference at all. There is other vector text - a few separate lines, grouped together. Those work as expected. I can do whatever I want to do with them - they all worked as expected. It was when I went to add one more line of text to a new layer that I could no longer do ANYTHING with the new line of text that was working fine before, and for years. I'm stumped.

Thanks for the help and suggestions.

I think I stumbled in the problem - I was just now able to fix it - but don't know how it got the way it was.

"Detach object from path" I needed to select this when right clicking on the text.

That was selected for every new line of text attempted. How? Where is the option to enable/disable that?

I feel like I need some VERY SPECIFIC step by step instructions - hand holding - to figure this out.

[kellycraven]

The problem is definitely an Object Path problem. All new text is defaulting to being attached to a path. What that path is, I have no idea. So, I need to add text, then Detach Object From Path, every single time. This is a new text default state.

Where are these settings?

How can I find and remove "the path" the text is attaching to for this project?

[hartpaul]

Select the text tool.
Click to place text as vector (text size, font, alignment, direction, wrap, kerning, etc, seems to work fine while entering text).
It defaults to the upper left of the layer (changing direction changes the location on the screen, but it still ends up in one of the corners).
After it's been entered, accept the text.
Select the Pick Tool.
Text is locked (no moving, resize, nor rotate).

The only solution seems to be to convert to raster, which of course is not what I want to do, and not what was ever required before.

This is still insufficient information for me to be able to try and duplicate your problem and then search for a solution.
I followed the steps you mentioned there and my text position did not default to the top position so some other layers that you have not mentioned are having an effect. Can you give a more thorough series of steps providing the minimum number of layers that result in your problem and perhaps a cropped screenshot of your layer palette.

[kellycraven]

The issue is "CAN'T MOVE TEXT" in the attached image.

If I select "Detach..." for this text it becomes normal. So, the problem is whatever it cause text to default to that state. No doubt that's why you can't duplicate the issue, so at this point how to get in that state is a main question. I don't know of any more steps, steps that what I already listed. Sorry.

Where are the settings and menu items for paths?

[LeviFiction]

I'm sorry I wasn't clear enough apparently.

Any time you hover the text tool over another vector shape it'll change to the [T] icon. This is text wrapping. When you're hovering over a vector shape you have to hold the ALT key before clicking to add text or it will attach the text to the object. You don't have to have other objects selected. This happens when you hover over any vector object.

What I was talking about with selections is raster selections using the selection tools (Selection, Freehand selection, Magic Wand, etc.) When you hover over a raster selection it'll also change to the text wrapping icon [T] but because it's not actually attached to anything this text wrapping is a little different from vector shape text wrapping. I was attempting to point out the differences and I seem to have only added confusion. I do apologize.

[kellycraven]

I see what you are saying. I was able to add text not attached to a path by using the ALT key. This wasn't and isn't anything I've ever had to do. Also, it doesn't always work. If I just use the ATL key and click to enter, the whole app minimizes to the task bar when I try to type a cap-C letter after it's ready for text ("CAN'T MOVE..."). Seems like it's getting into a hot-key state.

Are there any settings for this?

Why would this not always be an issue? Why would it just start now? Yes, I've had overlapping vector text objects in the past, regularly actually.

[LeviFiction]

I don't mean to be contrary here but this has always been the case with vectors in PSP. It's not new. I have always had to deal with this and I've used PSP from Version 9 to X9 and now 2018.

Previous versions would only have text on a curve but I had to hold the ALT key when hovering over those to prevent text on a curve, even when they were hidden behind by a raster layer. X8 (X7? Can't remember) introduced text wrapping, but it works just like previous versions. Another option is to hide the layer you're about to overlap. If it's not visible the layer won't activate text wrapping.

As for using ALT and typing a letter. If you use the ALT method just hit alt again before typing and it won't try to activate the menu.

[kellycraven]

Absolutely, the app is in an alt-hot-key state, waiting for another key to be pressed. After clicking with the ALT key down pressing almost any key will select whatever action the alt-ket combo is for that letter. Using the ALT key to enter text not attached to a path is quite cumbersome, and give the actions need to workaround not accidentally electing some menu item makes this a terrible design at best. it's WAY easier to enter text as normal then select Detach Object. Or, this is a bug. In any case, it's not discoverable and doesn't work as expected.

[JoeB]

Absolutely, the app is in an alt-hot-key state, waiting for another key to be pressed. After clicking with the ALT key down pressing almost any key will select whatever action the alt-ket combo is for that letter. Using the ALT key to enter text not attached to a path is quite cumbersome, and give the actions need to workaround not accidentally electing some menu item makes this a terrible design at best. it's WAY easier to enter text as normal then select Detach Object. Or, this is a bug. In any case, it's not discoverable and doesn't work as expected.

I tend to agree with you that this is poor programming. Text Wrapping with vector shapes should NOT be something that automatically occurs when hovering over a shape. What is needed is an option checkbox on the Options toolbar to allow a user to make the choice as to whether or not text wrapping is the desired outcome and/or and whether or not it should attach to the shape. Having to use a key that has other purposes - and that can accidentally invoke those other purposes - makes no sense to me. That said, perhaps those with more knowledge could let me know why what I just suggested doesn't make sense, because that's certainly possible.

[LeviFiction]

I think the alt key needing to be pressed twice started with X3. When they got rid of the pop-up text entry. If you hold ALT + SHIFT and click it brings up the pop-up and I don't have to hit alt again but that's not any better.

Detaching the object has its own bug, or at least it does on my computer. When I detach the text I can't rotate or resize it, I can only move it. So detaching it ends the wrapping, but doesn't fix all of the problems wrapping introduces. For me it's easier to avoid attaching the text to begin with. And holding ALT an hitting it a second time is absolutely no issue for me. Then again maybe I've just gotten used to it.

I don't think it's poor programming, just poor design. PSP was not designed to be a full fledged vector layout system. It was probably considered to be a great boon/shortcut for it to auto-attach to an object. And, again, it's been this way for over 10 versions. No one has made a big stink over it. So it probably just hasn't come up as important when they make their plans/decisions. Text wrapping just got added to match the text on a curve functionality.

Other options I can give you include 1) Add the text onto a blank section then move it into place. Duplicate existing text objects and moving them into place instead of making new ones. You can even speed this up by adding a shortcut to the Layer Duplicate command.

But, yeah, this is how it's been, and how it is. They'll have to purposely change it in future versions.

[JoeB]

@LeviFiction, agree with what you said. I used the wrong word when I said "programming". You got it right that it's a "design" issue.

[hartpaul]

Well I have managed to duplicate the layers you have shown but cannot get a text layer with [T] from what you seem to have.

I presume you have some other vector text or vector lines on the Group 2 which I have circled in Red.

The text in green shows the normal T and not [T]

The layer symbol I have circled in yellow does not match yours and I cannot find any reference to that blank square symbol in the Help info.