text to path

[Ron Robbins]

Using PSP 2020 ultimate and tutorial from (learn.corel.com creating text to path). When I have both my object and text selected by the pick tool I go to objects and my text to path is not highlighted so as to select it. I have tried the tutorial over and over watching every step to see what Im missing. I have even used different photo scenes and objects with no help. Could sure use some help with this.
thanks Ron

[Andy2011]

I haven't used 'text to path' very often and I am sure some of the real experts have a better way to ensure you get the appropriate option to show up.
I am assuming you have (at least) 3 layers and the layers palette in view.
The top layer should the text - must be a vector.
The next one down is the VECTOR shape (e.g. ellipse).
The background is at the bottom.

Now using the Pick tool, select the top layer with the text. Hold down the Shift key and on the layers palette select the layer with the vector shape.
Keep the Shift key down and move the cursor over the shape. When over and inside the shape the cursor has a little plus sign above it. Now left click inside the shape. That should have selected both the text and the shape meaning that the option to "Fit Text to Path" shows up in the Objects menu. (It is also in the context menu opened with a right-click.)

The reason for having the shape as a layer under the text is so that it can be hidden.

Good luck!

[hartpaul]

I believe the OP is referring to this video tutorial
https://learn.corel.com/tutorials/paint ... f818a-8e4f
I tried it and found the same frustration that the OP had in that Objecte > Fit Text to Path was greyed out.

After a bit of investigation I discovered why. As mentioned by Andy2011 you must select the text and the elipse using the pick tool with the Shift key held down.
But you can also select the two layers using the shift key -- however when you expand the vector layers there is a difference.
This is how it is shown in the video and written tutorial.

Looking closely at the Layers palette all looks good

02layersselected.jpg (41.33 KiB) Viewed 1471 times

To the left of each vector layer is a little white arrow and clicking on that will produce a dropdown showing all layers included in that vector and all must be selected which is done if you use the pick tool to select. Hoowever you can finish up with something like this

03Selectalllayers.jpg (64.38 KiB) Viewed 1471 times

and in this case the Fit Text to path will be unavailable until that layer with the red mark is selected.

Another tutorial is here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai8bijZzl7Q

[Ron Robbins]

Thanks Andy. Was not selecting the shape layer in the layers box and was not aware of the + above the cursor. This experience was a great learning tool and I cant thank you hartpaul enough.
Be well

[Andy2011]

Thanks, hartpaul, that's vey informative and useful.
It looks as if the quickest, tidiest and most reliable way of fitting text to a shape is to put them on the same vector layer, creating an automatic grouping.
Expanding that composite layer shows the shape and text sub-layers so just selecting those, and not the objects themselves, allows the Fit to Path option.

Screen shot of demo

This method keeps the text and its path together reducing the risk of accidentally deleting the layer and object defining the path.
All I have to do now is remember it!

[migf1]

What Andy showed is how I usually do text on paths too (that is, keeping the text and the shape vectors inside the same vector layer).

It's main CON is that you cannot assign different layer styles on them. Also, if for some reason you want to separate them, you need to create a new empty vector-layer and drag one of the vectors into it (or duplicate the vector layer, and delete the opposite vectors from each layer). I don't remember off-hand if re-attaching them is also necessary in those cases.

I don't know if it is covered in those tutorials (I didn't watch them), but 1 more thing worth mentioning is that by moving the shape vector, you move the whole thing, while by moving the text vector, you change its position along the shape it is attached to.