Freehand: Using Text

Freehand allows you to make dynamic text objects. These text objects can be edited, resized, stretched, pulled, and changed any time during the editing process. While there are many ways to create text, this page will deal with how to alter it to fit your specifications.

Affixing text to paths

You may choose to affix text to a path rather than leave it horizontal. In our example, we've taken the text above and affixed it to a sloping path below.

Select both the text object and the path you want to affix the text to.
Select the Text menu and then choose Attach to path to connect the text.
Use the object inspector to fine-tune your text.

Converting text to paths

Sometimes, you will want to treat your text like a drawing, rather than like a series of words. Say, for instance, you want to erase part of a letter or add a point to it--changing that letter into a set of paths would give you that flexibility. However, once you've turned your text into paths, it cannot be converted backwards. When you change text to paths, the letters are no longer connected by a path, they can be moved independently.

Select the text you want to convert.
Select the Text menu and click Convert to Paths.

NOTE: If you are planning to print your document on another computer, you may want to consider converting your text to paths, because if you open the document on the other computer and that computer does not have the font you used, the other computer will substitute a default font. Converting your text to paths before you switch computers will sidestep such problems.

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