MACROMEDIA FREEHAND MX 11, Use Manual

Page: 287 / 412

Using Type 287
Converting text to paths
You can edit text as objects by converting the text to paths. Once the text is converted, you can
edit the shape of individual characters, use converted text as a clipping path, apply complicated
strokes and fills to the shape of a group of characters, and apply FreeHand and third-party Xtras
that create special effects. However, you can no longer edit text converted to paths as text—for
example, you can’t change the spelling, type, or paragraph attributes.
Any PostScript Type 1 font, PostScript Type 3 font created with Macromedia Fontographer, or
TrueType font installed on your computer can be converted to paths. Text in linked text blocks
cannot be converted to paths unless you unlink the blocks.
Converting text to paths may affect the onscreen appearance of text characters, because the
characters are no longer handled as type outlines by your system’s type-handling utility.
Printing text converted to paths does not require that fonts be installed, but it may result in
poor-quality output, especially at 12-point sizes and smaller.
You cannot convert paths back to text after you manipulate the paths. However, you can select
Edit > Undo to reverse the conversion if you have not yet manipulated the paths or saved the file.
To convert text to paths:
1
Using the Pointer tool, select the text block you want to convert.
2
Select Text > Convert to Paths or click the Convert to Paths button in the Text toolbar.
The following conversions occur:
•
Text attached to a path remains in place, but the path disappears.
•
The text in the text block converts to a group of objects.
•
Letters with more than one component, such as the letter i, convert to composite paths. For
more information on composite paths, see “Combining paths” on page 127.
•
Letters with enclosed areas, such as B and O, convert to composite paths with
transparent holes.
•
All other letters, such as L and Z , convert to a single path.
3
To ungroup the converted text into individual, editable characters, select Modify > Ungroup.
4
To edit a selected word or phrase as a single object, select the characters that make up the word
or phrase and select Modify > Group.