Creating Vertical Text

The Vertical Text tool types text in vertical columns that flow from top to bottom and right to left. Create vertical columns of text in languages that use vertical text, or when you work on a publication in which text runs across a page.

To create empty text objects, such as for a document template, to contain vertical text, use the Vertical Text Object tool. (See Using Vertical Text Object Tool.)

To Type Vertical Text Directly:

1. Select the Vertical Text tool. 

   The pointer changes to a horizontal I-beam.

2. Click in the document to place the text insertion point, and then begin typing. Since the text will flow from top to bottom, Canvas X Draw expands the bottom of the column to fit the longest line you type.
3. Press Esc to exit Text Edit mode.

To Define a Column for Vertical Text:

1. Select the Vertical Text tool. The pointer changes to a horizontal I-beam, indicating that text will flow from top to bottom.
2. Drag the I-beam to set the size of the column, and then begin typing. As you type, text characters run from top to bottom. When the text reaches the bottom edge of the column, it wraps back to the top and onto the next line to the left.
3. Press Esc to exit Text Edit mode.

Using Vertical Text Object Tool

The Vertical Text Object tool lets you create empty text blocks for vertical text. Text objects created with the Vertical Text Object tool maintain their width and length.

To Create Text Objects for Vertical Text:

1. Select the Vertical Text Object tool. 

   The pointer changes to a horizontal I-beam indicating that text will flow from top to bottom.

2. Drag to define the width and length of the text object. Then drag in other locations to create more text objects, or begin typing in the new text object.
3. Press Esc to exit Text Edit mode.

Options for Vertical Text and Columns

A checkbox labeled Vertical appears in two places: the Column Guides dialog box and Type palette.

The Vertical options described in this section are not related to the “Vertical” command that changes the alignment of text bound to a path.

In the Column Guides dialog box, create column guides for vertical text in Publication documents. In the Type palette, specify vertical orientation for text objects by enabling the Vertical checkbox.

To Use Vertical Text Column Guides:

1. Choose Layout | Grids and Guides | Column Guides, or select the Section tool in the Text toolbox and drag to define the column guide dimension. 
2. In the Column guides dialog box, select the Vertical checkbox. The column guide buttons at the top of the dialog box change to vertical orientation.
3. Use the preset column buttons or the other options to specify guides for the number of columns that you want to use.
   • To use preset column guides: Click one of the buttons. The first three buttons are for 1, 2, and 3 text columns respectively. The last two buttons are for 2 columns with a wide and narrow column.
   • To set up guides for any number of columns from 1 to 12: Use the Number of columns text box.
4. Click OK to create guides for the specified number of columns.

To Use the Vertical Option for Text Objects:

Use the Vertical option in the Type palette to set up the Text tool for vertical text and to orient text objects to contain vertical text.

When you set the Text tool to create vertical text, lines of text that you type are vertical, with text flowing from top to bottom and lines running from right to left. This is the same as the orientation of text within an existing text object when you apply the Vertical option.

1. Open the Type palette by double-clicking the Text tool, or choosing Text | Type.
2. Do one of the following to set up the Text tool, or to change the orientation of existing text objects:
   • To change the default operation of the Text tool: Make sure that no objects are selected in the document.
   • To change existing text objects: Select the text objects.
3. Select the Vertical checkbox in the Type palette, and then click Apply to apply the current settings. Canvas X Draw applies the vertical option to the selected text objects or to the Text tool.

To Change Text Orientation to Horizontal in an Object:

1. Open the Type palette.
2. Select a text object containing vertical text.
3. Deselect the Vertical checkbox and then click Apply.

To Use Vertical Text in Publication Layouts:

1. Choose Layout | Grids and Guides | Column Guides and choose the number of columns you want to use.
2. Use the Vertical Text Object tool to click between column guides to create a text column sized to fit the column guides.

The column extends from the point you click to the left margin of the page. If the column guides are outside the printable area, the column text remains inside the printable area. (See Using Vertical Text Object Tool.)

See Also:

• Setting Up Rulers