Flowing Text from Column to Column

Create text flows so that text runs from one text object to another. You can flow text to a new text object when the text won’t all fit in an existing text object; the term “overset text” is used to refer to the text that doesn’t fit in a text object or column.

You can also link empty text objects to create a preset text flow when you create templates for page layouts.

Flowing Overset Text to a New Object

If you reduce the size of a text object, or change the text formatting, and all the text no longer fits in the text object, you can create another text object to hold the overset text. Doing this creates a link between the first and second text object, as shown in “Flowing overset text into new text columns,” above.

Defining Text Flow Bars and Flow Symbols

A text flow bar is a solid line with a flow symbol. Text flow bars appear at the bottom of text objects when they contain overset text or are part of text flows. The flow symbol indicates the flow condition.

• An arrow indicates that a text object contains overset text.
• A plus sign indicates that text flows to another text object.
• The last object in a text flow does not display a flow bar unless text is overset.

To Display Text Flow Bars:

Choose Layout | Display | Show Text Flow Bars. To hide text flow bars, choose Layout | Display | Hide Text Flow Bars.

Linking Text Objects

After you create text objects with the Text tool or Text Object tool, use the Text Link tool to link the objects and create a text flow. When text you type or insert fills one object, it flows to the next linked text object. The linked text object can be on another page (in a Publication document) or another slide (in a Presentation document). You can link columns in a chain to create articles in a multi-page document such as a newsletter. The Text Link tool is especially useful for creating templates for publications.

Text objects created with the Text tool expand as needed when text is added. However, if you use the Text Link tool to link objects created with the Text tool, the objects no longer expand or contract to hold the text. Instead, they remain a fixed length, the same as objects created with the Text Object tool.

To Link Text Objects:

You can use this procedure to link an object containing text or an empty text object to other text objects.

If text boxes aren’t visible, choose Display | Show Text Boxes in the Layout menu; this makes it easier to find and link empty text objects.

1. With the Text or Text Object tool, create at least two text objects.
2. Select the Text Link tool. 

The pointer displays the number “1”.

3. Click the first text object, the object you want to flow from. The text link pointer changes to the number “2”.
4. Click the next text object, the object you want to flow to. If you click anything but a text object, Canvas X Draw cancels the linking operation.
5. To link another text object to the chain, repeat the linking procedure; i.e., click the object text will flow from, and then click the object the text will flow to.
6. Press Esc when you finish.

Unlinking Text Objects

Use the Text Unlink tool to break the links between text objects that have been linked into a text flow.

To Unlink One Text Object from the Next Object in the Flow:

1. Select the Text Unlink tool. 
2. Click the first text object.

Checking Text Flows

The Link Info tool lets you check text flows in a document. Use the tool to display arrows showing the flow of text among linked text objects.

To Check a Text Flow:

1. Select the Link Info tool. 
2. Point to a text object. Press and hold down the mouse to display flow arrows.

If the text object is part of a linked text flow, arrows show the flow sequence. Flow arrows are displayed until you release the mouse button. If the text object is not linked, no flow arrows appear.

A flow arrow starts at the lower-right corner of the first object in a flow, and points to the upper-left corner of the next object in the flow, and so on throughout the flow.

See also:

• Creating Column Layouts