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168 Chapter 5
Flash includes a number of text properties to choose from. These
include a font type, style, size, and color. You can set these attributes
before you create a text box or alter them on existing text. To make
changes to the entire text box, select it with the Selection tool without
entering the box (or making it active). If you only want to change a por-
tion of the box, enter the text box and select only those characters or
words you want to change. Attributes such as font type, style, size, and
color as well as more advanced text properties can be easily accessed
in the Property Inspector. When the Text tool or any text box is
selected, the Property Inspector displays all of the available attributes.
Changing Font Type,
Style, Size, and Color
Change the Font Type, Style,
and Size
Select the text box you want to
change with the Selection tool or
select text within the text box with
the Text tool.
Click the Family list arrow in the
Property Inspector, and then
select a font name.
The Family menu displays the font
name and sample text for each
font style to make it easier to
decide what font you want to use.
Click the Style list arrow in the
Property Inspector, and then
select a font style: Regular, Italic,
Bold, or Bold Italic.
Click the current point value in the
Property Inspector, and then enter
another point value in the Size
entry box.
Click any of the following format
buttons in the Property Inspector:
◆ Subscript or Superscript.
◆ Underline (TLF). (New!)
◆ Strikethrough (TLF). (New!)
5
4
3
2
1
The Property Inspector
displays text attributes
whenever any text box is
selected on the Stage.
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4
3
2
5
From the Library of Wow! eBook
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Chapter 5 Working with Text 169
Change the Font or Highlight
Color
Select the text box you want to
change with the Selection tool, or
select text within the text box with
the Text tool.
Click the Color box in the Property
Inspector, and then select a fill
color or click the Color Wheel icon
to create or select a custom color.
Click the Highlight box (TLF)
(New!) in the Property Inspector,
and then select a fill color or click
the Color Wheel icon to create or
select a custom color.
3
2
1
1
2
See Also
See “Setting Text Preferences” on
page 62 for information on setting
options for showing font previews on
font menus.
Did You Know?
You can change the text color in any
of the color palettes.
Change the fill
color of any selected text box by click-
ing on any of the color palettes. They
are located in the Tools panel, the
Color Mixer panel, and the Color
Swatches panel.
You can change the font type, size, and
style in the Text menu.
Click the Text
menu, point to Font, Size, or Style, and
then select an option.
You can quickly select all text in a
text box.
If you are inside an active
text box, press A+A (Mac) or Ctrl+A
(Win) to select all of the text.
3
From the Library of Wow! eBook
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170 Chapter 5
Sometimes the space between text characters can appear awkward or
where increasing the space is a creative solution. Flash provides meth-
ods for adjusting these spaces, called kerning and tracking. Tracking is
the space between characters and words on a single line and adjusting
tracking affects the entire line. Kerning deals with the space between
any two characters and adjusting it will only affect that space. Many
Fonts contain built-in information about problematic character pairs.
Flash makes use of this information when you turn on Auto Kern in the
Property Inspector.
Modifying Tracking
and Kerning
Adjust Tracking
Select the text in a text box you
want to track or you can select the
text box with the Selection tool.
Click the Text menu, point to Letter
Spacing, and then click Increase
or Decrease.
The Tracking increases or
decreases in 0.5-point (Classic) or
10 in 1000ths of an em (TLF)
increments.
TIMESAVER
You can adjust
tracking in the Property Inspector
with the Letter Spacing (Classic)
or Tracking (TLF)
(New!)
entry box
or slider.
2
1
1
Increased tracking
Decreased tracking
Letter Spacing Entry
Did You Know?
You can quickly adjust kerning or
tracking using the keyboard.
Select
the text or text box (to track) or place
the cursor between two characters,
and then press Option+A+right arrow
(Mac) or Ctrl+Alt+right arrow (Win) to
increase the space or Option+A+left
arrow (Mac) or Ctrl+Alt+left arrow
(Win) to decrease the space. Holding
down the Shift key with this keyboard
shortcut adjusts the space in larger
increments.
From the Library of Wow! eBook
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Chapter 5 Working with Text 171
Adjust Kerning
Enter a text box on the Stage by
double-clicking on it.
Place the cursor between the two
characters you want to kern.
Click the Text menu, point to Letter
Spacing, and then click Increase
or Decrease.
Set Auto Kerning
Select the text box you want to
change with the Selection tool.
Select the Auto Kern check box
(Classic) in the Property Inspector
or click the Kerning list arrow
(TLF), and then click Auto (New!).
Auto kern is enabled for that text
box.
2
1
3
2
1
2
The Kerning increases or
decreases in 0.5-point increments.
Auto Kerning can correct problematic
character combinations.
1
2
Classic text
2
TLF
text
From the Library of Wow! eBook
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172 Chapter 5
Similar to other text editing tools or word processing programs, Flash
includes features for formatting paragraphs with alignment, margins,
and indentation (New!). These features can be accessed through the
Text menu and in the Property Inspector whenever any text box is
selected on the Stage. Each text box can have its own individual prop-
erties assigned to it. Alignment governs the position of the text in a text
box, margins are the space between the left and right side of the text
and the boundaries of the text box, and indentation sets the amount of
character spaces before the first line of text in a paragraph begins.
Changing Text
Alignment
Align Paragraph Text
Select the text box you want to
change with the Selection tool or
select text within the text box with
the Text tool.
In the Property Inspector in the
Paragraph section, click one of the
following:
◆ Align Left. Aligns text to the left
margin.
◆ Align Center. Text is centered
between the boundaries of the
text box.
◆ Align Right. Aligns text to the
right margin.
◆ Justify. Each line of text fills the
width of the text box boundary.
The last line aligned to the left.
◆ Justify Center (TLF). Justify
with the last line aligned
center (New!).
◆ Justify Right (TLF). Justify
with the last line aligned
right (New!).
◆ Justify All (TLF). Justify all
the lines (New!).
◆ Text Justify (TLF). Distributes
justification between letters or
words (New!). Click the Text
Justify list arrow, and then
click Word spacing or Letter
spacing.
2
1
Align Right
Align Left
Justify
Align Center
2
Classic text
2
TLF
text
From the Library of Wow! eBook
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Chapter 5 Working with Text 173
Set Paragraph Text Margins,
Indents, and Line Spacing
Select the text box you want to
change with the Selection tool.
In the Property Inspector in the
Paragraph section, enter values
for any of the following:
TROUBLE?
Options differ
depending on the orientation of
the text box.
◆ Indent. Indents the first line of
the paragraph.
◆ Line Spacing (Classic) or
Leading (TLF). Adjusts the
space between lines of text.
◆ Left Margin (Classic) or Start
Margin (TLF). Adjusts the
amount of space between the
left barrier of the text box and
the left side of the paragraph.
◆ Right Margin (Classic) or End
Margin (TLF). Adjusts the
amount of space between the
right barrier of the text box and
the right side of the paragraph.
◆ Space Before Paragraph (TLF).
Adjusts the amount of space
before a paragraph (New!).
◆ Space After Paragraph (TLF).
Adjusts the amount of space
after a paragraph (New!).
◆ Behavior. Specifies the line
type: Single Line, Multiline, or
Multiline No Wrap.
2
1
Indentation space affects
the first line of text.
Line Spacing
is the space
between the
lines.
Right margin
Left margin
Did You Know?
You can transform text just like other
objects.
You can scale, rotate, skew,
and flip text boxes to create unique
effects.
2
Classic
text
2
TLF
text
From the Library of Wow! eBook
. ptg
168 Chapter 5
Flash includes a number of text properties to choose from. These
include a. characters can appear awkward or
where increasing the space is a creative solution. Flash provides meth-
ods for adjusting these spaces, called kerning and tracking.