How to use a text box in Writer

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24ggirl
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How to use a text box in Writer

Post by 24ggirl »

I was just wondering if you can please tell me how I would be able to select and use a text box in this part of the program. Thanks!

Title Edited. A descriptive title for posts helps others who are searching for solutions and increases your chances of a reply. (TheGurkha, Moderator)
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RoryOF
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Re: NEED A LITTLE HELP PLEASE!

Post by RoryOF »

/ Help / Frames should get you started.
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24ggirl
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Re: How to use a text box in Writer

Post by 24ggirl »

Now can you please tell me how to rotate the text box. Thanks!
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RoryOF
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Re: How to use a text box in Writer

Post by RoryOF »

I don't think this is easily possible using Frames (text box), but I don't use frames. The Help file has some little information under
rotating;text

You may have to manipulate your text in a drawing program (Draw or Inkscape).
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Hagar Delest
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Re: How to use a text box in Writer

Post by Hagar Delest »

For such case, display the Drawing toolbar in Writer (the pen button in the main toolbar), hit the T button. Then you can rotate that shape.

Please add '[Solved]' at beginning of your first post title (edit button) if your issue has been fixed.
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24ggirl
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Re: How to use a text box in Writer

Post by 24ggirl »

OK, I found and did what you asked me to do, and by doing that I'm able to lengthen the top and bottom and the left and right sides of the text box whereas before I was not able to, but what tool (and how do I get to it) would I use now to be able to rotate it so that the letters will be upside down or sideways say at a 90 degree angle? Thanks!
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acknak
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Re: How to use a text box in Writer

Post by acknak »

Yeah, not all that obvious, is it?

Select the text box, then Format > Object > Position and Size > Rotation. Enter the rotation angle and OK.

If you want an interactive rotation mode, you have to add that function to the Drawing toolbar--the function is standard in OOo Draw; you have to add it for Writer.
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24ggirl
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Re: How to use a text box in Writer

Post by 24ggirl »

OK, thanks for this, but can you please tell me how to do this? I'm not quite sure how to add it in.
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Hagar Delest
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Re: How to use a text box in Writer

Post by Hagar Delest »

The rotate button is displayed by default:
Rotation.png
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Re: How to use a text box in Writer

Post by acknak »

Sorry, Hagar is right: the rotate button is available in Writer, without doing any extra steps.

It's on the Object Properties toolbar above the text area. In the other OOo applications, that function is on the Drawing toolbar at the bottom.
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24ggirl
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Re: How to use a text box in Writer

Post by 24ggirl »

Hey thanks again for the useful info yall have sent me on how to do this!

Now, I hope you will be able to help me one last time as I'm trying to put all of these steps together in some way or another so that it will work the way that I want it to and not separate as I have explained below.

These are the steps that I have taken to get it to do what I want it to.

I Click Insert
I Click Frame
I Put text in the box
I Select the text by highlighting the text to copy inside the Text Box
I Right Click to Paste all the way down the page
But then I can't rotate it
I have tried Clicking the T icon to do so, but it somehow won't let me do it at all
How do you rotate it now as it won't do it when I Click Format and then Object as Position and Size is grayed out to do so and it won't show up when I right click the text box to do the same thing as well also.
What do I do now to rotate it?

I did this way too:
I Clicked the T icon to draw the Frame (Text Box)
I selected the text in the box to copy it
I Right Clicked it to copy and to Paste
I Clicked the Edit to Copy and Paste, but it's grayed out
I can get the rotation from either Right Clicking inside the Text Box or using the Arrow icon to do so
The problem is, how do I Copy and Paste inside the Text Box here?

Please tell me how I would resolve either issue above to do it the way that I'm wanting it to be done which is all in one step instead of divided up into 2 parts whether it will work one way or the other and not both to accomplish it flawlessly. Thanks!
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Hagar Delest
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Re: How to use a text box in Writer

Post by Hagar Delest »

Frames can't be rotated. Only Drawing shapes can.

Indeed, I can't get access to the paste options. Don't worry, just hit Ctrl+V and it's done.

Please add '[Solved]' at beginning of your first post title (edit button) if your issue has been fixed.
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acknak
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Re: How to use a text box in Writer

Post by acknak »

I Click Insert
I Click Frame
...
This creates a Writer "text frame," which can't be rotated.

You can change the text direction in the frame, but the choices there are very limited; Writer does not support free rotation of text frames.
I Clicked the T icon to draw the Frame (Text Box)
...
The problem is, how do I Copy and Paste inside the Text Box here?
This creates a text box, which is a graphics object and as such, can be rotated any way you like.

I assume that you're trying to copy/paste some text into a text box--is that right?

Unfortunately, it's not as easy as it could be. There are two things to watch for...

First, you can't create an empty text box; you have to put some text into it when you create it, or else it will disappear into thin air. So you must either type into the new text box, or paste something. So the steps look like this:
1) Select the text you want to copy into the new text box
2) Copy the text: Edit > Copy, or right-click > Copy, or Ctrl+C
3) Create the text box: click the "T", drag to make the box, when you get the text cursor in the box, then...
4) Paste the text: Edit > Paste, or Ctrl+V (right-click > Paste does not work for me in this situation--the new box goes *poof*)

Second, if you have an existing text box and you want to edit the text in the box, you must go through two steps:
1) Select the box: click anywhere on the box. You see a rectangular outline with colored "handles" around the edges.
2) Switch to "editing" mode: press Enter (or F2). Now you can work with the text: type, delete, copy/paste, etc.

You can leave editing mode by pressing "Esc" or clicking anywhere outside the box.

You can enter text editing mode directly by double-clicking on the text box.

When you have the box selected (colored handles are visible), you can change its properties (size, border, rotation) but you can't change the text inside.
 Edit: PS: 
Oops, now I see Hagar's beaten me to it, and much more succinctly. Oh well.
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