Aligning and spacing text

You can align a text object to other objects using the first line baseline, last line baseline, or the edge of the text bounding box.

Artistic text can be aligned horizontally, but not vertically. When you align artistic text, it is aligned with the entire text object. If characters have not been shifted horizontally, applying no alignment produces the same result as applying left alignment.

You can change character and word spacing in selected paragraphs, or in an entire paragraph text frame or artistic text object. Changing character spacing between selected or specific text is also referred to as tracking; changing character spacing in an entire block of text is also called kerning. You can change the line spacing of text, which is also referred to as leading. Changing the leading for artistic text applies the spacing to lines of text separated by a carriage return. For paragraph text, leading applies only to lines of text within the same paragraph. You can also change the spacing before and after paragraphs in paragraph text, and you can kern selected characters. Kerning balances the optical space between letters.

To align text horizontally

1Select the text object using the Pick tool .

2Click Text ` Format text.

3Click the Paragraph tab.

4 Choose an item from the Alignment list box.

To align selected paragraphs in a paragraph text frame, select them using the Text tool .

To align paragraph text vertically in a text frame

1Select the paragraph text.

2Click Text ` Format text.

3Click the Columns tab.

4Choose an alignment option from the Vertical justification list box.

To align text to an object

1Hold down Shift, select the text, and then select the object.

2Click Arrange ` Align and distribute ` Align and distribute.

3Choose one of the following from the For text source objects use list box:

•First line baseline — aligns the text using the baseline of the first line of text

•Last line baseline — aligns the text using the baseline of the last line of text

•Bounding box — aligns the text using its bounding box

4Enable one of the following horizontal alignment check boxes:

•Left

•Right

•Center

5Enable one of the following vertical alignment check boxes:

•Top

•Bottom

•Center

6Click Apply.

The object used to align the left, right, top, or bottom edges is determined by the order of creation or order of selection. If you marquee select the objects before you align them, the last object created will be used. If you select the objects one at a time the last object selected will be the reference point for aligning the others. If you’ve applied a linear transformation, such as rotation,

to the text and are aligning with a baseline, the objects align using the baseline point of the starting edge of the text object.

If you are aligning text objects to each other and have elected to align with the first line baseline or last line baseline, the vertical and horizontal alignment check boxes are grayed. The baseline points of the text objects are aligned to each other.

You can also align objects by selecting them and clicking the Align and distribute button on the property bar.

To change the spacing of text

1Select the text.

2Click Text ` Format text.

3Click the Paragraph tab.

4In the Spacing area, type values in any of the boxes.

Character and word spacing can only be applied to entire paragraphs, or to an entire paragraph text frame or artistic text object.

Values represent a percentage of the space character. The Character values range from -100 to 2000 percent. All other values range from 0 to 2000 percent.

You can also change the spacing between words and characters proportionately by selecting the text object using the Shape tool and dragging the Interactive horizontal spacing arrow in the bottom-right corner of the text object. Drag the Interactive vertical spacing arrow in the bottom-left corner of the text object to change the line spacing proportionately.

To apply range kerning to selected characters

1Select two or more characters using the Text tool .

2Click Text ` Format text.

3Click the Character tab.

4Type a value in the Range kerning box.