Community Expert

Answered

Centered text in a circular textframe

Forum|Forum|16 years ago
January 22, 2010
10 replies
34529 views

Hello all!

Here is a mild gripe: A simple logo of 3 letters in a round textframe. Why is it so hard to type three letters in a round type frame, where the letters are centered horizontally and vertically and are sized to fill up the frame?

Things I notice: 1. You can't center it vertically (with Text Frame Options). 2. It is off a bit horizontally. 3. You cannot come near the full area of the circular frame but that it will go off into overset hiding.

So simple a need. So difficult to do. Why? What is your workaround? Yes, I'm serious!

Mike Witherell in Alexandria, VA

Correct answer Harbs.

Try Dave's script here: http://forums.adobe.com/message/1291155#1291155

Harbs

Mike Witherell

Author

Community Expert

Hi Harbs,

Yes, Dave's script is probably the best answer. I went to download the script; but it turns out I already had it; but had forgotten it.

Mike

Mike Witherell

F

federico platon

Legend

Excuse me but I like most the jmlevy idea/alternative:

Center the text in a text frame and paste it inside the circle.

.

First because is simple, logical and (more or less) intuitive, as it just places a text frame inside a circle.

Step by step:

Create a text frame and type the text.

Center it horizontally (Shift+Cmd(Ctrl in WIndows)+C)

Press Cmd/Ctrl+B to access the Frame Options, select vertical justification>Center, on the Baseline options tab, choose:Cap Height.

Select and cut the text frame

Draw the circle. (Click with the Ellipse Tool (L) or the equivalent frame tool on the page and type the dimensions).

(With the circle selected) choose Edit> Paste Into.

If it does not fall in the center:

In the contextual menu (right mouse button): Fitting>Frame fitting options click the central point in the Align from proxy icon.

Harbs.Correct answer

Legend

Try Dave's script here: http://forums.adobe.com/message/1291155#1291155

Harbs

jmlevy

Community Expert

Did you try this?

Set your text in a rectangular text frame. Align the text horizontally and verticaly in the frame. Cut the frame, draw a circular picture (or unassigned) frame, then paste the text frame into. Center the text frame in the circular picture frame.

M

MonicaPrusSykora

Participant

I couldn't find the script linked in the answer and the rectangle text box cropped inside the circle shape worked very well and was easier than installing a script.

rob day

Community Expert

This thread is 10years old, so you might want to post a new question. You shouldn’t need a script, I don’t think any of the answers note that the First Baseline Offset determines whether all caps will center vertically. Left the first baseline is set to Ascent, right it’s Cap Height

Mike Witherell

Author

Community Expert

Hello everyone,

I tried several of your ideas. The table idea did not work; it went overset. But the anchored object plus a little baseline shifting DID work. Thanks Eugene! Complicated, but it allows me to have the typeset lettering fill up the whole circle without going overset. I am always inclined to avoid converting down to outlines, preferring to keep my text alive. Further, because I wanted to have one object style, I couldn't simply group frames together.

Thanks for the input, everyone!!

Mike in Alexandria, VA

Mike Witherell

Kathlene Sage

Known Participant

Set your text in the circle (using the circle as the text frame), center the text and in your text frame options, ascent your baseline options around half the size of your circle. That's the next level of easy I have. ;o)

Peter Spier

Community Expert

I like the table idea.

That's the one thing that isn't constrained by the frame itself.

As for the "why?", it's because the type slug includes all the top, bottom and side bearing area built into the font. If the corners won't fit in the circle, you're screwed (which is basically what Bob said).

Kathlene Sage

Known Participant

The really dumbed down way I do it is to set the text, outline the font (make sure the text is grouped) and then align the circle and the text H/V. It makes it so easy for me that I neglect to learn the other proper ways of doing it. Good Luck-

J

Jeffrey_Smith

Community Expert

Mike, I share your frustration, and I don't have any good workarounds to the issue other than experimenting with the various baseline options for the frame and baseline shifts for the text. And then in total frustration, just creating two elements, the text and the circle.

E

Eugene Tyson

Community Expert

Insert a Table

Make the table with no stroke and no insets

increase the size of the table to the height (or near height of the circle)

Vertically center the Cell, and center the text

OR

Use an anchored object - my screenshot needs a bit of tweaking