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Steve Fermor
Inspiring
October 24, 2018
Answered

Type on a circular path – why is it so difficult?

  • October 24, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 1184 views

Hello all,

Many years ago I used to use Freehand. If you wanted type around a cirular path it was easy. You would type away, and centered type would actually be in the centre (it seems to go where it wants in InDesign), and if you wanted to split the type, so that some of the type sitting on the lower half of the circle was the right way up instead of upside down, you would just hit return where you wanted the type to split. It would drop into the lower half, and that was it. You would adjust ascender and descender to suit, job done in moments.

That’s far too easy for Adobe it seems (unless I’m missing something) where I need two circles sitting on top of each other, and an endless amount of faffing about to try to get them to balance up. I’ve been on this simple task for at least 45 minutes, still not right,  and it’s driving me nuts. Is it really this difficult?

Thanks in advance if anyone knows of a more simple way to do this?  The attached image shows what I am trying to achieve.

      This topic has been closed for replies.
      Correct answer Steve Werner

      There are pretty fast ways to create one line of type in a circle (see below) but you still need to center two circles for type on top and on bottom:

      https://indesignsecrets.com/center-text-on-top-of-a-circular-path-quickly.php

      One of the easiest ways to create two circles is to copy the first and paste in place for the second (after hiding the first). Edit the second, and then show both circles.

      3 replies

      Mike Witherell
      Community Expert
      Mike WitherellCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      October 24, 2018

      I've gotta say, Steve, that you are absolutely right. It was simple in Freehand, a software discontinued back in 2003-ish. It really should be simpler than the fussy way ID/AI does it. Maybe the Adobe boffin will sort it out in future.

      Mike Witherell
        hammer0909
        Community Expert
        hammer0909Community Expert
        Community Expert
        October 24, 2018

        I agree that Freehand made this very easy however it's really not that hard in Illustrator. Steve already outlined the general idea that you need two circles sitting on top of each other to achieve the effect which is easily done using the Align panel. That being said, I have a tip to make it easier to control where the type appears on each circle. Everyone's instinct is to click on the top of the circle with the Type on a Path tool which puts the text left aligned to that point. Not really helpful. My tip is to click on the bottom of the circle and type your text. Now change the text alignment to center and voila! the text is at the top! Make a copy of this circle using the Selection tool and right in the middle of the text will be a bar. Click on the bar and drag across the circle path and then spin it to the bottom. You'll then need to apply a baseline shift to the text on the second path to get it to align properly to the circle but that should give you what you want.

        FRIdNGE
        FRIdNGE
        October 24, 2018

        Hi,

        [just for comment!]

        I agree it's a little boring! …

        Personally, I'm really too lazy!

        I just type 2 paras in a text frame and create 2 circles! … After that, I select the 3 objets and just click! 

        Best,

        Michel, for FRIdNGE

        hammer0909
        Community Expert
        hammer0909Community Expert
        Community Expert
        October 24, 2018

        That's really cool Michel. Are you going to share that with us?

          Steve Werner
          Community Expert
          Steve WernerCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
          Community Expert
          October 24, 2018

          There are pretty fast ways to create one line of type in a circle (see below) but you still need to center two circles for type on top and on bottom:

          https://indesignsecrets.com/center-text-on-top-of-a-circular-path-quickly.php

          One of the easiest ways to create two circles is to copy the first and paste in place for the second (after hiding the first). Edit the second, and then show both circles.

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