Changing the width of a Text object without scaling the text content

[wideEyedPupil]

In ID and AI you can adjust the width of a text box and the text will reflow, if you resize it holding down CMD +OPT + SHIFT in ID you can scale the text with it, but normally just are just adjusting the dimensions of the container, which is what I need to do in AE but cannot find a way to do this. There's no Rectangle item within the Text Layer I can adjust the dimensions of, grabbing one of the anchor points just resizes the entire object and scales the text accordingly. There doesn't seem to be a direct selection tool for just selecting one or two of the anchor points of the container either.

There must be a way, enlighten me soon please Adobe universe.

[Dave Merchant]

Read the help file:  https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/creating-editing-text-layers.html#resize_a_text_bounding...

Also take note of the difference between Point Text and Paragraph Text, described at the top of that help page.

[wideEyedPupil]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Dave+Merchant  wrote

Read the help file:  https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/creating-editing-text-layers.html#resize_a_tex t_boundin...

Also take note of the difference between Point Text and Paragraph Text, described at the top of that help page.

Weird I had to do this several times before it changed to Para style, but it changed the box size to a 3 line box which was really unhelpful, its hard to resize without moving the carefully placed text. Sigh.

[Michael Bullo]

I'm thinking you might be looking to convert between Point text and Paragraph text. This involves right mouse clicking on a vertex within the bounding box while using the Type Tool and selecting the appropriate conversion option.

Check out this quick two minute video by Josh Short

EVF After Effects Tutorial: Convert Text to Paragraph or Point - YouTube

[Roland Kahlenberg]

This script does what you want - https://danim.com/creators/danim_box

[Dave Merchant]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Roland+Kahlenberg  wrote

This script does what you want...

Er... no. the question is about a basic feature built into After Effects. If you think you need a third party script for that (from a vendor that blatantly violates privacy law) then you may wish to read the product help page.

[Roland Kahlenberg]

Noted - now that I've re-read the OP. The script does work except it does so by changing the scale value of a visible rectangle's scale prop. So, there's a variation in accomplishing a similar though not identical task. FWIW, the script is great for a lot of things - especially for working with UI/UX layouts/micro-animations.