How can you rotate an "area type" text box with its text in Illustrator?

[Jimmy Papas]

When you click and drag the text tool in Illustrator, you get an "area type" text box. When you rotate this box, the text will not rotate. How do you do that?

 

 

[Monika Gause · Accepted solution]

Try the rotate tool.

[sPretzel]

Is it possible to do this via FX rather than the rotate tool? I have tried a number of ways (applied to frame, object, layer) but FX Transform is not doing what the rotate tool is.

[Ton Frederiks]

Transform Effect can do this, just select the text frame with the black arrow selection tool.

[sPretzel]

Hi Ton. As explained in my post, this does not work for me. The frame does not rotate, just the text. I want frame and text to rotate.

[Monika Gause]

Make it a symbol first. Then rotate.

[sPretzel]

Hi Monika,

I did end up using a workaround but not the symbol. I was hoping for a more simple solution. If I understand correctly, the behaviour I am describing is as expected, only I don't think that is how it should behave! Am I right? (so I don't bang my head against the wall anymore in search of a solution)

[Monika Gause]

Which workaround did you use? Create the text "frame" with a shape effect?

I have thrown at it every trick I know, so I assume it's by design.

[Ton Frederiks]

I see, after using the Rotate tool, the bounding box is also rotated, but that is not the case with an expanded Transform effect, even after resetting the bounding box. Strange is that resetting the bounding box after using the Rotate tool gives the same result as the effect.

[sPretzel]

Monika, my shape was an ellipse so I could use the Convert to Shape FX, then apply Transform FX to it. But if my shape was not an ellipse or a rectangle, that workaround would not work. Of course, there are other ways to make it work but it's too much work for something so simple.

So it seems you agree with me that this is not working as we would expect it to.

[sPretzel]

Hi Ton. I was wondering what you meant by "resetting the bounding box". I looked it up. I don't think I have ever used this feature. I wonder how I can use it but at least, I know about it now.

[Ton Frederiks]

It resets the rotation value, so that it is easier to scale horizontally/vertically.