Text not aligned in bounding box

[totallyanelf]

When creating text boxes the baseline is not set to centered within the bounding box, leading to text not being aligned accurately while using the align tool. I have the workaround of FX: Outline Object which snaps the box to the glyph, but it seems crazy that I would have to do that to every line of text to have it align to artboard correctly.

In the picture:

Blue L: Outline Object is on, Horizontal and Vertical Align Center selected on the align panel, aligned to artboard.

Black L: Typed an L with no modifications, Horizontal and Vertical Align Center selected on the align panel, aligned to artboard.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Bobby Henderson · Accepted solution]

In the Align palette there is an option in the flyout menu called Align to Glyph Bounds. That can be applied to Point Text and Area Text objects. That option will allow the letter shapes to be aligned to other objects rather than the bounding box.

Usually when I want to vertically center align text to something else I'll type out a "dummy" letter, such as a capital "E" and set it to the desired size. I'll vertically center align that letter to my target container object and then type over it with the real text. Aligning using glyph bounds will use any parts of letters that over-shoot the cap-height line or drop below the baseline (such as ascenders and descenders in lowercase letters). Sans-serif typefaces such as Helvetica work better with this trick than more ornate typefaces.

[totallyanelf]

Thank you for this! Is this a new problem? I can't seem to remember the bounding boxes being so off centered before.

[Bobby Henderson]

Actually the bounding boxes around text objects have always been off vertical center. That has made vertically center-aligning lettering to other objects very frustrating. In the past the align functions would only align using that box, which seem arbitrarily defined. It doesn't have the same dimensions an the Em Square used in the actual font file as listed in a font editing application like Glyphs or FontLab Studio. But now we have the option to align lettering to other objects using the actual shapes of the letters (glyph bounds). Plus there is the new font height options, which makes certain design tasks (such as sign design) much easier. Still there's one other feature request I'd like to see filled: aligning or distributing text objects according to their baselines. That would provide another productivity boost.

[Jacob Bugge · Accepted solution]

totallyanef,

You mention "When creating text boxes the baseline is not set to centered within the bounding box,", but as far as I can see you are trying to centre the whole letter/text rather than the baseline.

As I (mis)understand it, it is quite possible to align (the appearance of) live Type accurately in the way you wish:

1) Tick Use Preview/Artwork Bounds in Edit>Preferences>General;
2) Select the live Type with the (normal) Selection Tool and Effect>Path>Outline Object;

3) Align accurately as desired.

1) and 2) will give you a Bounding Box that fits tightly round the live Type, and keeps doing so while you align in 3).

After aligning, just reverse 1) and 2).

That will bring the aligned Type back to normal plain Type, still in the aligned place, and with no unwanted strengenesses when you conitnue working with other objects.