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hugemittons
Known Participant
November 4, 2017
Answered

Kerning greyed out in Essential Graphics panel

  • November 4, 2017
  • 6 replies
  • 13951 views

As per title, no matter what font face or alignment etc I've not been able to change the kerning of my text through the Essential Graphics panel, it remains greyed out when text is highlighted or a text box is selected.

The only time it is not greyed out, is if I click in the text box, then I can change the kerning value, but it does absolutely nothing to the text I type next.

I am able to change the kerning on the same font in the Legacy Title maker however.

Any suggestions greatly welcome

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer R Neil Haugen

    The problem is the definition of terms ... you want tracking for controlling space between multiple letters ... that's the first option in that line of icons.

    Kerning is controlling space between a pair of neighboring letters.

    Leading is the space between lines.

    And Baseline Shift does something with the baseline setting ... the bottom of 'standard' letters without descenders from one line to the next.

    Neil

    6 replies

    C
    cameronw86633101
    Participant
    November 6, 2023

    Try opening the "Captions & Graphics" workspace - the kerning option is not greyed out in that panel. (As opposed to the left panel: source - effects - text.

    J
    joefreshy
    Known Participant
    July 24, 2020

    But what if Kerning is actually greyed out in the panel? As it is in my case!

    R Neil Haugen
    R Neil Haugen
    Legend
    July 24, 2020

    Kerning is ever and only active when you have a cursor active in your type line. It's per-character, between characters.

     

    So ... with the Text tool active, click in a line of text until you have a cursor showing and can add or delete characters. Now the Kerning tool will be available.

     

    Neil

    Everyone's mileage always varies ...
    Impalaboy
    Impalaboy
    Inspiring
    April 11, 2018

    Is there a keyboard shortcut for kerning in the Essential Graphics tool?

    I the legacy Title Tool, Photoshop, Illustrator and After Effects, the keyboard shortcut is Opt+left/right arrow.

    I can't find one for the new graphics tool.

    Ann Bens
    Community Expert
    Ann BensCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 4, 2017

    hugemittons  wrote

    The only time it is not greyed out, is if I click in the text box, then I can change the kerning value, but it does absolutely nothing to the text I type next.

    Kerning works fine.

    Place cursor between letters, adjust value and letter left and right of cursor are separated.

    For tracking you select the letter and adjust value and the are distributed evenly.

    H
    hugemittonsAuthor
    Known Participant
    November 4, 2017

    That does work if you only want to adjust 2 letters, but very rarely is that the case. I need to adjust the kerning for whole words or blocks of text, just as I would in Premiere's Legacy Title creator or InDesign

    Ann Bens
    Community Expert
    Ann BensCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 4, 2017

    That is not kerning but tracking.

      R Neil Haugen
      R Neil HaugenCorrect answer
      Legend
      November 4, 2017

      The problem is the definition of terms ... you want tracking for controlling space between multiple letters ... that's the first option in that line of icons.

      Kerning is controlling space between a pair of neighboring letters.

      Leading is the space between lines.

      And Baseline Shift does something with the baseline setting ... the bottom of 'standard' letters without descenders from one line to the next.

      Neil

      Everyone's mileage always varies ...
      H
      hugemittonsAuthor
      Known Participant
      November 4, 2017

      https://forums.adobe.com/people/R+Neil+Haugen  wrote

      The problem is the definition of terms ... you want tracking for controlling space between multiple letters ... that's the first option in that line of icons.

      Oh, you are right. It was just that you could adjust the kerning for whole blocks of text in the Legacy Titler, so I presumed you could do the same via the Essential Graphics panel. But tracking is what I'm after, thank you!

      And thank you Ann Bens​ for pointing this out too.

        E
        excited_Genie16B8
        Legend
        November 4, 2017

        I'm seeing something very similar.  I can change the Kerning for only one character at a time.  Selecting more than one character, the option grays out.

        It's got to be a bug.

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