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View Full Version : Calling on Corel Draw Experts



mike klein
11-04-2013, 9:22 PM
Normally i have been entering text in Corel Draw using the standard method, clicking on the 'A' in the tool bar.
So today I thought I could speed the process up so I don't have to align the text up with my object every time its entered and thought using the Paragraph Text
function would do the job. The problem I run into is, I have the Paragraph Text frame centered both horz. and vert. where I want it but the text within the frame
is actually not in the correct position its suppose to be.

The RED text in the attached picture is the same text entered in by selecting the 'A' in the tool bar and according to my object, that is the correct position for engraving it.
I have the Horx. and Vert. both set at Center in the Paragraph text frame alignment settings, but its not centering correctly. Is there some other setting I am missing?274442274443

Henri Sallinen
11-05-2013, 3:10 AM
Speed up the process? You could just select the text and the object you want to put the text in middle of and press C (horizontally center) and then E(vertically center) and everything is centered.. I'm not sure how paragraph text could make this any more faster..

AL Ursich
11-05-2013, 8:02 PM
I do a bunch of name changes on pages and pages of name tag blanks. Once the name is in place on a page of tags I make a copy and paste into a new page. For the names on page 2 I just double click on the name and use the back space and delete key to clear out the old text but maintain the format. I then type the new name. I ignore the spacing and length for now. I then click on the next name and change it... I do all the names then go back and fix the length and position.

I am a BIG user of Grid Lines.... I have tags setup in the various formats I use and have Grid lines to position the text and photos.

Even to change the Fire Dept name I use find and replace and even find and replace color too....

I have never used the merge feature with lists.

AL

Kev Williams
11-05-2013, 10:15 PM
What I've done to speed up what you're doing is to adjust the line spacing in "paragraph formatting" in 'text tools'. For example, I enter customer supplied text (in Excel) into a pre-drawn set of lined rows on an ID plate. First I copy the text from Excel, then paste it in notepad (because pasting to Corel from an .xls file results in a black box), then copy again and paste into corel. For this particular job, I've found that an 88.6% line spacing fits the rows perfectly...

Same thing with your plates. This is what I'd do-- if your plates are 1x3, draw 10 of them vertically. Now, USING THE EXACT SIZE LETTERING YOU'LL BE USING, type a single "T" in the first plate, enter, and repeat 9 times. Now, group all the T's and align the top of the first T with the top of the first plate. It will look something like this:

http://www.engraver1.com/erase2/ft1.jpg

Now click on the "shape tool", right under the 'pick tool' arrow. Using the "handle, drag the T's downward until you get real close to getting the bottom T lined up with the top of the bottom box. In my sample here, it lined right up, possible because of the snap function (or maybe I just got lucky!) --

http://www.engraver1.com/erase2/ft2.jpg

Next, from the menu on top, click "text", then "paragraph formatting"... open the "spacing" tab, and check the amount of line spacing-- if you got lucky, just make note of it for future use. If not, just adjust the numbers until all the T's are aligned at the tops of their boxes. In my case 268.697% using 18 point Arial bold. (I'm pretty sure 268.7 would be fine!)

http://www.engraver1.com/erase2/ft3.jpg

==================

So NOW, once the adjusted line spacing is entered, all you have to do is type the first name, center it, then every other name typed below it will be centered! Saves a TON of back-spacing! :)

Fair warning, beware of "runout", if the ACTUAL line spacing is off by say, .002", after 20 lines of text you may find the names aren't centering up as well. Best fix for this is to do the same T test but use 20 or 30 or more boxes down to really dial in the correct line space percentage...

FWIW, I've tried print-merge before, but it's clumsy, and I had issues with any words longer than the first word entered would only be as long AS the first word... never liked "merge"..

AL Ursich
11-06-2013, 12:16 PM
That is pretty slick too...

Thanks,

AL