Text Utilities

The Text Utilities dialogue box centralizes many text-related actions that map makers require. Many of these text actions have come about due to the complexities of working with text, geographic data and following cartographic conventions. Common text issues that Text Utilities can handle are correcting upside-down text, separating multiline text into a single line and cropping text path to text length. These actions can be applied to either all text layers or specific text on a layer. Optionally, actions can be applied to selected text only.

Using Text Utilities

On the MAPublisher toolbar, click the Text Utilities button or the menu choose Object > MAPublisher > Text Utilities.

In the Target section, choose the target text to be a MAP Text layer or target all text in a document. Optionally, check Only apply to selected text to only apply formatting to text that was selected before opening the dialogue box.

In the Actions section, choose an action to be performed (actions explained on the next page). Only one text action may be performed at a time. Click the Preview button to see how the text may be affected. Below, the original (left) and the result (right) are shown for each action.

Add line breaks

Adds specified line breaks based on word or characters per line. However, they are not separate text lines (use "Separate mulitline text" text utility to do that).

Example result shows an added line break based on two words.

 

The characters per line option doesn't break whole words. For the example below, if the number of specified characters per line is 5, it will add the break after the first word. If the number of specified characters per line reaches past the first space after the word "Country", say 13, it will instead add the break after the second word "Garden". Similarly, a characters per line value of 20 here wouldn't add a line break at all.

Example result shows an added line break based on 13 characters.

Convert text on a path to point text

Converts text on a path to point text removes curvature and creates "straight" text.

Create line from text on a path

Creates a line based on a text on a path source. Useful for creating map features and to assist in indexing for manually created maps (i.e. scenarios where the text was created manually instead of being created from attribute values).

Example result shows a line (green) created from the text on a path.

Shorten text path

Remove extra line segments at the start and end of a path.

Curve text to latitude

Curve single lines of text to lines of latitude.

Example result has lines of text curved to match the latitude of the coordinate system.

Extend overflowing text

Extends text elements that contain overflow.

Fix one point text

Searches for text on a path with a single point and replaces the text path with multiple points along the actual text.

Legacy text may import with single points along a path. This text utility removes the single point along the path.

Flip upside down text

Flips upside down text (corrects left-to-right direction).

Draw point for text

For text, it draws a point at the lower left anchor point or at the location based on the text alignment. The attribute of the drawn point is the label itself if the output is to a new layer.

Example result draws a styled point at the default lower left corner of the text.

Draw shape around text

Draws text shapes or boxes around text. Change the style using the appearance options. Optionally, limit box to cap height of text and choose a specific layer for output.

Example result has a box shape with side, top and bottom buffer of 4 px.

 Some text may not appear centered if no descenders are present and the limit to cap option is disabled.

Merge text

Merge multiple lines of text into a single text object. Not available when "All text in document" is chosen as the Target.

Rectify point text to angle

Rotates point text to any angle for text within a specific tolerance angle.

Example result rotated 8 degrees for text within a 10 degree tolerance angle.

Rotate Characters

This option enables you to rotate the characters within pointed text, based on the text's angle. If the text is at a greater than or equal to the angle threshold, it will be rotated. There are two orientations for the characters: the characters can point upwards, or follow the path of the angled text. Enabling "Slant Angle" will rotate the characters themselves on a specified angle after the characters are re-orientated.

Example result is Chinese characters at a 45 degree angle, rotated to follow the path, with no slant angle.

Example result is Chinese characters at a 45 degree angle, rotated to point upwards, with no slant angle.

Separate multiline text

Separates multiline text into individual lines of text (the points starting each line in the result).

Set text alignment

Change the insertion point of point text without moving the text. Alignment can be set to left, center, or right.

Example result produces right justified text.

Right-to-left text

Many right-to-left languages, such as Arabic and Hebrew, require additional language-specific processing to get the correct glyph output given the incoming character stream. The Right-to-Left text action is used to apply proper formatting to right-to-left languages.

Example result shows pasted text that reads left-to-right and the result after the Right-to-Left text action is applied.

 Some conditions are required for kashidas to take effect:

1. Text needs to be multi-line and contain lines with varying lengths.
2. Adobe Illustrator paragraph settings must be set to Full Justified.
3. The usual settings for working with Arabic text are required (primarily, the composer engine must be set to world-ready).