5

After you select Flatten, the text characters no longer move in 3D space.
Flattened text image only exists in X and Y
and can only interact with other objects
as a flat card.
Use the following guidelines for the Flatten checkbox:
• The Flatten checkbox must be selected for text to receive reflections. If the Flatten
checkbox is not selected, the Reflections parameter does not appear in the Properties
Inspector. For more information on using reflections, see Reflections.
• The Flatten checkbox must be selected to use the 2D transform tools in the toolbar
(Select/Transform, Anchor Point, Distort, Drop Shadow, Four Corner, and Crop).
• The Flatten checkbox must be selected to apply a mask to text. The mask tools in
the toolbar are not available when Flatten is deselected.
Note: When a text object rotated in Z space is flattened, text that is farther from the
camera (further away in Z space) appears smaller. For more information, see Working
with Objects Inside 2D Groups and Flattened 3D Groups.
• Render Text: Use this pop-up menu to choose a text rendering method. This control is
not available when the Flatten checkbox is selected, or when Scroll or Crawl is selected
from the Layout Method pop-up menu. The menu choices are:
• In Global 3D (Better): Allows text to intersect with objects in the text group and with
objects in other groups. When this option is enabled, project performance and
interactivity may slow. For text to cast shadows, In Global 3D (Better) must be enabled.
For more information on using shadows, see Shadows.
• In Local 3D (Faster): Renders text more quickly, but does not allow for intersections
with objects in the text group or with objects in other groups, nor does it allow text
to cast shadows.
• Face Camera: Select this checkbox to force text characters to face the camera, even
when the camera is rotated or the text is rotated. This checkbox is not available when
the Flatten checkbox is selected (because text cannot face the camera and flatten to
the text plane at the same time).
870 Chapter 16 Creating and Editing Text