Operation Manual

Introduction
When text is used in drawings, it is contained in text boxes. This chapter describes how to create,
format, use, and delete text. It also discusses the various types of text that can be inserted into a
drawing. Finally, it provides information on how to insert special forms of text such as numbered or
bulleted lists, tables, fields, and hyperlinks.
Using the text tool
To activate the text tool, click the Text icon for horizontal text or the Vertical Text icon for
vertical text on the Drawing toolbar.
If the Vertical Text icon is not visible, first select the option Show UI elements for East Asian
writings in Tools > Options > Language Settings > Languages. Second, right-click in a blank
area on the Drawing toolbar and go to Visible Buttons > Vertical Text and the icon will be placed
on the toolbar.
When the text tool is active, the Text Formatting toolbar (Figure 199) replaces the Line and Filling
toolbar at the top of the drawing workspace. Click at the location where you want to position the
text and a small text frame appears containing only the cursor.
When the Text icon is selected, you can select font type, font size, and other text properties before
you start typing text. As you type the text, the left corner of the status bar indicates that you are in
text edit mode and the position of your cursor (Figure 200).
Once you have finished typing your text and clicked outside the text frame or selected another tool
from the Drawing toolbar, the Text Formatting toolbar is replaced by the default Line and Filling
toolbar.
Figure 199: Text Formatting toolbar
Figure 200: Text information on the status bar
Using text boxes
Using text boxes, you can place text anywhere on your drawing; for example, a caption for a
shape; an explanatory note; a title block for the drawing similar to those used in engineering
drawings.
168 LibreOffice 4.3 Draw Guide