10.1

Merging and splitting boxes
Options in the Merge or Split Paths submenu (Item menu) let you create complex Bézier
boxes from existing boxes. For example, if a rectangular box overlaps an oval box, you
can select the submenu and choose an option that will create a single box with the same
content. If you merge two picture boxes, one picture will display in the combined box. If
you merge two text boxes, the text flows as one story through both boxes.
To use the Merge feature, select two items and then choose one of the following options
from the Merge or Split Paths submenu:
• The Intersection command retains any areas where items overlap the back item, and
removes the rest.
• The Union command combines all the items into one box, retaining all overlapped areas
as well as non-overlapped areas.
• The Difference command deletes the front items. Any overlapping areas will be cut out.
• The Reverse Difference command deletes the back item. Any overlapping areas will be
cut out.
• The Exclusive Or command leaves all of the shapes intact but cuts out any areas where
there is overlap. If you want to edit the points surrounding the cut-out area, you will notice
that there are now two points at every location where two lines originally crossed.
• The Combine command is similar to the Exclusive Or command, but if you look at the
points surrounding the cut-out area, you will notice that no points were added where two
lines intersect.
• The Split command either splits a merged box into separate boxes, splits a complex box
that contains paths within paths into separate boxes, or splits a box that contains a border
that crosses over itself (such as a figure eight). To use this feature, select two items and
then choose one of the following options from the Merge or Split Paths submenu.
• The Outside Paths command works with a merged box that contains several,
non-overlapping shapes. Outside Paths keeps all the outside path information and divides
non-overlapping outside paths into separate boxes.
• The All Paths command creates separate boxes out of every shape within a complex box.
Adding text and pictures to boxes
To add text to a box, choose the Text Content tool , double-click the box, and then
either start typing, paste text copied from elsewhere, or choose File > Import.
To place a picture in a box, select the box with the Picture Content tool and then either
paste a picture copied from elsewhere or choose File > Import.
Changing box type
To convert a selected box to a different type, choose Picture, Text, or None from the
Content submenu (Item menu). However, you can also change a text box to a picture box
A GUIDE TO QUARKXPRESS 10.1 | 71
BOXES, LINES, AND TABLES