Inserting special characters and graphics in text (2024)



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Sometimes it is necessary to enter special typographic symbols into text. You can insert special characters using the command Text | Insert and the Character Map.

To insert a symbol:

1. While in text edit mode, place the text I-beam at the location in which you wish to insert the symbol.
2. Choose Text | Insert.
3. Select a symbol from the submenu list and release the mouse. The selected symbol will automatically be inserted.

Typographic quotes

You can set a preference so Canvas inserts typographic (“curly”) quotation marks in text you type. For more information, see Setting preferences.

Placing graphics in text objects

Use the Insert Picture command to anchor graphics in a text object. This feature lets you use custom bullets, special illustrations for drop caps, and small logos within text. An inserted picture behaves like a text character.

• Inserted pictures move with the surrounding text.
• Indent and justification settings apply to inserted pictures.
• An inserted picture’s baseline and kerning can be adjusted.

• An inserted picture rotates and skews with the surrounding text.

  See Also

  Turn Chrome spell check on and off

  Text with an inserted picture

Some text formatting features do not apply to inserted pictures.

• If you scale the surrounding text, an inserted picture does not distort or scale with the text.
• Spread and Overprint commands do not affect inserted pictures.
• Strokes or inks applied to the text don’t affect inserted pictures.
• Inserted pictures might not be imported from the Clipboard by other applications.

Inserting a picture into text

The Insert Picture command is available when any object is on the Clipboard and the insertion point is in a text object.

When the insertion point is in a text object and you choose the Insert Picture command, Canvas inserts the contents of the Clipboard as a raster image into the text.

Since Canvas converts the Clipboard contents to a raster image when you use Insert Picture, you cannot edit objects that have been inserted into text; e.g., if you insert a multigon object into text, you can’t use editing handles to reshape or scale it. If you insert text characters using the Insert Picture command, the inserted text characters are not editable.

To use the Insert Picture command:

1. Select the object or objects that you want to insert into text.
2. Choose Edit | Cut or Edit | Copy to place the selection on the Clipboard. If you selected multiple objects, they become a single composite graphic when inserted into text.
3. Select the Text tool.
4. Click in the text where you want to insert the graphic. An insertion point appears where you click.
5. Choose Text | Insert Picture. The Clipboard contents appear at the insertion point.

How inserted pictures affect leading

When you use the Insert Picture command, the leading of the paragraph might change, depending on the Line spacing method:

• If the Line spacing is defined by Percentage, Canvas adjusts the Line spacing to fit the picture based on the defined percentage, if necessary.

• If the Line spacing is defined by Points, the spacing between lines stays the same, regardless of the size of the picture.

  	Line spacing set to 100%
  	Line spacing set to 12 points

Using dynamic objects for inserted pictures

If you want to be able to edit an inserted picture, you can insert a dynamic object into text. A dynamic object is an object linked to an editable original in the Symbol Library palette. If you change the original in the Symbol Library palette, the inserted picture dynamic object will change to match the original.

For example, you can use the Insert Picture command to place simple placeholder dynamic objects (such as small squares) where you want finished graphics to appear in text. When the final graphic is available, replace the placeholder dynamic object in the Symbol Library palette with the finished graphic. With this method, you do not have to change each instance of a graphic individually or alter the publication’s layout.