Own text frames

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Barbora

Hi! I´m new to scribus and I would like to know if this is possible: I´m doing project to school about USA and I want the text to be in frame looking like USA. Thanks for any help! :)

sersha

Probably this is what you want:
"You can create shapes then use them as text frames. First, insert a shape or polygon (Insert > Insert Shape or Insert > Insert Polygon), then from the menu choose Item > Convert to ... > Text frame. Afterward, insert text. You can even insert text into a large letter shape by creating a large letter, then Convert to ... > Outlines, then Convert to ... > Text Frame, then inserting text. For the best results, choose the size of the original letter as well as the size of the text carefully."

a.l.e

here a few more details:

- type USA in a text frame
- make it bigger (you can set the frame size to be as tight as possible around the content, then resize the frame by holding down the alt and ctrl keys to resize also its content)
- use a font that is "fat" enough to have enough inner space; it should probably be "bold" (it's probably not really easy to make the letter in USA thick enough to put some meaningful text into it...)
- convert the text frame to outlines (item > convert)
- ungroup the result
- item > convert to > text frame
- set the fill color to transparent
- link the text frames to each other (if you want the text to flow from letter to letter).
- type, paste or load the text into the frames.

i'm attaching a .sla with a sample result.

usa.png

for the third group of shapes, i've used the nodes tool (it's the "edit" button in the "shape" section of the properties palette) to make the inner part of the letter thicker.
it's a bit painful, but not that hard either : - )
you can mostly move around nodes with a fixed number of "arrow keys" (in my case mostly 6) and then fix the control points.

it would be nice to see your final result!

utnik

hi barbora

i'm not sure if you like to have the frame in the shape of the three letters or in the shape of the map of the united states. but the way to do it is the same. (sersha and ale told you how...)
sometimes it's better to simplify the shape, as it is not so easy to 'read around a lake' (in the map) or across wide splits in the lines in letter shapes. it may work for some sentences, but maybe not for the main text.
(i made this mistake in some of my earlier layouts...)

utnik

Barbora

Hi!
I was thinking the text in the shape of the map, just borders if you know what I mean (I'm sorry my english is not really good). But thanks for all replies, I will definitely try them when I come home.

a.l.e

oh, ah!

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_USA_(shape).svg

can be helpful.

you can load into a scribus document and convert to a polygon and, then, to a text frame.

usa-shape.png

as utnik wrote, this type of gimmick often leads to a rather deceptive result...

but, with a bit of effort, in this case i think you can create a shape that can be recognized as the one of the USA and still show the text in a meaningful way.