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Scribus => Beginner Talk => Topic started by: T-buch on February 22, 2023, 01:14:05 PM

Title: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: T-buch on February 22, 2023, 01:14:05 PM
Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame:
 - that is "align centre horizontal" (align equal amount of space on the left and right side of the text)
and align centre vertical (align equal amount of space at the top and bottom of the text)

Like this

¤PC2 (00968).jpg
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: PatJr on February 22, 2023, 04:52:16 PM
I got 1.4.8 portable to run on a W11 install

is
Windows>Align and Distribute
not working?

It worked on my portable, just select Page as the Relative to:

also, this is aligning the frame not the text

if you need to use big text like that, it might be better if it was converted to outlines
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: T-buch on February 22, 2023, 06:48:12 PM
Quote from: PatJr on February 22, 2023, 04:52:16 PM[.....]
if you need to use big text like that,.....

It is not a very large text. First upload was just a cut
Maybe this upload makes more sense (also just a sample/cut of a bigger project)
¤PC2 (00972).jpg

I need the aligning to the frame

My solution for a newbie: Make the text in a text box and make all lines and area transparent. Next is to place that text box manually in the middle of a rectangular blue-filled shape

Thanks for you reply
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: AdmFubar on February 22, 2023, 09:47:26 PM
Easiest is to upgrade to 1.5. There is a vertical align option in text properties.
Ok reread your message.. You are trying to align to the frame. You  really want to upgrade to 1.5 branch, while it is considered a development version, it is stable and has the option you are looking for.

In 1.5 in text properties, look for  "Columns & Text Distances" first entry is the Vertical Alignment, Options are top middle and bottom.
Once you are satisfied with your text placement, select the text box and switch to the Properties tab. You can change the color of the background and outline from there (Fill & Stroke)
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: PatJr on February 22, 2023, 11:07:44 PM
Quote from: AdmFubar on February 22, 2023, 09:47:26 PMEasiest is to upgrade to 1.5. There is a vertical align option in text properties.
Ok reread your message.. You are trying to align to the frame. You  really want to upgrade to 1.5 branch, while it is considered a development version, it is stable and has the option you are looking for.

In 1.5 in text properties, look for  "Columns & Text Distances" first entry is the Vertical Alignment, Options are top middle and bottom.
Once you are satisfied with your text placement, select the text box and switch to the Properties tab. You can change the color of the background and outline from there (Fill & Stroke)

Thanks for the info.
this program gets deeper every time I use it
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: T-buch on February 23, 2023, 08:43:04 AM
Quote from: AdmFubar on February 22, 2023, 09:47:26 PMupgrade to 1.5 branch

Thanks for your advice. It is written that the 1.4.8 is she stable version - But if this is the STABLE* child I have (had) my concerns to upgrade to a version not labeled with that "stable mark", especially because you can not use the later versions and use some of the new functions, save it - and go back top use the 4-series

*I have lots of errors - especially the undo function, program freezes and crashes already with the so-called stable version
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: Nermander on February 23, 2023, 04:31:20 PM
What can help to know here is when you enter values for position you can use math. I think you even can write like "(297-25)/2". Yes, it seems to work, placing a 25 mm high text frame in the middle of an A4 page.

Also note that the X and Y values are related to the reference point of the frame. The reference point can be any corner, middle of any side or the center of the frame.
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: T-buch on February 23, 2023, 09:12:11 PM
Quote from: Nermander on February 23, 2023, 04:31:20 PMThe reference point can be any corner, middle of any side or the center of the frame.

Can you set a reference point to a frame somewhere places on the side?
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: MrB on February 23, 2023, 09:53:47 PM
Quote from: T-buch on February 23, 2023, 08:43:04 AMI have lots of errors - especially the undo function, program freezes and crashes already with the so-called stable version

1.4.8 is an aged old codebase. 1.5.x is much stabler and has many more features. We are preparing 1.6.0 stable release from 1.5.x to release in the next few months. There will not be that many changes to code in that process.
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: Nermander on February 24, 2023, 07:56:06 AM
Quote from: T-buch on February 23, 2023, 09:12:11 PMCan you set a reference point to a frame somewhere places on the side?

I see i remembered wrong, the Base point can only be set to corners or the middle, not the middle of a side.
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: T-buch on February 24, 2023, 09:50:00 AM
Quote from: MrB on February 23, 2023, 09:53:47 PM
Quote from: T-buch on February 23, 2023, 08:43:04 AMI have lots of errors - especially the undo function, program freezes and crashes already with the so-called stable version

1.4.8 is an aged old codebase. 1.5.x is much stabler and has many more features. We are preparing 1.6.0 stable release from 1.5.x to release in the next few months. There will not be that many changes to code in that process.

Good to know.
ALSO...

The idea of your "Quick-Start Guide" is a very good idea. The nearest educational way - by taking the beginner in the hand with well-chosen illustrations, - not only talking "about it" - how the program works but (also) "showing it" with concrete examples, is really rewarding for the understanding of the program
 - I really think you should give it an update  :)
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: T-buch on February 24, 2023, 02:20:07 PM
(I don't hope I'm annoying... at least not in a none-constructive way  ::) )

I have trying to use the 1.5.8 as advised to achieve what I want (see the title of this subject)

I ran in to some minor trouble and things I cannot find out what to do

First

I want the text-frame to be very close to the text but I could not come close enough in the way I want it:
Text very close to the textframe-page001.jpg

What can I do?


The trouble I ran into
The function: "Adjust Frame Height to Text" - didn't do that:
¤PC2 (00979).jpg

And it seem that "the Vertical Alignment" is a little far from being exactly in the Vertically middle - just well on its way:
¤PC2 (00980).jpg

The Arrows Shapes - Are they moved away from here?
¤PC2 (00978).jpg



Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: PatJr on February 24, 2023, 03:53:07 PM
long click on that tiny triangle

maybe Scribus just can't produce the exact results you want
I go back to converting it to outlines
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: T-buch on February 24, 2023, 04:02:54 PM
Quote from: PatJr on February 24, 2023, 03:53:07 PMmaybe Scribus just can't produce the exact results you want

Thats ok - But if it could do it - It would be nice to know how ;)
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: utnik on February 24, 2023, 05:44:07 PM
Quote from: T-buch on February 24, 2023, 04:02:54 PM
Quote from: PatJr on February 24, 2023, 03:53:07 PMmaybe Scribus just can't produce the exact results you want

Thats ok - But if it could do it - It would be nice to know how ;)

i'm not sure if it will be good enough – but you could try the different settings for the 'first line offset'. (scribus needs to know what part of a font should be centered. it looks as you're not interested in accents and descenders...)

utnik
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: AdmFubar on February 24, 2023, 10:55:46 PM
The work around would be to add a filled frame graphic behind the text, sized to match your needs. Out of curiosity, what exactly is the use case you are trying to solve for with this text layout? And why the need for the text frame to be placed so tight to the text?
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: T-buch on February 28, 2023, 11:01:37 AM
Quote from: AdmFubar on February 24, 2023, 10:55:46 PMThe work around would be to add a filled frame graphic behind the text, sized to match your needs. Out of curiosity, what exactly is the use case you are trying to solve for with this text layout? And why the need for the text frame to be placed so tight to the text?

Thanks for your reply.
What you suggest is actually also how I have solved the task so far. Which is also evident from this thread. (But The thread is a lttle bit long, I know)
But obviously, if there was a way to skip a link, that would be preferable

Why I want it in this way? Because that's the taste that I have. You know the design that I like. This is probably also what characterizes a good DTP program - that it can do the things in an easy way of that the user has pictured in his head :-)
Title: Re: Easiest way to place text precisely in the middle of a frame (stable vers 1.4.8)
Post by: AdmFubar on February 28, 2023, 10:31:52 PM
I tried converting a graphic element to a text frame, but from what i could see this gives the same results as starting with a text frame.

I was thinking it might be an issue with having the font alignment looking more even in the frame. I had an issue like that and solved it be using caps, actually using caps and small caps, and the ascenders and descenders made the line look uneven in the frame. Keep in mind that most fonts have the spacing for them, the frame will always look somewhat offset from them.