Microsoft Office 2003
Working with Text Boxes
Text boxes can be used as labels, or to highlight or emphasize text. Using text boxes combines the formatting options of an object with text. You can fill the text box with color or give it a colored border. You can also wrap other text around the text box and link text boxes.
Creating Text Boxes
There are two ways you can create a text box. With most Office programs you will insert a text box and then type the text. Word allows you the added option of creating a text box from selected text.
Creating Text Boxes: Toolbar Option
Creating a text box is very simple and can be done in a few clicks.
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From the Drawing toolbar, click TEXT BOX
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Move your cursor to the area in which you would like to place the text box
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Click and hold the mouse button
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Drag the mouse until the text box reaches the desired size
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Release the mouse button
The text box is created. -
Type the text
Creating Text Boxes: Selected Text Option
Word:
Creating a text box can also be done after you type the text.
NOTE: If you use this method to create a text box and then add text to the text box, the text box automatically resizes to fit the text.
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Type the text
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Select the desired text in which you would like to place the text box around
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From the Drawing toolbar, click TEXT BOX
The text box is created around the selected text
Formatting Text
Formatting text within a text box follows the same process as formatting any other type of text and is completed using the Formatting toolbar.
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Select the text you wish to format
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From the Formatting toolbar, select the desired formatting options
For more information on formatting text, refer to Working with Text Options
Formatting the Text Boxes
When working with text boxes, not only are you allowed to change the look of the text, but you can also format the text box itself. Formatting a text box is no different than formatting any other object.
For information on formatting objects in Office 2003, see the following documents:
- Using the Fill Effects Dialog Box: This document includes instructions on adding a fill color, gradient, or texture to your text boxes.
- Modifying Objects: This document contains information on adding shadows and 3D effects to your text boxes.
Moving Text Boxes
An advantage of using text boxes is that text within a box can easily be moved around a document.
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Select the text box to be moved
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Move the pointer to the border of the text box
The pointer now becomes a four-headed arrow. -
Click and drag the text box to its new location
Linking Text Boxes
Linked text boxes allow text to flow from one text box to another seamlessly. This can be useful if there is too much text in one text box. You do not want to enlarge the first text box or to flow the text into a box on another page.
To link text boxes
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Create the new text box
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Select the text box which contains the extra text
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From the Text Box toolbar, click CREATE TEXT BOX LINK
The pointer now looks like a bucket. -
Click inside the text box where you would like to place the text
The extra text is placed in the box and the text boxes are now linked.
To unlink text boxes:
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Select the text box that contains the forward link
HINT: This is the text box that originally contained the extra text. -
From the Text Box toolbar, click BREAK FORWARD LINK
The text boxes are now unlinked and all text is back in its original text box.
