Path Options controls

Path Options controls in the Layout pane

Use the Path Options controls to specify the initial shape of a text path, and to modify the path and text on that path. This group is only active when the Layout Method pop-up menu at the top of the Layout pane is set to Path. For more information about creating a text path, see Create and modify text on a path.

The Transform Glyph tool can be used with text on a path. For more information, see Text glyphs overview.

  • Path Shape: A pop-up menu to set the shape of the path. Choosing different shapes will cause different controls to appear (described below). There are six menu options:

    • Open Spline: The default shape, a straight path defined by one point at the beginning and one point at the end of the path. You can work with Bezier or B-Spline control points. Option-click (or double-click) on the path to add points.

    • Closed Spline: A closed path where the last point is in the same location as the first point. You can use Bezier or B-Spline control points. Option-click (or double-click) on the path to add points.

    • Circle: A simplified version of Closed Spline, in which the X radius or Y radius can be adjusted to create a circle or an ellipse.

    • Rectangle: A closed path where the width and the height can be adjusted to create a square or a rectangle.

    • Wave: A wavy path (a sine wave) defined by one point at the beginning and one point at the end, and controlled by the End Point, Amplitude, Frequency, Phase, and Damping parameters.

    • Geometry: A shape path where the object travels along the edge of a shape or mask. An animated shape can be used as the text path source—for example, a circle shape with an applied Oscillate Shape behavior.

  • Path Type: A pop-up menu (available when Path Shape is set to Open Spline or Closed Spline) to choose how to manipulate the shape of the path. There are two menu choices:

    • Bezier: Lets you manipulate the keyframe curve by dragging Bezier tangent handles. For more information about creating and adjusting Bezier curves, see Edit Bezier control points.

    • B-Spline: Lets you manipulate the keyframe curve by dragging B-Spline points. B-Splines are manipulated using points—there are no tangent handles. The points themselves do not lie on the surface of the shape. Instead, each B-Spline control point is offset from the shape’s surface, “magnetically” pulling that section of the shape toward itself to create a curve. B-Splines are extremely smooth: By default, there are no sharp angles in B-Spline shapes, although you can create sharper curves, if necessary. For more information about working with B-Spline curves, see Edit B-Spline control points.

  • Radius: A slider (available when Path Shape is set to Circle) to change the size of the circular path. Click the disclosure triangle to adjust the X radius and Y radius.

    Note: When the Text tool is selected, you can also use onscreen control points to resize the circle. Press Shift to resize the X and Y radii uniformly.

  • Size: A slider (available when Path Shape is set to Rectangle) to change the size of the rectangular path. Click the disclosure triangle to adjust the X scale and Y scale.

    Note: When the Text tool is selected, you can also use onscreen control points to resize the rectangle. Press Shift to resize the X and Y scales uniformly.

  • Start Point: Value sliders (available when Path Shape is set to Wave) to set the location of the start point on the wave’s path. The left value slider sets the X coordinate of the start point. The right value slider sets the Y coordinate of the start point. The start point can also be adjusted using the wave’s onscreen controls (active by default when the Text tool is selected).

  • End Point: Value sliders (available when Path Shape is set to Wave) to set the location of the end point on the path. The left value slider sets the X coordinate of the end point. The right value slider sets the Y coordinate of the end point. The end point can also be adjusted using the wave’s onscreen controls (active by default when the Text tool is selected).

  • Amplitude: A slider (available when Path Shape is set to Wave) to define half the distance from the highest point to the lowest point in the wave. Higher values result in more extreme waves.

  • Frequency: A slider (available when Path Shape is set to Wave) to set the number of waves. Higher values result in more waves.

  • Phase: A dial (available when Path Shape is set to Wave) to define the percentage of the offset of the waves from the start and end points of the path. When set to 0% (default), the wave begins and ends at half the distance from the highest point to the lowest point in the wave. When set to 90%, the wave begins and ends at the highest point in the wave. When set to –90%, the wave begins at the lowest point in the wave. When set to 180%, the waves are the same as 0%, but inverted.

  • Damping: A value slider (available when Path Shape is set to Wave) to progressively diminish the oscillation of the wave. Positive damping values diminish the wave forward (from left to right). Negative values diminish the wave backward (from right to left).

  • Shape Source: An image well (available when Path Shape is set to Geometry) to define the object (shape or mask) used as the motion path source.

  • To: A pop-up menu (available when Path Shape is set to Geometry) to choose an object in the project to be used as a shape source for the motion path.

  • Attach to Shape: A checkbox (available when Path Shape is set to Geometry) that, when selected, forces the motion path to follow the source shape at the shape’s original location. When Attach to Shape is deselected, the motion path can be offset from its source shape (by dragging the shape object to a new location in the Canvas). To learn how to use spline objects as a text path source shape, see Use a geometry shape for a path source.

    Note: When Attach to Shape is selected, you cannot drag the shape object to another location.

  • Path Offset: A slider to set where text begins on the path. Animate this value to move text along a path. At 0%, the first text character is at the left end of the path; at 100%, the first character is at the right end of the path.

  • Wrap Around: A checkbox (available when Path Shape is set to Open Spline or Wave) that, when selected, wraps text from the end of the path to the first point of the path. Wrap Around is selected by default.

  • Inside Path: A checkbox that, when selected, shifts the baseline of text on a loop path so the text appears inside the loop.

  • Align to Path: A checkbox that, when selected, aligns the text to the shape of the path. When the checkbox is deselected, text characters align vertically, regardless of the shape of the path.

  • Control Points: Value sliders (available when Path Shape is set to Open Spline or Closed Spline) to adjust the X, Y, and Z coordinates of the control points.

See also
Create and modify text on a path