Editing Text Boxes

After a text box is inserted, you can make further modifications to change the way that it looks. This can be done through styles or by using local formatting. Using styles is usually recommended because the setting is automatically applied to any content using that style throughout the project, whereas local formatting affects only the particular content that you are working on. See Text Boxes and Inserting Text Boxes.

How to Use a Style to Edit Text Boxes

  1. From the Content Explorer, open the stylesheet that you want to modify.

  2. Complete one of the following sets of steps, depending on whether you want to use the Simplified view or Advanced view in the Stylesheet Editor.

    • Simplified The Simplified view displays styles in a grid view and is often best for brand new users.

      This view provides an easy way to apply properties to styles, with format options available from a toolbar and dialogs (similar to the way one would use an interface such as Microsoft Word). In some cases, only the most common property options are available in the Simplified view (e.g., font, letter/word spacing, paragraph alignment/indentation, autonumbering format, borders, background). One advantage of the Simplified view is that you can apply a property to multiple styles at the same time. You can also click a check box to hide the properties in the editor, allowing you to see only the styles.

    • Advanced The Advanced view displays styles in a tree structure, and despite the name, is user friendly for authors of all levels.

      For the properties, you can toggle between a grouped display and an alphabetical display. The Advanced view of the Stylesheet Editor lets you edit more settings than are available in the Simplified view. In addition, the Advanced view lets you see and apply settings to multiple mediums and media queries at the same time.

    Warning Mediums can be used if you want to use one group of settings for online output types and another group of settings for print-based output types. For example, you might use the default medium for your online outputs and the print medium for your print outputs.  From the Medium drop-down in the Stylesheet Editor, make sure the proper medium is selected before you begin. In the Advanced view, you can open multiple mediums at once; you just need to look at the title at the top of the medium pane and make sure you are working in the correct one. If you are not using stylesheet mediums for your different outputs or if you want all mediums to have the same settings, just leave the medium set to default and continue. Please note that Flare remembers the last medium that you used when working in the stylesheet, so it may or may not be the one that you want to use the next time around. See Mediums and Media Queries.

    If Using Simplified View

    1. In the local toolbar, make sure the first button displays The button to change the stylesheet to the simplified view. (which means that the Simplified view is currently shown in the editor). If the button displays The button to change the stylesheet to the advanced view. instead, then click it.
    2. In the upper-left corner of the Stylesheet Editor, click in the drop-down field and select The paragraph style category selected in the types of styles drop-down list..

    3. Select the appropriate div style. If you use the default style when inserting the text boxes, then select div. Otherwise, if you have used a class of that style that you created previously, then select it instead.

    4. In the local toolbar of the editor, click Display properties for the selected item.. The Properties dialog opens.

    5. Use the tabs in the dialog to set any of the following.

    6. Click OK.

    If Using Advanced View

    1. In the local toolbar, make sure the first button displays The button to change the stylesheet to the advanced view.. If the button displays The button to change the stylesheet to the simplified view. instead, then click it.
    2. In the upper-left corner of the Stylesheet Editor, click in the drop-down field and select The paragraph style category selected in the types of styles drop-down list..
    3. Select the appropriate div style. If you use the default style when inserting the text boxes, then select div. Otherwise, if you have used a class of that style that you created previously, then select it instead.

    4. Locate the property you want to change.

    5. The area to the right of the property is used for selecting and entering values. If you know how to enter the information correctly, you can click in the value field and type it directly. Otherwise, click the ellipsis button Display more options. to the right of the property. Depending on the type of property, the appropriate controls and options display, allowing you to choose or enter values (e.g., select from a drop-down list, click a button, complete fields in a dialog or popup). If you completed values in a popup, click OK at the bottom of the box.

      Following are some commonly changed properties:

  3. Click Save the active file. to save your work.

How to Use Local Formatting to Edit Text Boxes

  1. Open the content file.

  2. Make sure structure bars are turned on (see Structure Bars). Right-click on the <div> tag bar associated with the text box, and from the context menu, select Text Box. The Text Box Properties dialog opens.

  3. Use the tabs in the dialog to set any of the following.
  4. Click OK.
  5. Click Save the active file. to save your work.