InDesign Type on a Path

Creating path type

You can format text to flow along the edge of an open or closed path of any shape. Apply options and effects to path type: Slide it along the path, flip it over to the other side of the path, or use the shape of the path to distort the characters. Path type has an in port and an out port just like other text frames, so you can thread text to and from it.

A. Start bracket B. In port C. Center bracket D. End bracket E. Out port indicating threaded text

Keep the following points in mind as you create path type:

The alignment setting in the Paragraph palette controls the alignment of path type.
You can include only one line of type on a path, so any type that won't fit on the path will be overset (hidden), unless you've threaded it to another path or text frame.
You can apply character and paragraph options to path type. However, paragraph rules and paragraph spacing options have no effect on path type.
You can't create path type using compound paths, such as those that result from using the Create Outlines command.

To create path type:

Select the path-type tool .
Position the pointer on the path until a small plus sign appears next to the pointer , and then follow these steps:

To type using default settings, click the path. An insertion point appears at the start of the path by default. If the current default paragraph settings specify an indent, or any alignment other than left, the insertion point may appear somewhere other than at the start of the path.
To confine the text to a specific portion of the path, drag along the path.

Drag along the path to determine the location of the text

Note: If neither clicking nor dragging seems to work, make sure that the small plus sign appears next to the path-type tool.

Type the text you want. If you clicked to place the insertion point on the path, type will appear along the entire length of the path. If you dragged, type will appear only along the length you dragged.

Note: If the path was originally visible, it remains visible after you add type to it. To hide the path, select it with the selection or direct-selection tool, and then apply a fill and stroke of None.

To edit path-type characters:

Using the path-type tool, do one of the following:

To add an insertion point, click between any two characters in the path type.
To select characters, drag through the path type.

Edit the text as needed.

To delete type from a path:

Using the selection tool or direct-selection tool , select one or more path-type objects.
Choose Type > Type on a Path> Delete Type from Path.

If the path text is threaded, type moves to the next threaded text frame or path-type object. If the path text isn't threaded, text is deleted. The path remains, but loses any path-type attributes--all brackets, in and out ports, and threading properties are removed.

Note: If the path's fill and stroke is set to None, the path is invisible after you delete the type. To make the path visible, press the D key immediately after you choose Type > Type on a Path > Delete Type from Path. This applies the default fill and stroke to the selected path.

To change the start or end position of path type:

Using the selection tool , select the path type.
Position the pointer over the path type's start or end bracket until a small icon appears next to the pointer . Do not position it over the bracket's in port or out port.
Drag the start or end bracket along the path.

Position the pointer on start or end bracket; then drag to reposition boundary of path type

Note: If you apply a paragraph indent value, it's measured from the start and end brackets.

To slide path type along a path:

Using the selection tool , select the path type.
Position the pointer over the path type's center bracket until a center bracket icon appears next to the pointer .
Drag the center bracket along the path.

Note: The text won't move if both the start and end brackets are at the ends of the path. To create some space for dragging text, drag the start or end bracket away from the ends of the path.

To control vertical alignment of path type:

Using the selection tool or the type tool, select the path type.
Choose Type > Type on a Path > Options.
Choose one of the following in the Align menu to specify how to align all characters to the path, relative to a font's total height:

To align by the font's top edge, choose Ascender.
To align by the font's bottom edge, choose Descender.
To align by the point halfway between the font's ascender and descender, choose Center.
To align by baselines, choose Baseline. This is the default setting.

Note: Characters without ascenders or descenders (such as a letter e) or baseline (such as an apostrophe) are vertically aligned with characters that have ascenders, descenders, and baselines. These font dimensions are permanently specified by the font designer.

Choose one of the following in the To Path menu to specify where to align the path to all characters, relative to the path's stroke weight when drawn left to right:

To align the path at the top edge of its stroke, choose Top.
To align the path at the bottom edge of its stroke, choose Bottom.
To align the path to the stroke's center, choose Center. This is the default setting.

For more control over vertical alignment, use the Baseline Shift option in the Character palette. For example, type a negative value in the Baseline Shift text box to lower the type.

To flip path type by dragging:

Click the selection tool .
Position the pointer over the path type's center bracket until a center bracket icon appears next to the pointer .
Drag the center bracket across the path.

Position pointer on center bracket, and then drag across path to flip type

To flip path type using a dialog box:

Using the selection tool or the type tool, select the path type.
Choose Type > Type on a Path > Options.
Select the Flip option, and then click OK.

To apply a path type effect:

Using the selection tool or the type tool, select the path type.
Choose Type > Type on a Path > Options.
Choose one of the following in the Effect menu, and then click OK:

To keep the center of each character's baseline parallel to the path's tangent, choose Rainbow. This is the default setting because it looks natural.

A. Rainbow effect B. Skew effect C. 3D Ribbon effect D. Stair Step effect E. Gravity effect

To keep characters' vertical edges perfectly vertical regardless of the path shape, while letting characters' horizontal edges follow the path, choose Skew. The resulting horizontal distortion is useful for text that appears to follow waves or go around a cylinder, as on a beverage can label.
To keep characters' horizontal edges perfectly horizontal regardless of the path shape, while keeping each character's vertical edge perpendicular to the path, choose 3D Ribbon.
To keep the left edge of each character's baseline on the path without rotating any characters, choose Stair Step.
To keep the center of each character's baseline on the path while keeping each vertical edge in line with the path's center point, choose Gravity. You can control this option's perspective effect by adjusting the arc of the text's path.

To tighten character spacing around sharp turns and acute angles:

Using the selection tool or the type tool, select the path type.
Choose Type > Type on a Path > Options.
For Spacing, type a value in points. Higher values remove the extra space from between characters positioned on sharp curves or angles.

Path type before (left) and after (right) applying spacing adjustment

Note: The Spacing value compensates for the way characters fan out around a curve or sharp angle. It has no effect on characters positioned on straight segments. To change spacing of characters anywhere along the path, select them, and then apply kerning or tracking.