Text Tools

Since version 5.0 Studio uses its own, integrated lettering system with interactive text insertion and editing.

- Interactive lettering directly in the Studio work area
- Multiple lines text support
- Vertical text support
- Support of True Type, Open Type and pre-digitized Embird Alphabets
- Paragraph alignment
- Sewing from center out
- Node-by-node adjustement of text baseline
- Characters, words and lines spacing
- Unicode characters supported
- 'Place on the other side' function
- Support of non-installed fonts and ZIP and RAR archives

Integerated lettering system in Studio allows to insert and edit text directly in the work area of Studio. Text can be created with Font Engine (True Type and Open Type fonts) or with pre-digitized Alphabets. Alphabets are manually pre-digitized scalable embroidery fonts. They are optional plug-in modules for Embird software. Most Embird alphabets are digitized with satin (column) stitches, the rest are in outline (redwork) form. Studio also allows to use Windows True Type and Open Type fonts. These fonts are automatically converted into vector format of Studio and can be filled with plain fill, motif fill or auto-column stitches and/or outlined with all types of outlines available in Studio. Support of True Type and Open Type fonts in Studio requires registered Font Engine, which is an optional plug-in for Embird software.

Left: predefined baselines combo box
Right: radio buttons for switching the editing mode

Lettering system in Studio allows to work on top of the background image (template). Lettering supports multiline text and adjustable baselines. Predefined text baselines include circle, lines and spirals. All baselines can be transformed (moved, scaled, rotated and slanted) as well as edited node-by-node. Baseline scaling allows to create ellipse from circle. Baseline transformations can be done either with 'spider' control on the work area, or with controls on the panel at the right side of the screen. To switch beween baseline and characters editing modes, use the pop-up menu accessible via right mouse button click or radio buttons (see above picture).

This mode allows to modify (especially move, scale and rotate) whole baseline at once. When moving the baseline, the text moves as well. Scaling baseline does not scale the text. This operation must be performed separately either via characters transformations or via controls on the right side panel. Baseline transformations are performed with spider control similar to the spider controls of inidividual characters (see Mode 3 below), with exeption of missing slider 2.

Baseline is composed from straight lines and bezier curves. User can add and delete baseline elements in a similar way as when digitizing objects in Studio. In case of multiline text, all text lines use the same shape of baseline which is copied from the top line

Studio allows to transform individual characters or all characters at once (see below shortcuts). Transformations are accessible via nodes of the spider control. Spider control serves to transform characters in two axes (horizontal and vertical). As the text is placed on the baseline and baseline can be curved in any direction, below definitions refer to direction 'along' and 'perpendicular' to the baseline, rather than horizontal and vertical. Nodes of the spider control are numbered 1-8. Moving of nodes transforms character in a following way:

Select character, move character (adjust spacing)
Slider to shift character above (below) baseline
Rotate
Scale along the baseline
Scale perpendiculary to the baseline
Scale in both axis
Slant along the baseline
Slant perpendiculary to the baseline

Panel at the right-side of the screen contains main controls for lettering adjustment. These controls are organized into 3 groups (tabs):

1. Text controls

2. Size and Transformation controls

3. Optional paths to font folders (not available for alphabets)

Use icons on top (marked by red arrow) to switch between the tabs.

The first tab Text Controls contains following controls (from top to bottom): font combo box, character table, Additional Spacing controls, button for selection of next tab.

Use double click on the character table to insert character that is difficult to type with keyboard to the text. Use Additional Spacing controls to adjust spaces between characters, whole words or lines, respectively.

Second tab Size and Transformations contains Lettering Size controls and Transformation controls.

Transformations include: rotation, width, height, horizontal slant, vertical slant and distance from baseline. These controls allow to define transformation with exact numerical value in contrast to the 'spider' control, which is used for a freehand transformation.

Transformation controls are applicable only in mode 1 (baseline transformation) and mode 3 (characters transformation). If mode 1 is selected, all parameters refer to the baseline transformation. If mode 3 is selected, all parameters refer to selected characters transformation.

Distance from baseline and "All" option are available only for characters transformation (mode 3). When "All" option is selected, transformations are performed on all characters in the text. Below example shows rotation performed on all characters at once.

Third tab is available only for TrueType and OpenType fonts (i.e. not for pre-digitized alphabets). Controls on this tab allow to specify paths to folders with non-installed fonts.

Font Engine normally scans only fonts installed in Windows. If you have other fonts stored on the hard drive, specify paths to folders with these fonts and start font scanning (see below Buttons chapter). Scanning process will include specified folders.

Use "Search for fonts also in ZIP and RAR archives" option to include/exclude compressed archives from scanning process.

	1. Cancel text mode, 2. Finish text mode and put text in outline form to work area, 3. Same as 2 and generate stitches.
	Erase current text.
	Scan Windows for installed fonts. You can also include folders with non-installed fonts and fonts zipped in archives to the search. Use the tab at the right side of the screen to specify paths to these folders.
	Text alignment in paragraph: 1. Left, 2. Center, 3. Right, 4. Justify.
	1. Bold text, 2. Italic text, 3. Put text on the other side of baseline.
	Sewing order of text: 1. From left to right, 2. From center out, 3. From center out (without splitting words), 4. From right to left.
	1. Autocolumn fill (as oposite to plain fill), 2. Nearest points connection between characters, 3. Vertcial text, 4. Help file, 5. Unicode character set

Mode 1: baseline transformations: move, scale, rotate, slant	Mode 2: baseline nodes editing
Mode 3: characters transformations: move, scale, rotate, slant and baseline offset of individual characters	Multiline text