Text Boxes in Draw
TDF LibreOffice Document Liberation Project Community Blogs Weblate Nextcloud Redmine Ask LibreOffice Donate
This page is in Work!
Foreword
This video shows how to create and edit "Text Boxes in Draw - LibreOffice" and links to this page here for more information and details.
Notice that the drawing functions in Draw and Impress are identical and can be used equivalently.
Link to the Video
Link to the Video (in German [DE]):
Textfelder in Draw - LibreOffice
Text Boxes in Draw
draw the text box
text box with the cursor blinking
cursor changes shape as a double arrow
Text Box Context menu
8 small squares
You can insert a text box by selecting the "Insert text box" icon 
( F2 ) in the "Standard" toolbar.
Text Box wind up (create)
Click on the "Insert Text Box" icon ( F2 ) and drag open a Text Box.
The term "wind up" means after you select the icon, the cursor appears as a sight cross 
.
Select the point in the document where you want to start drawing the Text Box.
Click-hold-drag the cursor to wind up the Text Box.
The dragging goes in any direction.
When the Text Box has the size you want, release the mouse button.
You will now see the Text Box with the cursor blinking.
The expanded Text Box expects you to enter text immediately.
Enter your text.
If you deselect the Text Box before you have entered text, the Text Box disappears again.
Deselect Text Box
You can deselect a Text Box by clicking next to it or pressing the ESC key.
Text Box special features
Unlike in Writer, you can use Styles|Drawing Styles for the Text Boxes in Draw.
This is recommended for Draw and Impress.
For the application of direct formatting ( not recommended for Draw ), see: Text Box in Writer.
Customize Text Box with Drawing Styles
Styles - Drawing Styles
choose "New"
"Organiser" dialog
Colour of Area
This approach is also called soft formatting.
If you use Styles|Drawing Styles, you can preset many properties of the text and the Text Box there.
The advantage of a Drawing Stylee is that you can assign the previously entered properties to one or more Text Boxes all at once.
The Drawing Styles can be found in the Sidebar (on the right) at Styles.
When you draw a new Text Box, it usually has the Drawing Style "Default Drawing Style".
When the Text Box is new and selected, you will see in the Sidebar|Styles|Drawing Styles that the Drawing Style "Default Drawing Style" is displayed as selected.
Create your own Drawing Style
First of all, do not be afraid to create your own Drawing Styles.
The effort seems to be a bit high at the beginning, but after that you will have a comfortable working.
If you want to create a Drawing Style for your Text Boxes, right-click on the Drawing Style "Default Drawing Style" and choose .
A dialog with several tabs appears:
"Organise" tab
Assign a catchy name to your new Drawing Style.
"Line" tab
Here you can specify the Line properties "Style", "Colour", "Width" and "Transparency".
Arrows are actually unusual for text frames.
You can still set the "Corner and Cap style" if you prefer rounded corners.
Line width and Corner style behave proportionally ( see Setting Example: Rounded, Round ).
"Area" tab
Here you can make the settings for the Area (the Background of the Text Box).
You can choose the following buttons for this:
, , , , and .
Use to select a colour from a Color Palette and click .
lets you select a Gradient and make optional settings for it and click .
With you can select one of the existing images or import an image.
Select the desired image and make your optional settings and click .
With you can select an existing Pattern, change a Pattern or add a new Pattern.
Select a Pattern and make your optional settings and click .
Click to select an existing Hatch, change a Hatch, or create a new Hatch.
Select a Hatch and make your optional settings and click .
"Shadowing" tab
Here you can set a Shadow for the Text Box.
Select the desired options for the Shadow (Colour, Distance, Blur and Transparency) and activate the Shadow and click .
"Transparency" tab
Here you can set the Transparency and Gradient.
"Font" tab
Select the desired Font, Style, Size and Language if needed and click .
"Font Effects" tab
Here you can select the Font Effects "Font Colour", "Overlining/Strikethrough/Underlining", "Case/Relief" and "Outline/Shadow" and click .
"Indents & Spacing" tab
Positions the text inside the Text Box with the following settings:
- Indent/Before text/After text/First line.
- Spacing/Above paragraph/Below paragraph
- Line spacing/Single/1.15-Lines/1.5-Lines/Double/Proportional/At least/Leading
"Text" tab
With the following settings:
- Drawing Object Text
- Custom Shape Text
- Spacing to Borders
- Text Anchor
"Text Animation" tab
Effect and Properties
"Dimensioning" tab
This setting is mainly used to adjust dimension lines. You can set Line and Legend.
"Connector" tab
This setting is mainly used to align connectors.
"Alignment" tab
Here you can set the text alignment options:
Options/Left/Right/Centre/Justified.
"Tabs" tab
Here you can set the Position, Type and Fill character for tabs.
"Highlighting" tab
For the Highlighting (of the text) you can choose between and .
Apply Drawing Style
Select a Text Box (it should not have been directly formatted before) and double-click on your new Drawing Style.
The Text Box now takes on all the properties that you have specified in this Drawing Style.
With a double-click on a Drawing Style you can format all other Text Boxes.
If you think you would prefer a different colour for the Area, change the Drawing style (right-click and select "Modify") and click .
All the Text Boxes that have this Drawing Style applied to them will instantly change the colour of the Area.
By the way, the Text Boxes do not have to be selected for this.
Specifications via the Sidebar
Sidebar Properties
In the Sidebar at Properties you can make further selections for a Text Box.
If the sidebar is not visible, select ▸ ( Ctrl + F5 ) from the menu.
Character Highlighting
In the sidebar you can make character highlighting, e.g. with bold font, character color, character highlighting or/and font type and size.
Select the characters you want to highlight in the text field and choose the desired icon in the sidebar.
Lists
For lists you have the choice between "Toggle Unordered list" and "Toggle Ordered list".
You can apply a list to individual lines in the Text Box.
Position and Size
You can specify the Position and Size for the Text Box.
You can make further specifications for "Rotation", "Flip", "Arrange" and "Align".
Rotation
This is already described in "Position and Size", here is another variant of the procedure.
You can rotate a Text Box by clicking the selected Text Box again.
The 8 small squares are now displayed as points.
Move the mouse over one of the corner points.
The cursor is now displayed as a three-quarter circle with end arrows.
Click on a point and rotate the Text Box forwards or backwards.
With the ⇧ Shift - key additionally held down., the Text Box will snap into place in 15° increments.
When you have reached the desired position release the mouse button..
Delete direct formatting
Select the text fields and texts that have direct formatting applied to them.
Then from the menu choose ▸ ( Ctrl + M ) select.
Further Informations
Work files
"7432DE_Draw My TexBox Sample.odg"
Change background color with style
Documentation / Manuals
Here you will find the Documentation / Manuals:
Any questions?
For questions on this topic go to:
Get Involved
Join us today and help us to make it even better!
Donate
LibreOffice is Free Software and is made available free of charge.
Your donation, which is purely optional, supports our worldwide community.
If you like the software, please consider a Donation.