PageStream - Documents:Using Objects

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Using Objects

A page is made up of objects. An object may be a picture, a drawing or a text frame; everything on a page is an object.

There are seven types of objects that you can place on a page in PageStream:

text frames
text blocks
shapes and paths
pictures
EPS illustrations
drawings
tables

Text frames

Text frames are containers in which text may be entered. Most text frames are rectangular text column frames with one or more columns. Text frames created from irregular shapes are referred to as text shape frames. Text column frames are normally used for the body text of a document and text shape frames are used for special effects. Text frames can be linked together so that text will flow between them. Use text frames for the body text of your documents.

Text blocks

Text blocks are frameless text used for titles, headers, footers and other small blocks of type. They lack defined right and bottom margins, so they don't have fixed edges within which to wrap text. You must press the Return key to end each line of text in a text block. Text blocks cannot be linked to other blocks or frames.

Shapes and paths

Shapes and paths are the two types of graphic objects which can be drawn in PageStream. Shapes are lines, boxes, ellipses and polygons. Once drawn, they can be resized without losing their shape. A path is a series of lines and curves. The lines and curves are linked together by points. Paths can be created with the ''Pen'' and ''Freehand'' tools. Unlike shapes, the points connecting path lines and curves may be changed with the ''Reshape'' tool. Shapes can be converted to paths with ''Convert to Path'' from the ''Object'' menu.

Pictures

Pictures are generally created with paint, image processing and scanning software. They cannot be created in PageStream, but can be imported.

EPS illustrations

EPS illustrations are non-editable graphics which can be printed only with PostScript printers and cannot be edited within PageStream.

Drawings

Drawings are illustrations which can contain any other type of object. They can be created in PageStream or imported from an illustration program. Drawings can be dissolved so that they can be edited, or made the active layer using the layer palette and edited without dissolving them, and can be printed on any type of printer. Certain types of EPS files may be converted into drawings when they are imported.

Tables

Tables are grids of cells which can contain text much like a small text frame. The cells can contains formulas referencing other cells. Cells can be merged into a larger cell and rows and columns of cells can be inserted and deleted.

    Drawing Shapes and Paths
    Drawing Text Frames and Tables
    Importing Graphics
    Selecting Objects
    Moving and Resizing Objects

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