Resizing Keynote Text Boxes
Keynote Text Boxes
Mouse Tips are all about the little things in life that make all the difference. Today we’re looking at resizing Keynote text boxes. I must say that I quite like Keynote, and prefer it to PowerPoint. But if there’s one thing that gets my goat, it’s those pesky text boxes!
Every time you insert a text box or copy and paste some text onto a Keynote slide you get a 2-handled text box which adjusts itself automatically to fit the text that it contains. Fine! But you can’t resize it. Only by filling it with placeholder text. And I can’t really be bothered to do that.
This is frustrating because you often need to change the dimensions of a text box. So that you can visualise how it relates to the other slide elements. What you need is an 8-handled text box.
Changing a 2-handled Text Box to an 8-handled Text Box
Here’s my 2-handled text box and it’s driving me mad! Some of the slide layouts have sizeable 8-handled text boxes. Why can’t I have one too? Now, you can copy and paste the actual text box off one of these slides. But then you’ll have to copy your text into it…
Don’t despair. It’s not obvious but it’s not difficult. You need to change your 2-handled text box into an 8-handled one. Keep the text box selected and go into the main application menu bar. You need Format, Shapes and Lines, then Reset Text and Object Handles. Now you have an 8-handled text box.
Easy-peasy isn’t it? I have to confess that I hardly ever use the Keynote main menu. Like most people, I just use the shortcuts and get most things done by right-clicking.
The Keynote 8-handled text box is a magnificent thing. You can size it anyhow you like. And there’s far more formatting options compared to the other one. You can have drop-caps, text in columns, all sorts! Happiness is an 8-handled text box.
If you want to get the best out of Keynote and stop doing everything the long way round, come along on our Keynote training course.
Call 020 7920 9500 for full details.
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