Understanding text flow

For this next section, create a new blank document in addition. The purpose is to find out more details about flowing text in Adobe Illustrator CS3.

1. Choose File > New. In the Document Setup, choose Inches for Units, and keep other defaults the same. Click OK.
2. Create a fixed type area by selecting the Rectangle tool and clicking once on the page...do not click and drag! The Rectangle dialog window appears.
3. Type 2 inches into both the Width and Height text fields. Click OK.
   
   A square appears. It may have a fill or stroke color. Both fill and stroke will change to None when the shape is converted into a type area.
   
   Setting the dimensions
   
   
   
   Result
   
   
   
4. Select the Type tool and cross it over the edge of the square. The text insertion point swells, or becomes curved, indicating that when you click, the text cursor will appear inside this shape.
   
   The text insertion point when crossed over an edge of a shape
   
   
   
   Result The text cursor is inside the shape, strokes and fills are changed to none
   
   
   
5. With the cursor still active in the square, choose File > Place and navigate to the folder hard drive. Select the file and then click Place. You are placing a native Microsoft Word document, so you will have additional options to choose from.
6. In the Microsoft Word Options dialog window, leave the default settings and click OK.
   
   The text appears in the square. Text remembers the last used settings, so the type may appear slightly different from that in our example; this is not a problem.