Text remains one of the weakest functions in VectorStyler. But there's really no reason for it: It's easy enough to improve if we thought about it comprehensively. So here are just a few suggestions to radically improve text handling.
Auto create new pages, auto-fit to container and shrink text on overflow:
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Auto create new pages - if you set this on, you get word-processor like workflow. Continuously expanding pages/artboards. Very, very useful.
The other two are slightly different:
Auto-fit to container continuously scales the text to fill the available text area or shape: add text and it reduces in size; remove text and it grows. It preserves relative differences between mixed font sizes, so fixed point sizes cannot be maintained.
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On the left you have a text box with empty space at the bottom. When I click auto-fit, the empty space is used up. If I enlarge the box, the text scales with their relative differences preserved. Very useful when you want to reuse text elements for multiple artboard sizes.
Shrink text on overflow only reduces text size when the text would overflow; it does not enlarge the text again merely because extra space is available.
Match Size: I click on one text box and then click on another, hit the button: Match Size. Now both text boxes match in size. You should be able to match width alone, height alone or both. Super useful.
Dynamic text layer, text line, text box and text columns: Dynamic text layer already in VS. You click and start typing. The text goes on forever. But you can't wrap line. You should be able to. Text line - Already exists, but is miscategorised. Text on Path Tool. Why? Because it is a sub class of Dynamic Text layer. Instead of clicking and typing, you draw a line and type. No need for a separate tool. And yes, you should be able to wrap line here too.
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Three class of text objects. One tool. Click, drag a line, and drag a marquee. And if I drag down hand of the line, it should immediately become a text box.
Likewise, a simple toggle should change the dynamic text layer to a line or a box.
Embedding Graphics: Embedding graphics within text boxes should be a simple matter of either dragging a shape or image into the text frame in layer panel or pasting the object into the text box from the clipboard. Then there are the embedded graphics options.
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Wrapping probably already exists. I haven't found it though. But I should be able to set this quickly. Notice the top portion of this dialogue box. It's the most useful and interesting one. If I convert the text box to columns, the embedded graphics shrinks and fits the column per my setting. Superb! There's also the option to scale only the horizontal direction for instances where you have embedded say a button with text on it. You need the vertical size fixed. Again, extremely intuitive.
Repelling and anchoring: Repelling and anchoring are the the true markers of a well-executed text function.
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Notice the above: Here I can repel text under, set margins - these already exist. But notice the bottom bit. I can set anchoring to move vertically only, but not necessarily. Move vertically only keeps an anchored graphic at the same horizontal position while it follows its anchor up or down as text is edited. Clear this option if you want the graphic to track the anchor horizontally too—for example, to keep a small graphic between particular words. Affect text flow controls whether, when an anchored object reaches the bottom of its text area, its anchored text flows to the next page or column and takes the object with it. Superbly thought out! 30 years ago - not bettered yet.
Named objects: You can give any object multiple names and then create links between texts and that object by linking text to that name. This is not the same as naming objects in layers. It is a separate category of names. You can also select objects based on their names. You can name anything. Colours, text, line patterns. Practically anything, and then select them as a group. This allows for impossibly quick selections.
Table: Tables are quite difficult to get right. And get right Xara did. In Xara you can copy/paste any CSV file, and then covert it to a table with a single click. I can show you this later. This does not exist in VS. Equally, you can even flow tables across pages if you embed them in text boxes.
Matching styles: Say you have a piece of text in word and you want to bring it in to VS. And you have named styles in VS. When you bring it, you have the option of preserving the brought in style, or matching the style to your names. This is very intelligent and works better than in word. In MS Word, copy and pasting without preserving style means you have orphaned text with no style applied. But Xara creates a style for you. And that means, you can select and restyle it! Or even better, just match style when copy it in the first place.
Word/PPT support - Xara fully supports Word and PPT export and import. Equally, it can import an entire webpage from online and preserve both text and image hierarchy perfectly. Super useful when you are prototyping.
Per layer guide and per layer ruler setting: You can make guides only for specific layers. And you can have text ruler for each layer. Ruler settings can be copied and pasted along with all the text attributes. This is actually from PL. Still super useful.
Replacing font with one click: Let's say you have a text box with zero named styles. Mixed fonts and sizes. No problem. Click the layer and select a different font. Now you'll have a dialogue box that will let you choose which font you want to replace.
That's a huge brain dump. But there's a lot you can pick up from here.
