Add text to path (but not with THAT tool)

[ZeemanX]

Hello everyone,

I am a Freehand user but I just realized that Adobe stopped taking care about this great application, so it is possible that I will jump to AI.
I'm trying it nowadays, and its really fine, the user interface is okay blablabla, but I have a problem.
I can't figure out, how can I add a text to a path, but not with the Text to Path Tool (where I have to type the text onto the path). What I want; imagine you have a spline, and a word (or sentence) and put the text to that path. Thats it. In MX it was 2 click (select both the text and the path, and click on the 'Add text to path' function).
And the other question:
is it possible to change the tracking of a text without type the value in the paragraph window (in simple: grab a text-object's side and move it away, while the text kerning (or tracking) increasing)?


Thanks in advance,
ZeemanX

[jayluebs]

Use the pen tool to draw a line that you want text on. Then use the text tool and click on the line, then type your text. Simple as that.

I don't think there is a way to change kerning without typing the value in the character window...

[ZeemanX]

yeah, I know that Pen tool usage, but I wanted another form.
But I have just figured out how can I change the tracking of the text without typing the value. Just select the text, and press Alt+Left or Right Arrows... Thats what I wanted.

[jayluebs]

Thanks for figuring that out! I am definitely going to start using that. And while using the alt+left or right arrow, I discovered that if you use alt+up or down arrow, it changes the leading! I use this way more than tracking, and it will save me a lot of hassle! Thanks

[jayluebs]

After re-reading your question about the text on a path - it sounds like you want to take a piece of text that's already been typed, and a line that has already been drawn and make the text follow that line. I think the only way to do that in illustrator is to copy the text, and then paste it onto the line. Copying the text, using the text tool to click on the line, and then pasting the text would be a 2-click, 2-keyboard shortcut operation, so hopefully that's not too much of a stretch from just a 2-click operation for you.

[ZeemanX]

Great!
I'm glad to help you.
Yea, I tried that copy-paste stuff and its better than retype the text, of course. I just made a question that somebody knows a shortcut or something what I exactly want with fit text on path function. But whatever.
I think I have to knock out my Freehand MX-ish text2path function 'habit'...