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The text block creation commands allow you to control the position on the page, size, rotation angle, shape, and sequence in the text chain (if applicable), and the exact text you want to include or the name of a text file to be imported. There are three kinds of text blocks: a text block that is not a member of a chain, a text block in a chain with text that you enter into the script itself, and a text block in a chain with text that you want to import into Sahafi.
{TEXTBLOCK=across,down,width,depth,angle,shape,:}
{TEXTBLOCK=across,down,width,depth,angle,shape,[a-z]:[text]}
{TEXTBLOCK=across,down,width,depth,angle,shape,[a-z]:[f:filename]}
where across, down, width, and depth are expressed in the current unit of measurement, and represent the position and size of the text block on the current page.
Angle is measured in tenths of a degree and defines the angle of rotation, based on the geometric center of the text block.
Shape defines one of the geometric shapes for text blocks available in Sahafi in the Specifications command. See the table below for the number that represents the desired shape.
The items in square brackets represent optional elements. The actual brackets are not part of the syntax and should not appear in the statement. A description of the options follows:
[a-z] specifies a letter from a to z to mark this text block for linking. Sahafi links all of the text blocks with the same letter ("a", for example) to the same chain. Text flows into each text block in the "a" chain in the order in which that text block statement appears in the script. The letters a-z provide you with the ability to create up to 26 different text block chains in your document.
If this argument is not present, the text block is independent of other text blocks.
The colon is used to separate the position, size, and linking values from the actual text.
[text] is any actual text you want to type directly into the text box. This text cannot contain certain symbols such as equal signs or curly brackets. To include these symbols in your text, use their symbolic commands. See the Symbolic Commands section later in this guide. The text can contain style names or typesetting commands for automatic formatting.
[f:filename] specifies a text or word processor file to be placed in the text block or chain. The file can be any file type accepted by Sahafi, such as Microsoft Word, MacWrite, or WriteNow, or it can be an ASCII text file. It must be present in the same folder as the script file. Formatting information is imported following the same rules as for the Get Text command in the File menu. See the File Menu section in Reference of the Sahafi User's Guide for more information about the available word processing filters.
The following examples assume that UNITS has been set to inches in the Prolog:
Example: {TEXTBLOCK=.5,.5,2.5,7.5,30,2,:} creates a text block starting .5 inches from the left side of the page and .5 inches from the top. The block is 2.5 inches wide and 7.5 inches deep. The text block is rotated 30 degrees and is shaped like a diamond. It is not linked to another text block and does not contain any text.
Example: {TEXTBLOCK=.5,.5,2.5,7.5,30,2,:This is a test of ReadyScript.} creates a text block starting .5 inches from the left side of the page and .5 inches from the top. The block is 2.5 inches wide and 7.5 inches deep. The text block is rotated 30 degrees and is shaped like a diamond. The text "This is a test of ReadyScript." is placed into the shaped text block.
Example:
{TEXTBLOCK=.5,.5,2.5,7.5,30,2,a:}
{TEXTBLOCK=3.25,.5,2.5,7.5,30,2,a:f:Example 1 Script}
Creates two text blocks, the first starting .5 inches from the left side of the page and .5 from the top and the second starting at 3.25 inches from the left side of the page and .5 inches from the top. Both blocks are 2.5 inches wide and 7.5 inches deep. The text blocks are rotated 30 degrees and are shaped like diamonds. The blocks are linked as chain "a" and the contents of the file "Example 1 Script" are placed in the chain.
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