Anchoring Text Boxes to a particular paragraph

[hoberdiek]

In a manuscript I like to have a small text box at the beginning of *some* paragraphs in which a central idea is emphasized. In Word and WordPerfect, the text box stays anchored to that particular paragraph. It does not in Nisus, it seems. Consequently, if I add a sentence in the body of the manuscript or delete a few words, the text box not only jumps around -- but it affects all other text boxes in the manuscript. I believe that I could use a "one row, one column table" that would stay put, but a text box seems the way to go. Is there a way of making the text box stay with its intended paragraph -- and not have a "knock on" effect to other text boxes in other paragraphs?

Thanks!

[martin]

If you have a floating text box that is anchored to some paragraph, and you have the placement option set to "moves with paragraph", then when you edit your text the box should keep the same relative position (with respect to the anchoring paragraph). Besides wrapping text around the floating text box (which implicitly moves/adjusts the position of subsequent paragraphs and thus possibly floating shapes anchored to them), a floating box shouldn't disrupt the position of other floating shapes.

Perhaps you've run into a bug. Could you send us a sample file that shows the problem? It would be helpful to know exactly what editing should be done to trigger the unwanted "knock on" effect you describe. Thanks for your help.

[hoberdiek]

Thanks Martin: that seems to work!

Is there a way to make "Moves with Paragraph" the default? I can't see how to do that. Additionally, is there a way to make what is in a text box (by default) always (say) italics and one point less than the main text? As it is, I have to do it each time. Thanks!

[martin]

Thanks Martin: that seems to work!

Is there a way to make "Moves with Paragraph" the default?

Great, I'm glad that does the trick for you. Unfortunately there's no way to make that the default placement. Currently freshly inserted floating text boxes are always set to the "position on page of ¶" setting.

Additionally, is there a way to make what is in a text box (by default) always (say) italics and one point less than the main text? As it is, I have to do it each time. Thanks!

Whenever you insert a new floating text box, NWP automatically applies a "Shape Text" paragraph style (which is based on Normal). So if you alter the settings for that style in your stylesheet, it will affect all existing and subsequently added floating text boxes in that document. You may also want to adjust that style in your Nisus New File (the new file template) so the change takes holds in any future files you create too.

[hoberdiek]

Unfortunately, Martin, the text boxes are a nightmare. They simply don't stay put, and that is in two respects. First, they sometimes "jump" from the beginning of a paragraph where I want them up/down several lines or, even worse, they jump to someplace in the middle of the paragraph. I'm finding that I have to save my document and then open it in Word and use their text boxes, which are *slightly* but not much more stable. I thought I sent you a couple of documents last week, but perhaps you didn't get them?

Sorry for the trouble, but this is a real downer....