Working with Text in Adobe PageMaker

Adobe PageMaker allows you to create professional-looking documents using both text and graphics. One of the most common tasks is adding and managing text. Whether you type it directly or import it from another program, PageMaker makes it easy to control how your text appears on the page.

Adding Text to a PageMaker Publication

You can add text to your publication in two main ways:

• Typing the text directly on the page.
• Importing or pasting text from another program such as Microsoft Word.

Method 1: Typing Text Directly

Follow these simple steps to type text directly into your publication:

• Click the Text Tool (T) from the toolbox. The cursor changes into an I-beam.
• Click on the page where you want to start typing, or drag to create a rectangular text frame.
• Start typing your content inside the frame. The text stays within the boundary of the frame you created.
• To see the text block’s boundaries, use the Pointer Tool and click anywhere in the text.

Method 2: Importing or Pasting Text

If you already have text written in another program, you can easily paste it into PageMaker.

• Select and copy the text from the original program (like Word) using Edit → Copy.
• Switch to PageMaker using ALT + TAB.
• Click on the page where you want the text to appear.
• Go to Edit → Paste to insert your text.

Changing the Page View

After adding text, you might want to adjust your view to focus on certain parts of the page.

• Click inside the text or select the graphic you want to focus on.
• Go to the View menu and choose one of these options:
• Actual Size: See your text and graphics as they’ll appear when printed.
• Fit in Window: View the entire page layout.
• Zoom To: Select a zoom percentage (25%, 50%, 100%, etc.).
• Entire Pasteboard: See all objects on the pasteboard.

Selecting Text in PageMaker

All text in PageMaker exists inside text blocks or text frames. You can select text using different methods depending on what you want to do.

Method 1: Using the Text Tool (T)

• Select the Text Tool from the toolbox.
• Click and drag to highlight text.
• Double-click a word to select it, or triple-click to select a paragraph.
• Now you can format the text — make it bold, italic, or underlined.

Method 2: Using the Pointer Tool

• Use the Pointer Tool to select the entire text block.
• When selected, lines appear at the top and bottom of the block.
• This method is useful if you want to move, resize, or delete the whole text block.

Method 3: Using Select All

• Click inside a text block using the Text Tool.
• Go to Edit → Select All or press CTRL + A to select everything.
• To deselect, click an empty area of the page.

Selecting Objects

• Click an object once to select it.
• Hold SHIFT to select multiple objects.
• Drag around objects to select several at once.
• Hold CTRL and click to select an object underneath another one.

5 FAQs on Working with Text in PageMaker

Conclusion

Working with text in PageMaker is simple once you understand the basics. You can type or paste text, adjust how it looks, and manage its layout easily using tools like the Text Tool and Pointer Tool. By mastering these features, you can create well-organized and professional-looking publications quickly.