Video Tutorial: Convert Dingbats to Picture Boxes
If you often use the same dingbats or illustrations from a picture font in QuarkXPress, you can eliminate the need to include the font when outputting if you convert those characters to picture boxes in QuarkXPress. This video by Jay Nelson shows you how.
PLAY Video: Convert Dingbats to Picture Boxes
Just select the character(s) and choose Style> Text to Box, or in QuarkXPress 8, choose Item> Convert Text to Boxes.
The result is a native QuarkXPress picture box shaped exactly like the dingbat, and the font is no longer necessary for output. You can change its shape with the Pen tool, fill it with a picture or text, color it with a gradient — everything you can do with any box.
Here’s a second tip: If your dingbat falls at the beginning or end of some text, you can anchor it in the text while you’re creating it. If you’re using QuarkXPress 7 or earlier, just hold down the Option key when choosing Style> Text to Box. In QuarkXPress 8, just choose Item> Convert Text to Boxes> Anchored.
Jay Nelson is the editorial director of PlanetQuark.com, and the editor and publisher of Design Tools Monthly. He’s also the author of the QuarkXPress 8 and QuarkXPress 7 training titles at Lynda.com, as well as the training videos Quark includes in the box with QuarkXPress 7 . In addition, Jay writes regularly for Macworld and Photoshop User magazines and speaks at industry events.
i know the guy “Jay Nelson”. i just learn quarkXpress-8 by him through video learning.
Great Man and good teacher!!
wishes for him,
Matloob Ali
Hey thanks, Matloob! You made my morning. :-)
So simple and so valuable. Many thanks!
Hi, I can’t manage to find the command for this. Can you help? I have the new Quark 8 trial run download (love it, getting it) but there doesn’t seem to be the command ‘text to box’ under the edit drop down menu. The videos on this site won’t run, which is annoying, so I can’t see it there.
I have highlighted the symbol I want, gone to the ‘Edit’ drop down menu and…nothing appears there saying ‘Text To Box’. Suggestions? I am a real newbie with this software, so be gentle with me!
Oh my goodness, you’re right Anna! In QuarkXPress 8, go to Item> Convert Text to Boxes. I’ll fix it in the story right now. Sorry!