Convert Illustrator Point/Path Text to Area Text
Point text in Illustrator is a text field that is generated by a click of the text tool. Area text is generated by dragging a rectangle with the text tool. You can scale a area text to make room for more text or to control where the lines end. When you try to scale point text, however, the text itself grows or shrinks to fill the rectangular area. If you inherit a file with lots of point text, it can be difficult to edit.
This script will convert point text and text on a path into area text. You select multiple text fields and the script will convert them all. It does not take into account stories (linked text fields), so use with caution in those cases.
Download
(Compatibility: Illustrator CS – CS4)
Convert to Text Area.js
[right-click (ctrl-click on Mac) and choose Save Link As...]
Installation Instructions
Place the Convert to Text Area.js file into the Scripts directory within your Illustrator application directory:
Windows > C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator {version}\Presets\Scripts
Mac OS X > Applications/Adobe Illustrator {version}/Presets/Scripts
Note: In CS4, the directory path will include a region directory (e.g., Adobe Illustrator CS4/Presets/en_US/Scripts).
Usage
Select text field(s), choose File > Scripts > Convert to Text Area.
Thanks Justin! The script works great!
I am running across some text which is editable by double-clicking with the Direct Selection tool but isn’t recognized as text objects for the “merge” command. This was text generated by “placing” a pdf page into the AI document. I am not sure what is going on there. I am thinking that may not be the best way to import the text from those documents.
The good news is that both scripts work very well on text that I have created and some of the imported text.
Comment by JD — March 9, 2009 @ 5:02 pm
Hi JD,
Glad it’s working!
The text that you have to double-click on may be in a group or a clipping mask. Try ungrouping or removing any clipping masks. Both options are available via right-click (ctl-click on Mac) on the text object (before you double-click on it).
Comment by Justin — March 9, 2009 @ 7:59 pm
Hi Justin. The Merge Text and Convert To Text Area scripts are working great for me. Thanks very much for these! I should be punching my monitor and my own face much less frequently now when I have to import a pdf into Illustrator.
Comment by Zack — March 31, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
Great to hear it, Zack! Less punching is good!
Comment by Justin — March 31, 2009 @ 4:17 pm
Great scripts. Thanks for sharing.
Comment by clipping path services — April 2, 2009 @ 10:45 am
Sir, YOU ARE AMAZING!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!
Cheers!!=)
Comment by Jorge — July 3, 2009 @ 10:50 am
Much appreciated, Jorge!
Comment by Justin — July 4, 2009 @ 1:52 am
Hi Justin,
Thank you so much for charing this script and solution! I have search for this solution in the Adobe help website with no result. Thank for sharing it with so detail instruction!
Thank you for your time,
Kerstine
Comment by Kerstine — December 12, 2009 @ 3:13 pm