Aligning and Justifying Text

Text in text boxes, data fields, and system text boxes can be justified or unjustified:

• Justified text lines up evenly on both the right and left edges of the text box or data field. If you choose to justify your text, you may justify all the text (useful when you want to spread a line of text across a text box or evenly between two data fields) or all except the last line (useful for paragraph text).

• Unjustified text can be aligned to the text box or data field. Text can be aligned vertically to the top, middle, or bottom or horizontally to the left, center, or right.

In text boxes, your choice depends on what you want the text to look like. Paragraph text is often justified. Most other text is not. Field labels are usually aligned to the left or right edge of the text box, depending on which edge you want to use for alignment. “Special effects” text might be centered or otherwise aligned.

For data fields, text is generally unjustified unless you have a multi-line entry field, such as a prop­erty descrip­tion. The alignment depends on where you want the value to appear after it is entered. You might right-align a column of numeric values, for example.

To set the text justification property

1. Select the text box, data field, or system text box.

2. Click on the Justification valuefield. Then click to display the list of justification choices:

3. Select the type of justification you want from the list:

• Choose None if you want the text to have a “ragged” edge or if you want to specify horizontal or vertical alignment.

• Choose All Lines if you want the text to line up with both sides of the text box or data field.

• Choose All except last line for paragraph alignment where all lines are justified except the last line, which may not have enough text to justify properly.

To align unjustified text vertically

1. Select the text box, data field, or system text box you want to align.

2. Make sure None is selected in the Justification value field.

3. Clickon the Vertical Align value field. Then click to display the list of vertical alignment choices:

4. Select the type of alignment you want from the list:

To align unjustified text horizontally

1. Select the text box or data field you want to align.

2. Make sure None is selected in the Justification value field.

3. Click on the Horizontal Align valuefield. Then click to display the list of horizontal alignment choices:

4. Select the type of alignment you want from the list:

Note:

Horizontal alignment in a data field affects the placement of the cursor in end-user appli­cations. In left-aligned fields, the cursor is initially positioned on the left and moves with the text as you enter it. In right-aligned fields, the cursor re­­­mains on the right and the text flows to the left as it is entered (this is par­ti­cu­larly good for numeric fields in columns or tables). In center-aligned fields, the cursor is pos­­i­­­­­tioned in the middle of the field and the text flows in both direc­tions as it is entered.

Important:

When you apply variable character spacing to data fields that are right-aligned, be sure to select Right to Left as the direction. When you apply it to fields that are left-aligned, select Left to Right.