Adding Text Overlays
You can add text overlays to 2D and 3D scene views in the form of titles or captions or as detailed information that describes an image or finding. Using text in video presentations can make scenes in the movie more easily understandable.
The options for editing text overlays are available in the Overlay Editor, shown below.
Text Overlay Editor
| Description | |
|---|---|
|
Edit geometry and position |
If checked, the text overlay box will be unlocked and can be moved and resized. |
|
Synchronize object title with text |
If checked, the title of the overlay that appears in the object list will be updated whenever the overlay text is edited. |
|
Opacity |
Determines the opacity of the selected text overlay.
|
|
Font |
Provides options for selecting the text color, font face, and font size. Text color… Click the color box and then choose a new color in the Color dialog (see Choosing Colors). Font face… Select a font face in the drop-down menu. You should note that some font installed in your Fonts folder may not be available for text overlays. Font size… Select a font size in the drop-down menu. You should note that font sizes are always relative to the resolution of the selected view. |
|
Text box |
Determines the horizontal alignment of text (Left, Center, or Right), as well as the vertical alignment of text (Top, Middle, or Bottom) in the overlay box. |
|
Edit box |
Lets you enter and edit the text that will appear in the overlay. |
How to Add a Text Overlay
It is very simple and effortless to add text in Dragonfly. You can customize the text color, font face, size, and alignment, as well as the opacity of the overlay in the Overlay Editor. Text overlays can be positioned anywhere inside a scene view and can be resized for the best text fit. They initially appear in the currently selected scene view, but can also be shown anywhere else in the workspace.
- Select the scene view to which you want to add the text overlay.
- Click the Text Overlay
button on the Overlays panel.
A text overlay box appears in the selected view and is listed in the Data Properties and Settings panel (see Overlay Properties and Settings).
- Enter the required text in the Overlay Editor edit box.
- Select the font attributes — color, font face, and font size — as required.
- Align the text, as required.
You can left, center, or right align your text, as well as align text at the top, middle, or bottom of the text box.
- Adjust the opacity, as required.
- Do the following to move the text overlay box:
- Make sure that the Edit geometry and position option is checked.
- Drag from the center of the Text Overlay box to reposition it, as shown below.
NOTE After your adjustments are complete, you can lock the Text Overlay box by unchecking the Edit geometry and position option.
- Do the following to resize the text overlay box:
- Make sure that the Edit geometry and position option is checked.
- Drag a face of the Text Overlay box to resize it, as shown below.
NOTE After your adjustments are complete, you can lock the Text Overlay box by unchecking the Edit geometry and position option.
- Save the overlay, if required (see Exporting Objects).
You should note that text overlays can also be saved in session files (see Working with Sessions).
How to Edit a Text Overlay
- Select the text overlay you need to edit in the Data Properties and Settings panel.
- Edit the text, as required.
- Customize the text, as required.
- Move or resize the text overlay box, as required.
