How to make Illustrator show actual size of live text without converting to outlines

[ddubia]

When working with text I need to know the exact letter height, not the em height and without the leading as is included in the illustrator bounding box around type.

I need it exactly the way it would measure if converting the text to outlines. Converting text to outlines gives me that measurement. But then the text is no longer "live", thus, I can't make any changes if need be.

Some days ago I read a question on here regarding this very matter. But something came up and I didn't have time to answer. Now I can't find the thread that contained the question.

There is a way to do this in illustrator and still keep the text live. This works in CS2. Not sure about other versions.


Step 1). Go to Edit>Preferences>General and check the box "Use Preview Bounds"

Step 2). With the live type selected, Effect>Path>Outline Object.

The bounding box will snap tight around the type and give the actual height & width of the lettering.

So long as you leave the "Use Preview Bounds" checked all you need to do in the future is step 2.

Hopes this helps.

 

[The Vector Doctor]

That won't be accurate though if you have a descender. It measures the top of the letters to the bottom of the descender

If i need to know the exact dimensions i just draw a box around one or more letters and look at the size in the transform window

 

[ddubia]

If you set up two identical lines of text and do this to one of them and convert the other one to outlines the measurements in the transform palette with be exactly the same.

That is what I am typically looking for. Plus this method leaves the type live.

I have done the same as you in drawing a box around the lettering but found this a preferred method for me.

Another plus of doing this is that when I have several lines of copy close together it's sometimes difficult to select the one I want because one of the others gets in the way due either to the em height or the leading. The bounding box around the type includes these. If I run into that I'll lock one so I can select the other. This method eliminates that as well while still leaving the type live.

 

[J Hill Designs]

but what the vec doc is saying is if you have a word with a descender (Story for example) the measurement will be from the top of the S to the bottom of the y, which doesn't actually tell you character height.

 

[Dennis422]

Lets say you want 4" letters.
Draw a box that is 4" high and keep enlarging/reducing text until it is the same size as the box.
Not perfect, but simple enough

 

[Fred Weiss]

Set two horizontal guidelines to the desired baseline and height line and lock them. Do your measuring with a cap letter that is flat both top and bottom such as "H" or "I".

 

[ddubia]

but what the vec doc is saying is if you have a word with a descender (Story for example) the measurement will be from the top of the S to the bottom of the y, which doesn't actually tell you character height.

Oh, now I see what he was getting at. Character height. I was shooting for overall measurement. It helps me nest my output to my media size.

For character height: We do a lot of cut-vinyl work for a local factory with copy like "12 TON CAP." and the like. They'll specify 2", 3" 4", etc letters. I'll type a letter, choose Effect>Path>Outline Object, then set the character height I need in the transform palette and then continue to type the line of copy.

All I know is that for me, and maybe only me, this method works great. It's not always going to work for every instance depending on what you need to do but it covers many if the issues I have with Illustrator and it's confusing bounding box around type.

 

[Rick]

Lets say you want 4" letters.
Draw a box that is 4" high and keep enlarging/reducing text until it is the same size as the box.
Not perfect, but simple enough

I do this...