"text wrap image" in Keynote 5.0.3

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Level 2

374 points

"text wrap image" in Keynote 5.0.3

I used the subject line (without quotations) to search for an answer in both Keynote and Pages forums, but found nothing relevant.

Surely I can place an image into Keynote 09 and be able to wrap/ flow the text around it. Hadn't I done this in the past? I'm not able to find it today- looked in the inspectors (there is no "wrap" inspector tab, all the menus, read the user guide (it doesn't even have the word wrap in it), and it's looking like I can't wrap/ flow text around an image.

I have to admit I'm surprised by that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, especially if you tell me it can be done and how to do it. ::grin::

Thanks. Joel.

iMac 27" i7, MBP 17" 2.66 Unibody, MBP 15" 2.4, MBP 17" 2.4, Mac OS X (10.6.3), iPad 64 GB, iPhone 3GS 32 GB (3.1.2), MacBook 13", 15 Ti 800 DVI, iMac G3

Posted on Apr 10, 2010 2:04 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Kyn Drake

Level 7

21,585 points

Apr 11, 2010 7:39 AM in response to Joel Hall

Objects don't cause a wrap in Keynote. The only reason I can figure for that is that in most instances, if you're putting enough text on the screen to need a wrap, it's probably too much text. 🙂 However, as with anything, there are always exceptions, and Keynote can't handle this currently. But, you can fake it by creating a shape that follows the outline of the object you want to flow around, making the fill and stroke "None" and typing your text into the shape.

Try the steps outlined in the tip here, it may be a good workaround.

http://www.keynoteuser.com/2007/01/07/flowed-text-in-keynote/

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Answer 2

gbdoc

Level 2

356 points

Apr 11, 2010 8:43 AM in response to Joel Hall

KN can't do this (but the trick already described can mimic it pretty well), but Pages can. And when I search in the Pages forum for "text wrap" I get plenty of hits.

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Answer 3

Joel Hall Author

Level 2

374 points

Apr 11, 2010 10:06 AM in response to Joel Hall

Thanks Kyn, I'll give this a try later this afternoon.

I haven't been to the Keynote forum for a long time, but when posting this question I saw your (Kyn's) name responding to questions and I laughed remembering how much you helped me a long time ago, back when Keynote was just a newborn.

Thanks for (still!) being here.

gbdoc, the key word relating to Pages was "relevant," I was unable to find the "Wrap" inspector in Keynote. ::grin:: I knew I'd used wrap in Pages, thought I'd used it in Keynote. Just couldn't find where that option was, and it turns out it's because it wasn't.

I will give this workaround a try, thanks again for the info, and the confirmation that it works.

Thanks. Joel.

Edit- the forum seems to be having formatting issues, I'm seeing different sizes and paragraphs not being separated. Noticed this a couple weeks ago in the Final Cut Studio forum as well.

Message was edited by: Joel Hall

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Answer 4

candez

Level 1

9 points

May 30, 2010 2:46 AM in response to Kyn Drake

Sorry to go off-topic, but I just wanted to explain why the “if you have to wrap, it’s too much text” is a good rule, but like most rules, there are many instances where that rule can +and should+ be broken.

Most of the presentations I make are to public boards (public utility governing boards, county boards of supervisors, regulatory agency boards, etc.). Before the meeting, I submit my Keynote presentation, which is included in the agenda and ultimately becomes part of the permanent public record.

I could make a fabulous speech with an amazing, very simple Keynote presentation that supports my speech, but the decisions typically don't get made in the meetings. They get made based on the recommendations of staff members who use my Keynote presentation as a reference because they weren't at the meeting to hear my riveting speech.

In these cases, the Keynote presentation isn't a visual aid for my speech. The speech is an audio aid for the Keynote presentation. Succinct and well-written text organized logically with easy-to-understand graphics wins staff over to my position. Three words and a graphic on a slide that don't make sense without the accompanying speech accomplish nothing.

Anyway, *as you said*, there are exceptions to every rule and your point is a good one. I see all too often presentations where the speaker stands in front of the group and just reads his PowerPoint presentation word for word (the people who do this are inevitably using PP, not Keynote, of course 🙂 )

The most important thing is to consider the purpose of your presentation, whom it will be presented to, and how it will be used. Anyone who is doing presentations professionally should understand this rule (and others), and the reason behind it. And at that point, you can make an informed decision about whether or not the rule is appropriate to your specific situation.

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