rotate text in a cell in Numbers?

Paula,

Rotating text in a table is not a feature of numbers. We have addressed this question several time in the forum and I suggest you reference one of those discussions:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3697496?answerId=17454065022#17454065022

The easiest options are:

1) make a text box (which you can rotate) and place it above, and aligned with, your table or

2) type text in a cell, then rotate the text box 90 deg, then copy.

Switch to Preview and create a new from clibboard ("File > New From Clipboard"), then use the rectangular selection tool to select the vertical text, copy

Switch back to numbers, select the deatination cell, paste

Paula,

It's important to keep in mind that the workarounds for rotating title text have the drawback that these labels aren't treated as text or data in the spreadsheet. They are only images and can't be used in equations of for referencing by Header Cell Names.

Jerry

Here are ways to change an object’s orientation:

To flip an object horizontally or vertically, select the object, and then choose Arrange > Flip Horizontally or Arrange > Flip Vertically.You can also click Inspector in the toolbar, click the Metrics inspector button, and then use the Flip buttons.

To rotate an object, select the object, hold down the Command key and move the pointer toward an active selection handle until it changes to a curved, double-headed arrow, and then drag a selection handle.To rotate an object in 45-degree increments, hold down the Shift and Command keys while dragging a selection handle.You can also click Inspector in the toolbar, click the Metrics inspector button, and then drag the Rotate wheel or use the Angle controls to set the angle of the object.

To rotate a shape but keep its text horizontal, after rotating the shape choose Format > Shape > “Reset Text and Object Handles.”

To be able to reference the value, create two header rows - one will be hidden, the other, visible.

Enter the actual values in the top header, then hide it.

Use the visible for the rotated text boxes or images, whichever you prefer.

😉

To quickly create rotated images

1. create a (vertical) list of text that you want to rotate
   
2. format backgrounds and text colours, etc, as well as width and height of cells
   (make them a little higher and wider than the final result, to allow for easier selection in Preview)
   
3. select all cells in the list
   edit > copy
   
4. open Preview
   file > create new from clipboard
   
5. rotate the image
   
6. one at a time, select each cell from the rotated image
   paste into Numbers
   
7. In the Inspector, choose Graphics::Fill > image fill > original size

Ta da !! 😁

BTW, in Preview, you can use the same selection outline for each cell; just drag the outline to the next text item you want to copy.

Hi kharisma,

To be able to reference the value, create two header rows - one will be hidden, the other, visible.

Enter the actual values in the top header, then hide it.

Use the visible for the rotated text boxes or images, whichever you prefer.

Brilliant!

Regards,

Ian.